While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Glo. What news abroad? Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home ;The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy, And his physicians fear him mightily. Glo. Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad indeed, O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much consum'd his royal person; 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed? Hast. He is. Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [Exit HAS. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die, Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven. Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy, For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter: By marrying her, which I must reach unto. Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives, and reigns; The same. SCENE II. Another street. Enter the corpse of King HENRY the Sixth, borne in an open coffin, Gentlemen bearing halberds to guard it; and Lady ANNE as mourner. Anne. Set down, set down your honourable load,— If honour may be shrouded in a hearse,Whilst I a while obsequiously' lament Th' untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster.Poor key-cold figure of a holy king !6 Pale ashes of the house of Lancaster! Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood! Obsequious, in this instance, means funereal. STEEVENS. [6] A key, on account of the coldness of the metal of which it is composed was anciently employed to stop any slight bleeding. The epithet is common to many old writers. STEEVENS. Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost, To hear the lamentations of poor Anne, Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughter'd son, Stabb'd by the self-same hand that made these wounds ! May fright the hopeful mother at the view; Than I am made by my young lord, and thee!- And, still as you are weary of the weight, [The bearers take up the corpse, and advance. Glo. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it down. Anne. What black magician conjures up this fiend, To stop devoted charitable deeds? Glo. Villains, set down the corse; or, by Saint Paul, I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass. Glo. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou when I command: Advance thy halberd higher than my breast, Or, by Saint Paul, I'll strike thee to my foot, [The bearers set down the coffin. Anne. What, do you tremble? are you all afraid? [7] That is, disposition to mischief. STEEVENS. Thou hadst but power over his mortal body, [us not; Anne. Foul devil, for God's sake, hence, and trouble Oh, gentlemen, see, see! dead Henry's wounds Provokes this deluge most unnatural. O God, which this blood mad'st, revenge his death! Anne. Vouchsafe, diffus'd infection of a man,' By circumstance, to curse thy cursed self. Glo. Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have Some patient leisure to excuse myself. Anne. Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make No excuse current, but to hang thyself. [8] Pattern is instance or example. JOHNSON. [9] It is a tradition very generally received, that the murdered body bleeds on the touch of the murderer. This was so much believed by sir Kenelm Digby, that he has endeavoured to explain the reason. JOHNSON. [1] I believe, diffused, in this place, signifies irregular, uncouth: such is its meaning in other passages of Shakspeare. JOHNSON.Diffus'd infection of a man may mean, thou that art as dangerous as a pestilence, that infects the air by its diffusion. STEEVENS VOL. VII. Glo. By such despair, I should accuse myself. Anne. And, by despairing, shalt thou stand excus'd; For doing worthy vengeance on thyself, That didst unworthy slaughter upon others. Glo. Say, that I slew them not. Anne. Why then, they are not dead : But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee. Anne. Why, then he is alive. Glo. Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand. Anne. In thy soul's throat thou liest; queen Margaret saw Thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood; The which thou once didst bend against her breast, Glo. I was provoked by her sland'rous tongue, Glo. I grant ye.3 Anne. Dost grant me, hedge-hog? then, God grant me too, Thou mayst be damned for that wicked deed! O, he was gentle, mild, and virtuous. Glo. The fitter for the King of heaven, that hath him. Anne. He is in heaven, where thou shalt never come. Glo. Let him thank me, that holp to send him thither ; For he was fitter for that place, than earth. Anne. And thou unfit for any place but hell. Glo. Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it. Anne. Some dungeon. Glo. Your bed-chamber. Anne. Il rest betide the chamber where thou liest. Anne. I hope so. Glo. I know so.-But, gentle lady Anne,- Anne. Thou wast the cause, and most accurs'd effect. [2] The crimes of my brothers. He has just charged the murder of Lady Anne's husband upon Edward. JOH.-[3] Read to perfect the measure: I grant ye, yea.RITSON. One of the quartos, instead of ye, reads-yea. STEEVENS. Your beauty, which did haunt me in my sleep, As all the world is cheered by the sun, So I by that; it is my day, my life. Anne. Black night o'er-shade thy day and death thy life! To be reveng'd on him that loveth thee. Anne. His better doth not breathe upon the earth. Glo. Plantagenet. Anne. Why, that was he. Glo. The self-same name, but one of better nature. Glo. Here: [She spits at him.] Why dost thou spit at me? Out of my sight! thou dost infect mine eyes. Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears, |