And yet to win her, all the world to nothing? Ha !

Hath she forgot already that brave prince,

Edward her lord, whom I some three months since

Stabbed in my angry mood at Tewkesbury ?

A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman,

Framed in the prodigality of nature,

Young, valiant, wise, and no doubt right royal,

The spacious world cannot again afford—

And will she yet abase her eyes on me,

That cropped the golden prime of this sweet prince

And made her widow to a woeful bed?

On me, whose all not equals Edward’s moiety?

On me, that halts and am misshapen thus?

My dukedom to a beggarly denier,

I do mistake my person all this while.

Upon my life she finds, although I cannot,

Myself to be a marv’lous proper man.

I’ll be at charges for a looking-glass

And entertain a score or two of tailors

To study fashions to adorn my body.

Since I am crept in favour with myself,

I will maintain it with some little cost.

But first I’ll turn yon fellow in his grave,

And then return lamenting to my love.

Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass,

That I may see my shadow as I pass. Exit

1.3 Enter Queen Elizabeth, Lord Rivers, ⌈Marquis Dorset⌉, and Lord Gray

RIVERS (to Elizabeth)

Have patience, madam. There’s no doubt his majesty

Will soon recover his accustomed health.

GRAY (to Elizabeth)

In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse.

Therefore, for God’s sake entertain good comfort,

And cheer his grace with quick and merry eyes.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

If he were dead, what would betide on me?

⌈RIVERS⌉

No other harm but loss of such a lord.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

The loss of such a lord includes all harms.

GRAY

The heavens have blessed you with a goodly son

To be your comforter when he is gone.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Ah, he is young, and his minority

Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloucester,

A man that loves not me—nor none of you.

RIVERS

Is it concluded he shall be Protector?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

It is determined, not concluded yet;

But so it must be, if the King miscarry.

Enter the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Stanley

Earl of Derby

GRAY

Here come the Lords of Buckingham and Derby.

BUCKINGHAM (to Elizabeth)

Good time of day unto your royal grace.

STANLEY (to Elizabeth)

God make your majesty joyful, as you have been.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

The Countess Richmond, good my lord of Derby,

To your good prayer will scarcely say ‘Amen’.

Yet, Derby—notwithstanding she’s your wife,

And loves not me—be you, good lord, assured

I hate not you for her proud arrogance.

STANLEY

I do beseech you, either not believe

The envious slanders of her false accusers

Or, if she be accused on true report,

Bear with her weakness, which I think proceeds

From wayward sickness, and no grounded malice.

⌈RIVERS⌉

Saw you the King today, my lord of Derby?

STANLEY

But now the Duke of Buckingham and I

Are come from visiting his majesty.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

With likelihood of his amendment, lords?

BUCKINGHAM

Madam, good hope: his grace speaks cheerfully.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

God grant him health. Did you confer with him?

BUCKINGHAM

Ay, madam. He desires to make atonement

Between the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers,

And between them and my Lord Chamberlain,

And sent to warn them to his royal presence.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Would all were well! But that will never be.

I fear our happiness is at the height.

Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester and Lord Hastings

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

They do me wrong, and I will not endure it.

Who are they that complain unto the King

That I forsooth am stern and love them not?

By holy Paul, they love his grace but lightly

That fill his ears with such dissentious rumours.

Because I cannot flatter and look fair,

Smile in men’s faces, smooth, deceive, and cog,

Duck with French nods and apish courtesy,

I must be held a rancorous enemy.

Cannot a plain man live and think no harm,

But thus his simple truth must be abused

With silken, sly, insinuating jacks?

⌈RIVERS⌉

To whom in all this presence speaks your grace ?

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

To thee, that hast nor honesty nor grace.

When have I injured thee ? When done thee wrong?

Or thee? Or thee? Or any of your faction?

A plague upon you all! His royal grace—

Whom God preserve better than you would wish—

Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing while

But you must trouble him with lewd complaints.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Brother of Gloucester, you mistake the matter.

The King—on his own royal disposition,

And not provoked by any suitor else—

Aiming belike at your interior hatred,

That in your outward action shows itself

Against my children, brothers, and myself,

Makes him to send, that he may learn the ground

Of your ill will, and thereby to remove it.

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

I cannot tell. The world is grown so bad

That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.