For more, much more, than I can e'er repay.
Long time, with shame I own, hath Warwick soar'd
Above me; but I will not be outdone
For ever by this proud aspiring rival :
Poor as I am, there yet is one way left
Το pay the debt of gratitude I owe him;
One great reward for such exalted virtues-
Thyself, Elizabeth.
Lady E. G. What means my lord,
My royal master?
King E. Yes; when next we meet
I will bestow it on him, will resign
All my fond claim to happiness and thee:
Though thy dear image ne'er can be effac'd
From Edward's breast; though still I dote upon thee;
Though I could hang for ever on thy beauties;
Yet will I yield them to their rightful lord ;
Warwick has earn'd, Warwick alone deserves them.
Lady E. G. 'Would he were here, to thank thee for
thy goodness!
Know, gen'rous prince, Elizabeth has long
Admir'd thy virtues, and could love admit
Of a divided heart, the noble Edward
Would share it with his friend.
The rebels are dispers'd; queen Margaret's son
Was slain in the pursuit-and she-
Mess. Is taken prisoner, and will soon
Be here.
King E. But where's Lord Warwick?
Mess. Behold, the queen approaches.
Enter MARGARET, Prisoner.
Marg. Once more I am your prisoner.
King E. 'Twill be prudent
Henceforth to keep you so.
Marg. You dare not!
Thou think'st, perhaps, that I shall sue to thee
For mercy: no; in Margaret of Anjou,
Thou seest the wife, and daughter of a king.
A spirit not to be subdu'd; though fall'n,
Triumphant still; and, though a pris'ner, free.
For know, I bear a mind above the reach
Of fortune, or of Edward. I have lost
All I could wish to live for, in my child;
And gain'd, what I most wish'd to gain-revenge!
Or life or death are now indiff'rent to me.
King E. For thy unbounded goodness, Power supreme, Accept our praise!
Marg. Insulting piety! the common trick
Of hypocrites and slaves! when ye shall know
What Margret knows, ye may not be so thankful.
Methinks, 'tis pity Warwick is not here,
To join in your devotion.
Lady E. G.. Would to Heav'n
Marg. That monster, that perfidious slave,
Who broke his faith to Margaret, and to thee;
Thy coward soul, unable to defend
The treasure thou hadst stolen, could meanly stoop
To court the traitor, whom thou dar'st not punish.
Not so the injur'd Marg'ret-she repell'd
The wrongs she felt, and the deceiver met
The fate he merited.
King E. What fate?-E'en now,
Crown'd with immortal wreaths, the hero comes
To bless his friends, and punish guilt like thine.
Marg. Proud and deluded wretches! I look down
With pity on you: captive as I am,
"Tis mine to judge and punish; be it yours
To hear and tremble.
King E. Ha!
Lady E. G. What can this mean?
Marg. If I mistake not, Warwick is your friend; Your lover too, I think.
Lady E. G. My lord! my husband!
Marg. Know then, that friend, that lover, perjur'd Warwick,
Hath not an hour to live.
King E. What murd'rous hand
Marg. Mine, tyrant, mine: think not I mean to
The noble deed; it is my happiness,
It is my glory: thou wilt call me base,
Blood-thirsty, cruel, savage, and revengeful.
But here I stand acquitted to myself,
And every feeling heart that knows my wrongs.
To late posterity, dethroned queens,
And weeping mothers, shall applaud my justice.
King E. Justice, on whom?
Marg. Can Edward ask me? Who
Imprison'd Henry-robb'd me of a crown,
And plac'd it on a proud usurper's head?
Who gave his sacred promise to a queen,
And broke it? who, for which indignant Heav'n
Chastis'd him, basely murder'd my sweet boy?
Bereft of honour, fortune, husband, child-
Depriv'd of ev'ry comfort, what remain'd
For me but vengeance-what for him, but death?
King E. What hast thou done! When? Where?
Speak, murd'ress-speak!
Marg. Press'd by surrounding multitudes, and made
A slave, they dragg'd me to the conqu'ror's tent:-
There, the first horrid object I beheld,
Was the pale corse of my poor bleeding child:
There-as th' insulting Warwick stood, and seem'd
To triumph o'er him—from my breast I drew
A poniard forth, and plung'd it in his heart.
[LADY E. G. faints. King E. She faints, good Suffolk !-help there!help!-support,
[Exit LADY E. G. and SUFFOLK,
If it be true, as much I fear it is, a thousand deaths
Were punishment too little for thy guilt:
Thou shalt be tortur'd.
Marg. Tyrant, I defy thee;
Thy threats appal not me: prepare thy tortures;
Let them be sharp and cruel as thyself—
All that ingenious malice can suggest,
Or power inflict-'twill be my comfort still,
They cannot be so great as those you feel.
King E. Guards, take the monster hence! let her be chain'd
There let her perish-hence, away with her.
Marg. Despair and horror visit thee-farewell-
He comes, my triumph is complete-Look there!
[Exit.
Enter WARWICK, leaning on Two ATTENDANTS. Warw. Where is he? Lead me, lead me to my king.
King E. My Warwick! my preserver !—she shall
For this, in ev'ry vein,
Warw. Think not of her;
She has no power to hurt thee! and with guilt
Like her's, 'tis punishment enough to live;
This is no time for vengeance; death comes on
With hasty strides; 'tis but a little while,
A few short moments, and we part for ever.
My friend-
King E. I am not worthy of the name,
For I disgrac'd, dishonour'd, murder'd thee:
Edward's unkindness was the cause of all-
Canst thou forgive me?
Warw. O! may Warwick's crimes
Ne'er meet forgiveness from offended Heav'n,
If, from my soul, I do not pardon, love,
And honour thee!
Where is she! Edward, do not keep her from me-We are no rivals now.
King E. Shock'd at the news
Of thy untimely fate, she sunk beneath it,
And fainted in these arms: I seiz'd th' occasion
And bade her weeping maidens bear her hence:
This would have been a dreadful sight indeed.
Lady E. G. [Without.] I can, I will support it.
Warw. Ha! that voice-
Sure, 'tis Elizabeth's!
Enter LADY ELIZABETH GREY.
Lady E. G. O! give me way,
For I must see him-O! my Warwick!
Warw. O!
This is too much-the bitterness of death
Is to be severed thus from those we love.
Elizabeth, be comforted!
Lady E. G. O, no, it is my doom
Never to taste of joy or comfort more;
No; from this hateful world will I retire,
And mourn my Warwick's fate, imploring Heaven
That I may soon wear out my little store
Of hopeless days, and join thee in the tomb.
Warw. That must not be; I've done my friend
And only thou canst make atonement for it.
Elizabeth, if e'er thou lov❜dst,
Observe me now.-Edward, for my sake
|