For losing ken of Albion's wished coast. Am I not witch'd like her? or thou not false like him? Ah me! I can no more. Die, Margaret, Noise within. Enter WARWICK, and SALISBURY. The Commons press to the door. War. It is reported, mighty sovereign, That want their leader, scatter up and down, K. Hen. That he is dead, good Warwick, 'tis But how he died, God knows, not Henry. [WARWICK goes into an inner room, and K. Hen. O, thou that judgest all things, stay my My thoughts that labour to persuade my soul, War. Come hither, gracious sovereign, view this K. Hen. That is to see how deep my grave is made; For with his soul fled all my worldly solace, War. As surely as my soul intends to live Suf. A dreadful oath, sworn with a solemn tongue! What instance gives lord Warwick for his vow? War. See, how the blood is settled in his face. Oft have I seen a timely-parted ghost, Of ashy semblance, meagre, pale, and bloodless, Being all descended to the labouring heart; Who, in the conflict that it holds with death, Attracts the same for aidance 'gainst the enemy; Which with the heart there cools, and ne'er re turneth To blush and beautify the cheek again. But see, his face is black, and full of blood; His eye-balls further out than when he liv'd. His hands abroad display'd, as one that grasp'd, Suf. Why, Warwick, who should do the duke to death? Myself, and Beaufort, had him in protection, War. But both of you were vow'd duke Humphrey's foes, And you, forsooth, had the good duke to keep: 'Tis like, you would not feast him like a friend, And 'tis well seen he found an enemy. Q. Mar. Then you, belike, suspect these noble men As guilty of duke Humphrey's timeless death. War. Who finds the heifer dead, and bleeding fresh, And sees fast by a butcher with an axe, But will suspect 'twas he that made the slaughter? Q. Mar. Are you the butcher, Suffolk? where's Is Beaufort term'd a kite? where are his talons? [Exeunt Cardinal, SOMERSET, and others. War. What dares not Warwick, if false Suffolk dare him? Q. Mar. He dares not calm his contumelious spirit, Nor cease to be an arrogant controller, Though Suffolk dare him twenty thousand times. War. Madam, be still, with reverence may I say; For every word you speak in his behalf Suf. Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanour, War. But that the guilt of murder bucklers thee, And I should rob the deathsman of his fee, Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames, And that my sovereign's presence makes me mild, I would, false murderous coward, on thy knee Make thee beg pardon for thy passed speech, And say, it was thy mother that thou meant'st; That thou thyself wast born in bastardy : And, after all this fearful homage done, Give thee thy hire, and send thy soul to hell, Pernicious bloodsucker of sleeping men. Suf. Thou shalt be waking while I shed thy blood, If from this presence thou dar'st go with me. War. Away even now, or I will drag thee hence. Unworthy though thou art, I'll cope with thee, And do some service to duke Humphrey's ghost. [Exeunt SUFFOLK, and WARWICK. K. Hen. What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted? Thrice is he arm'd, that hath his quarrel just; Q. Mar. What noise is this? Re-enter SUFFOLK, and WARWICK, with their weapons drawn. K. Hen. Why, how now, lords! your wrathful weapons drawn Here in our presence! dare you be so bold?— Why, what tumultuous clamour have we here? Suf. The traitorous Warwick, with the men of Bury, Set all upon me, mighty sovereign. Noise of a Crowd within. Re-enter SALISBURY. Sal. Sirs, stand apart;-[Speaking to those within.]-the king shall know your mind.- They will by violence tear him from your palace, 28 And charge, that no man should disturb your rest, Commons. [Within.] An answer from the king, my lord of Salisbury! Suf. 'Tis like the commons, rude unpolish'd hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign; K. Hen. Go, Salisbury, and tell them all from Q. Mar. O Henry! let me plead for gentle Suffolk. K. Hen. Ungentle queen, to call him gentle No more, I say: if thou dost plead for him, If after three days' space thou here be'st found The world shall not be ransom for thy life.