Go, bid thy master rise and come to me;
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where, he shall see, the boar1 will use us kindly.
Mess. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
Enter Catesby.

Cate. Many good morrows to my noble lord!
Hast. Good morrow, Catesby; you are early
stirring :

What news, what news, in this our tottering state?
Cate. It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord;
And, I believe, will never stand upright,
Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.

Hast. How! wear the garland? dost thou mean
the crown?

Cale. Av, my good lord.

Hast. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fel-
low.
[Exeunt Stan. and Catesby.
How now, sirrah? how goes the world with thee?
Purs. The better, that your lordship please to ask.
Hast. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now,
Than when thou met'st me last where now we meet >
Then was I going prisoner to the Tower,

Hast. I'll have this crown of mine cut from my By the suggestion of the queen's allies;

shoulders,

Before I'll see the crown so foul misplac'd.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?

Cate. Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you for-
ward

Upon his party, for the gain thereof:

And, thereupon, he sends you this good news,-
That, this same very day, your enemies,
The kindred of the queen, must die at Pomfret.

Hast. Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been still my adversaries:
But, that I'll give my voice in Richard's side,
To bar my master's heirs in true descent,
God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Cate. God keep your lordship in that gracious
mind!

Hast. But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month
hence,

That they, who brought me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.

Well, Catesby, ere a fornight make me older,
I'll send some packing, that yet think not on't.
Cale. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepar'd, and look not for it.
Hast. O monstrous, monstrous! and so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do
With some men else, who think themselves as safe
As thou, and I; who, as thou know'st, are dear
To princely Richard, and to Buckingham.

Cate. The princes both make high account of

But now, I tell thee (keep it to thyself,)
This day those enemies are put to death,
And I in better state than ere I was.

Purs. God hold it, to your honour's good con

not.

Hast. Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there. Buck. And supper too, although thou know'st it [Aside. I'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt.

Come, will you go?
Hast.

SCENE III-Pomfret. Before the Castle. Enter Ratcliff, with a guard conducting Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, to execution.

Rat. Come, bring forth the prisoners.

Riv. Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this,-
To-day, shalt thou behold a subject die,
For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.

Grey. God keep the prince from all the pack of
you!

A knot you are of damned blood-suckers.
Vaugh. You live, that shall ery wo for this

hereafter.

Rat. Despatch; the limit of your lives is out,
Kiv. O Pomfret, Pomfret, ! O thou bloody prison,
Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
Within the guilty closure of thy walls,
Richard the Second here was hack'd to death:
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.
Grey. Now Margaret's curse is fallen upon our
heads,

(2) Cross.

When she exclaim'd on Hastings, you, and 1,
For standing by when Richard stabb'd her son.
Riv. Then curs'd she Hastings, then curs'd she
Buckingham,

Then curs'd she Richard:-0, remember, God,
To hear her prayers for them, as now for us!
And for my sister, and her princely sons,-
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true bloods,
Which, as thou know'st, unjustly must be spilt!
Rat. Make haste, the hour of death is expiate.
Riv. Come, Grey,-come, Vaughan,-let us here
embrace:

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven. [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.-London. A room in the Tower.
Buckingham, Stanley, Hastings, the bishop of
Ely, Catesby, Lovel, and others, sitting at a
table: officers of the council attending.

Hast. Now, noble peers, the cause why we are

met

Who is most inward with the noble duke?
Ely. Your grace, we think, should soonest know
his mind.

Buck. We know each other's faces: for our
hearts,-

He knows no more of mine, than I of yours;
Nor I, of his, my lord, than you of mine :-
Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.
Hast. I thank his grace, I know he loves me well;
But, for his purpose in the coronation,
I have not sounded him, nor he deliver'd
His gracious pleasure any way therein:
But you, my noble lord, may name the time;
And in the duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which, I presume, he'll take in gentle part.
Enter Gloster.

Ely. In happy time, here comes the duke himself.
Glo. My noble lords and cousins, all, good mor-

row:

I

To-morrow, in my judgment, is too sudden;
For I myself am not so well provided,
As else I would be, were the day prolong'd.
Re-enter bishop of Ely.

Ely. Where is my lord protector? I have sent For these strawberries.

