Sacred name raises him above Our Reprehension tho' not to him of him Who can forbear to speak that has a Soul In which true honour has a Residence Has he not like the wanton Summer fly Blown upon and tainted all our Beauties Is there a Maid of Quality or Fortune Whom he has not attempted or at least Married to some Favourite fawning Minion While we the branches too of mighty York Only are neglected Clar. The Ladys Case transports you were I dispos'd To marry the King shou'd not chuse for me Glou. My Lord no choice is left is there in all the Court One of an unfullied fame whose Beauty or Whose Quality is fit for Princes Arms Clar. I 'll not dispute the matter but I think there are Glou. There are you speak as if they abounded Name me but one and I 'll recant in Veneration To such a rarity forgive the rest and touch Their fames no more Clar. What think you then of beauteous Isabella The studied Workmanship and hand of Heaven Nothing can transcend her Divine person But the unspotted Soul that dwells within Glou. What Isabella Queen Catharine's Ward Thyrrold's Isabella is' t she you thus extravagantly Describe Clar. How Gloucester now I have found thee subtle In malice all the workings of thy brain Are like the dismal Policies of Hell Which still produce a mischief But do not mention her again I charge thee do not For by the sacred blood That fills her veins the blood of Bedford and of Burgundy Both Royal Stems you shall not dare Glou. Not dare Prince Clar. No not dare Lay all your plots on me Cover me all over with detraction as with a Leprosie But touch not Isabella I will bear it Glou. Go on my Brother and when your passion 's o'er Too late consider if I 've deserv'd this usage Clar. What have I done how came her name in Question Oh! Gloucester Gloucester thou art deep and cunning I but a shallow stream and as I stand between Shall be surely forded o'er Edward and Gloucester both may take my life But of my Love there 's neither shall deprive me Glou. I knew not Isabella grew so near you 'T was common Fame occasion'd what I said That as the Queen descended to Love Tudor So Isabella had made Thyrrold hers Rumor's the Child of Error if I 've caught A Falshood why shou'd that create a Quarrel Clar. A Quarrel there is none The King and you Possess the glories you atchieve in War My happiness lies in another Sphere Farewell Exit Glou. Happiness is a Rosie path you ne'er shall tread The Hornet I have thrown into your bosom It buzzes now But it shall sting anon Dissimulation thou art mine My rage was high as his and spite much more but dear dissimulation Cover'd all the fury of my Soul and it shall be vented the safest way Enter Malavill Mal. I met the Duke my master methought his Looks were full of discontent Drum beats Glou. I gave it him hark a distant Drum is the signal I order'd at the approach of Tudor what ho Captain Enter Captain Is the detachment ready Capt. My Lord it is Glou. Lead them towards the Castle there as I told you you 'll Meet with Tudor when you encounter him if his force Is stronger than you expected urge not too far at night I shall use you and those that you command Capt. With utmost care your orders shall be obey'd Exit Glou. Will Sir James Thyrrold come to the Appointed place Mala. He will and is impatient till he Knows your Grace's pleasure Glou. Clarence is even to rashness brave that Will make forget the nicer forms of Different Quality after our Conference See me again if your Lord calls and seems uneasie Cast forth doubtfull Words if Jealousie Appears feed it with oyl I 've Told the King thy merits of thy Intelligence And Honour waits to Crown thy Service Mala. Thanks noble Sir your long tasted Bounty Secures me still your Slave I 'll to my Lord And watch his every motion Exit Mala. Glou. Go thy ways Traytor that 's thy proper name Oh! there 's a vile Ingredient in our frames This Man my Brother Clarence ne'er did injure But signalized him with marks of Friendship Above the rest who did attend him Yet For a little Gold with eagerness he Seeks his ruin an itching Palm destroys his Faith Ambition conquers mine Interest tempts all and where she tempts succeeds My great designs why shou'd I blush to own There 's no Temptation greater than a Crown The End of the second Act. ACT III. SCENE Ludlow Castle Enter Tudor and a Colonel Tud Cousin how are ye Col. Right well my noble Friend Tud I did not here expect an Engagement Col. You fought as if you did your Courage And your Conduct both were shown they That gave the Onset first most shamefully Retreated Tud Colonel lead your Forces to the Camp of Henry Or Margaret I know not which to call it Before the mornings dawn I will be there Col. Oh Tudor thou noblest of mankind Remember e'er I speak that your Commands I never disobey'd Tud Nor ever will I hope my Soldier and my Friend Col. No tho' by this Ambush laid