But all in vain are these mean obsequies;And to survey his dead and earthly image, What were it but to make my sorrow greater?
Re-enter WARWICK and others, bearing GLOUCESTER'S body on a bed WARWICK Come hither, gracious sovereign, view this body. KING HENRY VI That is to see how deep my grave is made;For with his soul fled all my worldly solace, For seeing him I see my life in death. WARWICK As surely as my soul intends to live With that dread King that took our state upon him To free us from his father's wrathful curse, I do believe that violent hands were laid Upon the life of this thrice-famed duke. SUFFOLK A dreadful oath, sworn with a solemn tongue!
What instance gives Lord Warwick for his vow? WARWICK See how the blood is settled in his face.
Oft have I seen a timely-parted ghost, Of ashy semblance, meagre, pale and bloodless, Being all descended to the labouring heart;Who, in the conflict that it holds with death, Attracts the same for aidance 'gainst the enemy;Which with the heart there cools and ne'er returneth To blush and beautify the cheek again.
But see, his face is black and full of blood, His eye-balls further out than when he lived, Staring full ghastly like a strangled man;His hair uprear'd, his nostrils stretched with struggling;His hands abroad display'd, as one that grasp'd And tugg'd for life and was by strength subdued:
Look, on the sheets his hair you see, is sticking;His well-proportion'd beard made rough and rugged, Like to the summer's corn by tempest lodged.
It cannot be but he was murder'd here;
The least of all these signs were probable. SUFFOLK Why, Warwick, who should do the duke to death?
Myself and Beaufort had him in protection;And we, I hope, sir, are no murderers. WARWICK But both of you were vow'd Duke Humphrey's foes, And you, forsooth, had the good duke to keep:
'Tis like you would not feast him like a friend;And 'tis well seen he found an enemy. QUEEN MARGARET Then you, belike, suspect these noblemen As guilty of Duke Humphrey's timeless death. WARWICK Who finds the heifer dead and bleeding fresh And sees fast by a butcher with an axe, But will suspect 'twas he that made the slaughter?
Who finds the partridge in the puttock's nest, But may imagine how the bird was dead, Although the kite soar with unbloodied beak?
Even so suspicious is this tragedy. QUEEN MARGARET Are you the butcher, Suffolk? Where's your knife?
Is Beaufort term'd a kite? Where are his talons? SUFFOLK I wear no knife to slaughter sleeping men;But here's a vengeful sword, rusted with ease, That shall be scoured in his rancorous heart That slanders me with murder's crimson badge.
Say, if thou darest, proud Lord of Warwick-shire, That I am faulty in Duke Humphrey's death.
Exeunt CARDINAL, SOMERSET, and others WARWICK What dares not Warwick, if false Suffolk dare him? QUEEN MARGARET He dares not calm his contumelious spirit Nor cease to be an arrogant controller, Though Suffolk dare him twenty thousand times. WARWICK Madam, be still; with reverence may Isay;For every word you speak in his behalf Is slander to your royal dignity. SUFFOLK Blunt-witted lord, ignoble in demeanor!
If ever lady wrong'd her lord so much, Thy mother took into her blameful bed Some stern untutor'd churl, and noble stock Was graft with crab-tree slip; whose fruit thou art, And never of the Nevils' noble race. WARWICK But that the guilt of murder bucklers thee And I should rob the deathsman of his fee, Quitting thee thereby of ten thousand shames, And that my sovereign's presence makes me mild, I would, false murderous coward, on thy knee Make thee beg pardon for thy passed speech, And say it was thy mother that thou meant'st That thou thyself was born in bastardy;And after all this fearful homage done, Give thee thy hire and send thy soul to hell, Pernicious blood-sucker of sleeping men! SUFFOLK Thou shall be waking well I shed thy blood, If from this presence thou darest go with me. WARWICK Away even now, or I will drag thee hence:
Unworthy though thou art, I'll cope with thee And do some service to Duke Humphrey's ghost.
Exeunt SUFFOLK and WARWICK KING HENRY VI What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted!
Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just, And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.
A noise within QUEEN MARGARET What noise is this?
Re-enter SUFFOLK and WARWICK, with their weapons drawn KING HENRY VI Why, how now, lords! your wrathful weapons drawn Here in our presence! dare you be so bold?
Why, what tumultuous clamour have we here? SUFFOLK The traitorous Warwick with the men of Bury Set all upon me, mighty sovereign. SALISBURY [To the Commons, entering] Sirs, stand apart;the king shall know your mind.
Dread lord, the commons send you word by me, Unless Lord Suffolk straight be done to death, Or banished fair England's territories, They will by violence tear him from your palace And torture him with grievous lingering death.
They say, by him the good Duke Humphrey died;They say, in him they fear your highness' death;And mere instinct of love and loyalty, Free from a stubborn opposite intent, As being thought to contradict your liking, Makes them thus forward in his banishment.