And gentle, kind, effeminate remorse,
Which we have noted in you to your kindred,
And equally, indeed, to all estates,―

Yet know, whether you accept our suit or no,
Your brother's son shall never reign our king;
But we will plant some other in the throne,
To the disgrace and downfall of your house.
And in this resolution here we leave you ;-
Come, citizens, we will entreat no more.

[Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Citizens. Cate. Call them again, sweet prince, accept their suit;

If you deny them, all the land will rue it.

Glo. Will you enforce me to a world of cares? Call them again; I am not made of stone, But penetrable to your kind entreaties,

[Exit CATESBY Albeit against my conscience and my soul.

Re-enter BUCKINGHAM, and the rest.

Cousin of Buckingham, and sage grave men,
Since you will buckle fortune on my back,
To bear her burden, whether I will or no,
I must have patience to endure the load:
But if black scandal, or foul-faced reproach,
Attend the sequel of your imposition,

Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me
From all the impure biots and stains thereof:
For God doth know, and you may partly see,
How far I am from the desire of this.

May. God bless your grace! we see it, and will say it.

Glo. In saying so you shall but say the truth. Buck. Then I salute you with this royal title,Long live King Richard, England's worthy king! All. Amen.

be

Buck. To-morrow may it please you to

crown'd?

Glo. Even when you please, for you will have

it so.

Buck. To-morrow, then, we will attend your grace;

And so most joyfully we take our leave.

Glo. [to the Bishops.] Come, let us to our holy work again :

Farewell, my cousin ;-farewell, gentle friends. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Before the Tower.

Enter on one side, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DUCHESS OF YORK, and MARQUIS OF DORSET; on the other, ANNE DUCHESS OF GLOSTER, leading LADY MARGARET PLANTAGENET, CLARENCE's young daughter.

Duchess.

HO meets us here ?-my niece Planta-
genet,

Led in the hand of her kind aunt of
Gloster?

Now, for my life, she's wandering to the Tower,
On pure heart's love, to greet the tender prince.
Daughter, well met.

Anne.

God give your graces both

A happy and a joyful time of day!

2. Eliz. As much to you, good sister!

Whither away?

Anne. No further than the Tower; and, as I

guess,

Upon the like devotion as yourselves,

To gratulate the gentle princes there.

2. Eliz. Kind sister, thanks; we'll enter all together:

Enter BRAKENBURY.

And, in good time, here the lieutenant comes.— Master lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,

How doth the prince, and my young son of York?

Brak. Right well, dear madam: by your patience,

I may not suffer you to visit them;

The king hath strictly charged the contrary. 2. Eliz. The king! who's that?

Brak.

I mean the lord protector. 2. Eliz. The lord protect him from that kingly

title!

Hath he set bounds between their love and me?
I am their mother, who shall bar me from them?
Duch. I am their father's mother, I will see
them.

Anne. Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother:

Then bring me to their sights; I'll bear thy blame,

And take thy office from thee, on my peril.

Brak. No, madam, no, I may not leave it so; I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. [Exit.

Enter STANLEY.

Stan. Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour

hence,

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

And reverend looker-on, of two fair queens.

[To the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.] Come, madam, you must straight to Westminster,

There to be crowned Richard's royal queen.
2. Eliz. Ah, cut my lace asunder!

That my pent heart may have some scope to beat,
Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news.
Anne. Despiteful tidings! O unpleasing

news!

Dor. Be of good cheer.

your grace?

Mother, how fares

2. Eliz. O Dorset, speak not to me, get thee

gone,

Death and destruction dog thee at thy heels;
Thy mother's name is ominous to children:
If thou wilt outstrip death, go across the seas,
And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell.
Go, hie thee, hie thee, from this slaughter-house,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead;

And make me die the thrall of Margaret's

curse,

Nor mother, wife, nor England's counted queen. Stan. Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam :

[To DORSET.] Take all the swift advantage of the

hours;

You shall have letters from me to my son
In your behalf, to meet you on the way:
Be not ta'en tardy by unwise delay.

Duch. O ill-dispersing wind of misery!
O my accursed womb, the bed of death;
A cockatrice hast thou hatch'd to the world,
Whose unavoided eye is murderous !

Stan. Come, madam, come; I in all haste was

sent.

Anne. And I with all unwillingness will go.O, would to God that the inclusive verge

Of golden metal that must round my brow
Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brain!
Anointed let me be with deadly venom;

And die, ere men can say-God save the queen! 2. Eliz. Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy

glory;

To feed my humour, wish thyself no harm.

Anne. No! why ?-When he that is my husband now

Came to me, as I follow'd Henry's corse:

When scarce the blood was well wash'd from his hands,

Which issued from my other angel husband,
And that dear saint which then I weeping
follow'd;

O, when, I say, I look'd on Richard's face,
This was my wish,-Be thou, quoth I, accursed,
For making me, so young, so old a widow !
And when thou wedd'st let sorrow haunt thy bed;
And be thy wife (if any be so mad)

More miserable by the life of thee,

Than thou hast made me by my dear lord's death!
Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again,
Within so small a time, my woman's heart
Grossly grew captive to his honey words,

And proved the subject of mine own soul's curse;
Which hitherto hath held mine eyes from rest:
For never yet one hour in his bed

Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep,

But with his timorous dreams was still awaked. Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick; And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.

2. Eliz. Poor heart, adieu! I pity thy complaining.

Anne. No more than with my soul I mourn for yours.