You should not blemish it, if I stood by: So I by that; it is my day, my life. Anne. Black night o'ershade thy day, and death thy life! Glo. Curse not thyself, fair creature; thou art both. Anne. I would I were, to be revenged on thee. Glo. It is a quarrel most unnatural, To be revenged on him that loveth you. Anne. It is a quarrel just and reasonable, To be revenged on him that slew my husband. Glo. He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband, Did it to help thee to a better husband. Anne. His better doth not breathe upon the earth. Glo. He lives that loves thee better than he could. Anne. Name him. Glo. Anne. Plantagenet. Why, that was he. Glo. The selfsame name, but one of better nature. [She spits at him. Why dost thou spit at me? Anne. Would it were mortal poison, for thy sake! Glo. Never came poison from so sweet a place. Anne. Never hung poison on a fouler toad. Out of my sight! thou dost infect my eyes. Glo. Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. Anne. Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead! Glo. I would they were, that I might die at once; For now they kill me with a living death. Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears, Shamed their aspéct with store of childish drops: These eyes, which never shed remorseful tear, And twenty times made pause to sob and weep And what these sorrows could not thence exhale, Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. I never sued to friend nor enemy; My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing words; But, now thy beauty is proposed my fee, speak. My proud heart sues and prompts my tongue to [She looks scornfully at him. Teach not thy lips such scorn, for they were made For kissing, lady, not for such contempt. If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive, Lo, here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword; I lay it naked to the deadly stroke, [He lays his breast open: she offers at it with his sword. Nay, do not pause; for I did kill King Henry,But 'twas thy beauty that provokéd me. Nay, now dispatch; 'twas I that stabbed young Edward, But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on. [She lets fall the sword. Take up the sword again, or take up me. Anne. Arise, dissembler: though I wish thy death, I will not be thy executioner. Glo. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. Anne. I have already. Glo. Tush, that was in thy rage: Speak it again, and, even with the word, This hand, which for thy love did kill thy love, Glo. Look, how this ring encompasseth thy finger, But beg one favour at thy gracious hand, Glo. That it would please thee leave these sad designs To him that hath more cause to be a mourner, Where, after I have solemnly interred At Chertsey monastery this noble king, Anne. With all my heart; and much it joys me too, To see you are become so penitent. Tressel and Berkeley, go along with me. Glo. Bid me farewell. Anne. 'Tis more than you deserve; But since you teach me how to flatter you, Imagine I have said farewell already. [Exeunt Lady ANNE, TRESSEL, and BERKELEY. Glo. Sirs, take up the corse. Gent. Towards Chertsey, noble lord? Glo. No, to Whitefriars; there attend my coming. [Exeunt all but GLOSTER. Was ever woman in this humour woo'd? Was ever woman in this humour won ? I'll have her ;--but I will not keep her long. The bleeding witness of her hatred by; Having God, her conscience, and these bars against me, And I no thing to back my suit withal But the plain devil and dissembling looks, Hath she forgot already that brave prince, Edward, her lord, whom I, some three months since, Stabbed in my angry mood at Tewksbury? A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman, Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal, That cropped the golden prime of this sweet prince, On me, whose all not equals Edward's moiety! I do mistake my person all this while : [Exit. SCENE III.-The Palace. Enter Queen ELIZABETH, Lord RIVERS, and Lord GREY. Riv. Have patience, madam: there's no doubt his majesty Will soon recover his accustomed health. Grey. In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse: |