Glo. That it may please you leave these sad designs Grant me this boon. Anne. With all my heart; and much it joys me too, To see you are become so penitent. Tressel, and Berkley, go along with me. Glo. Bid me farewell. Anne. 'T is more than you deserve; But since you teach me how to flatter you, Imagine I have said farewell already. [Exeunt Lady ANNE, TRESSEL, and BERKLEY. Gent. Towards Chertsey, noble lord? Glo. No, to White-Friars; there attend my coming. [Exeunt the rest, with the Corse. Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Was ever woman in this humour won? I'll have her, but I will not keep her long. What! I, that kill'd her husband, and his father, To take her in her heart's extremest hate; With curses in her mouth, tears in her eyes, The bleeding witness of my hatred by, Having God, her conscience, and these bars against me, And I no friends to back my suit withal, But the plain devil, and dissembling looks, And yet to win her, — all the world to nothing! · Ha! Hath she forgot already that brave prince, Edward, her lord, whom I, some three months since, A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman, Fram'd in the prodigality of nature, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal, And will she yet abase her eyes on me, That cropp'd the golden prime of this sweet prince, On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety? I do mistake my person all this while : SCENE III. The Same. A Room in the Palace. [Exit. Enter Queen ELIZABETH, Lord RIVERS, and Lord GREY. Riv. Have patience, Madam: there's no doubt, his majesty Will soon recover his accustom'd health. Grey. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse: Q. Eliz. If he were dead, what would betide on me? Q. Eliz. Ah! he is young; and his minority Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloster, Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY. Grey. Here come the lords of Buckingham and Stanley. Stan. God make your majesty joyful as you have been! Yet, Stanley, notwithstanding she's your wife, Stan. I do beseech you, either not believe Or, if she be accus'd on true report, Bear with her weakness, which, I think, proceeds Q. Eliz. Saw you the king to-day, my lord of Stanley? Are come from visiting his majesty. Q. Eliz. What likelihood of his amendment, lords? Buck. Madam, good hope: his grace speaks cheerfully. Q. Eliz. God grant him health! Did you confer with him? Buck. Ay, Madam: he desires to make atonement Between the duke of Gloster and your brothers, And between them and my lord chamberlain; And sent to warn them to his royal presence. Q. Eliz. Would all were well! I fear, our happiness is at the height. But that will never be: Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET. That fill his ears with such dissentious rumours. Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive, and cog, I must be held a rancorous enemy. Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, Grey. To whom in all this presence speaks your grace? A plague upon you all! His royal grace, (Whom God preserve better than you would wish!) Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing-while, But you must trouble him with lewd complaints. Q. Eliz. Brother of Gloster, you mistake the matter. And not provok'd by any suitor else, Glo. I cannot tell; the world is grown so bad, There's many a gentle person made a Jack. Q. Eliz. Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloster: You envy my advancement, and my friends. God grant, we never may have need of you! Glo. Meantime, God grants that I have need of you: Our brother is imprison'd by your means; Myself disgrac'd, and the nobility Held in contempt; while many great promotions Are daily given, to ennoble those That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble. I never did incense his majesty Against the duke of Clarence; but have been Glo. You may deny, that you were not the mean Riv. She may, my lord; for Glo. She may, lord Rivers, —why, who knows not so? She may do more, Sir, than denying that: She may help you to many fair preferments; Glo. What, marry, may she? marry with a king, A bachelor, and a handsome stripling too. I wis, your grandam had a worser match. Q. Eliz. My lord of Gloster, I have too long borne Enter Queen MARGARET, behind. - Q. Mar. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech him! Thy honour, state, and scat, 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: |