Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewomen, Are mighty gossips in this monarchy. Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me ; His majesty hath straitly given in charge, That no man shall have private conference, Of what degree soever, with his brother. Glo. Even so? an please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say : A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue; Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do, And I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. Brother, farewell: I will unto the king; And whatsoever will employ me in,- I will perform it to enfranchise you. sister, Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood, Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Mean time, have patience. Clar. I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er re turn, Simple, plain Clarence! - I do love thee so, Enter HASTINGS. Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain ! Well are you welcome to this open air, How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must: But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks, Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; For they, that were your enemies, are his, Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home ;- Glo. Now, by saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much consum'd his royal person; 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed? Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you, [Exit HASTINGS. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die, Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven. I'll in, to urge his hatred more to Clarence, With lies well steel'd with weighty arguments; Clarence hath not another day to live: Which done, Heaven take king Edward to his mercy, And leave the world for me to bustle in! For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter: What though I kill'd her husband, and her father? The readiest way to make the wench amends, Is to become her husband, and her father: By marrying her, which I must reach unto. Clarence still breathes: Edward still lives, and reigns; When they are gone, then must I count my gains. SCENE II. [Exit. Another Street. Enter the Corpse of King HENRY the Sixth, borne in an open coffin; Gentlemen bearing halberds, to guard it; and Lady ANNE as Mourner. Anne. Set down, set down your honourable If honour may be shrouded in a hearse, With becoming reverence for the dead. Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughter'd son, Stabb'd by the self-same hand that made these wounds! Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, May fright the hopeful mother at the view; Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it down. Anne. What black magician conjures up this fiend, To stop devoted charitable deeds? Glo. Villains, set down the corse; or, by Saint I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin Glo. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou when I com mand: Advance thy halberd higher than my breast, Anne. What, do you tremble? are you all afraid? For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, Provokes this deluge most unnatural. - O Thou, which this blood mad'st, revenge his death! O earth, which this blood drink'st, revenge his death! Either, Heaven, with lightning strike the murderer dead, Or earth, gape open wide, and eat him quick; Glo. Lady, you know no rules of charity, man; No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity. |