And rescu'd from despair, attend your highness.
Alas! my gracious lord, what have I done
To kindle such relentless wrath against me?
Glos. Marry, there are, though I believe them not, Who say you meddle in affairs of state:
That you presume to prattle like a busy-body,
Give your advice, and teach the lords o'the council
What fits the order of the commonweal.
Jane S. Oh, that the busy world, at least in this,
Would take example from a wretch like me?
None then would waste their hours in foreign thoughts,
Forget themselves, and what concerns their peace,
To search, with prying eyes, for faults abroad,
If all, like me, consider'd their own hearts,
And wept their sorrows which they found at home.
Glos. Go to; I know your pow'r; and though I trust
To ev'ry breath of fame, I'm not to learn
That Hastings is profess'd your loving vassal.
But fair befall your beauty: use it wisely,
And it may stand your fortunes much in stead,
Give back your forfeit land with large increase,
And place you high in safety and in honour.
Nay, I could point a way, the which pursuing,
You shall not only bring yourself advantage,
But give the realm much worthy cause to thank you.
Jane S. Oh! where or how-can my unworthy hand
Become an instrument of good to any?
Instruct your lowly slave, and let me fly
To yield obedience to your dread command.
Glos. Why, that's well said-Thus then-Observe me The state, for many high and potent reasons, Deeming my brother Edward's sons unfit For the imperial weight of England's crownJane S. Alas! for pity.
Glos. Therefore have resolv'd
To set aside their unavailing infancy,
And vest the sov'reign rule in abler hands.
This, though of great importance to the public,
Hastings, for very peevishness and spleen,
Does stubbornly oppose.
Jane S. Does he? Does Hastings?
Glos. Ay, Hastings.
Jane S. Reward him for the noble deed, just heav'ns:
For this one action, guard him and distinguish him
With signal mercies, and with great deliverance,
Save him from wrong, adversity, and shame,
Let never fading honours flourish round him,
And consecrate his name, ev'n to time's end.
Glos. How now!
Jane S. The poor, forsaken, royal little ones!
Shall they be left a prey to savage power?
Can they lift up their harmless hands in vain,
Or cry to heaven for help, and not be heard?
Impossible! O gallant, generous Hastings,
Go on, pursue, assert the sacred cause:
Stand forth, thou proxy of all-ruling Providence,
And save the friendless infauts from oppression.
Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers,
And warring angels combat on thy side.
Glos. You're passing rich in this same heav'nly speech,
And spend it at your pleasure. Nay, but mark me!
My favour is not bought with words like these.
Go to-you'll teach your tongue another tale.
Jane S. No, though the royal Edward has undone
He was my king, my gracious master still;
He lov'd me too, though 'twas a guilty flame;
And can I-O my heart abhors the thought!
Stand by, and see his children robb'd of right?
Glos. Dare not, ev'n for thy soul, to thwart me further!
None of your arts, your feigning, and your foolery;
Your dainty squeamish coying it to me;
Go-to your lord, your paramour, be gone!
Lisp in his ear, hang wanton on his neck,
And play your monkey gambols o'er to him.
You know my purpose, look that you pursue it,
And make him yield obedience to my will.
Do it or woe upon the harlot's head.
Jane S. Oh that my tongue had every grace of speech,
Great and commanding, as the breath of kings;
That I had art and eloquence divine,
To pay my duty to my master's ashes,
And plead, till death, the cause of injur'd innocence. Glos. Ha! Dost thou brave me, minion! Dost thou know
How vile, how very a wretch, my pow'r can make thee?
That I can place thee in such abject state,
As help shall never find thee; where, repining,
Thou shalt sit down, and gnaw the earth for anguish ;
Groan to the pitiless winds without return;
Howl, like the midnight wolf amidst the desert,
And curse thy life, in bitterness and misery!
Jane S. Let me be branded for the public scorn,
Turn'd forth and driv'n to wander like a vagabond,
Be friendless and forsaken, seek my bread
Upon the barren wild and desolate waste,
Feed on my sighs, and drink my falling tears,
F'er I consent to teach my lips injustice,
Or wrong the orphan, who has none to save him.
