Who meets us here, 2474my niece Plantagenet?

Sister well met; whither away so fast?

No farther than the Tower, and as I guess

4.1.524832230Upon the like devotion as yourselves:

4.1.624842231To gratulate the tender princes there.

Kind sister thanks, we'll enter all together,

4.1.924872233And in good time, here the Lieutenant comes.

4.1.1024882234Master Lieutenant, pray you by your leave,

4.1.1124892235How fares the Prince?

Well, madam, and in health, but by your leave

4.1.1324912237I may not suffer you to visit him.

4.1.1424922238The King hath straitly charged the contrary.

The King? Why, who's that?

I cry you mercy, I mean the Lord Protector.

The Lord protect him from that kingly title.

4.1.1824962242Hath he set bounds betwixt their love and me?

4.1.1924972243I am their mother, who should keep me from them?

I am their father's mother, I will see 2499them.

Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother;

4.1.2225012246Then fear not thou, I'll bear thy blame

4.1.2325022247And take thy office from thee on my peril.

I do beseech your graces all to pardon me:

4.1.2525042249I am bound by oath, I may not do it.

Let me but meet you ladies an hour hence,

4.1.2925082251And I'll salute your grace of York as mother

4.1.3025092252And reverent looker-on of two fair queens.

4.1.3125102253Come, madam, you must go with me to Westminster,

4.1.3225112254There to be crownèd Richard's royal queen.

Oh, cut my lace asunder, that my pent heart

4.1.3425132256May have some scope to beat, or else I swoon

4.1.3525142257With this dead-killing news.

Madam, have comfort, how fares your 2517grace?

Oh, Dorset, speak not to me, get thee hence;

4.1.3825192260Death and destruction dog thee at the heels.

4.1.3925202261Thy mother's name is ominous to children.

4.1.4025212262If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas

4.1.4125222263And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell --

4.1.4225232264Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughter house

4.1.4325242265Lest thou increase the number of the dead

4.1.4425252266And make me die the thrall of Margaret's curse,

4.1.4525262267Nor mother, wife, nor England's counted queen.

Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam --

4.1.4725282269[To Dorset] Take all the swift advantage of the time;

4.1.4825292270You shall have letters from me to my son

4.1.4925302271To meet you on the way and welcome you.

4.1.5025312272Be not ta'en tardy by unwise delay.

O ill-dispersing wind of misery,

4.1.5225332274O my accursèd womb, the bed of death:

4.1.5325342275A cockatrice hast thou hatch to the world

4.1.5425352276Whose unavoided eye is murderous.

[To Anne] Come, madam, I in all haste was sent.

And I in all unwillingness will go.

4.1.5725382279I would to God that the inclusive verge

4.1.5825392280Of golden metal that must round my brow

4.1.5925402281Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brain;

4.1.6025412282Annointed let me be with deadly poison

4.1.6125422283And die ere men can say, "God save the Queen."

Alas, poor soul, I envy not thy glory;

4.1.6325442285To feed my humor, wish thyself no harm.

No. When he that is my husband now

4.1.6525462287Came to me, as I followed Henry's corse,

4.1.6625472288When scarce the blood was well washed from his hands

4.1.6725482289Which issued from my other angel-husband

4.1.6825492290And that dead saint which then I weeping followed,

4.1.6925502291O when, I say, I looked on Richard's face,

4.1.7025512292This was my wish, "Be thou" quoth I, "accursed,

4.1.7125522293For making me, so young, so old a widow;

4.1.7225532294And when thou wed'st, let sorrow haunt thy bed,

4.1.7325542295And be thy wife, if any be so, made

4.1.7425552296As miserable by the death of thee

4.1.7525562297As thou hast made me by my dear lord's death."

4.1.7625572298Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again,

4.1.7725582299Even in so short a space my woman's heart

4.1.7825592300Grossly grew captive to his honey words

4.1.7925602301And proved the subject of my own soul's curse,

4.1.8025612302Which ever since hath kept my eyes from sleep,

4.1.8125622303For never yet one hour in his bed

4.1.8225632304Have I enjoyed the golden dew of sleep,

4.1.8325642305But have been wakèd by his timorous dreams.

4.1.8425652306Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick,

4.1.8525662307And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.

Alas poor soul, I pity thy complaints.

No more than from my soul I mourn for 2569yours.

[To Anne] Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory.

[To Elizabeth] Adieu poor soul, thou tak'st thy leave 2572of it.

[To Dorset] Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee;

4.1.9125742313[To Anne] Go thou to Richard, and good angels guard thee;

4.1.9225752314[To Elizabeth] Go thou to sanctuary, good thoughts possess thee;

4.1.9325762315I to my grave where peace and rest lie with me.

4.1.9425772316Eighty-odd years of sorrow have I seen,

4.1.9525782317And each hour's joy wracked with a week of teen.

4.1.962586[Exeunt.]