Enter QUEEN MARGARET, behind. Q. MAR. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech him! Thy honour, state, and seat, is due to me. GLO. What? threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and spare not: look, what I have said I will avouch, in presence of the king: I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower. "T is time to speak, my pains are quite forgot. Q. MAR. Out, devil! I do remember them too well: GLO. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, To royalise his blood I spilt mine own. Q. MAR. Ay, and much better blood than his, or thine. GLO. In all which time, you, and your husband Grey, Were factious for the house of Lancaster; And, Rivers, so were you:-Was not your husband Let me put in your minds, if you forget, Q. MAR. A murtherous villain, and so still thou art. GLO. To fight on Edward's party, for the crown; Or Edward's soft and pitiful like mine; I am too childish-foolish for this world. Q. MAR. Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave this world, Thou cacodæmon! there thy kingdom is. RIV. My lord of Gloster, in those busy days, Which here you urge to prove us enemies, So should we you, if you should be our king. Q. ELIZ. As little joy, my lord, as you suppose That I enjoy, being the queen thereof. Q. MAR. A little joy enjoys the queen thereof; For I am she, and altogether joyless. I can no longer hold me patient.— Hear me, you wrangling pirates, that fall out [Advancing. GLO. Foul wrinkled witch, what mak'st thou in my sight? Q. MAR. But repetition of what thou hast marr'd; That will I make, before I let thee go. GLO. Wert thou not banished on pain of death? Q. MAR. I was; but I do find more pain in banishment GLO. The curse my noble father laid on thee, Denounc'd against thee, are all fallen upon thee; RIV. Tyrants themselves wept when it was reported. BUCK. Northumberland, then present, wept to see it. Q. MAR. What! were you snarling all, before I came, Ready to catch each other by the throat, And turn you all your hatred now on me? Did York's dread curse prevail so much with Heaven, Long mayst thou live, to wail thy children's death, Deck'd in thy rights, as thou art stall'd in mine! natural age, But by some unlook'd accident cut off! GLO. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag. hear me. If heavens have any grievous plague in store, On thee, the troubler of the poor world's peace! Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils! The slave of nature, and the son of hell! GLO. Margaret. Q. MAR. GLO. Q. MAR. Richard! Ha? I call thee not. GLO. I cry thee mercy then; for I did think GLO. 'T is done by me; and ends in-Margaret. Q. ELIZ. Thus have you breath'd your curse against yourself. Q. MAR. Poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune! Why strew'st thou sugar on that bottled spider, Whose deadly web ensnareth thee about? Fool, fool! thou whett'st a knife to kill thyself. The day will come that thou shalt wish for me To help thee curse this pois'nous bunch-back'd toad. HAST. False-boding woman, end thy frantic curse, Lest to thy harm thou move our patience. Q. MAR. Foul shame upon you! you have all mov'd mine. Q. MAR. Peace, master marquis, you are malapert: What 't were to lose it, and be miserable! They that stand high have many blasts to shake them; GLO. Good counsel, marry; learn it, learn it, marquis. GLO. Ay, and much more: But I was born so high, Our aiery buildeth in the cedar's top, And dallies with the wind, and scorns the sun. Q. MAR. And turns the sun to shade;-alas! alas! Your aiery buildeth in our aiery's nest: O God, that seest it, do not suffer it; As it was won with blood, lost be it so! BUCK. Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity. And shamefully my hopes by you are butcher'd. And in that shame still live my sorrow's rage! Q. MAR. O princely Buckingham, I'll kiss thy hand, Now fair befall thee and thy noble house! BUCK. Nor no one here; for curses never pass Q. MAR. I will not think but they ascend the sky, Look, when he fawns he bites; and, when he bites, Have not to do with him, beware of him; Sin, death, and hell have set their marks on him; GLO. What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham? BUCK. Nothing that I respect, my gracious lord. Q. MAR. What, dost thou scorn me for my gentle counsel, And soothe the devil that I warn thee from? O, but remember this another day, When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow; And say, poor Margaret was a prophetess. Live each of you the subjects to his hate, |