Buck. To-morrow then we will attend your grace; And so, most joyfully, we take our leave. Glo. Come, let us to our holy work again :[To the Bishops. Farewell, good cousin ;-Farewell, gentle friends. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE 1.-Before the Tower. Enter, on one side, Queen ELIZABETH, Duchess of YORK, and Marquis of DORSET on the other, ANNE, Duchess of GLOSTER, leading Lady Margaret Plantagenet, Clarence's young Daughter. Duch. Who meets us here ?-My niece Plan tagenet Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloster ? Anne. God give your graces both A happy and a joyful time of day! Q. Eliz. As much to you, good sister! Whither away? Anne. No further than the Tower; and as I guess, Upon the like devotion as yourselves, To gratulate the gentle princes there. Q. Eliz. Kind sister, thanks; we'll enter all together: Enter BRAKENBURY. And, in good time, here the lieutenant comes.- I may not suffer you to visit them ; The king hath strictly charged the contrary. Brak. I mean, the lord protector. Q. Eliz. The lord protect him from that kingly title ! Hath he set bounds between their love, and me? I am their mother, who shall bar me from them? Duch. I am their father's mother, I will see them. Anne. Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother: Then bring me to their sights; I'll bear thy blame, And take thy office from thee, on my peril. Brak. No, madam, no, I may not leave it so ; I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. [Exit Brakenbury. Enter STANLEY. Stan. Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour hence, And I'll salute your grace of York as mother, Q. Eliz. Ah, cut my lace asunder! That my pent heart may have some scope to beat, Or else I swoon with this dead killing news! Anne. Despiteful tidings! O unpleasing news! Dor. Be of good cheer:-Mother, how fares you r grace? Q. Eliz. O Dorset, speak not to me, get thee gone, Death and destruction dog thee at the heels; Take all the swift advantages of the hours; Duch. O ill-dispersing wind of misery!- A cockatrice hast thou hatch'd to the world, Stan. Come, madam, come; I in all haste was sent. Anne. And I with all unwillingness will go.- A serpent supposed to originate from a cock's egg. + The crown. Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brain! And die, ere men can say-God save the queen! Q. Eliz. Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy glory; To feed my humour, wish thyself no harm. Anne. No! why ?-When he, that is my husband now, Came to me, as I follow'd Henry's corse; When scarce the blood was well wash'd from his hands, Which issued from my other angel husband, And that dead saint which then I weeping follow'd; More miserable by the life of thee, Than thou hadst made me by my dear lord's death; Even in so short a space, my woman's heart And proved the subject of mine own soul's curse: Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep, But with his timorous dreams was still awaked. Q. Eliz. Poor heart, adieu; I pity thy complaining. Anne. No more than with my soul I mourn for yours. Dor. Farewell, thou woful welcomer of glory! Anne. Adieu, poor soul, that takest thy leave of it! Duch. Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee! [To Dorset. Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee [To Anne Go thou to sanctuary, and good thoughts possess [To Q. Elizabeth. I to my grave where peace and rest lie with me i Eighty odd years of sorrow have I seen, And each hour's joy wreck'd with a week of teen t. Q. Eliz. Stay yet; look back, with me, unto the thee! Tower. Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes, • Burn, + Sorrow. Whom envy hath immured within your walls! [Exeunt. SCENE II-A Room of State in the Palace. Flourish of Trumpets.-RICHARD, as King upon his Throne; BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, a PAGE, and others. K. Rich. Stand all apart.-Cousin of Buckingham, Buck. My gracious sovereign. K. Rich. Give me thy hand. Thus high, by thy advice, And thy assistance, is king Richard seated :- Buck. Still live they, and for ever let them last! touch, To try if thou be current gold, indeed :- speak. Buck. Say on, my loving lord. K. Rich. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king. Buck. Why, so you are, my thrice-renowned liege. K. Rich. Ha! am I king? 'Tis so : but Edward lives. Buck. True, noble prince. K. Rich. O bitter consequence, That Edward still should live,-True, noble prince t Say, have I thy consent, that they shall die?* Buck. Give me some breath, some little pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this: [Exit Buckingham. • Touchstone. 2 Cate. The king is angry; see, he gnaws his lip. K. Rich. I will converse with iron-witted fools, [Aside. [Descends from his Throne.. And unrespective boys; none are for me, That look into me with considerate eyes:High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect. Boy, Page. My lord. K. Rich. Know'st thou not any, whom corrupt- Would tempt unto a close exploit + of death? Page. His name, my lord, is-Tyrrel. K. Rich. I partly know the man; Go, call him The deep-revolving witty Buckingham nd stops he now for breath 1-Weil, be it so. Enter STANLEY. How now, lord Stanley? what's the news? The marquis Dorset, as I hear, is filed That Anne my wife is very grievous sick; ter: The boy is foolish, and I fear not him. Look, how thou dream'st!-I say again, give out, I must be married to my brother's daughter, Inconsiderate. + Secret act. Cunning. |