Buck. To-morrow then we will attend your Grace,: And fo most joyfully we take our leave. Glo. Come, let us to our holy work again. Farewel, my coufin; farewel, gentle friends. [Exeunt. 17 Enter the Queen, Dutchess of York, and Marquifs of Dorfet, at one Door; Anne, Dutchess of Gloucester, leading Clarence's young daughter, at the other. W DUTCHESS. HO meets us here? my niece Plantagenet, Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Glafter? (18) Now, for my life, fhe's wandring to the Tower, On pure heart's love, to greet the tender Princes. Daughter, well me:. Anne. God give your Graces both A happy and a joyful time of day. Queen. Sifter, well met; whither away fo faft? (18) Who meets us here ? my niece Plantagenet, Led in the band of ber kind aunt of Glo'fter?] Here is a manifeft intimation, that the Dutchess of Glofter leads in fome body in her hand; but there is no direction, or entrance mark'd in any of the copies, from which we can learn who it is. I have ventur'd to guefs, it must be Clarence's young daughter. The old Dutchess of York calls her mece, i. e. grand-daughter; as grandchildren are frequently call'd nephews. In like manner the Latins us'd their Nepos and Neptis: (as they did likewife Nepotes in a greater latitude, to fignify defcendants in general. Sive neglectum genus, & Nepotes,. Hor. . i. Ode. 2.) So, in Othello, lago fays to Brabantio, when his daughter was run away with the Moor. You'll have your daughter cover'd with a Barbary hotse ; you'll have your nephews neigh to you, &.. Anne. Anne. No farther than the Tower; and, as I guefs, Upon the like devotion as yourselves, To gratulate the gentle Princes there. Queen. Kind fifter, thanks; we'll enter all togethers And in good time here the Lieutenant comes. The King hath ftrictly charg'd the contrary. Lieu. I mean, the Lord Protector. Queen. The Lord protect him from that kingly title! Hath he fet bounds between their love and me? I am their mother, who fhall bar me from them? Dutch. I am their father's mother, I will fee them. Anne. Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother: Then bring me to their fights, I'll bear thy blame, And take thy office from thee on my peril. Lieu. No, Madam, no, I may not leave it fo: I'm bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. [Exit Lieu. Enter Stanley. Stan. Let me but meet you, Ladies, one hour hence, That my pent heart may have fome fcope to beat, Aune. Defpightful tidings, O unpleafing news! Go, Go, hye thee, hye thee from this flaughter-house, And make me die the thrall of Marg❜ret's curfe ; You fhall have letters from me to my fon Dutch. O ill-difperfing wind of mifery! Stan. Come, Madam, come, I in all hafte was fent. O, would to God; that the inclufive verge And die, ere men can fay, God fave the Queen! Anne. No! why?When he, that is my husband now, Came to me, as I follow'd Henry's coarse; When scarce the blood was well wafh'd from his hands, Which iffu'd from my other angel husband, And that dear Saint, which then I weeping follow'd: O when, I fay, I'look'd on Richard's face, This was my wifh; be thou, quoth I, accurs'd, "For making me, fo young, fo old a widow ! "And when thou wed'ft, let forrow haunt thy bed; "And be thy wife, if any be fo mad, "More miferable by the life of thee, "Than thou haft made me, by my dear Lord's death !” Loe, ere I can repeat this curfe again, Within fo fmall a time, my woman's heart Grofsly grew captive to his honey words, And prov'd the fubject of mine own foul's curfe: Did I enjoy the golden dew of fleep, But But with his tim'rous dreams was ftill awak'd. Queen. Poor heart, adieu, I pity thy complaining. Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee! [To Anne. Go thou to fanctuary, good thoughts poffefs thee! I to my grave, where peace and reft lie with me! [Exeunt. (19) Eighty odd years of forrow I have feen, And each hour's joy tureck'd with a week of anguifh ] This, anguif, is a word of Mr. Pope's adoption; for all the copies, that I have feen, read wreck'd with a week of teen. The poet certainly intended, that the old Dutchefs fhould conclude with a rhyme; and teen is a term which he chufes to ufe elfewhere. So, in his Tempefi -O, my heart bleeds To think o' th' teen that I have turn'd you to, And in numberlefs other paffages. 1 1 SCENE changes to the Court. Flourish of Trumpets. Enter Gloucefter as King, Buckingham, Catesby." K. Rich.Tand all apart-coufin of Buckingham,- K. Rich. Give me thy hand. Thus high, by thy advice, Or fhall they last, and we rejoice in them? Buck. Still live they, and for ever let them laft ! K. Rich. Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be currant gold, indeed: (20) Young Edward lives-think now, what I would speak. Buck. Say on, my loving Lord. K. Rich. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be King. Buck. Why fo you are, iny thrice-renowned Liege. K. Rich. Ha! am I King? 'tis fo-but Edward lives-→→→ Buck. True, noble Prince. K. Rich. O bitter confequence! That Edward ftill fhould live-true noble Prince. Shall I be plain? I wish the baftards dead; K. Rich. Tut, tat, thou art all ice, thy kindness freczes; Say, have I thy confent that they shall die? Buck. Give me fome breath, fome little paufe, dear Lord, Before I pofitively fpeak in this: I will refolve your Grace immediately. [Exit Buck. (20) Ab! Buckingham, now do I play the touch.] Mr. Warburton thinks, the technical term is absolutely requifite here, and that the Poet wrote; Now do I 'ply the touch. i. e. apply the touchftene: for that is meant by what he calls touch. So, again, in Timon of Athens, fpeaking of gold, he says; -O, thou touch of hearts! i. e. thou trial, touchstone, VOL. V. M Cate). |