Hast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this
morning;

There's some conceit' or other likes him well,
When he doth bid good morrow with such spirit.
I think, there's ne'er a man in Christendom,
Can lesser hide his love, or hate, than he;
For by his face straight shall you know his heart.
By any likelihood he show'd to-day?
Stan. What of his heart perceive you in his face,

Hast. Marry, that with no man here he is of
fended;

For, were he, he had shown it in his looks.

Re-enter Gloster and Buckingham.

Glo. I pray you all, tell me what they deserve,
That do conspire my death with devilish plots
Of damned witchcraft; and that have prevail'd
Upon my body with their hellish charms?

Hast. The tender love I bear your grace, my lord,
Makes me most forward in this noble presence
To doom the offenders: Whosoe'er they be,
say, my lord, they have deserved death.

Glo. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil,
Look how I am bewitch'd; behold mine arm
Is, like a blasted sapling, wither'd up:
And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot, strumpet Shore,
That by their witchcraft thus have marked me.
Hast. If they have done this deed, my noble

lord,

Glo. If thou protector of this damned strumpet,
Talk'st thou to me of ifs ?-Thou art a traitor :-
Off with his head :-now, by saint Paul I swear,
I will not dine until I see the same.-
Lovel, and Catesby, look, that it be done;
The rest that love me, rise, and follow me.

[Exeunt council, with Gloster and Buckingham.
Hast. Wo, wo, for England! not a whit for me;
For I, too fond, might have prevented this:
Stanley did dream, the boar did rase his helm ;
But I disdain'd it, and did scorn to fly.

I have been long a sleeper; but, I trust,
My absence doth neglect no great design,
Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,
Which by my presence might have been concluded. And startled, when he look'd upon the Tower,
Buck. Had you not come upon your cue, my lord, As loath to bear me to the slaughter-house.
William lord Hastings had pronounc'd your part,-0, now I want the priest that spake to me:
I mean, your voice, for crowning of the king.
Glo. Than my lord Hastings, no man might be
bolder;

His lordship knows me well, and loves me well.—
My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn,
I saw good strawberries in your garden there;
I do beseech you send for some of them.
Ely. Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart.
[Exit Ely.
Glo. Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
[Takes him aside.
Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business;
And finds that testy gentleman so hot,
That he will lose his head, ere give consent,
His master's child, as worshipfully he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England's throne.
Buck. Withdraw yourself awhile, I'll go with

you. [Exeunt Gloster and Buckingham.

I now repent I told the pursuivant,
As too triumphing, how mine enemies,
To-day at Pomfret bloodily were butcher'd,
And I myself secure in grace and favour.
O, Margaret, Margaret, now thy heavy curse
Is lighted on poor Hastings' wretched head.

Cate. Despatch, my lord, the duke would be at

dinner;

Make a short shrift, he longs to see your head.
Hast. O momentary grace of mortal men,
Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!
Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks,
Lives live a drunken sailor on a mast;

Ready, with every nod, to tumble down
Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

Lov. Come, come, despatch; 'tis bootless to ex-
claim.

Hast. O, bloody Richard!-miserable England!

Stan. We have not yet set down this day of I prophesy the fearful'st time to thee,

triumph.

(1) Expiated, completed. (2) Intimate.

That ever wretched age hath look'd upon.

En

SCENE V.-The same. The Tower walls.
ter Gloster and Buckingham, in rusty armour,
marvellous ill-favoured.

Glo. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change
thy colour?

Murder thy breath in middle of a word,-
And then again begin, and stop again,

As if thou wert distraught, and mad with terror?
Buck. Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian;
Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
Intending' deep suspicion: ghastly looks
Are at my service, like enforced smiles;
And both are ready in their offices,

At any time, to grace my stratagems.
But what, is Catesby gone?

Because, my lord, we would have had you heard
The traitor speak, and timorously confess
The manner and the purpose of his treasons;
That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who, haply, may
Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.

May. But, my good lord, your grace's word
shall serve,

As well as I had seen, and heard him speak:
And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens

With all your just proceedings in this case.
Glo. And to that end we wish'd your lordship
here,

To avoid the censures of the carping world.
Buck. But since you came too late of our intent,
Yet witness what you hear we did intend:
And so, my good ford mayor, we bid farewell.
[Exit Lord Mayor.
Glo. Go after, after, cousin Buckingham,

Glo. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along. The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post:

Enter the Mayor and Catesby.

