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London. A Room in the Palace. | |
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Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and RIVERS. | |
| Riv. Madam, what makes you in this sudden change? | |
| Q. Eliz. Why, brother Rivers, are you yet to learn, | |
| What late misfortune is befall’n King Edward? | 5 |
| Riv. What! loss of some pitch’d battle against Warwick? | |
| Q. Eliz. No, but the loss of his own royal person. | |
| Riv. Then is my sovereign slain? | |
| Q. Eliz. Ay, almost slain, for he is taken prisoner; | |
| Either betray’d by falsehood of his guard | 10 |
| Or by his foe surpris’d at unawares: | |
| And, as I further have to understand, | |
| Is new committed to the Bishop of York, | |
| Fell Warwick’s brother, and by that our foe. | |
| Riv. These news, I must confess, are full of grief; | 15 |
| Yet, gracious madam, bear it as you may: | |
| Warwick may lose, that now hath won the day. | |
| Q. Eliz. Till then fair hope must hinder life’s decay. | |
| And I the rather wean me from despair | |
| For love of Edward’s offspring in my womb: | 20 |
| This is it that makes me bridle passion, | |
| And bear with mildness my misfortune’s cross; | |
| Ay, ay, for this I draw in many a tear, | |
| And stop the rising of blood-sucking sighs, | |
| Lest with my sighs or tears I blast or drown | 25 |
| King Edward’s fruit, true heir to the English crown. | |
| Riv. But, madam, where is Warwick then become? | |
| Q. Eliz. I am inform’d that he comes towards London, | |
| To set the crown once more on Henry’s head: | |
| Guess thou the rest; King Edward’s friends must down. | 30 |
| But, to prevent the tyrant’s violence,— | |
| For trust not him that hath once broken faith,— | |
| I’ll hence forthwith unto the sanctuary, | |
| To save at least the heir of Edward’s right: | |
| There shall I rest secure from force and fraud. | 35 |
| Come, therefore; let us fly while we may fly: | |
| If Warwick take us we are sure to die. [Exeunt. | |
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