Set down, set down your honorable load,

1.2.3176171If honor may be shrouded in a hearse,

1.2.4177172Whilst I a while obsequiously lament

1.2.5178173The untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster.

1.2.7179174Poor key-cold figure of a holy king,

1.2.8180175Pale ashes of the House of Lancaster,

1.2.9181176Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood;

1.2.10182177Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost

1.2.11183178To hear the lamentations of poor Anne,

1.2.12184179Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughtered son,

1.2.13185180Stabbed by the selfsame hands that made these holes,

1.2.14186181Lo, in those windows that let forth thy life

1.2.15187182I pour the helpless balm of my poor eyes.

1.2.16188183Cursed be the hand that made these fatal holes,

1.2.17189184Cursed be the heart that had the heart to do it.

1.2.18191185More direful hap betide that hated wretch

1.2.19192186That makes us wretched by the death of thee

1.2.20193187Than I can wish to adders, spiders, toads,

1.2.21194188Or any creeping, venomed thing that lives.

1.2.22195189If ever he have child, abortive be it,

1.2.23196190Prodigious and untimely brought to light,

1.2.24197191Whose ugly and unnatural aspect

1.2.25198192May fright the hopeful mother at the view.

1.2.26200193If ever he have wife, let her be made

1.2.27201194As miserable by the death of him

1.2.28202195As I am made by my poor lord and thee.

1.2.29203196Come now, towards Chertsey with your holy load,

1.2.31204197Taken from Paul's to be interrèd there,

1.2.32205198And still as you are weary of the weight,

1.2.33206199Rest you whiles I lament King Henry's corse.

Stay, you that bear the corse, and set it down.

What black magician conjures up this fiend

1.2.37210203To stop devoted charitable deeds?

1.2.38211204Richard[Drawing his sword.]

Villain, set down the corse or by Saint Paul

1.2.39212205I'll make a corse of him that disobeys.

My lord, stand back and let the coffin pass.

Unmannered dog, 215stand thou when I command.

1.2.43216208Advance thy halberd higher than my breast

1.2.44217209Or by Saint Paul I'll strike thee to my foot

1.2.45218210And spurn upon thee, beggar, for thy boldness.

What? Do you tremble, are you all afraid?

1.2.48220212Alas, I blame you not, for you are mortal

1.2.49221213And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.

1.2.50222214[To Richard] Avaunt, thou dreadful minister of hell.

1.2.51223215Thou hadst but power over his mortal body;

1.2.52224216His soul thou canst not have; therefore be gone.

Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.

Foul devil, 227for God's sake hence and trouble us not,

1.2.55228219For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell,

1.2.56229220Filled it with cursing cries and deep exclaims.

1.2.57230221If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,

1.2.58231222Behold this pattern of thy butcheries.

1.2.60232223Oh gentlemen, see, see, dead Henry's wounds

1.2.61233224Open their congealed mouths and bleed afresh.

1.2.62234225Blush, blush, thou lump of foul deformity,

1.2.63235226For 'tis thy presence that exhales this blood

1.2.64236227From cold and empty veins where no blood dwells.

1.2.65237228Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural,

1.2.66238229Provokes this deluge most unnatural.

1.2.67239230O God which this blood madest, revenge his death;

1.2.68240231O Earth which this blood drink'st, revenge his death.

1.2.69241232Either heaven with lightning strike the murderer dead

1.2.70242233Or Earth gape open wide and eat him quick

1.2.71243234As thou dost swallow up this good King's blood

1.2.72244235Which his hell-governed arm hath butchered.

Lady, you know no rules of charity,

1.2.74246237Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses.

Villain, thou knowest no law of God nor man:

1.2.76248239No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.

But I know none, and therefore am no beast.

Oh wonderful, when devils tell the truth!

More wonderful when angels are so angry.

1.2.80252243Vouchsafe, divine perfection of a woman,

1.2.81253244Of these supposèd evils to give me leave

1.2.82254245By circumstance but to acquit myself.

Vouchsafe, defused infection of a man,

1.2.84256247For these known evils but to give me leave

1.2.85257248By circumstance to curse thy cursèd self.

Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have

1.2.87259250Some patient leisure to excuse myself.

Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make

1.2.89261252No excuse current 262but to hang thyself.

By such despair I should accuse myself.

And by despairing shouldst thou stand excused

1.2.92265255For doing worthy vengeance on thyself

1.2.93266256Which didst unworthy slaughter upon others.

Say that I slew them not.

Why then they are not dead,

1.2.96269259But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee.

I did not kill your husband.

Why then he is alive.

Nay, he is dead, and slain by Edward's hand.

In thy foul throat thou liest. 274Queen Margaret saw

1.2.101275264Thy bloody falchion smoking in his blood,

1.2.102276265The which thou once didst bend against her breast,

1.2.103277266But that thy brothers beat aside the point.

I was provokèd by her slanderous tongue

1.2.105279268Which laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders.

Thou wast provokèd by thy bloody mind

1.2.107281270Which never dreamed on aught but butcheries;

1.2.108282271Didst thou not kill this King?

Didst thou not kill this King? I grant ye, yea.

Dost grant me, hedgehog? 285Then God grant me too

1.2.110286273Thou mayest be damnèd for that wicked deed;

1.2.111287274Oh, he was gentle, mild and virtuous.

The fitter for the King of Heaven that hath him.

He is in heaven where thou shalt never come.

Let him thank me that holp to send him thi291ther,

1.2.115292278For he was fitter for that place than earth.

And thou unfit for any place but hell.

Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it.

Some dungeon.

Your bedchamber.

Ill rest betide the chamber where thou liest!

So will it, madam, till I lie with you.

I hope so.

I know so; but gentle Lady Anne,

1.2.124301286To leave this keen encounter of our wits

1.2.125302287And fall somewhat into a slower method,

1.2.126303288Is not the causer of the timeless deaths

1.2.127304289Of these Plantagenets, Henry and Edward,

1.2.128305290As blameful as the executioner?

Thou art the cause (*of that most cursed effect.

Your beauty was the cause of that effect,

1.2.131308293Your beauty which did haunt me in my sleep

1.2.132309294To undertake the death of all the world

1.2.133310295So I might rest one hour in your sweet bosom.

If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide,

1.2.135312297These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks.

These eyes could never endure sweet beauty's wrack.

1.2.137314299You should not blemish them if I stood by.

1.2.138315300As all the world is cheerèd by the sun,

1.2.139316301So I by that, it is my day, my life.

Black night overshade thy day, and death thy life.

Curse not thyself, fair creature, 319thou art both.

I would I were, to be revenged on thee.

It is a quarrel most unnatural

1.2.144322306To be revenged on him that loveth you.

It is a quarrel just and reasonable

1.2.146324308To be revenged on him that slew my husband.

He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband

1.2.148326310Did it to help thee to a better husband.

His better doth not breathe upon the earth.

Go to, he lives that loves you better than he could.

Name him.

Plantagenet.

Why that was he.

The self-same name, but one of better nature.

Where is he?

Here.

1.2.158335318Why dost thou spit at me?

Would it were mortal poison for thy sake.

Never came poison from so sweet a place.

Never hung poison on a fouler toad;

1.2.162339322Out of my sight, thou dost infect my eyes.

Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine.

Would they were basilisks to strike thee dead.

I would they were, that I might die at once,

1.2.166343326For now they kill me with a living death.

1.2.168344327Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears,

1.2.169345328Shamed their aspect with store of childish drops.

1.2.170358329I never sued to friend nor enemy,

1.2.171359330My tongue could never learn sweet soothing words,

1.2.172360331But now thy beauty is proposed my fee

1.2.173361332My proud heart sues and prompts my tongue to speak.

1.2.175363333Teach not thy lips such scorn, for they were made

1.2.176364334For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.

1.2.177365335If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,

1.2.178366336Lo, here I lend thee this sharp pointed sword,

1.2.180367337Which, if thou please to hide in this true bosom

1.2.181368338And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,

1.2.182369339I lay it naked to the deadly stroke

1.2.183370340And humbly beg the death upon my knee.