and your rash Resolve of seeing the Queen alone I read Oh dismal thought your death Tud Be it so draw off your Forces I had rather See the Queen tho' my life 's the forfeit than Be Edward or Henry or any happier King That you can think of If you out-live me Report me as a Man that Catharine smil'd on Let some kind Pen transmit the glory to Posterity and I shall hold my death a prize too small for such a stock Of fame if you Love me answer not nor offer to disswade Me but observe my orders Exit Col. bowing This is the path Oh Angel Guardian be thou Near and lead me to my heaven Exit Enter Queen Catharine Cat. I hear the doors unbar shall I not go to Meet him he comes oh trembling heart Think of thy Woes and let thy pantings now be still Enter Tudor and Isabella Tud kneels My Queen Cat. My Love my Husband rise my dearest Lord. Tud Do I behold thy face again Oh taste of joys Unatterabl Oh Banquet beyond the power of sence to bear Nor must I murmurnow If the hard conditions wherewith Seemed to article with providence is now fullfill'd For Heaven knows how often I have Wisht to see thy face and die Cat. Avert it Heaven yet we meet indeed ' midst Wars and Tumults Camps on either side Frightfull Scenes for Love Tud All all is the milky way when thou art near Oh should I but repeat the miseries I have Indured since banished from those fair Eyes you sure wou'd pity me Cat. What hast thou suffer'd thou dear Innocence Persued Tud Upon the Barren summit of a Prodigious Mountain whose height seem'd to brave a second Flood I pass'd my tedious hours Stretching my longing Eyes towards the
Conquests in the War Force from Crown'd heads their feeble Sceptres Then all our toyl and labour 's paid when we Behold how well the gawdy Robe becomes them Glou. Rather let the bright Circle tear tear Their beauteous Fronts and leave them horrid Aside As spightfull Nature has form'd mine I 'm of your mind my Lord observe how To Warwick Exactly my Brothers locks are curl'd Clar. I 'm glad to find you thus dispos'd my Lords And the Foe within our view Edw. I thought you knew not of their near approach Else what made you absent at our last grand Council You have yet been learning why the shining Court Of Catharine thus hovers near our Camp Forsaking her more peacefull Palaces She now is garrison'd in Ludlow Castle Clar. Of the motions that Beauty makes my Lord As I expected you are always first inform'd Warw. This discourse will be too hot Come You lovely branch of the Plantagenets Let 's view the Troops tho' a Courtier now Yet in the fight you 'll prove an English Hero Exeunt War Clar. Ex. Lords Edw. Brother come near My Lords pray retire Brother and Friend I long have sought these moments In which I might pour the secrets of my Soul Into your faithful Bosom Much I expect From thee tho' Nature seems thy body To have rufled up in haste the rich gifts Within have amply made amends for there Thou excellest all her humane Sons as far As they do thee in Empty Worthless tho' Beauteous forms Glou. For all my Step-dames gifts I only thank her In that she has firmly fixt my Faith and Love To you my Royal Brother and my Lord. Edw. Didst thou observe how Clarence frown'd and sigh'd When Warwick askt him to view our Troops The Court of Catharine's the cursed Cause There Oh! there the ignoble youth is ruin'd Glou. This I knew before But now I expected Something to hear related of the first The noblest and most perfect of our Race Speak Heavens appointed King why at the name Of Catharine's Court do I still observe A sigh a pause some sudden start of Nature Otherways unusual in your even temper It can't be Love for justly you are call'd The Royal Rover you wander o'er the Field Of tempting Beauty with wanton revelling Joy And if you crop a Flower the rifled sweet Is thrown neglected by to whither in some Forgotten shade nor ever did you make A business of what Nature meant a trifle By giving us desires so prone so apt So pleas'd with Change Edw. Since the decisive day approaches near In which the work of many years is fated Glory and Conquest wait that pointed time Or in the Field an Honourable death Give orders that we are not Interrupted And thou shalt hear the weakness of thy Brother Exit Gloucester and returns Glou. Silence and Secrecy wait upon your words Edw. I need not tell you Friend that I stood The first and dearest in our Father's Love Too well his partial kindness was exprest In my most Noble Liberal Education When first he brought me to that Mart the Court Catharine was Regent Introduc'd I view'd That Queen with extasie and strange amazement Methought she look'd and mov'd beyond her Sex And something whisper'd to my ravisht Soul She is a Goddess Glou. In those blooming years she was approv'd By all a wonder nor yet has fate or time Exhausted the vast stock she still appears As one that 's born to die a beauty