Are mighty gossips in this monarchy. BRAKENBURY I beseech your graces both to pardon me;
His majesty hath straitly given in charge That no man shall have private conference, Of what degree soever, with his brother. GLOUCESTER Even so; an't please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say:
We speak no treason, man: we say the king Is wise and virtuous, and his noble queen Well struck in years, fair, and not jealous;
We say that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot, A cherry lip, a bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue;
And that the queen's kindred are made gentle-folks:
How say you sir? Can you deny all this? BRAKENBURY With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. GLOUCESTER Naught to do with mistress Shore! I tell thee, fellow, He that doth naught with her, excepting one, Were best he do it secretly, alone. BRAKENBURY What one, my lord? GLOUCESTER Her husband, knave: wouldst thou betray me? BRAKENBURY I beseech your grace to pardon me, and withal Forbear your conference with the noble duke. CLARENCE We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. GLOUCESTER We are the queen's abjects, and must obey.
Brother, farewell: I will unto the king;
And whatsoever you will employ me in, Were it to call King Edward's widow sister, I will perform it to enfranchise you.
Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood Touches me deeper than you can imagine. CLARENCE I know it pleaseth neither of us well. GLOUCESTER Well, your imprisonment shall not be long;
Meantime, have patience. CLARENCE I must perforce. Farewell.
Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard GLOUCESTER Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return.
Simple, plain Clarence! I do love thee so, That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven, If heaven will take the present at our hands.
But who comes here? the new-deliver'd Hastings?
Enter HASTINGS HASTINGS Good time of day unto my gracious lord! GLOUCESTER As much unto my good lord chamberlain!
Well are you welcome to the open air.
How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? HASTINGS With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must:
But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks That were the cause of my imprisonment. GLOUCESTER No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too;
For they that were your enemies are his, And have prevail'd as much on him as you. HASTINGS More pity that the eagle should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. GLOUCESTER What news abroad? HASTINGS No news so bad abroad as this at home;
The King is sickly, weak and melancholy, And his physicians fear him mightily. GLOUCESTER Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad indeed.
O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And overmuch consumed his royal person:
'Tis very grievous to be thought upon.
What, is he in his bed? HASTINGS He is. GLOUCESTER Go you before, and I will follow you.
Exit HASTINGS
He cannot live, I hope; and must not die Till George be pack'd with post-horse up to heaven.
I'll in, to urge his hatred more to Clarence, With lies well steel'd with weighty arguments;
And, if I fall not in my deep intent, Clarence hath not another day to live:
Which done, God take King Edward to his mercy, And leave the world for me to bustle in!
For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter.
What though I kill'd her husband and her father?
The readiest way to make the wench amends Is to become her husband and her father:
The which will I; not all so much for love As for another secret close intent, By marrying her which I must reach unto.
But yet I run before my horse to market:
Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns:
When they are gone, then must I count my gains.