ACT II. SCENE, The Court. Enter King Edward fick, the Queen, Dorfet, Rivers, Haftings, Catesby, Buckingham, and Woodvil. King EDWAR D. WHY, fo; now have I done a good day's work. You Peers, continue this united league : I every day expect an embassage From my Redeemer to redeem me hence. And now in peace my foul fhall part to heav'n, Riv. By heav'n, my foul is purg'd from grudging hate, Haft. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love! Wife, love Lord Haftings, let him kifs your hand; Queen, There, Haftings;-I will never more remember Our former hatred; fo thrive and mine! K. Edw. Dorfet, embrace him: Hastings, love Lord Marquifs. Dor. This interchange of love, I here proteft, Upon my part, fhall be inviolable. Haft.. Haft. And fo fwear I. K.Edw.Now, princely Buckingham, feal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies, And make me happy in your unity. Buck. When ever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your Grace, and not with duteous love [To the Queen. Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me [Embracing Rivers, &c K. Edw. A pleafing cordial, princely Buckinghams Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Glo'fter here, To make the bleffed period of this peace. Buck. And in good time, here comes the noble Duke. Enter Glocefter, with Ratcliff. 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, Between thefe fwelling wrong-incenfed Peers. Glo. A bleffed labour, my moft Sovereign Liege : Among this princely heap, if any here By falfe intelligence, or wrong furmife, Hold me a foe; if I unwittingly Have ought committed that is hardly borne I hate it, and defire all good men's love. K 5. IF If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us : With whom my foul is any jot at odds, Queen. A holy-day fhall this be kept hereafter; Glo. Why, Madam, have I offer'd love for this, Who knows not, that the gentle Duke is dead? You do him injury to fcorn his coarfe. [They all fart. K.Edw. Who knows not, he is dead! who knows he is? Queen. All-feeing Heaven, what a world is this? Buck. Look I fo pale, Lord Dorset, as the reft ? Dor. Ay, my good Lord; and no man in the prefence, But his red colour hath forfook 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 had the countermand, God grant, that fome lefs noble, and lefs loyal, Enter Lord Stanley. Stanl. A boon, my Sov'reign, for my fervice done. K.Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my foul is full of forrow. Stan. I will not rife, unless your Highness hear me. K. Edw. Then fay at once, what is it thou request'ft. Stanl. The forfeit, Sov'reign, of my fervant's life; Who flew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk. K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death? And fhall that tongue give pardon to a flave? My brother kill'd no man; his fault was thought; And yet his punishment was bitter death. Who fued to me for him? who, in my wrath, Kneel'd at my feet, and bid me be advis'd ? Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? Who told me, how the poor foul did forfake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me? Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he rescued me? And faid, Dear brother, live, and be a King? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Ev'n in his garments, and did give himself All thin, and naked, to the numb cold night? All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you Had fo much grace to put it in my mind. But when your carters, or your waiting vaffals Have done a drunken flaughter, and defac'd The precious image of our dear Redeemer ; You ftrait are on your knees for pardon, pardon,And I, unjustly too, muft grant it you. But for my brother not a man would speak, Nor I, ungracious, fpake unto myself For him, poor foul. The proudest of you all Have been beholden to him in his life: Yet none of you would once plead for his life. O God! I fear, thy juftice will take hold On me, and you; and mine, and yours for this. Come, Haftings, help me to my closet. Ah! Poor Clarence! [Exeunt fome with the King and Queen. Glo. Thefe are the fruits of rafhnefs: 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 ftill unto the King. God will revenge it. Come, Lords, will you go K 6 [Exeunt. [Enter Enter the Dutchess of York, with the two children ofr Sox. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Daugh. Why do you weep fo oft? and beat your breast ? And cry, O Clarence! my unhappy fon! Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, And call us orphans, wretches, caft-aways, If that our noble father be alive? Dutch. My pretty coufins, you mistake me both. I do lament the fickness of the King, As loth to lose him; not your father's death; It were loft forrow to wail one that's loft. Son. Then you conclude, my grandam, he is dead : 'The King mine uncle is to blame for this. God will revenge it, whom I will importune With daily earnest prayers.. Daugh. And fo will I. Dutch. Peace, children, peace! the King doth love you. Incapable and shallow innocents! [well.. You cannot guefs, who caus'd your father's death. Dutch. Ah! that deceit should steal fuch gentle fhape,. And with a virtuous vizor hide deep vice! He is my fon, ay, and therein my fhame! Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit. Son. Think you, my uncle did diffemble, grandam ? Dutch. Ay, boy. Son. I cannot think it. Hark, what noife is this? Enter the Queen with her hair about her ears, Rivers and Dorfet after her. Queen. Ah! who fhall hinder me to wail and weep? Tochide my fortune, and torment myself? P |