The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 444

SCENE 3.

London. The palace

Enter TYRREL

TYRREL. The tyrannous and b.l.o.o.d.y act is done, The most arch deed of piteous ma.s.sacre That ever yet this land was guilty of.

Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborn To do this piece of ruthless butchery, Albeit they were flesh'd villains, b.l.o.o.d.y dogs, Melted with tenderness and mild compa.s.sion, Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.

'O, thus' quoth Dighton 'lay the gentle babes'- 'Thus, thus,' quoth Forrest 'girdling one another Within their alabaster innocent arms.

Their lips were four red roses on a stalk, And in their summer beauty kiss'd each other.

A book of prayers on their pillow lay; Which once,' quoth Forrest 'almost chang'd my mind; But, O, the devil'-there the villain stopp'd; When Dighton thus told on: 'We smothered The most replenished sweet work of nature That from the prime creation e'er she framed.'

Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse They could not speak; and so I left them both, To bear this tidings to the b.l.o.o.d.y King.

Enter KING RICHARD

And here he comes. All health, my sovereign lord!

KING RICHARD. Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

TYRREL. If to have done the thing you gave in charge Beget your happiness, be happy then, For it is done.

KING RICHARD. But didst thou see them dead?

TYRREL. I did, my lord.

KING RICHARD. And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

TYRREL. The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them; But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

KING RICHARD. Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after supper, When thou shalt tell the process of their death.

Meantime, but think how I may do thee good And be inheritor of thy desire.

Farewell till then.

TYRREL. I humbly take my leave. Exit KING RICHARD. The son of Clarence have I pent up close; His daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage; The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom, And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night.

Now, for I know the Britaine Richmond aims At young Elizabeth, my brother's daughter, And by that knot looks proudly on the crown, To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

Enter RATCLIFF

RATCLIFF. My lord!

KING RICHARD. Good or bad news, that thou com'st in so bluntly?

RATCLIFF. Bad news, my lord: Morton is fled to Richmond; And Buckingham, back'd with the hardy Welshmen, Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

KING RICHARD. Ely with Richmond troubles me more near Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.

Come, I have learn'd that fearful commenting Is leaden servitor to dull delay; Delay leads impotent and snail-pac'd beggary.

Then fiery expedition be my wing, Jove's Mercury, and herald for a king!

Go, muster men. My counsel is my s.h.i.+eld.

We must be brief when traitors brave the field. Exeunt

SCENE 4.

London. Before the palace

Enter old QUEEN MARGARET

QUEEN MARGARET. So now prosperity begins to mellow And drop into the rotten mouth of death.

Here in these confines slily have I lurk'd To watch the waning of mine enemies.

A dire induction am I witness to, And will to France, hoping the consequence Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical.

Withdraw thee, wretched Margaret. Who comes here?

[Retires]

Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and the d.u.c.h.eSS OF YORK

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Ah, my poor princes! ah, my tender babes!

My unblown flowers, new-appearing sweets!

If yet your gentle souls fly in the air And be not fix'd in doom perpetual, Hover about me with your airy wings And hear your mother's lamentation.

QUEEN MARGARET. Hover about her; say that right for right Hath dimm'd your infant morn to aged night.

d.u.c.h.eSS. So many miseries have craz'd my voice That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute.

Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead?

QUEEN MARGARET. Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet, Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Wilt thou, O G.o.d, fly from such gentle lambs And throw them in the entrails of the wolf?

When didst thou sleep when such a deed was done?

QUEEN MARGARET. When holy Harry died, and my sweet son.

d.u.c.h.eSS. Dead life, blind sight, poor mortal living ghost, Woe's scene, world's shame, grave's due by life usurp'd, Brief abstract and record of tedious days, Rest thy unrest on England's lawful earth, [Sitting down]

Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Ah, that thou wouldst as soon afford a grave As thou canst yield a melancholy seat!

Then would I hide my bones, not rest them here.

Ah, who hath any cause to mourn but we?

[Sitting down by her]

QUEEN MARGARET. [Coming forward] If ancient sorrow be most reverend, Give mine the benefit of seniory, And let my griefs frown on the upper hand.

If sorrow can admit society, [Sitting down with them]

Tell o'er your woes again by viewing mine.

I had an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him; I had a husband, till a Richard kill'd him: Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him; Thou hadst a Richard, till a Richard kill'd him.

d.u.c.h.eSS. I had a Richard too, and thou didst kill him; I had a Rutland too, thou holp'st to kill him.

QUEEN MARGARET. Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard kill'd him.

From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept A h.e.l.l-hound that doth hunt us all to death.

That dog, that had his teeth before his eyes To worry lambs and lap their gentle blood, That foul defacer of G.o.d's handiwork, That excellent grand tyrant of the earth That reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls, Thy womb let loose to chase us to our graves.

O upright, just, and true-disposing G.o.d, How do I thank thee that this carnal cur Preys on the issue of his mother's body And makes her pew-fellow with others' moan!

d.u.c.h.eSS. O Harry's wife, triumph not in my woes!

G.o.d witness with me, I have wept for thine.

QUEEN MARGARET. Bear with me; I am hungry for revenge, And now I cloy me with beholding it.

Thy Edward he is dead, that kill'd my Edward; The other Edward dead, to quit my Edward; Young York he is but boot, because both they Match'd not the high perfection of my loss.

Thy Clarence he is dead that stabb'd my Edward; And the beholders of this frantic play, Th' adulterate Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, Grey, Untimely smother'd in their dusky graves.

Richard yet lives, h.e.l.l's black intelligencer; Only reserv'd their factor to buy souls And send them thither. But at hand, at hand, Ensues his piteous and unpitied end.

Earth gapes, h.e.l.l burns, fiends roar, saints pray, To have him suddenly convey'd from hence.

Cancel his bond of life, dear G.o.d, I pray, That I may live and say 'The dog is dead.'

QUEEN ELIZABETH. O, thou didst prophesy the time would come That I should wish for thee to help me curse That bottled spider, that foul bunch-back'd toad!

QUEEN MARGARET. I Call'd thee then vain flourish of my fortune; I call'd thee then poor shadow, painted queen, The presentation of but what I was, The flattering index of a direful pageant, One heav'd a-high to be hurl'd down below, A mother only mock'd with two fair babes, A dream of what thou wast, a garish flag To be the aim of every dangerous shot, A sign of dignity, a breath, a bubble, A queen in jest, only to fill the scene.

Where is thy husband now? Where be thy brothers?

Where be thy two sons? Wherein dost thou joy?

Who sues, and kneels, and says 'G.o.d save the Queen'?

Where be the bending peers that flattered thee?

Where be the thronging troops that followed thee?

Decline an this, and see what now thou art: For happy wife, a most distressed widow; For joyful mother, one that wails the name; For one being su'd to, one that humbly sues; For Queen, a very caitiff crown'd with care; For she that scorn'd at me, now scorn'd of me; For she being fear'd of all, now fearing one; For she commanding all, obey'd of none.