With thy embracements to my wife's allies, Buck. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace [To the Queen], but with all duteous love Doth cherish you, and yours, God punish me [Embracing RIVERS, &c. K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Good-morrow to my sovereign king, and queen; And, princely peers, a happy time of day! Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Among this princely heap, if any here, If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne To reconcile me to his friendly peace: I hate it, and desire all good men's love.First, madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchase with my duteous service; Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham, If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us :- With whom my soul is any jot at odds, Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter: I would to God, all strifes were well compounded. My sovereign lord, I do beseech your highness Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd. Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died, And that a winged Mercury did bear; Some tardy cripple bore the countermand, That came too lag to see him buried :God grant, that some, less noble, and less loyal, Nearer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood, Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did, And yet go current from suspicion. Enter STANLEY. Stan. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done! K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my soul is full of sorrow. Stan. I will not rise, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou request'st. Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk. K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death, And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave? Who sued to me for him? who, in my wrath, And I, unjustly too, must grant it you :- For him, poor soul.-The proudest of you all [Exeunt King, Queen, HASTINGS, RIVERS, Glo. This is the fruit of rashness!-Mark'd you not, How that the guilty kindred of the queen Look'd pale, when they did hear of Clarence' death? O! they did urge it still unto the king: Buck. We wait upon your grace. SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. Enter the DUCHESS OF YORK, with a Son and Son. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Daugh. Why do you weep so oft? and beat your breast; And cry-O Clarence, my unhappy son! [head, Duch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both; I do lament the sickness of the king, As loath to lose him, not your father's death: The king my uncle is to blame for this: Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well: Incapable and shallow innocents, You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death. Son. Grandam, we can: for my good uncle Gloster Told me, And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice! Duch. Ay, boy. Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this? Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH, distractedly; RIVERS, and DORSET, following her. Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail To chide my fortune, and torment myself? Duch. What means this scene of rude impatience? Q. Eliz. To make an act of tragick violence:Edward, my lord, thy son, our king, is dead. Why grow the branches, when the root is gone? Why wither not the leaves, that want their sap? If you will live, lament; if die, be brief; That our swift-winged souls may catch the king's; Or, like obedient subjects, follow him To his new kingdom of perpetual rest. Duch. Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow, As I had title in thy noble husband! I have bewept a worthy husband's death, But now two mirrors of his princely semblance arms, And pluck'd two crutches from my feeble hands, Clarence, and Edward. O, what cause have I (Thine being but a moiety of my grief), To overgo thy plaints, and drown thy cries! Son. Ah, aunt! you wept not for our father's death; How can we aid you with our kindred tears? Daugh. Our fatherless distress was left unmoan'd, Your widow dolour likewise be unwept! |