WHY, so :-now have I done a good day's work ;You peers, continue this united league: I every day expect an embassage From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; And more in peace my soul shall part to heaven, Riv. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging hate; And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. K. Edw. Take heed, you dally not before your king; Hast. So prosper I, as I swear perfect love! Riv. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourself are not exempt in this, -Nor your son Dorset,-Buckingham, nor you; You have been factious one against the other. Wife, love lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand; And what you do, do it unfeignedly. Q. Eliz. There, Hastings;-I will never more re K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies, Buck. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace, [To the Queen.] but with all duteous love Doth cherish you, and yours, God punish me [Embracing Rivers, &c. K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Gloster here, To make the blessed period of this peace. Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble duke. Enter Gloster. Glo. Good-morrow to my sovereign king, and queen; -And, princely peers, a happy time of day! K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day: -Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers. Glo. A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege.Among this princely heap, if any here, By false intelligence, or wrong surmise, Hold me a foe; If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne I hate it, and desire all good men's love.- If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us ;- Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter: You do him injury, to scorn his corse. Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! ence, But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died, And that a winged Mercury did bear; Some tardy cripple bore the countermand, That came too lag to see him buried ;God grant, that some, less noble, and less loyal, Nearer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood, Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did, And yet go current from suspicion! Enter Stanley. Stan. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done! K. Edw. I pr'ythee peace; my soul is full of sorrow. Stan. I will not rise, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou request'st. Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk. K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death. And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave? My brother kill'd no man, his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was bitter death, Who sued to me for him? who, in my wrath, Kneel'd at my feet, and bade me advis'd? Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? Who told me, how the poor soul did forsake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me? Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he rescu'd me, And said, Dear brother, live, and be a king? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his garments; and did give himself, All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night? All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you Had so much grace to put it in my mind. But, when your carters, or your waiting vassals, Have done a drunken slaughter, and defac'd The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon; For him, poor soul.-The proudest of you all Yet none of you would once plead for his life.- God will revenge it. Come, lords; will you go, [Exeunt. SCENE 11-The same. Enter the Duchess of York, with a Son and Daughter of Clarence. Son. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Daugh. Why do you weep so oft? and beat your breast; And ery,-O Clarence, my unhappy son! Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, And call us,-orphans, wretches, cast-aways, If that our noble father be alive? Duch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both; As loath to lose him, not your father's death; Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well: Incapable and shallow innocents, You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death. Bade me rely on him, as on my father, And he would love me dearly as his child. If you will live, lament; if die, be brief; | Or, like obedient subjects, follow him To his new kingdom of perpetual rest. Duch. Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow, As I had title in thy noble husband! I have bewept a worthy husband's death, But now, two mirrors of his princely semblance Q. Eliz. Give me no help in lamentation, I am not barren to bring forth laments: Chil. Ah, for our father, for our dear lord Clarence! Duch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and Clarence! Q. Eliz. What stay had I but Edward? and he's gone. Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's gone. Duch. What stays had I, but they? and they are gone. Q. Eliz. Was never widow, had so dear a loss. I for a Clarence weep, so doth not she: Dors. Comfort, dear mother; God is much dis- Duch. Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle shapes, || That you take with unthankfulness his doing; And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice! He is my son, ay, and therein my shame, Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit. Son. Think you, my uncle did dissemble, grandam ? Duch. Ay, boy. Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this? Enter Queen Elizabeth distractedly; Rivers and Dorset following her. Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and weep ? Duch. What means this seene of rude impatience? Q. Eliz. To make an act of tragic violence :Edward, my lord, thy son, our king, is dead.———— Why grow the branches, when the root is gone? Why wither not the leaves, that want their sap? In common worldly things, 'tis call'd-ungrateful, Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother, Glo. Sister, have comfort: all of us have cause I did not see your grace:-Humbly on my knee That bear this mutual heavy load of moan, The broken rancour of your high-swoln hearts, Riv. Why with some little train, my lord of Buckingham? Buck. Marry, my lord, lest, by a multitude, The new heal'd wound of malice should break out; Which would be so much the more dangerous, By how much the estate is green, and yet ungovern'd; Where every horse bears his commanding rein, And may direct his course as please himself, As well the fear of harm, as harm apparent, In my opinion, ought to be prevented. Glo. I hope, the king made peace with all of us; Riv. And so in me; and so, I think, in all: Glo. Then be it so; and go we to determine [Exeunt all but Buckingham and Gloster. Buck. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince. For God's sake, let not us two stay at home: For, by the way, I'll sort occasion, As index to the story we late talk'd of, To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince. Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind. [Exeunt. SCENE III-The same. A Street. Enter two Citizens, meeting. 1 Cit. Good-morrow, neighbour: Whither away so 3 Cit. Woe to that land, that's govern'd by a child! 2 Cit. In him there is a hope of government; That, in his nonage, council under him, And, in his full and ripen'd years, himself, No doubt, shall then, and till then, govern well. 1 Cit. So stood the state, when Henry the Sixth Was crown'd in Paris but at nine months old. 3 Cit. Stood the state so? no, no, good friends, God wot; For then this land was famously enrich'd 1 Cit. Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother. 3 Cit. Better it were, they all came by his father; Or, by his father, there were none at all: For emulation now, who shall be nearest, Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not. O, full of danger is the duke of Gloster; And the queen's sons, and brothers, haught and proud: 1 Cit. Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be well. 3 Cit. When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks: When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand; 2 Cit. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear: 3 Cit. Before the days of change, still is it so: 2 Cit. Marry, we were sent for to the justices. 3 Cit. And so was I; I'll bear you company. [Exeunt. SCENE IV-The same. A Room in the Palace. Enter the Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth, and the Duchess of York. Arch. Last night, I heard, they lay at Stony-Stret ford; And at Northampton they do rest to-night: To-morrow, or next day, they will be here. Duch. I long with all my heart to see the prince; I hope, he is much grown since last I saw him. Q. Eliz. But I hear, no; they say, my son of York Hath almost overta'en him in his growth. York. Ay, mother, but I would not have it so. Duch. Why, my young cousin? it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night, as we did sit at supper, My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow More than my brother; Ay, quoth my uncle Gloster, Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apact: And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast, Because sweet flowers are slow, and weeds make haste. Duch. Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold In him that did object the same to thee: He was the wretched'st thing, when he was young, So long a growing, and so leisurely, That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious. Arch. And so, no doubt, he is, my gracious madama. Duch. I hope, he is; but yet let mothers doubt. York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd, I could have given my uncle's grace a flout, 1 To touch his growth, nearer than he touch'd mine. Duch. How, my young York? I pr'ythee, let me hear it. York. Marry, they say, my uncle grew so fast, Duch. I pr'ythee, pretty York, who told thee this? Duch. His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wast born. York. If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me. Q. Eliz. A parlous boy: Go to, you are too shrewd. Arch. Good madam, be not angry with the child. 9. Eliz. Pitchers have ears. fret, With them sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners. Mess. The mighty dukes, Gloster and Buckingham. Mess. The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd; Q. Eliz. Ah me, I see the ruin of my house! Duch. Accursed and unquiet wrangling days! Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors, Duch. Stay, I will go with you. Q. Eliz. You have no cause. Arch. My gracious lady, go, [To the Queen. And thither bear your treasure and your goods. m ACT III SCENE I-The same. [Exeunt. A Street. The Trumpets round. Enter the Prince of Wales, Gloster, Buck. ingham, Cardinal Bourchier, and others. Buckingham. WELCOME, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber. Glo. Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts' sovereign: I want more uncles here to welcome me. Glo. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years were none. Glo. My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you. Enter the Lord Mayor, and his Train. May. God bless your grace with health and happy days! Prince. I thank you, good my lord ;-and thank you [Exeunt Mayor, &c. all. I thought my mother, and my brother York, Buck. And in good time, here comes the sweating lord. Prince. Welcome, my lord: What, will our mother come? Hast. On what occasion, God he knows, not I, Buck. Fie! what an indirect and peevish course If she deny,-lord Hastings, go with him, Car. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Buck. You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord, Too ceremonious, and traditional: Weigh it but with the grossness of this age, You break not sanctuary in seizing him. The benefit thereof is always granted To those whose dealings have deserv'd the place, And those who have the wit to claim the place: This prince hath neither claim'd it, nor deserv'd it; And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it: Then, taking him from thence, that is not there, You break no privilege nor charter there. Oft have I heard of sanctuary men; But sanctuary children, ne'er till now. Car. My lord, you shall o'er-rule my mind for once.- Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you [Exeunt Cardinal and Hastings. -Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother come, may. Where shall we sojourn till our coronation? Glo. Where it seems best unto your royal self. If I may counsel you, some day or two, Your highness shall repose you at the Tower: Then where you please, and shall be thought most fit For your best health and recreation. Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place :Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? Glo. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified. Prince. Is it upon record? or else reported Successively from age to age he built it? Buck. Upon record, my gracious lord. Prince. But say, my lord, it were not register'd; Methinks, the truth should live from age to age, As 'twere retail'd to all posterity, Even to the general all-ending day. Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long. Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous man; With what his valour did enrich his wit, His wit set down to make his valour live: Death makes no conquest of this conqueror; "For now he lives in fame, though not in life.I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham. Buck. What, my gracious lord? Prince. An if I live until I be a man, I'll win our ancient right in France again, Or die a soldier, as I liv'd a king. Glo. Short summers lightly have a forward spring. [Aside. Enter York, Hastings, and the Cardinal. Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the duke of York. Prince. My lord of York will still be cross in talk ;- He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. Glo. My gracious lord, will't please you pass along? Glo. Nor none that live, I hope. Prince. An if they live, I hope, I need not fear. But come, my lord, and, with a heavy heart, Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower. [Exeunt Prince, York, Hastings, Cardinal, and Attendants. Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating York As deeply to effect what we intend, Thou know'st our reasons urg'd upon the way; Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving What think'st thou ? is it not an easy matter brother? York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now. Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours: Too late he died, that might have kept that title, Which by his death hath lost much majesty. Glo. How fares our cousin, noble lord of York? York. I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord, You said, that idle weeds are fast in growth: The prince my brother hath out-grown me far. Glo. He hath, my lord. York. And therefore is he idle? Glo. O, my fair cousin, I must not say so. York. Then is he more beholden to you, than I. Glo. He may command me, as my sovereign; But you have power in me, as in a kinsman. York. I pray you, uncle, then, give me this dagger. Glo. My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart. Prince. A beggar, brother? York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give; And, being but a toy, which is no grief to give. Glo. A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin. Glo. It is too weighty for your grace to wear. Glo. What, would you have my weapon, little lord? To make William lord Hastings of our mind, Cate. He for his father's sake so loves the prince, Cate. He will do all in all as Hastings doth. Catesby, And, as it were far off, sound thou lord Hastings, If thou dost find him tractable to us, His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries |