York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now.
Prince. Ay, brother, to our grief, as it is yours.

Too late 20 he died, that might have kept that title,
Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

21

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 outgrown 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 he is more beholding to you, than 1.
Glo. He may command me as my sovereign,
But you have power in me as in a kinsman.

York. I pray you, uncle, 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. 22

Glo. A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.
York. A greater gift? O! that's the sword to it.
Glo. Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough.
York. O then, I see, you'll part but with light gifts:

In weightier things you 'll say a beggar, nay.

Glo. It is too weighty for your grace to wear.

York. I weigh it lightly, 23 were it heavier.

Glo. What! would you have my weapon, little lord?
York. I would, that I might thank you as you call me.
Glo. How?

York. Little.

Prince. My lord of York will still be cross in talk. Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.

York. You mean, to bear me,

not to bear with me.

Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me.

Because that I am little, like an ape,

He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. 25

20)

late = kürzlich, das jetzige lately.

24

21) Vgl. A. 2, Sc. 4. Ay, quoth my uncle Gloster, || Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace. idle nichtsnutzig.

22) Da ein Dolch nur eine Kleinigkeit, ein werthloser Tand ist, so kann man ihn ohne Kummer, mit leichtem Herzen, verschenken.

geringfügig, gebraucht wird,

so wiederholt sich derselbe Doppelsinn in dem adverbialen lightly.

24) So in As you like it (A. 2, Sc. 4) I had rather bear with you than bear you. 25) Eine Anspielung auf Gloster's Höcker, auf dem der kleine York sitzen könnte, wie der Affe auf dem Höcker des Kamels.

Buck. With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons:

To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,

He prettily and aptly taunts himself.

So cunning, and so young, is wonderful.

Glo. My lord, will 't please you pass along?
Myself, and my good cousin Buckingham,
Will to your mother, to entreat of her

To meet you at the Tower, and welcome you.

York. What! will you go unto the Tower, my lord?
Prince. My lord protector needs 26 will have it so.
York. I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.

Glo. Why, what should you fear?

York. Marry, my uncle Clarence's angry ghost:

My grandam told me, he was murder'd there.

Prince. I fear, no uncles dead.

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.

[A sennet. Exeunt Prince, YORK, HAST., Card., and Attendants. 27 Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating York

Was not incensed 28 by his subtle mother

To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

Glo. No doubt, no doubt. O! 't is a parlous boy;

Cate. He for his father's 32 sake so loves the prince,

That he will not be won to aught against him.

26) needs ist nur in Q. A.

27) Vielleicht gehört zu den Abgehenden auch der Lord Mayor mit seinem Gefolge. Vgl. Anm. 4 dieser Scene.

28) to incense = reizen gegen Jemanden, anstacheln.

29) capable = von leichter Auffassungskraft, fähig.

30) as deeply ist mit sworn zu verbinden, nicht mit to effect. So in Hamlet (A. 3, Se. 2) 't is deeply sworn.

31) Die Unterhaltung, die wir auf unserer Reise nach London gepflogen haben über die Mittel zu Gloster's Thronbesteigung.

32) his father ist der Vater des jungen Prinzen, König Eduard IV.

Buck.

What think'st thou then of Stanley? will not he?

Cate. He will do all in all as Hastings doth.

Buck. Well then, no more but this. Go, gentle Catesby,

And, as it were far off, sound thou lord Hastings,

How he doth stand affected to our purpose;

And summon him to-morrow to the Tower,

To sit about the coronation.

If thou dost find him tractable to us, 34
Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons:
If he be leaden, icy, cold, unwilling,
Be thou so too, and so break off the talk,
And give us notice of his inclination;
For we to-morrow hold divided councils,
Wherein thyself shalt highly be employ'd.

35

33

Glo. Commend me to lord William: tell him, Catesby,

His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries
To-morrow are let blood at Pomfret-castle;

And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,

Give mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more. 36

Buck. Good Catesby, go, 37 effect this business soundly.
Cate. My good lords both, with all the heed I can.

Glo. Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?

Cate. You shall, my lord.

Glo. At Crosby-place, 38 there shall you find us both. [Exit CATESBY.
Buck. Now, my lord, what shall we do, if we perceive

Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?

Glo. Chop off his head; something we will determine: 39

-

And, look, when I am king, claim thou of me

The earldom of Hereford, and all the moveables

Whereof the king, my brother, was possess'd.

Buck. I'll claim that promise at your grace's hand.

33) sondire Du den Lord Hastings gleichsam von Weitem, nicht geradezu, wie er über unsern Plan denkt oder gesinnt ist. Die folgenden beiden Verse sind nur in der Fol.

