Page 551 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Am I not witched like her, or thou not false like him?
Ay me, I can no more! Die, Margaret, [120]
For Henry weeps that thou dost live so long!

Noise within. Enter Warwick, [Salisbury,] and many commons.

WARWICK

It is reported, mighty sovereign,
That good Duke Humphrey traitorously is murdered
By Suffolk and the Cardinal Beaufort’s means.
The commons, like an angry hive of bees [125]
That want their leader, scatter up and down
And care not who they sting in his revenge.
Myself have calmed their spleenful mutiny,
Until they hear the order of his death.

KING HENRY

That he is dead, good Warwick, ’tis too true; [130]
But how he died, God knows, not Henry.
Enter his chamber, view his breathless corpse,
Ad comment then upon his sudden death.

WARWICK

That shall I do, my liege. - Stay, Salisbury,
With the rude multitude till I return. [135]

[Exeunt Warwick, then Salisbury with the commons.]

KING HENRY Bed put forth.

O Thou that judgest all things, stay my thoughts,
My thoughts that labour to persuade my soul
Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey’s life.
If my suspect be false, forgive me, God,
For judgement only doth belong to thee. [140]
Fain would I go to chafe his paly lips
With twenty thousand kisses and to drain
Upon his face an ocean of salt tears,
To tell my love unto his dumb deaf trunk,
And with my fingers feel his hand unfeeling: [145]
But all in vain are these mean obsequies,

And to survey his dead and earthy image,