Have been beholden to him in his life; On me, and you, and mine, and yours, for this.- [Exeunt King, Queen, Hastings, Rivers, Dorset, Glo. This is the fruit of rashness !-Mark'd you not, How that the guilty kindred of the queen Look'd pale, when they did hear of Clarence' death? God will revenge it. Come, lords; will you go, SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. Enter the Duchess of York, with a Son and Daughter of Clarence. Son. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Duch. No, boy. Daugh. Why do you weep so oft? and beat your breast; And cry-O Clarence, my unhappy son! Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, And call us-orphans, wretches, cast-aways, Duch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both; I do lament the sickness of the king, As loth to lose him, not your father's death; Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. With earnest prayers all to that effect. Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well: Incapable* and shallow innocents, You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death.. Told me, the king, provok'd to't by the queen, Duch. Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice! Son. Think you, my uncle did dissemble, grandam? Duch. Ay, boy. Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this? Enter Queen Elizabeth, distractedly; Rivers, and Dorset, following her. Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and weep? To chide my fortune, and torment myself? Duch. What means this scene of rude impatience? That our swift-winged souls may catch the king's; Or, like obedient subjects, follow him * Ignorant. To his new kingdom of perpetual rest. Duch. Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow, As I had title in thy worthy husband! I have bewept a worthy husband's death, But now, two mirrors of his princely semblance And hast the comfort of thy children left thee: How can we aid you with our kindred tears? Q. Eliz. Give me no help in lamentation, I am not barren to bring forth laments: All springs reduce their currents to mine eyes, That I, being govern'd by the wat'ry moon, May send forth plenteous tears to drown the world! Ah, for my husband, for my dear lord Edward! Chil. Ah, for our father, for our dear lord Cla rence! Duch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and Q. Eliz. What stay had I, but Edward? and he's gone. Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's gone. Duch. What stays had I, but they? and they are gone. Q. Eliz. Was never widow, had so dear a loss. Chil. Were never orphans, had so dear a loss. Duch. Was never mother, had so dear a loss. Alas! I am the mother of these griefs; Dor. Comfort, dear mother: God is much displeas'd, That you take with unthankfulness his doing; Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent; Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother, Of the young prince your son: send straight for him, Let him be crown'd; in him your comfort lives: Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward's grave, And plant your joys in living Edward's throne. Enter Gloster, Buckingham, Stanley, Hastings, Ratcliff, and others. Glo. Sister, have comfort: all of us have cause To wail the dimming of our shining star, But none can cure their harms by wailing them.- I did not see your grace :-Humbly on my knee Duch. God bless thee; and put meekness in thy breast, Love, charity, obedience, and true duty! Glo. Amen; and make me die a good old man!That is the butt-end of a mother's blessing; [Aside. I marvel, that her grace did leave it out. peers, * Divided. That bear this mutual heavy load of moan, The broken rancour of your high-swol'n hearts, Riv. Why with some little train, my lord of Buck- Buck. Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude, The new-heal'd wound of malice should break out; Where every horse bears his commanding rein, Glo. I hope, the king made peace with all of us; And the compàct is firm, and true, in me. Riv. And so in me; and so, I think, in all: Which, haply, by much company might be urg'd: That it is meet so few should fetch the prince. Glo. Then be it so; and go we to determine, As indext to the story we late talk'd of, |