And can I-O my heart abhors the thought! Stand by, and see his children robb'd of right? Glost. Dare not, ev'n for thy soul, to thwart me further! None of your arts, your feigning and your foolery; J. Sh. Oh, that my tongue had ev'ry grace of speech, Great and commanding as the breath of kings, "Sweet as the poet's numbers, and prevailing "As soft persuasion to a love-sick maid;" 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. Glost. Ha! Dost thou brave me, minion! Dost thou know How vile, how very a wretch, my pow'r can make thee? "That I can let loose fear, distress, and famine, "To hunt thy heels, like hell-hounds, thro' the world;" That I can place thee in such abject state, As help shall never find thee; where, repining, Howl like the midnight wolf amidst the desart, 7. Sh. Let me be branded for the public scorn, Turn'd forth and driven 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, Or wrong the orphan who has none to save him. Enter RATCLIFFE, CATESBY, and Attendants. Rat. Your highness' pleasure Glost. Go, some of you, and turn this strumpet forth! Spurn her into the street; there let her perish, And rot upon a dunghill. Thro' the city See it proclaim'd, that none, on pain of death, J. Sh. Oh, thou most righteous judge— For my past crimes my forfeit life receive; [Exit J. Shore, guarded by Catesby and others. Glost. So much for this. Your project's at an end. [To Rat. This idle toy, this hilding scorns my power, Rat. The council waits Enter the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, Earl of DERBY, Bishop of ELY, Lord HASTINGS, and others as to the council. The Duke of GLOSTER takes his place at the upper end, then the rest sit. Derb. In happy times we are assembled here, Hast. Some busy meddling knaves, 'tis said, there are, And stay the babbling of such vain gainsayers. Derb. We all attend to know your highness' pleasure. [To Gloster ? Glost. My lords, a set of worthy men you are, Who shall with potions, charms, and witching drugs, Hast. So much I hold the king your highness' debtor, So precious are you to the common-weal, That I presume, not only for myseli, But in behalf of these my noble brothers, Glost. Then judge yourselves, convince your eyes of truth: Behold my arm, thus blasted, dry, and wither'd, [Pulling up his sleeves. Who, in conjunction with that harlot Shore, Glost. If they have done it! Talk'st thou to me of If's, audacious traitor! Enter Guards. Lord Hastings, I arrest thee of high treason. He sha' not live an hour. By holy Paul, [Exeunt GLOSTER, and the Lords following. Manent Lord HASTINGS, RATCLIFFE, and Guards. Hast. What! and no more but this-How! to the scaffold: Oh, gentle Ratcliffe ! tell me, do I hold thee? To break, to struggle thro' this dread confusion? As is this sudden horror and surprise. Rat. You heard, the duke's commands to me were absolute. Therefore, my lord, address you to your shrift, Hast. Yes, Ratcliffe, I will take thy friendly counsel |