ACT FIFTH
Scene One
[Salisbury. An open Place]
Enter Buckingham with [the Sheriff and] Halberds, led to execution.
Buck. Will not King Richard let me speak with him?
Sher. No, my good lord; therefore be patient.
Buck. Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey and Rivers,
Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward, 4
Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
By underhand, corrupted, foul injustice,
If that your moody discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour, 8
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
This is All-Souls' day, fellow, is it not?
Sher. It is.
Buck. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's doomsday. 12
This is the day which, in King Edward's time,
I wish'd might fall on me, when I was found
False to his children and his wife's allies;
This is the day wherein I wish'd to fall 16
By the false faith of him whom most I trusted;
This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul
Is the determin'd respite of my wrongs.
That high All-Seer which I dallied with 20
Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head,
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
10 All-Souls' day: November first; cf. n.
13 Cf. n.
19 determin'd . . . wrongs; cf. n.