Glos. Tis well-we'll try the temper of your heart.
What, hoa! Who waits without?
Enter RATCLIFFE, CATESBY, and Attendants.
Glos. Go, some of you, and turn this strumpet forth!
Spurn her into the street; there let her perish,
And rot upon a dunghill. Through the city
See it proclaim'd, that none, on pain of death,
Presume to give her comfort, food, or harbour;
Who ministers the smallest comfort, dies.
Her house, her costly furniture and wealth,
We seize on, for the profit of the state.
Away! Be gone!
Jane S. Oh, thou most righteous Judge―
Humbly behold, I bow myself to thee,
And own thy justice in this hard decree:
No longer, then, my ripe offences spare,
But what I merit, let me learn to bear.
Yet, since 'tis all my wretchedness can give,
For my past crimes my forfeit life receive;
No pity for my sufferings here I crave,
And only hope forgiveness in the grave.
[Exit Jane Shore, guarded by Catesby and others.
Glos. So much for this. Your project's at an end.
This idle toy, this hilding scorns my power,
And sets us all at nought. See that a guard
Be ready at my call-
Sir R. The council waits
Upon your highness' leisure.
Glos. I'll attend them.
SCENE II. The Council Chamber.
The DUKE of BUCKINGHAM, EARL of DERBY, BISHOP of ELY, LORD HASTINGS, and others, discovered in Council. The DUKE of GLOSTER enters, and takes his Place at the upper End.
Der. In happy times we are assembled here,
To point the day, and fix the solemn pomp
For placing England's crown, with all due rites,
Upon our sovereign Edward's youthful brow.
Lord H. Some busy, meddling knaves, 'tis said, there
As such will still be prating, who presume
To carp and cavil at his royal right;
Therefore, I hold it fitting, with the soonest,
T'appoint the order of the coronation;
So to approve our duty to the king,
And stay the babbling of such vain gainsayers,
Der. We all attend to know your highness' pleasure.
[To Gloster. Glos. My lords, a set of worthy men you are, Prudent and just, and careful for the state; Therefore, to your most grave determination I yield myself in all things; and demand What punishment your wisdom shall think meet T' inflict upon those damnable contrivers,
Who shall with potions, charms, and witching drugs, Practise against our person and our life!
Lord H. So much I hold the king your highness' debtor,
So precious are you to the commonweal,
That I presume, not only for myself,
But in behalf of these my noble brothers,
To say, whoe'er they be, they merit death.
Glos. Then judge yourselves, convince your eyes of truth:
Behold my arm, thus blasted, dry, and wither'd,
[Pulling up his Sleeves.
Shrunk like a foul abortion, and decay'd,
Like some untimely product of the seasons,
Robb'd of its properties of strength and office.
This is the sorcery of Edward's wife,
Who, in conjunction with that harlot Shore,
And other like confed'rate midnight hags,
By force of potent spells, of bloody characters,
And conjurations horrible to hear,
Call fiends and spectres from the yawning deep,
And set the ministers of hell at work,
To torture and despoil me of my life.
Lord H. If they have done this deed-
Glos. If they have done it!
Talk'st thou to me of ifs, audacious traitor!
Thou art that strumpet witch's chief abettor,
The patron and complotter of her mischiefs,
And join'd in this contrivance for my death.
Nay start not, lords-What ho! a guard there, sirs!
Enter Guards.
Lord Hastings, I arrest thee of high treason.
Seize him, and bear him instantly away.
He sha' not live an hour. By holy Paul,
I will not dine before his head be brought me.
Ratcliffe, stay you, and see that it be done:
The rest that love me, rise and follow me.
[Exeunt Gloster, and Lords following. Manet LORD HASTINGS, SIR RICHARD RATCLIFFE, and Guards.
Lord H. What! and no more but this-How! to the scaffold!
O gentle Ratcliffe! tell me, do I hold thee?
Or if I dream, what shall I do to wake,
To break, to struggle through this dread confusion?
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