Pray Sir proceed Edw. I kneel'd to kiss her hand but then forgot The Ceremony was over and rooted there Gaz'd on the pointed rays shot from those Globes Of Beauty her resistless Eyes till they Reach'd and pierc'd my heart Now the Martial Horse can please no more The Bow unstrung neglected lay and all The Glorious exercises of my forward youth Wherewith I had with Emulation strove To out do each Rival To Grots and Solitudes Retir'd I hid me from the busie World Gave up my self to thought To thoughts of Love and Rapture which perhaps Was not in her to give at least not ordain'd For me Glou. How cou'd you fear my Lord your Birth your Form And your abundant Wealth might give you hopes To gain your Mistress tho' she were a Queen Edw. Canst thou forgive the poorness of my spirit When I confess I serv'd that haughty Queen With all the lowest marks of servile Courtship Fled at her command trembl'd at her frown And at her anger dy'd at length resolv'd To know my fate beneath her feet I fell In dying Accents I confess'd my Love She with an unrelenting look reply'd It is impossible you never can be mine With groans and sighs I begg'd her change that Never That terror to the damn'd and death to me And all my hopes to any other word but she Deaf to my Prayers my Vows repeated often Remember Earl of March never never Glou. Foolish Woman to resist at once her glory And her safety some other Love I guess Gave this strong passion ease Edw. Yes on her side not mine no Gloucester Gloucester I was the constant'st Fool that e'er that Sex With more than Necromantique Charms enchain'd Till at last convinc'd that Owen Tuder Held the heart and person of the Queen Revenge despite of such a Rival cast Forth from my breast the darling God of Love Glou. How cou'd Tudor then escape your Vengeance Or did you not believe his boasted descent From Great Cadwalladar the British King So thought him a Plebeian beneath your Sword Edw. Let everlasting silence shrowd that truth And to after Ages in Oblivion's Grave May what I tell my Brother be forgotten I did pursue him with my eager wrongs But oh He foil'd my unexperienc'd youth And in the Combat overcame the Cause Since that curs'd moment I and my engines have Rais'd him plagues which he cou'd ne'er surmount And made Imperious Margaret his foe That furious Queen whose anger knows no end Now he 's confin'd to his own barren soil Hunted from Katharine's eyes those kindly rays That warm'd his passions even to extasie Glou. But now proud Margaret descends and courts That Tudor whom she has despis'd To assist her cause in this extremity In vain their weakned Forces can oppose My Godlike Brother whom Fate has doom'd Her Conqueror Edw. No doubt he obeys the summons and comes on To meet us there in the heat of all the battle Thro' the rang'd troops my Sword shall point him out Yes by my wrongs I swear by all the Racks Of disappointed Love my abler Arm Shall for the weakness of my Youth atone I 'll hack his beauteous body since even rage And envy must allow his Person lovely Till doting Katharine shall not distinguish His mangl'd Carcass from the meanest Slave's Glou. You speak with so much passion that if daily You did not quench your flames in dear variety I still shou'd think you lov'd the Queen Edw. The sweets of Love are gone my Friend but still The sting remains the
to the Earth like one fell'd by the Almighty Thunderer crawling in dust unable to Resist but thanks to my kinder Stars 't is past the Giddy Wheel has gone its round and terror on this Brow alone 's to be observ'd Brother proceed you In the search Cat. He shall not dare by my great Henry's Soul whose Little finger wou'd have tumbled your aspirings Down and crusht ye into nothing he shall not dare Glou. What has the Lyon cast his Skin is Tudor Cramm'd shaking in some close corner and left the Queen to Brave us Come fellow Soldiers we 'll seek this Lurking Rebel drag him from the hole whither His fears have led him and take his forfeit Head for coming whereall our Laws deny'd him Enter Tudor Tud No be thine the fears as thine 's the guilt as Thine's the name of Rebell this honest loyal Heart desies thy malice Cat. Away away my Tudor hold cruel Gloucester Hold Enter Isabella Isa Stand off and let me pass what mischief 's acting Here has Clarence done this and am I the cause Glou. Ha another Fury take her Thyrrold to thy dispose She 's wholly given you know the rest leave not a Rival room to hope least this opportunity proves Thy last Isa Touch me not Monster What have I done if I Am guilty let the injur'd Queen punish me let her Spurn me trample on me print me with a Thousand wounds I 'll not complain Thyr. You shall have no reason Madam but you Must retire 't is the command of him who now Is master here Isa I will not Sir oh save me Royal Madam from The cruel hands of these inhumane Men. Glou. Force her