Did it to help thee to a better husband...i Glo. Plantagenet. Anne. Why, that was he. Glo. The feif-fame name, but one of better nature Anne. Where is he? Glo. Here: [She fpits at him.] Why dost thou spit at me? Anne. Would it were mortal poison for thy fake! Glo. Never came poifon from fo fweet a place. Anne. Never, hung poifon on a fouler toad... -Out of my fight! thou doft infect mine eyes. Glo. Thine eyes, fweet Lady, have infected mine. Anne. Would they were bafilifks to ftrike thee dead! Glo. I would they were, that I might die at once: For now they kill me with a living death." Thofe eyes of thine from mine have drawn falt tears; Sham'd their afpects with ftore of childish drops, 7 Thefe eyes, which never fhed remorfeful tear, Not when my father York, and Edward wept, To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made; When black-fac'd Clifford fhook his fword at him: Nor when thy warlike father, like a child, Told the fad ftory of my father's death, And twenty times made paufe to fob and weep, That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks, Like trees bedash'd with rain; in that fad time, My manly eyes did fcorn an humble tear; And what thefe forrows could not thence exhale, Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. I never fued to friend, nor enemy; My tongue could never learn fweet smoothing words; My proud heart fues, and prompts my tongue to speak. I lay it naked to the deadly ftroke, And humbly beg the death upon my knee. [He lays his breaft open, she offers at it with his fwords Nay, do not paufe; for I did kill King Henry; But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me. Nay, now dispatch: 'twas I that stabb'd young Edward; But 'twas thy heavenly face that fet me on. [She lets fall the fword. Take up the fword again, or take up me. Anne. Arife, diffembler; though I wish thy death, I will not be thy executioner. Glo. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. Glo. That was in thy rage: Speak it again, and even with thy word, This hand, which for thy love, did kill thy love, Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love; To both their deaths fhalt thou be acceffary. But 'twas thy beauty Shakespeare countenances the obfervation, that no woman can VOL. V. ever be offended with the men tion of her beauty, • R Gle. Glo. Then never man was true. Anne. Well, well, put up your sword. Glo. Vouchfafe to wear this ring. [She puts on the ring. But beg one favour at thy gracious hand, Glo. That it may please you leave these fad defigns Anne. With all my heart, and much it joys me too, To fee you are become fo penitent. Traffel and Barkley, go along with me. Glo. Bid me farewel. Anne. 'Tis more than you deserve : But fince you teach me how to flatter you, [Exeunt two with Anne. Glo. Sirs, take up the coarse. Gent. Towards Chertsey, noble Lord? Glo. No, to White-Fryars, there attend my coming. [Exeunt with the Coarie. 9- Crolby-place:] A houfe near Bishopsgate-ftreet belonging to the Duke of Gloucester. Was Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? With God, her confcience, and thefe bars against me, But the plain devil and diffembling looks: Hath fhe forgot already that brave Prince, Edward, her Lord, whom I, fome three months fince, A fweeter and a lovelier gentleman, Young, wife, and valiant, and, no doubt, right royal,* That cropt the golden prime of this fweet Prince, On me, whofe All not equals Edward's Moiety I do mistake my perfon all this while: 2 Fram'd in the prodigality of nature,] i. e. when nature was in a prodigal or lavish mood. WARBURTON. and, no doubt, right royal,] Of the degree of royalty belonging to Henry the fixth there could be no doubt, nor could Richard have mentioned it with any fuch hefitation; he could not indeed very properly allow him royalty. I believe we should read, and, no doubt, right loyal. That is, true to her bed. He enumerates the reasons for which fhe fhould love him. He was young, wife, and valiant; these were apparent and indifputable excellencies. He then mentions another not lefs likely to endear him to his wife, but which he had lefs opportunity of knowing with certainty, and, no doubt, right loyal. R 2 Upon Upon my life, he finds, although I cannot, [Exite Enter the Queen, Lord Rivers, and Lord Gray. Riv. HAVE patience, Madam, there's no doubt his Majesty Will foon recover his accuftom'd health. Gray. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse; Therefore, for God's fake, entertain good comfort, And cheer his Grace with quick and merry eyes. Queen. If he were dead what would betide of me? Gray. No other harm, but lofs of fuch a Lord. Queen. The lofs of fuch a Lord includes all harms. Gray. The heav'ns have bleft you with a goodly fon, To be your comforter when he is gone. Queen. Ah! he is young, and his minority 3 It is determin'd, not concluded yet, Determin'dignifies the final conclufion of the will: concluded, what cannot be alter'd by reafon of some aft, confequent on the final judgment. WARBURTON. But |