Duch. So many miseries have craz'd my voice, That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute, Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead? Q. Mar. Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet, Edward for Edward pays a dying debt. Q. Eliz. Wilt thou, O God, fly from such gentle lambs, And throw them in the entrails of the wolf? When didst thou sleep3, when such a deed was done? [Sitting down. Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood! Q. Eliz. Ah, that thou would'st as soon afford a grave, As thou canst yield a melancholy seat; Then would I hide my bones, not rest them here! [Sitting down by her. Q. Mar. If ancient sorrow be most reverent, Give mine the benefit of seniory, 4 And let my griefs frown on the upper hand. If sorrow can admit society, [Sitting down with them. Tell o'er your woes again by viewing mine: I had an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him; +I had a husband, till a Richard kill'd him: Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him; Duch. I had a Richard too, and thou didst kill him; I had a Rutland too, thou holp'st to kill him. 3 When didst thou sleep, &c.] That is, When, before the present occasion, didst thou ever sleep during the commission of such an action? 4 —seniory,] For seniority. JOHNSON. ↑ "I had a Henry," - MALONE. Q. Mar. Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard kill'd him. From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept Q. Mar. Bear with me, I am hungry for revenge, Thy Edward he is dead, that kill'd my Edward; The adulterate Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, Grey, Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray, 5 her pew-fellow-] Pew-fellow seems to be companion. 6 Young York he is but boot,] Boot is that which is thrown in to mend a purchase. Q. Eliz. O, thou didst prophesy, the time would come, That I should wish for thee to help me curse That bottled spider, that foul bunch-back'd toad. Q. Mar. I call'd thee then, vain flourish of my for tune; I call'd thee then, poor shadow, painted queen; The flattering index of a direful pageant,7 Where is thy husband now? where be thy brothers? Who sues, and kneels, and says - God save the queen? 7 The flattering index of a direful pageant,] Pageants are dumb shows, and the poet meant to allude to one of these, the index of which promised a happier conclusion. The pageants then displayed on public occasions were generally preceded by a brief account of the order in which the characters were to walk. These indexes were distributed among the spectators, that they might understand the meaning of such allegorical stuff as was usually exhibited. The index of every book was anciently placed before the beginning of it. To be the aim of every dangerous shot;] Alluding to the dangerous situation of those persons to whose care the standards of armies were entrusted. STEEVENS. 9 Decline all this,] i. e. run through all this from first to last. For one being fear'd of all, now fearing one; -- Farewell, York's wife, — and queen of sad mischance,— Q. Mar. Forbear to sleep the night, and fast the day; Compare dead happiness with living woe; Think that thy babes were fairer than they were, Q. Eliz. My words are dull, O, quicken them with thine! like mine. Q. Mar. Thy woes will make them sharp, and pierce [Exit Q. MARgaret. Duch. Why should calamity be full of words? Q. Eliz. Windy attorneys to their client woes, Airy succeeders of intestate joys, Poor breathing orators of miseries! Let them have scope: though what they do impart Duch. If so, then be not tongue-ty'd go with me, I hear his drum, - be copious in exclaims. Enter King RIChard, and his Train, marching. K. Rich. Who intercepts me in my expedition? Duch. O, she, that might have intercepted thee, By strangling thee in her accursed womb, From all the slaughters, wretch, that thou hast done. Q. Eliz. Hid'st thou that forehead with a golden crown, 1 Where should be branded, if that right were right, And little Ned Plantagenet, his son? Q. Eliz. Where is the gentle Rivers, Vaughan, Grey? Duch. Where is kind Hastings? K. Rich. A flourish, trumpets!-strike alarum, drums! Let not the heavens hear these tell-tale women Rail on the Lord's anointed: Strike, I say. [Flourish. Alarums. Either be patient, and entreat me fair, K. Rich. Ay; I thank God, my father, and yourself. K. Rich. Madam, I have a touch of your condition, That cannot brook the accent of reproof. Duch. O, let me speak. K. Rich. Do, then; but I'll not hear. Duch. I will be mild and gentle in my words. that ow'd that crown,] i. e. that possessed it. 2- a touch of your condition,] A spice or particle of your temper or disposition. |