And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,I lay it naked to the deadly stroke,
And humbly beg the death upon my knee,
Nay, do not pause; for I did kill King Henry,—
[He lays his breast open; she offers at it with his sword.]
But ‘twas thy beauty that provokèd me.
Nay, now dispatch; ‘twas I that stabb’d young Edward,—
[She again offers at his breast.]
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.
GLOSTER
Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it.
ANNE
I have already.
GLOSTER
That was in thy rage:
Speak it again, and even with the word,
This hand, which for thy love did kill thy love;
Shall, for thy love, kill a far truer love;
To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary.
ANNE
I would I knew thy heart.
GLOSTER
‘Tis figured in my tongue.
ANNE
I fear me both are false.
GLOSTER
Then never was man true.
ANNE
Well, well, put up your sword.
GLOSTER
Say, then, my peace is made.
ANNE
That shalt thou know hereafter.
GLOSTER
But shall I live in hope?
ANNE
All men, I hope, live so.
GLOSTER
Vouchsafe to wear this ring.
ANNE
To take is not to give.
[She puts on the ring.]
GLOSTER
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,
Thou dost confirm his happiness for ever.
ANNE
What is it?
GLOSTER
That it may please you leave these sad designs
To him that hath most cause to be a mourner,
And presently repair to Crosby Place;
Where,—after I have solemnly interr’d
At Chertsey monastery, this noble king,
And wet his grave with my repentant tears,—
I will with all expedient duty see you:
For divers unknown reasons, I beseech you,
Grant me this boon.
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.
GLOSTER
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, Tress, and Berk.]
GLOSTER
Sirs, take up the corse.
GENTLEMEN
Towards Chertsey, noble lord?
GLOSTER
No, to White Friars; there attend my coming.
[Exeunt the rest, with the Corpse.]
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.
What! I that kill’d her husband and his father,
To take her in her heart’s extremest hate;
With curses in her mouth, tears in her eyes,
The bleeding witness of her hatred by;
Having God, her conscience, and these bars against me,
And I no friends to back my suit withal,
But the plain devil and dissembling looks,
And yet to win her,—all the world to nothing!
Ha!
Hath she forgot already that brave prince,
Edward, her lord, whom I, some three months since,
Stabb’d in my angry mood at Tewksbury?
A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman,—
Fram’d in the prodigality of nature,