Buck. Let me alone to entertain him.-Lord
mayor,

Glo. Look to the draw-bridge there.
Buck.

Hark, hark! a drum.
Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls.
Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent for
you,-

Glo. Look back, defend thee, here are enemies.
Buck. God and our innocence defend and
guard us!

Enter Lovel and Ratcliff, with Hastings' head.
Glo. Be patient, they are friends; Ratcliff and
Lovel.

Lov. Here is the head of that ignoble traitor,
The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.

Glo. So dear I lov'd the man, that I must weep.
I took him for the plainest harmless't creature,
That breath'd upon the earth a Christian;
Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded
The history of all her secret thoughts:

So smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue,
That, his apparent open guilt omitted,-
I mean, his conversation with Shore's wife,-
He liv'd from all attainder of suspect.

Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd

traitor

That ever liv'd.-Look you, my lord mayor,
Would you imagine, or almost believe,
(Were't not, that by great preservation
We live to tell it you,) the subtle traitor
This day had plotted in the council-house,
To murder me, and my good lord of Gloster ?
May. What! had he so?

Glo. What! think you we are Turks, or infidels?
Or that we would, against the form of law,
Proceed thus rashly in the villain's death;
But that the extreme peril of the case,
The peace of England, and our persons' safety,
Enforc'd us to this execution?

May. Now, fair befall you! he deserv'd his death;
And your good graces both have well proceeded,
To warn false traitors from the like attempts.
I never look'd for better at his hands,
After he once fell in with mistress Shore.
Buck. Yet had we not determin'd he should die,
Until your lordship came to see his end;
Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
Somewhat against our meaning, hath prevented:
(2) Original draft.

(1) Pretending.

There, at your meetest vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children:
Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen,
Only for saying-he would make his son
Heir to the crown; meaning, indeed, his house,
(Which, by the sign thereof, was termed so.
Moreover, urge his hateful luxury,
And bestial appetite in change of lust;
Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters,
wives,

Even where his raging eye, or savage heart,
Without control, listed to make his prey,
Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:-
Tell them, when that my mother went with child
Of that insatiate Edward, noble York,
My princely father, then had wars in France;
And, by just computation of the time,
Found, that the issue was not his begot;
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble duke my father:
Yet touch this sparingly, as 'twere far off;
Because, my lord, you know, my mother lives.
Buck. Doubt not, my lord; I'll play the orator,
As if the golden fee, for which I plead,
Were for myself: and so, my lord, adieu.

Glo. If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's

castle;

Where you shall find me well accompanied,
With reverend fathers, and well-learned bishops.
Buck. I go; and, towards three or four o'clock,
Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.

(Exit Buckingham.
Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,-
Go thou [to Cate.] to friar Penker;-bid them both
Meet me, within this hour, at Baynard's castle.
[Exeunt Lovel and Catesby.
Now will I in, to take some privy order
To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight;
And to give notice, that no manner of person
Have, any time, recourse unto the princes. [Exit.

SCENE VI-A street. Enter a Scrivener.
Scriv. Here is the indictment of the good lord
Hastings;

Which in a set hand fairly is engross'd,
That it may be to-day read o'er in Paul's.
And mark how well the sequel hangs together:-
Eleven hours I have spent to write it over,
For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me ;
The precedent was full as long a-doing:
And yet within these five hours Hastings liv'd,
Untainted, unexamin'd, free, at liberty.
Here's a good world the while!-Who is so gross,

That cannot see this palpable device?
Yet who so bold, but says he sees it not?
Bad is the world; and all will come to nought,
When such bad dealing must be seen in thought.

(Exil.
SCENE VIL-The same. Court of Baynard's
castle. Enter Gloster and Buckingham, meeting.
Glo. How now? how now? what say the citizens?
Buck. Now by the holy mother of our Lord,
The citizens are mum, say not a word.

Glo, Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's chilte dren?