hence we other business have than to Mind her foolish fears Isa Help heav'n if the Queen denies help thou my Weakness help Oh help Exit forc'd off with Thyr. Cat. Alas distracted wretch but Why name I her when all my life holds dear is On the brink of ruin Tud Speak Edward what is my doom dauntless I Expect it I wou'd have met thee fairly in the field body to Body arm'd with Sword and Justice but I suppose You lik'd not that therefore now what you please Edw. Audacious Tudor thou threaten condemn'd for Thy Ambition thy haughty love is adjudged a Treason Capital even that Puny King Henry whom thou Pretendest to serve he had courage to Sentence thee Seize him Captain Command his head be strucken Off and fixt upon the Castle Wall Cat. Thro' this bosom whosoe'er comes on am I not Daughter of France and England's Queen have I no Power where are my Guards Alas I had forgot I 've None Tud Disturb not thus the quiet of thy Soul my everlasting Charmer Thy sorrows rack me more than all their Rage Come whither am I to be led Cat. Oh Tudor glory disdain and pomp are mine No more yet thou art mine thou art yet alive and for That precious life I will renounce the former yes Edward I read the fullen pride that fills thy eyes And gathers on thy brow Glut thee this way behold That Queen who shook thee with a nod fall thus Thy suppliant kneels Edw. And at this sight may Heaven and Earth be Witness oh Gloucester well hast thou fulfil'd thy word Not all the Crowns ambition covets England and France the noblest Diadems can please like this Thus did I kneel and thus was I repuls'd and oh fair Queen if I have lost my Soul for want of pity His life is poor amends Cat. Sure there is something in thee like the mixture Of a God and Devil I cannot beg my heart 's above it Yet spare him Edward for thy future fame Tud Oh torture not to be endur'd my life ask'd Of him him whose life I did command Edw. Ha! Cat. Oh stop bend to hard necessity thy words have Given him new rage canst thou behold these Low submissions for thy sake and frustrate all their Power Glou. You do indeed submit below your Character To save your wanton choise the Idol of your Lust Tud Villain I 'll tear out that Blasphemous tongue That has prophan'd a Chastity Thy Mother never knew Flies at Gloucester Glou. I always go prepar'd for such a hug lie there Presuming wretch Stabs him Tud falls Cat. Wither the arm that arm that gave the blow Curst be my Female weakness too that cou'd not save him Oh fatal aim speak to me once again sinks upon Tud Edw. Look to the Queen Gloucester thou hast done as men in power wou'd wish A cruel necessary act without the bidding Yet help me Brother for thou I find art steady And tenderness struggles with revenge Oh the Uncertainty of humane passion for Catharine I Wou'd once have died yet now have given her Sorrows severer much than death Cat. Ha! who have we here my Tudor bleeding These bubling wounds are none of thine If they are give 'em to me I feel 'em at my heart Tud My paradise on earth farewell Have patience Live for their dear sakes I leave behind My Children Oh farewell dies Cat. No we won't part so soon On these pale lips I will for ever ever lie Edw. The sight stupifies my senses Let 's to the field there in the clank of Swords I will forget this private murder For sure it cannot bear a better name Glou. Yes as I shall order it when the day is ours Which is now undoubted his death breaks their Forces Missing their Leader his Troops dismaid prove useless After Conquest it shall be given out That he was taken and beheaded Victory And Success will stop the mouth of unnecessary truth And leave the following Age in doubt Edw. Captain let the Trumpets sound Wake every Soldier with the voice of Battle For as the Sun must rise in blood so shall His evening be and he shall shine no more Till he beholds no Rival in the British Throne Gloucester dispose of Tudor as you please But to the Queen offer no violence Oh Catharine Oh fatal Beauty what ruins Thy Love has made Exit Edw. Cat. Ha who said that if I am curst in Love I 'll try to thrive in hate to thrive in curses Curst be Edward Curst be all his Race let 'em Prometheus like have their own bowels torn For they have prey'd upon my heart Glou. Have comfort Madam Cat. Comfort yes from thy bloody hand I wou'd Receive it Daggers Sword and Poyson are the only Comforts thou canst give or I desire Henry And Tudor both the rich prizes now of death Then why am I spared come on thou Murderer Strike this swelling bosom and let me mount to My Immortal Heroes see where my Tudor rises On a Fleecy Cloud all Crown'd with Radiant light Oh take me with thee he ascends A pace I cannot reach him I 'll tear this Clog Of flesh off bear me ye Whirlwinds near him Vain delusive joy cold and bleeding at my feet The dear one lies Oh my sick brain Glou. Sleep will give you ease Here