- [Exeunt K. HENRY, WARWICK, Lords, &c. Q. Mar. Fie, coward, woman, and soft-hearted wretch! Hast thou not spirit to curse thine enemy? Suf. A plague upon them! wherefore should I curse them? Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake's groan, Q. Mar. Enough, sweet Suffolk: thou torment'st thyself; And these dread curses, like the sun 'gainst glass, Suf. You bade me ban, and will you bid me leave? Q. Mar. O! let me entreat thee, cease. me thy hand, Give That I may dew it with my mournful tears; So, get thee gone, that I may know my grief; As one that surfeits, thinking on a want. Go; speak not to me: even now be gone.- Suf. Thus is poor Suffolk ten times banished, So Suffolk had thy heavenly company; I can no more.-Live thou to joy thy life; Q. Mar. Whither goes Vaux so fast? what news, I pr'ythee? Vaux. To signify unto his majesty, That cardinal Beaufort is at point of death; For suddenly a grievous sickness took him, That makes him gasp, and stare, and catch the air, Blaspheming God, and cursing men on earth. Sometime he talks as if duke Humphrey's ghost Were by his side; sometime he calls the king, And whispers to his pillow, as to him, The secrets of his overcharged soul: And I am sent to tell his majesty, That even now he cries aloud for him. Q. Mar. Go, tell this heavy message to the king. [Exit VAUX. Ah me! what is this world? what news are these? But wherefore grieve I at an hour's poor loss, Omitting Suffolk's exile, my soul's treasure? Why only, Suffolk, mourn I not for thee, And with the southern clouds contend in tears? Theirs for the earth's increase, mine for my sorrows. Now, get thee hence: the king, thou know'st, is coming: If thou be found by me, thou art but dead. Suf. If I depart from thee, I cannot live; And in thy sight to die, what were it else, But like a pleasant slumber in thy lap? Here could I breathe my soul into the air, As mild and gentle as the cradle-babe, Dying with mother's dug between its lips; Where, from thy sight, I should be raging mad, And cry out for thee to close up mine eyes, To have thee with thy lips to stop my mouth: So should'st thou either turn my flying soul, Or I should breathe it so into thy body, And then it liv'd in sweet Elysium. To die by thee, were but to die in jest ; From thee to die, were torture more than death. O! let me stay, befal what may befal. Q. Mar. Away! though parting be a fretful corrosive, It is applied to a deathful wound. To France, sweet Suffolk: let me hear from thee; Q. Mar. And take my heart with thee. Q. Mar. This way for me. [Exeunt, severally SCENE III.-London. Cardinal BEAUFORT'S Bed-chamber. Enter King HENRY, SALISBURY, WARWICK, and others. The Cardinal in bed; Attendants with him. K. Hen. How fares my lord? speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign. Car. If thou be'st death, I'll give thee England's treasure, Enough to purchase such another island, K. Hen. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life, 30 Comb down his hair: look! look! it stands upright, K. Hen. O, thou eternal mover of the heavens, Sal. Disturb him not, let him pass peaceably. K. Hen. Peace to his soul, if God's good plea sure be. SCENE I.-Kent. The Sea-shore near Dover. Firing heard at sea. Then enter from a boat, a Captain, a Master, a Master's-Mate, WALTER WHITMORE, and others; with them SUFFOLK, disguised; and other Gentlemen, prisoners. Cap. The gaudy, blabbing, and remorseful day Who with their drowsy, slow, and flagging wings 1 Gent. What is my ransom, master? let me know. Mast. A thousand crowns, or else lay down your head. Mate. And so much shall you give, or off goes yours. Cap. What! think you much to pay two thousand crowns, And bear the name and port of gentlemen ?Cut both the villains' throats!--for die you shall: The lives of those which we have lost in fight, Be counterpois'd with such a petty sum? |