Buck. I did; with his contract with lady Lucy,
And his contract by deputy in France;
The insatiate greediness of his desires,
And his enforcement of the city wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own bastardy,-
As being got, your father then in France;
And his resemblance, being not like the duke.
Withal, I did infer your lineaments,-
Being the right idea of your father,
Both in your form and nobleness of mind:
Laid open all your victories in Scotland,
Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;
Indeed, left nothing, fitting for your purpose,
Untouch'd, or slightly handled, in discourse.
And, when my oratory grew to an end,
I bade them, that did love their country's good,
Cry-God save Richard, England's royal king!
Glo. And did they so?

Buck. No, so God help me, they spake not a word;
But, like dumb statues, or breathless stones,
Star'd on each other, and look'd deadly pale.
Which when I saw, I reprehended them;
And ask'd the mayor, what meant this wilful silence:
His answer was, the people were not us'd
To be spoke to but by the recorder,
Then he was urg'd to tell my tale again:
Thus saith the duke, thus hath the duke inferr'd;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some followers of mine own,
At lower end o' the hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cried, God save king Richard!
And thus I took the vantage of those few,
Thanks, gentle citizens, and friends, quoth I;
This general applause, and cheerful shout,
Argues your wisdom, and your love to Richard:
And eyen here brake off and came away.
Glo. What tongueless blocks were they; would
they not speak?

Will not the mayor then, and his brethren, come?
Buck. The mayor is here at hand; intend1 some
fear;

Be not you spoke with, but by mighty suit:
And look you get a prayer-book in your hand,
And stand between two churchmen, good my lord;
For on that ground I'll make a holy descant:
And be not easily won to our requests;
Play the maid's part, still answer nay, and take it.
Glo. I go; and if you plead as well for them,
As I can say nay to thee for myself,
No doubt we'll bring it to a happy issue.
Buck, Go, go, up to the leads; the lord mayor
knocks;
[Exit Gloster.
Enter the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Citizens,
Welcome, my lord; I dance attendance here;
I think, the duke will not be spoke withal.-
Enter, from the castle, Catesby.
Now, Catesby! what says your lord to my request?
(1) Pretend.
(2) A couch. (3) Fatten.

Cate. He doth entreat your grace, my noble lord,
To visit him to-morrow, or next day:

He is within, with two right reverend fathers,
Divinely bent to meditation;

And in no worldly suit would he be mov'd,
To draw him from his holy exercise.
Tell him, myself, the mayor and aldermen,
Buck. Return, good Catesby, to the gracious duke;
In deep designs, in matter of great moment,
No less importing than our general good,
Are come to have some conference with his grace.
Cate. I'll signify so much unto him straight.

Buck. Ah, ha, my lord, this prince is not an
[Exit.
Edward!

He is not lolling on a lewd day-bed,2
But on his knees at meditation;
Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body,
But praying, to enrich his watchful soul:
Happy were England, would this virtuous prince
Take on himself the sovereignty thereof:
But, sure, I fear, we shall ne'er win him to it.
May. Marry, God defend, his grace should say
us nay!

Buck. I fear, he will: Here Catesby comes again;
Re-enter Catesby.

Now, Catesby, what says his grace?

Cate. He wonders to what end you have assem-
bled

Such troops of citizens to come to him,
His grace not being warn'd thereof before,
He fears, my lord, you mean no good to him.

Suspect me, that I mean no good to him:
Buck. Sorry I am, my noble cousin should
By heaven, we come to him in perfect love;
And so once more return and tell his grace.
[Exit Catesby.

When holy and devout religious men
Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them thence;
So sweet is zealous contemplation.

Enter Gloster, in a gallery above, between two
Bishops. Catesby returns.

May. See, where his grace stands 'tween two
clergymen !

Buck. Two props of virtue for a Christian prince,
And, see, a book of prayer in his hand;
To stay him from the fall of vanity:
True ornaments to know a holy man.-
Lend favourable ear to our requests;
Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince,
And pardon us the interruption

Of thy devotion, and right Christian zeal.

I rather do beseech you pardon me,
Glo. My lord, there needs no such apology;
Who, earnest in the service of my God,
But, leaving this, what is your grace's pleasure?
Neglect the visitation of my friends.
Buck. Even that, I hope, which pleaseth God
above,

And all good men of this ungovern'd isle.

That seems disgracious in the city's eye;
Glo. I do suspect, I have done some offence,
And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.
Buck. You have, my lord; Would it might please

On our entreaties to amend your fault!

Glo. Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land?

Buck, Know, then, it is your fault, that you resign