Anne. Vouchsafe, diffus'd infection of a man, For these known evils but to give me leave By circumstance to curse thy cursed self. Rich. Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have Some patient leisure to excuse myself. Anne. Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make No excuse current, but to hang thyself. Rich. By such despair, I should accuse myself. Anne. And, by despairing, shalt thou stand excus'd For doing worthy vengeance on thyself, That didst unworthy slaughter upon others. Rich. Say, that I slew them not. Anne. Then say they were not slain: But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee. Rich. I did not kill your Anne. husband. Why, then he is alive. Rich. Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand. Anne. In thy foul throat thou liest: Queen Mar garet saw Thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood ; Rich. I was provoked by her slanderous tongue, Rich. I grant ye. 5 Diffused anciently signified dark, obscure, strange, uncouth, or confused. See King Henry V. Act v. sc. 2, note 6. 6 So in the folio; in the quartos, - -"Why, then they are not dead." 7 The guilt of his brothers who slew the prince. H. Anne. Dost grant me, hedgehog? then, God grant me too, Thou may'st be damned for that wicked deed! Rich. The fitter for the King of heaven that hath him. Anne. He is in heaven, where thou shalt never come. Rich. Let him thank me, that holp to send him thither; For he was fitter for that place than earth. Anne. And thou unfit for any place but hell. Rich. Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it. Anne. Some dungeon. Rich. Your bed-chamber. Anne. Il rest betide the chamber where thou liest ! Rich. So will it, madam, till I lie with you. Rich. I know so. But, gentle lady Anne,- 8 Of these Plantagenets, Henry and Edward, Anne. Thou wast the cause, and most accurs'd' effect.9 Rich. Your beauty was the cause of that effect; Your beauty, that did haunt me in my sleep, To undertake the death of all the world, So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom. 8 So the folio; the quartos, somewhat. H. That is, and most accursed is the effect of which thou wast the cause; effect referring not to thou, but to their death. H. Anne. If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide, These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks. Rich. These eyes could not endure that beauty's wreck; You should not blemish it, if I stood by: Anne. Black night o'ershade thy day, and death Rich. Curse not thyself, fair creature; thou art both. To be reveng❜d on him that loveth thee. Anne. It is a quarrel just and reasonable, Anne. His better doth not breathe upon the earth. Rich. Anne. Plantagenet. Why, that was he. Rich. The self-same name, but one of better nature. Rich. Here: [She spits at him.] Why dost thou Anne. 'Would it were mortal poison, for thy sake! Rich. Never came poison from so sweet a place. Anne. Never hung poison on a fouler toad. Out of my sight! thou dost infect mine eyes. Rich. Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine. Anne. 'Would they were basilisks, to strike thee dead! 10 10 For the matter of this allusion, see 2 Henry VI. Act iii. sc. 2, note 2. Rich. I would they were, that I might die at once; For now they kill me with a living death. Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt tears, And twenty times made pause to sob and weep, My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word; My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak. Lo! here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword; I lay it naked to the deadly stroke, And humbly beg the death upon my knee. [He lays his Breast open; she offers at it with his Sword. Nay, do not pause; for I did kill King Henry; 11 Remorse was continually used for pity, remorseful for pitiful. -This and the eleven following lines are found only in the folio. H. But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me. Nay, now despatch; 'twas I that stabb'd young But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on. [She lets fall the Sword. Take up the sword again, or take up me. Anne. Arise, dissembler: though I wish thy death, I will not be thy executioner. Rich. Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. Anne. I have already. Rich. That was in thy rage: Speak it again, and, even with the word, This hand, which for thy love did kill thy love, To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary. Anne. I would I knew thy heart. Rich. "Tis figur'd in my tongue. Anne. To take is not to give.12 [She puts on the Ring. Rich. Look, how my ring encompasseth thy finger, Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart: Wear both of them, for both of them are thine. But beg one favour at thy gracious hand, 12 This line is wanting in the folio. And in the next line the quartos have "this ring" instead of “my ring.” Н |