Page 1117 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

I never sued to friend nor enemy:
My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word;
But now thy beauty is propos’d my fee,
My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak.

She looks scornfully at him.
Teach not thy lip such scorn; for it was made [175]
For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.
If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,
Lo here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword,
Which if thou please to hide in this true breast,
And let the soul forth that adoreth thee, [180]
I lay it naked to the deadly stroke,
And humbly beg the death upon my knee.

[Kneels;] he lays his breast open, she offers at [it] with his sword.
Nay, do not pause, for I did kill King Henry -
But ’twas thy beauty that provoked me.
Nay, now dispatch: ’twas I that stabb’d young Edward - [185]
But ’twas thy heavenly face that set me on.

She falls the sword.
Take up the sword again, or take up me.

ANNE [He rises]

Arise, dissembler; though I wish thy death,

I will not be thy executioner.

RICHARD

Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it. [190]

ANNE

I have already.

RICHARD

That was in thy rage:
Speak it again, and even with the word,
This hand, which for thy love did kill thy love,
Shall for thy love kill a far truer love:
To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary. [195]

ANNE