34) Die Qs. haben nur If he be willing.

35) Unter divided councils ist, wie aus den Chroniken erhellt, zu verstehen, dass, während die Anhänger des jungen Prinzen in Baynard's Castle über dessen Krönung berathschlagen sollten, gleichzeitig die Parteigänger Gloster's in Crosby-Place zusammenkommen würden, um jenem Plan entgegenzuarbeiten und Richard auf den Thron zu Holinshed spricht von these two several councils.

setzen.

-

36) Auf das Verhältniss zwischen Mistress Shore, der Geliebten Eduards IV., und Lord Hastings hatte Gloster schon früher hingedeutet. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 1, Anm. 18.

37) Die Qs. lassen go aus und haben in der folgenden Zeile may für can.

38) So die Qs. Die Fol. Crosby-house. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 2, Anm. 46.

39) So die Fol., nach deren Lesart Richard zuerst mit seinem Bescheide rasch herausfährt und dann mit dem besonnenen Entschlusse kommt, eine Entscheidung der Zukunft vorzubehalten. Der Vers lautet in den Qs.: Chop off his head, man, somewhat we

will do.

Glo. And look to have it yielded with all kindness. 40 Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards

We may digest our complots in some form.

SCENE II.

Before Lord HASTINGS' House.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord, my lord! -
Hast. [Within.] Who knocks?
Mess. One from the lord Stanley. 1
Mess. [Within.] What is 't o'clock?
Hast. Upon the stroke of four.

Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. Cannot my lord Stanley 2 sleep these tedious nights?
Mess. So it appears by that I have to say.

First, he commends him to your noble self. 3

Hast. What then?

Mess. Then certifies your lordship, that this night

He dreamt the boar had rased off his helm: +

Besides, he says, there are two councils held; 5

And that may be determin'd at the one,

Which may make you and him to rue at th' other.
Therefore, he sends to know your lordship's pleasure,
If you will presently 6 take horse with him,

And with all speed post with him toward the north,

To shun the danger that his soul divines.

Hast. Go, fellow, go; return unto thy lord:

Bid him not fear the separated councils:

[Exeunt.

[Knocking.

+0) willingness in den Qs.

1) In den Qs. ist die Frage: Who knocks at the door? und die Antwort: A messenger from the lord Stanley.

2) Cannot thy master in den Qs., und So it should seem in der folgenden Zeile. 3) Die Qs. lordship für self, dann And then,

für What then?

Diese beiden Zeilen lauten in den Qs. And then he sends you word, || He dreamt to-
night the boar had ras'd his helm. Mit dem Eber, der ihm den Helm abreisst, ist
Gloster gemeint. Vgl. A. 1, Sc. 3, Anm. 49. Den Traum, wie die meisten andern
Details dieser Scene entlehnte Sh. aus den Chroniken. Vgl. Einleitung pag. IX.

5) Vgl. A. 3, Sc. 1, Anm. 35. Die Qs. held, die Fol. kept.

6) Die Qs. stellen presently und you will um.

This honour ist der Ehrentitel für Lord Stanley.

* my servant Catesby in den Qs.

Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us,

Whereof I shall not have intelligence.

Tell him, his fears are shallow, without instance: 9

And for his dreams I wonder he's so simple

To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers.
To fly the boar, before the boar pursues,
Were to incense the boar to follow us,

And make pursuit, where he did mean no chase.
Go, bid thy master rise and come to me;
And we will both together to the Tower,

10

Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly.

Mess. I'll go, my lord, and tell him 11 what you say.

Enter CATESBY.

Cate. Many good morrows to my noble lord!

Hast. Good morrow, Catesby: you are early stirring.
what news, in this our tottering state?

What news,

Cate. It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord;

And, I believe, will never stand upright,

Till Richard wear the garland of the realm. 12

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

Cate. Ay, my good lord.

Hast. I'll have this crown 13 of mine cut from my 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; 14 and hopes to find you forward

Upon his party, for the gain thereof: 15

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; 16
But, that I'll give my voice on Richard's side,

[Exit.

9) seine Besorgnisse sind unbegründet und ohne dringende Motive. Johnson fasst dagegen instance als example, M. Mason als symptom oder prognostic. wanting instance.

10) Die Qs. haben fond für simple.

11) Die Qs. My gracious lord, I'll tell him.

12) garland, eigentlich

=

Die Qs. lesen

Kranz des Siegers oder Triumphators, gebraucht Sh. auch soust Krone; so in K. Henry IV. Second Part (A. 4, Sc. 4) so thou the garland wear'st successively.