• @funkless_eck
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    8 months ago

    It’s a good death scene. The cardinal, near death, barely coherent, accidentally confesses to poisoning the Duke Gloucester to the King and Dukes of Salisbury and Warwick in his death throes. And Henry asks God to give him a sign that the Cardinal went to heaven, and… nothing happens.

    #Henry VI Act 3, scene 3 Scene 3

    Enter King Henry, Salisbury and Warwick, to the Cardinal in bed, raving and staring

     KING HENRY 
          How fares my lord? Speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign.
     CARDINAL 
           If thou be’st Death, I’ll give thee England’s treasure,
          Enough to purchase such another island,
          So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain.
     KING HENRY 
          Ah, what a sign it is of evil life,
          Where Death’s approach is seen so terrible!
     WARWICK 
          Beaufort, it is thy sovereign speaks to thee.
    
     CARDINAL 
          Bring me unto my trial when you will.
         Died he not in his bed? Where should he die?
          Can I make men live, whe’er they will or no?
          O, torture me no more! I will confess.
          Alive again? Then show me where he is.
          I’ll give a thousand pound to look upon him.
         He hath no eyes! The dust hath blinded them.
          Comb down his hair. Look, look. It stands upright,
         Like lime-twigs set to catch my wingèd soul.
          Give me some drink, and bid the apothecary
          Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.
    
    
     KING HENRY 
           O, Thou eternal mover of the heavens,
           Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch!
          O, beat away the busy meddling fiend
           That lays strong siege unto this wretch’s soul,
          And from his bosom purge this black despair!
    
    
     WARWICK 
          See how the pangs of death do make him grin!
    
       SALISBURY 
          Disturb him not. Let him pass peaceably.
    
      KING HENRY 
           Peace to his soul, if God’s good pleasure be!—
         Lord Card’nal, if thou think’st on heaven’s bliss,
          Hold up thy hand; make signal of thy hope.
    
     *The Cardinal dies.*