1.2.185372341Nay, do not pause, 'twas I that killed your husband,

1.2.186373342But 'twas thy beauty that provokèd me.

1.2.187374343Nay, now dispatch, 'twas I that killed King Henry,

1.2.188375344But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on.

1.2.190377345Take up the sword again or take up me.

Arise dissembler, though I wish thy death,

1.2.192379347I will not be the executioner.

Then bid me kill myself and I will do it.

I have already.

Tush, that was in thy rage.

1.2.197383351Speak it again and, even with the word,

1.2.198384352That hand which for thy love did kill thy love

1.2.199385353Shall for thy love kill a far truer love.

1.2.200386354To both their deaths shalt thou be accessory.

I would I knew thy heart.

'Tis figured in my tongue.

I fear me both are false.

Then never was man true.

Well, well, put up your sword.

Say then my peace is made.

That shall you know hereafter.

But shall I live in hope?

All men, I hope, live so.

Vouchsafe to wear this ring.

To take is not to give.

Look how this ring encompasseth thy finger:

1.2.216398367Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.

1.2.217399368Wear both of them, for both of them are thine,

1.2.218400369And if thy poor, devoted suppliant may

1.2.219401370But beg one favor at thy gracious hand

1.2.220402371Thou dost confirm his happiness for ever.

What is it?

That it would please thee leave these sad designs

1.2.223405374To him that hath more cause to be a mourner

1.2.224406375And presently repair to Crosby Place

1.2.225407376Where, after I have solemnly interred

1.2.226408377At Chertsey Monastery this noble King

1.2.227409378And wet his grave with my repentant tears,

1.2.228410379I will with all expedient duty see you.

1.2.229411380For divers unknown reasons, I beseech you

1.2.230412381Grant me this boon.

With all my heart, and much it joys me too

1.2.232414383To see you are become so penitent.

1.2.233415384Tressill and Barkley, go along with me.

Bid me farewell.

'Tis more than you deserve:

1.2.236418387But since you teach me how to flatter you,

1.2.237419388Imagine I have said farewell already.

Sirs, take up the corse.

Towards Chertsey, noble lord?

No, to Whitefriars; there attend my coming.

1.2.244424392Was ever woman in this humor wooed?

1.2.245425393Was ever woman in this humor won?

1.2.246426394I'll have her, but I will not keep her long.

1.2.247427395What, I that killed her husband and his father,

1.2.248428396To take her in her heart's extremest hate,

1.2.249429397With curses in her mouth, tears in her eyes,

1.2.250430398The bleeding witness of her hatred by,

1.2.251431399Having God, her conscience, and these bars against me,

1.2.252432400And I nothing to back my suit at all

1.2.253433401But the plain devil and dissembling looks,

1.2.254434402And yet to win her? All the world to nothing. 435Hah!

1.2.255436403Hath she forgot already that brave Prince,

1.2.256437404Edward, her lord, whom I some three months since

1.2.257438405Stabbed in my angry mood at Tewkesbury?

1.2.258439406A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman

1.2.259440407Framed in the prodigality of nature,

1.2.260441408Young, valiant, wise, and no doubt right royal,

1.2.261442409The spacious world cannot again afford.

1.2.262443410And will she yet debase her eyes on me

1.2.263444411That cropped the golden prime of this sweet Prince

1.2.264445412And made her widow to a woeful bed;

1.2.265446413On me whose all not equals Edward's moiety;

1.2.266447414On me that halt, and am unshapen thus --

1.2.267448415My dukedom to a beggarly denier,

1.2.268449416I do mistake my person all this while!

1.2.269450417Upon my life she finds, although I cannot,

1.2.270451418Myself to be a marvellous proper man.

1.2.271452419I'll be at charges for a looking glass

1.2.272453420And entertain some score or two of tailors

1.2.273454421To study fashions to adorn my body.

1.2.274455422Since I am crept in favor with myself

1.2.275456423I will maintain it with some little cost --

1.2.276457424But first I'll turn yon fellow in his grave

1.2.277458425And then return lamenting to my love.

1.2.278459426Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass

1.2.279460427That I may see my shadow as I pass.