GLO. Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand. ANNE. In thy soul's throat thou liest ; queen Margaret saw Thy murderous faulchion smoking in his blood; The which thou once didst bend against her breast, But that thy brothers beat aside the point. GLO. I was provoked by her sland'rous tongue, That laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders. ANNE. Thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind, That never dreamt on aught but butcheries: GLO. I grant ye. ANNE. Dost grant me, hedge-hog? then, God grant me too, Thou may'st 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. ANNE. liest ! Your bed-chamber. Ill rest betide the chamber where thou GLO. So will it, madam, till I lie with you. ANNE. I hope so. GLO. I know so.-But, gentle lady Anne,To leave this keen encounter of our wits, And fall somewhat into a slower method;Is not the causer of the timeless deaths Of these Plantagenets, Henry, and Edward, As blameful as the executioner ? ANNE. Thou wast the cause, and most accurs'd effect. GLO. Your beauty was the cause of that effect; Your beauty, which did haunt me in my sleep, To undertake the death of all the world, So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom. ANNE. If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide, These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks. GLO. These eyes could not endure that beauty's wreck, You should not blemish it if I stood by: As all the world is cheered by the So I by that; it is my day, my life. sun,. 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 reveng'd on thee. GLO. It is a quarrel most unnatural, To be reveng'd on him that loveth thee. ANNE. It is a quarrel just and reasonable, To be reveng'd on him that kill'd 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 you better than he could. ANNE. Name him. GLO. ANNE. Plantagenet. Why that was he. GLO. The self-same name, but one of better nature. ANNE. Where is he? GLO. Here: [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 mine 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. tears, eyes, Sham'd their aspects with store of childish drops: And what these sorrows could not thence exhale, Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping. I never su'd to friend, nor enemy; E My tongue could never learn sweet soothing word; But now thy beauty is propos'd my fee, My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to Lo! here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword; I lay it naked to the deadly stroke, And humbly beg the death upon my knee. [He lays his breast open; she offers at it Nay, do not pause; for I did kill king Henry:- [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. That was in thy rage: Speak it again, and even with the word, This hand, which, for thy love, did kill thy love, To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary. My tongue. 'Tis figur'd in ANNE. I fear me, both are false. GLO. Was never true. Then man Well, well, put up your sword. GLO. Say then, my peace is made. ANNE. That shall you know Hereafter. GLO. But shall I live in hope? ANNE. All men, I hope, live so. GLO. Vouchsafe to wear this ring. ANNE. To take, is not to give. [She puts on the ring. GLO. Look, how this ring encompasseth thy finger, Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart; Wear both of them, for both of them are thine. And if thy poor devoted servant may But beg one favour at thy gracious hand, GLO. That it may please you leave these sad designs To him that hath more cause to be a mourner, ANNE. With all my heart; and much it joys me too, To see you are become so penitent.- |