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;
Your dainty squeamish coying it to me;
Go-to your lord, your paramour, begone!
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 thy harlot's head.

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,
Thou shalt sit down and gnaw the earth for anguish;
Groan to the pitiless winds without return;

Howl like the midnight wolf amidst the desart,
And curse thy life, in bitterness and misery?

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,
E'er I consent to teach my lips injustice,

Or wrong the orphan who has none to save him.
Glost. 'Tis well-we'll try the temper of your heart,
What hoa! who waits without?

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,
Presume to give her comfort, food, or harbour ;
Who ministers the smallest comfort, dies.
Her house, her costly furniture and wealth,
"The purchase of her loose luxurious life,
We seize on, for the profit of the state.
Away! Be gone!

J. Sh. 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 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,
And sets us all at naught. See that a guard
Be ready at my call.-

Rat. The council waits
Upon your highness' leisure.-
Glost. Bid them enter.

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,
To point the day, and fix the solemn pomp,
For placing England's crown, with all due rites,
Upon our sov'reign Edward's youthful brow.

Hast. Some busy meddling knaves, 'tis said, there are,
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.

Derb. We all attend to know your highness' pleasure.

[To Gloster

?

Glost. 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?

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,
To say, whoe'er they be, they merit death.

Glost. 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 ffom the yawning deep,
And set the ministers of hell at work,
To torture and despoil me of my life.
Hast. If they have done this deed-

Glost. If they have done it!

Talk'st thou to me of If's, 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 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?
Or if I dream, what shall I do to wake,

To break, to struggle thro' this dread confusion?
For surely death itself is not so painful

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,
With all good speed you may. Summon your courage,
And be yourself; for you must die this instant.

Hast. Yes, Ratcliffe, I will take thy friendly counsel