That tempers him to this extremity. Was it not she, and that good man of worship, That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower; Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man secure, Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me; His majesty hath straitly given in charge, That no man shall have private conference, Of what degree soever, with his brother. Glo. Even so? an please your worship, Brakenbury, A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue; Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. 9 The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself,] That is, the Queen and Shore. Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Brak. What one, my lord? Glo. Her husband, knave:-Would'st thou be tray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects,' and must obey. Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood, Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long; I will deliver you, or else lie for you :2 Mean time, have patience. Clar. I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence!-I do love thee so, the queen's abjects,] The most servile of her subjects, who must of course obey all her commands. — lie for you :] i. e. be imprisoned in your stead. To lie was anciently to reside, as appears by many instances in these vo lumes. Enter HASTINGS. Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain! Well are you welcome to this open air. How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must: But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks, That were the cause of my imprisonment. Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; For they, that were your enemies, are his, Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home ;The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy, And his physicians fear him mightily. Glo. Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much consum'd his royal person; "Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed? Hast. He is. Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [Exit HASTINGS, He cannot live, I hope; and must not die, Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven. Clarence hath not another day to live: 3 should be mew'd,] A mew was the place of confinement where a hawk was kept till he had moulted. 4 an evil diet-] i. e. a bad regimen. Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy, For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter: 1 By marrying her, which I must reach unto. SCENE II. The same. Another Street. Enter the Corpse of King HENRY the Sixth, borne in an open Coffin, Gentlemen bearing Halberds, to guard it; and Lady ANNE as Mourner. Anne. Set down, set down your honourable load,If honour may be shrouded in a hearse,Whilst I a while obsequiously lament3 The untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster.Poor key-cold figure of a holy king! Pale ashes of the house of Lancaster! Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood! Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost, To hear the lamentations of poor Anne, Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughter'd son, obsequiously lament - Obsequious, in this instance, means funereal. 6 -key-cold—] A key, on account of the coldness of the metal of which it is composed, was anciently employed to stop any slight bleeding. The epithet is common to many old writers. Stabb'd by the self-same hand that made these wounds! Lo, in these windows, that let forth thy life, May fright the hopeful mother at the view; Than I am made by my young lord, and thee!— And, still as you are weary of the weight, Rest you, whiles I lament king Henry's corse. [The Bearers take up the Corpse, and advance. Enter GLOSter. Glo. Stay you, that bear the corse, and set it down. Anne. What black magician conjures up this fiend, To stop devoted charitable deeds? Glo. Villains, set down the corse; or, by Saint Paul, I'll make a corse of him that disobeys. 1 Gent. My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass. Glo. Unmanner'd dog! stand thou when I command: 7 to his unhappiness!] i. e. disposition to mischief. |