Why, then give way, dull clouds, to my quick curses! Though not by war, by surfeit die your king!9 Deck'd in thy rights, as thou art stall'd in mine! Glo. Have done thy charm, thou hateful wither'd hag. Q. Mar. And leave out thee? stay, dog, for thou shalt hear me. If heaven have any grievous plague in store, On thee, the troubler of the poor world's peace! by surfeit die your king,] Alluding to his luxurious life. Thou elvish-mark'd,' abortive, rooting hog!2 Glo. Margaret. Glo. I cry thee mercy then; for I did think, That thou had'st call'd me all these bitter names. Q. Mar. Why, so I did; but look'd for no reply. O, let me make the period to my curse. Glo. "Tis done by me; and ends in-Margaret. Q. Eliz. Thus have you breath'd your curse against yourself. Q. Mar. Poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune! Why strew'st thou sugar on that bottled spider,* elvish-mark'd,] The common people in Scotland, (as we learn from Kelly's Proverbs,) have still an aversion to those who have any natural defect or redundancy, as thinking them mark'd out for mischief. 2 rooting hog!] The expression is fine, alluding (in memory of her young son) to the ravage which hogs make, with the finest flowers, in gardens; and intimating that Elizabeth was to expect no other treatment for her sons. WARburton. 3 The slave of nature,] The expression is strong and noble, and alludes to the ancient custom of masters branding their profligate slaves; by which it is insinuated that his misshapen person was the mark that nature had set upon him to stigmatize his ill conditions. + bottled spider,] A spider is called bottled, because, like other insects, he has a middle slender, and a belly protuberant. Richard's form and venom made her liken him to a spider. Hust. False-boding woman, end thy frantick curse; Lest, to thy harm, thou move our patience. Q. Mar. Foul shame upon you, you have all mov'd mine. Riv. Were you well serv'd, you would be taught your duty. Q. Mar. To serve me well, you all should do me duty, Teach me to be your queen, and you my subjects: O, serve me well, and teach yourselves that duty. Dor. Dispute not with her, she is lunatick. Q. Mar. Peace, master marquis, you are malapert: Your fire-new stamp of honour is scarce current: O, that your young nobility could judge, What 'twere to lose it, and be miserable! They that stand high, have many blasts to shake them; And, if they fall, they dash themselves to pieces. Glo. Good counsel, marry; learn it, learn it, marquis. Dor. It touches you, my lord, as much as me. Glo. Ay, and much more: But I was born so high, Our aiery buildeth in the cedar's top, And dallies with the wind, and scorns the sun. Q. Mar. And turns the sun to shade;-alas! alas! Witness my son, now in the shade of death:5 Whose bright out-shining beams thy cloudy wrath Hath in eternal darkness folded up. 6 Your aiery buildeth in our aiery's nest :- 5. Witness my son, &c.] Her distress cannot prevent her quibbling. It may be here remarked, that the introduction of Margaret in this place is against all historical evidence. She was ransomed and sent to France soon after Tewksbury fight, and there passed the remainder of her wretched life. Your aiery buildeth in our aiery's nest :] An aiery is a hawk's or an eagle's nest. Buck. Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity. Q. Mar. Urge neither charity nor shame to me; Uncharitably with me have you dealt, And shamefully by you my hopes are butcher'd. Q. Mar. O princely Buckingham, I kiss thy hand, Buck. Nor no one here; for curses never pass Look, when he fawns, he bites; and, when he bites, Glo. What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham? And sooth the devil that I warn thee from? When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow; And he to yours, and all of you to God's! [Exit. curses. Riv. And so doth mine; I muse, why she's at liberty. Glo. I cannot blame her, by God's holy mother; She hath had too much wrong, and I repent Q. Eliz. I never did her any, to my knowledge. Glo. Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong. I was too hot to do some body good, That is too cold in thinking of it now. Riv. A virtuous and a christian-like conclusion, For had I curs'd now, I had curs'd myself. [Aside. Enter CATESBY. Cates. Madam, his majesty doth call for you,And for your grace,-and you, my noble lords. Q. Eliz. Catesby, I come :-Lords, will you go with me? Riv. Madam, we will attend upon your grace. [Exeunt all but GLOSTER. Glo. I do the wrong, and first begin to brawl. The secret mischiefs that I set abroach, I lay unto the grievous charge of others. Clarence,-whom I, indeed, have laid in darkness,- Namely, to Stanley, Hastings, Buckingham; He is frank'd up to fatting for his pains:] A frank is an old English word for a hog-sty, or pen. 'Tis possible he uses this metaphor to Clarence, in allusion to the crest of the family of York, which was a boar. done scath to us.] Scath is harm, mischief. |