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I'll Have Her

from The Light and The Dark by Love Chaos

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RICHARD the 3rd

ACT 1, SCENE 2

GLOUCESTER (later Richard the 3rd)
Stay, you that bear the corse, and set it down.

LADY ANNE
What black magician conjures up this fiend?

Gentleman
My lord, stand back, and let the coffin pass.

GLOUCESTER
Unmanner'd dog! stand thou, when I command:

LADY ANNE
Avaunt, thou dreadful minister of hell!
Thou hadst but power over his mortal body,
His soul thou canst not have; therefore be gone.

GLOUCESTER
Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.
Divine perfection of a woman,
Of these supposed-evils, to give me leave,
By circumstance, but to acquit myself.

LADY ANNE
Thou canst make
No excuse current, but to hang thyself.

GLOUCESTER
I did not kill your husband.

LADY ANNE
Why, then he is alive.

GLOUCESTER
Nay, he is dead; and slain by Edward's hand.

LADY ANNE
In thy foul throat thou liest: Queen Margaret saw
Thy murderous falchion smoking in his blood.

GLOUCESTER
I was provoked by her slanderous tongue.

LADY ANNE
Thou wast provoked by thy bloody mind.
Which never dreamt on aught but butcheries:
Didst thou not kill this king?

GLOUCESTER
I grant ye.

LADY ANNE
Dost grant me, hedgehog? then, God grant me too
Thou mayst be damned for that wicked deed!

GLOUCESTER
Gentle Lady Anne,
To leave this keen encounter of our wits,
And fall somewhat into a slower method,
Is not the causer of the timeless deaths
Of these Plantagenets, Henry and Edward,
As blameful as the executioner?

LADY ANNE
Thou art the cause, and most accursed effect.

GLOUCESTER
Your beauty was the cause of that effect;
Your beauty: which did haunt me in my sleep
To undertake the death of all the world,
So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom.

LADY ANNE
If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide,
These nails should rend that beauty from my cheeks.

GLOUCESTER
He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband,
Did it to help thee to a better husband.

LADY ANNE
Where is he?

GLOUCESTER
Here.
(She spitteth at him)
Why dost thou spit at me?

LADY ANNE
Would it were mortal poison, for thy sake!

GLOUCESTER
Never came poison from so sweet a place.

LADY ANNE
Never hung poison on a fouler toad.

GLOUCESTER
My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word;
But now thy beauty is proposed my fee,
My proud heart sues, and prompts my tongue to speak.
Teach not thy lips such scorn, for they were made
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 bosom.
And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,
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,
But 'twas thy beauty that provoked me.
Nay, now dispatch; 'twas I that killed your husband,
But 'twas thy heavenly face that set me on.
(Here she lets fall the sword)
Take up the sword again, or take up me.

LADY ANNE
I would I knew thy heart.

GLOUCESTER
Vouchsafe to wear this ring.

LADY ANNE
To take is not to give.

GLOUCESTER
Look, how this ring encompass thy finger,
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart;
Wear both of them, for both are thine.
I beg one favour at thy gracious hand.

LADY ANNE
What is it?

GLOUCESTER
That it would please thee leave these sad designs
To him that hath more cause to be a mourner,
And presently repair to Crosby Place;
Where, after I have solemnly interr'd
And wet his grave with my repentant tears,
I will with all expedient duty see you.

LADY ANNE
With all my heart; and much it joys me too,
To see you become so penitent.

GLOUCESTER
Bid me farewell.

LADY ANNE
Since you teach me how to flatter you,
Imagine I have said farewell already.

(Exit all but Gloucester)

GLOUCESTER
Was ever woman in this humour woo'd?
Was ever woman in this humour won?
I'll have her.

credits

from The Light and The Dark, released August 16, 2014
Words: William Shakespeare
Vocals and Music: Derek Hunter

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Love Chaos image

Love Chaos Los Angeles, California

Love Chaos (Derek Hunter) has released 9 albums on Bandcamp:

- Black
- Love and Death
- E.I.E.
- Black Light, White Dark
- Life
- Waiting for Amanda
- Surrealist Saints
- Major Arcana
- The Light and the Dark

He has also written and published 5 books.

For more info go to -

www.love-chaos.com ... more

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