Part 4 (1/2)

BUCKINGHAM. Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity!

QUEEN MARGARET. Urge neither charity nor shame to me.

Uncharitably with me have you dealt, And shamefully my hopes by you are butcher'd.

My charity is outrage, life my shame; And in that shame still live my sorrow's rage!

BUCKINGHAM. Have done, have done.

QUEEN MARGARET. O princely Buckingham, I'll kiss thy hand In sign of league and amity with thee.

Now fair befall thee and thy n.o.ble house!

Thy garments are not spotted with our blood, Nor thou within the compa.s.s of my curse.

BUCKINGHAM. Nor no one here; for curses never pa.s.s The lips of those that breathe them in the air.

QUEEN MARGARET. I will not think but they ascend the sky And there awake G.o.d's gentle-sleeping peace.

O Buckingham, take heed of yonder dog!

Look when he fawns, he bites; and when he bites, His venom tooth will rankle to the death: Have not to do with him, beware of him; Sin, death, and h.e.l.l, have set their marks on him, And all their ministers attend on him.

GLOUCESTER. What doth she say, my Lord of Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM. Nothing that I respect, my gracious lord.

QUEEN MARGARET. What, dost thou scorn me for my gentle counsel, And soothe the devil that I warn thee from?

O, but remember this another day, When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow, And say poor Margaret was a prophetess!

Live each of you the subjects to his hate, And he to yours, and all of you to G.o.d's! Exit BUCKINGHAM. My hair doth stand an end to hear her curses.

RIVERS. And so doth mine. I muse why she's at liberty.

GLOUCESTER. I cannot blame her; by G.o.d's holy Mother, She hath had too much wrong; and I repent My part thereof that I have done to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. I never did her any to my knowledge.

GLOUCESTER. Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong.

I was too hot to do somebody good That is too cold in thinking of it now.

Marry, as for Clarence, he is well repaid; He is frank'd up to fatting for his pains; G.o.d pardon them that are the cause thereof!

RIVERS. A virtuous and a Christian-like conclusion, To pray for them that have done scathe to us!

GLOUCESTER. So do I ever- [Aside] being well advis'd; For had I curs'd now, I had curs'd myself.

Enter CATESBY

CATESBY. Madam, his Majesty doth can for you, And for your Grace, and you, my gracious lords.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Catesby, I come. Lords, will you go with me?

RIVERS. We wait upon your Grace.

Exeunt all but GLOUCESTER GLOUCESTER. I do the wrong, and first begin to brawl.

The secret mischiefs that I set abroach I lay unto the grievous charge of others.

Clarence, who I indeed have cast in darkness, I do beweep to many simple gulls; Namely, to Derby, Hastings, Buckingham; And tell them 'tis the Queen and her allies That stir the King against the Duke my brother.

Now they believe it, and withal whet me To be reveng'd on Rivers, Dorset, Grey; But then I sigh and, with a piece of Scripture, Tell them that G.o.d bids us do good for evil.

And thus I clothe my naked villainy With odd old ends stol'n forth of holy writ, And seem a saint when most I play the devil.

Enter two MURDERERS

But, soft, here come my executioners.

How now, my hardy stout resolved mates!

Are you now going to dispatch this thing?

FIRST MURDERER. We are, my lord, and come to have the warrant, That we may be admitted where he is.

GLOUCESTER. Well thought upon; I have it here about me.

[Gives the warrant]

When you have done, repair to Crosby Place.

But, sirs, be sudden in the execution, Withal obdurate, do not hear him plead; For Clarence is well-spoken, and perhaps May move your hearts to pity, if you mark him.