88 The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, by
88 The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, by William Shakespeare
ACT II
SCENE I. London. A Room in the palace
Enter King Edward,
sick, Queen Elizabeth, Dorset, Rivers, Hastings,
Buckingham, Grey and others.
KING EDWARD.
Why, so. Now have I done a good day’s work.
You peers, continue this united league.
I every day expect an embassage
From my Redeemer, to redeem me hence;
And more at peace my soul shall part to heaven
Since I have made my friends at peace on earth.
Rivers and Hastings, take each other’s hand;
Dissemble not your hatred. Swear your love.
RIVERS.
By heaven, my soul is purged from grudging hate,
And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love.
HASTINGS.
So thrive I, as I truly swear the like.
KING EDWARD.
HASTINGS.
So prosper I, as I swear perfect love.
RIVERS.
And I, as I love Hastings with my heart.
KING EDWARD.
Madam, yourself is not exempt from this;
Nor you, son Dorset; Buckingham, nor you.
You have been factious one against the other.
Wife, love Lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand,
And what you do, do it unfeignedly.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
There, Hastings, I will never more remember
Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine.
KING EDWARD.
Dorset, embrace him; Hastings, love lord Marquess.
DORSET.
This interchange of love, I here protest,
Upon my part shall be inviolable.
HASTINGS.
And so swear I.
[They embrace.]
KING EDWARD.
Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league
With thy embracements to my wife’s allies,
And make me happy in your unity.
BUCKINGHAM.
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile
Be he unto me: this do I beg of God,
When I am cold in love to you or yours.
[Embrace.]
KING EDWARD.
A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,
Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.
There wanteth now our brother Gloucester here,
To make the blessed period of this peace.
BUCKINGHAM.
And in good time,
Here comes Sir Ratcliffe and the Duke.
Enter Ratcliffe and
Richard.
RICHARD.
Good morrow to my sovereign King and Queen;
And, princely peers, a happy time of day.
KING EDWARD.
Happy indeed, as we have spent the day.
Gloucester, we have done deeds of charity,
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.
RICHARD.
A blessed labour, my most sovereign lord,
Among this princely heap, if any here
By false intelligence or wrong surmise
Hold me a foe,
If I unwittingly, or in my rage,
Have aught committed that is hardly borne
By any in this presence, I desire
To reconcile me to his friendly peace.
I do not know that Englishman alive
With whom my soul is any jot at odds
More than the infant that is born tonight.
I thank my God for my humility.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
A holy day shall this be kept hereafter.
I would to God all strifes were well compounded.
My sovereign lord, I do beseech your Highness
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.
RICHARD.
Why, madam, have I offered love for this,
To be so flout