Dighton, and Forrest, whom I did suborn
To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were flesh'd villains, bloody dogs,
Melting with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children, in their death's 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,
Which, 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 smother'd
The most replenished sweet work of nature,
That from the prime creation, e'er she fram'd.—
Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse,
They could not speak; and so I left them both,
T'o bear this tidings to the bloody king.
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!
QUEEN MARGARET'S EXPROBATION.
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 garisht 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.
+ Indexes were anciently placed at the beginning of books. + Flaring.
Where is thy husband now? Where be thy brothers?
Where be thy two sons? wherein dost thou joy?
Who sues, and kneels, and says-God save the queen?
Where be the bending peers that flatter'd thee?
Where be the thronging troops that follow'd thee?
Decline all 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 sued to one that humbly sues:
For queen, a very caitiff crown'd with care;
For one that scorn'd at me, now scorn'd of me;
For one being fear'd of all, now fearing one;
For one commanding all, obey'd of none.
Thus hath the course of justice wheel'd about,
And left thee but a very prey to time;
Having no more but thought of what thou wert,
To torture thee the more, being what thou art.
CHARACTER OF KING RICHARD BY HIS MOTHER.
Techy and wayward was thy infancy;
Thy school-days, frightful, desperate, wild, and furi
Thy prime of manhood, daring, bold, and venturous; Thy age confirm'd, proud, subtle, sly, and bloody
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings, Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
The weary sun hath made a golden set, And, by the bright tract of his fiery car, Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow.
The silent hours steal on,
And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
O thou! whose captain I account myself, Look on my forces with a gracious eye; *Touchy, fretful.
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with a heavy fall
The usurping helmets of our adversaries!
Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise thee in thy victory!
To thee I do commend my watchful soul,
Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes;
Sleeping, and waking, O, defend me still!
RICHARD STARTING OUT OF HIS DREAM.
Give me another horse,-bind up my wounds,-
Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft; I did but dream.-
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!—
The light burns blue. It is now dead midnight
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What do I fear? myself?
Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe.
RICHARD'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE BATTLE.
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom:
Advance our standards, set upon our foes;
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery Dragons!
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.
RICHARD'S BEHAVIOUR AFTER AN ALARUM.
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
Cate. Withdraw, my lord, I'll help you to a horse
K. Rich. Slave, I have set my life upon a cast,
And I will stand the hazard of the die:
I think, there be six Richmonds in the field;
Five have I slain to-day, instead of him:-
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
Requires slow pace at first: Anger is like
A full hot-horse; who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him.
ACTION TO BE CARRIED ON WITH RESOLUTION.
If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know My faculties, nor person, yet will be
The Chronicles of my doing,-let me say,
'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake*
We must not stint
That virtue must go through.
Our necessary actions, in the fear
To copet malicious censurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once§ weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd:|| what worst as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
For our best act. If we shall stand still,
In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here where we sit, or sit
State statues only.
Though they be never so ridiculous,
Nay, let them be unmanly, yet are follow'd.
THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM'S PRAYER FOR THE KING,
May he live
Longer than I have time to tell his years!
Ever belov'd, and loving, may his rule be!
And when old time shall lead him to his end,
Goodness and he fill up one monument!
ΤΟ BE TOO MUCH TRUSTED BY
GREAT MEN.
This from a dying man receive as certain:
Where you are liberal of your loves, and counsels,
Be sure, you be not loose: for those you make friends
And give your hearts to, when they once perceive
The least rub in your fortunes, fall away
Like water from ye, never found again
But where they mean to sink ye.
That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years
About his neck, yet never lost her lustre;
Of her, that loves him with that excellence
That angels love good men with; even of her
That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,
Will bless the king.
THE BLESSINGS OF A LOW STATION..
'Tis better to be lowly born,
And range with humble livers in content,
Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief,
And wear a golden sorrow.
QUEEN KATHARINE'S SPEECH TO HER HUSBAND Alas, sir,
In what have I offended you? what cause
Hath my behaviour given to your displeasure,
That thus you should proceed to put me off,
And take your good grace from me? Heaven witness
I have been to you a true and humble wife,
At all times to your will conformable:
Ever in fear to kindle your dislike,
Yea, subject to your countenance: glad, or sorry, As I saw it inclin'd. When was the hour,
I ever contradicted your desire,
Or made it not mine too? Or which of your friends
Have I not strove to love, although I knew
He were mine enemy? what friend of mine
That had to him deriv'd your anger, did I
Continue in mine liking? nay, gave notice
He was from thence discharg'd? Sir, call to mind
That I have been your wife, in this obedience,
Upward of twenty years, and have been blest
With many children by you: If, in the course
And process of this time, you can report,
And prove it too, against mine honour aught,
My bond to wedlock, or my love and duty,
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