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better than you would wish！… Cannot be quiet searce 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 provok'd 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。 GLOUCESTER。 I cannot tell； the world is grown so bad That
wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch。 Since every Jack became a
gentleman； There's many a gentle person made a Jack。 QUEEN
ELIZABETH。 Come； come； we know your meaning； brother Gloucester：
You envy my advancement and my friends'； God grant we never may have
need of you！ GLOUCESTER。 Meantime； God grants that I have need of
you。 Our brother is imprison'd by your means； Myself disgrac'd； and the
nobility Held in contempt； while great promotions Are daily given to
ennoble those That scarce some two days since were worth a noble。
QUEEN ELIZABETH。 By Him that rais'd me to this careful height From
that contented hap which I enjoy'd； I never did incense his Majesty
Against the Duke of Clarence； but have been An earnest advocate to plead
for him。 My lord； you do me shameful injury Falsely to draw me in these
vile suspects。 GLOUCESTER。 You may deny that you were not the mean
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Of my Lord Hastings' late imprisonment。 RIVERS。 She may； my lord； for…
GLOUCESTER。 She may； Lord Rivers？ Why； who knows not so？ She
may do more； sir； than denying that： She may help you to many fair
preferments And then deny her aiding hand therein； And lay those honours
on your high desert。 What may she not？ She may…ay； marry； may she…
RIVERS。 What； marry； may she？ GLOUCESTER。 What； marry； may she？
Marry with a king； A bachelor； and a handsome stripling too。 Iwis your
grandam had a worser match。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。 My Lord of
Gloucester； I have too long borne Your blunt upbraidings and your bitter
scoffs。 By heaven； I will acquaint his Majesty Of those gross taunts that
oft I have endur'd。 I had rather be a country servant…maid Than a great
queen with this condition… To be so baited； scorn'd； and stormed at。
Enter old QUEEN MARGARET； behind
Small joy have I in being England's Queen。 QUEEN MARGARET。
And less'ned be that small； God； I beseech Him！ Thy honour； state； and
seat； is due to me。 GLOUCESTER。 What！ Threat you me with telling of
the King？ Tell him and spare not。 Look what I have said I will avouch't in
presence of the King。 I dare adventure to be sent to th' Tow'r。 'Tis time to
speak…my pains are quite forgot。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Out； devil！ I do
remember them to well： Thou kill'dst my husband Henry in the Tower；
And Edward； my poor son； at Tewksbury。 GLOUCESTER。 Ere you were
queen； ay； or your husband King； I was a pack…horse in his great affairs； A
weeder…out of his proud adversaries； A liberal rewarder of his friends； To
royalize his blood I spent mine own。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Ay； and much
better blood than his or thine。 GLOUCESTER。 In all which time you and
your husband Grey Were factious for the house of Lancaster； And； Rivers；
so were you。 Was not your husband In Margaret's battle at Saint Albans
slain？ Let me put in your minds； if you forget； What you have been ere
this； and what you are； Withal； what I have been； and what I am。 QUEEN
MARGARET。 A murd'rous villain； and so still thou art。 GLOUCESTER。
Poor Clarence did forsake his father； Warwick； Ay； and forswore himself…
which Jesu pardon！… QUEEN MARGARET。 Which God revenge！
GLOUCESTER。 To fight on Edward's party for the crown； And for his
meed； poor lord； he is mewed up。 I would to God my heart were flint like
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Edward's； Or Edward's soft and pitiful like mine。 I am too childish…foolish
for this world。 QUEEN MARGARET。 Hie thee to hell for shame and
leave this world； Thou cacodemon； there thy kingdom is。 RIVERS。 My
Lord of Gloucester； in those busy days Which here you urge to prove us
enemies； We follow'd then our lord； our sovereign king。 So should we you；
if you should be our king。 GLOUCESTER。 If I should be！ I had rather be
a pedlar。 Far be it from my heart； the thought thereof！ QUEEN
ELIZABETH。 As little joy； my lord； as you suppose You should enjoy
were you this country's king； As little joy you may suppose in me That I
enjoy； being the Queen thereof。 QUEEN MARGARET。 As little joy enjoys
the Queen thereof； For I am she； and altogether joyless。 I can no longer
hold me patient。 ＇Advancing＇ Hear me； you wrangling pirates； that fall out
In sharing that which you have pill'd from me。 Which of you trembles not
that looks on me？ If not that； I am Queen； you bow like subjects； Yet that；
by you depos'd； you quake like rebels？ Ah； gentle villain； do not turn away！
GLOUCESTER。 Foul wrinkled witch； what mak'st thou in my sight？
QUEEN MARGARET。 But repetition of what thou hast marr'd； That will I
make before I let thee go。 GLOUCESTER。 Wert thou not banished on pain
of death？ QUEEN MARGARET。 I was； but I do find more pain in
banishment Than death can yield me here by my abode。 A husband and a
son thou ow'st to me； And thou a kingdom； all of you allegiance。 This
sorrow that I have by right is yours； And all the pleasures you usurp are
mine。 GLOUCESTER。 The curse my noble father laid on thee； When thou
didst crown his warlike brows with paper And with thy scorns drew'st
rivers from his eyes； And then to dry them gav'st the Duke a clout Steep'd
in the faultless blood of pretty Rutland… His curses then from bitterness of
soul Denounc'd against thee are all fall'n upon thee； And God； not we； hath
plagu'd thy bloody deed。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。 So just is God to right
the innocent。 HASTINGS。 O； 'twas the foulest deed to slay that babe； And
the most merciless that e'er was heard of！ RIVERS。 Tyrants themselves
wept when it was reported。 DORSET。 No man but prophesied revenge for
it。 BUCKINGHAM。 Northumberland； then present； wept to see it。
QUEEN MARGARET。 What； were you snarling all before I came