With hate in those where I expect most love! [Embracing RIVERS, &C. K. Edw. Apleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Gloster here, To make the blessed period of this peace. Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble duke. Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Good-morrow to my sovereign king, and queen; And, princely peers, a happy time of day! K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day : Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Glo. A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege.Among this princely heap, if any here, By false intelligence, or wrong surmise, If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne By any in this presence, I desire To reconcile me to his friendly peace: "Tis death to me, to be at enmity; I hate it, and desire all good men's love. First, madam, I entreat true peace of you, 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 here-after :- Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this, To be so flouted in this royal presence? Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead? [They all start. You do him injury to scorn his corse. he is? Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! Buck. Look I so pale, lord Dorset, as the rest? Dor. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the pre sence, 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:- 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 re quest'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? All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night? But for my brother, not a man would speak,- Yet none of you would once plead for his life.- yours, On me, [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: God will revenge it. Come, lords; will you go, Buck. We wait upon your grace. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Enter the Duchess of York, with a Son und Daughter of Clarence. 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 ! Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, And call us orphans, wretches, cast-aways, If that our noble father be alive? 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; It were lost sorrow, to wail one that's lost. Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. The king my uncle is to blame for this: God will revenge it; whom I will impórtune Daugh. And so will I. Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well : Incapable3 and shallow innocents, You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death. |