ful,

With dull unwillingness to repay a debt,
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more to be thus opposite with heaven,
For it requires the royal debt it lent you.

Ris. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother,

Of the young prince your son: send straight for him,

Let him be crown'd; in him your comfort lives

Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward's

ing peers,

That bear this mutual heavy load of moan,
Now cheer each other in each other's love :
Though we have spent our harvest of this
king,

We are to reap the harvest of his son.

The broken rancour of your high-swoln hearts,
But lately splinted, knit, and join'd together,
Must gently be preserv'd, cherish'd, and kept:
Me seemeth good, that with some little train,
Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be
fetch'd

Hither to London, to be crown'd our king.
Ris. 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;

And the compact is firin, and true, in me.

Riv. And so in me: and so, I think, in all: Yet, since it is but green, it should be put To no apparent likelihood of breach,

As index to the story we late talk'd of,

To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince.

Glo. My other self, my counsel's consistory, My oracle, my prophet !-My dear cousin, I, as a child, will go by thy direction. Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind. [Exeunt.

SCENE 111.-The same.-A Street.

Enter two CITIZENS, meeting.

1 Cit. Good morrow, neighbour: Whither away so fast?

2 Cit. I promise you, I scarcely know myself:

Hear you the news abroad?

1 Cit. Yes; the king's dead.

2 Cit. Ill news, by'r lady; seldom comes the

better:

fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world.

Enter another CITIZEN.

3 Cit. Neighbours, God speed!
1 Cit. Give you good morrow, Sir.

3 Cit. Doth the news hold of good king Edward's death?

2 Cit. Ay, Sir, it is too true; God help, the while!

3 Cit. Then, masters, look to see a troublous world.

1 Cit. No, no; by God's good grace, his son shall reign.

3 Cit. Woe to that land, that's govern'd by a child!

2 Cit. In him there is a bope 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 With politic grave counsel; then the king Had virtuous uncles to protect his grace. 1 Cit. Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.

2 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.
Oh! full of danger is the duke of Gloster;
And the queen's sons, and brothers, haught and
proud:

And were they to be rul'd, and not to rule,
This sickly land might solace as before.

1 Cit. Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be well.

3 Cit. When clouds are seen, wise men put en their cloaks;

urged:

Therefore I say, with noble Buckingham,

That it is meet so few should fetch the prince. Hast. And so say I.

Glo. Then be it so; and go we to determine Who they shall be that straight shall post to

Ludlow.

night?

Untimely storms make men expect a dearth:
All may be well; but, if God sort it so,
'Tis more than we deserve, or I expect.

2 Cit. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear :

You cannot reason almost with a man
That looks not heavily, and full of dread.
3 Cit. Before the days of change, still is
it so:

By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust
Ensuing danger; as, by proof, we see
The water swell before a boist❜rous storm
But leave it all to God. Whitner away

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-
Stratford;

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

Duch. How, my young York? I pr'ythee, let me hear it.

York. Marry, they say, my uncle grew so fast,

That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old; 'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth. Grandam, this would have been a biting jest. Duch. I pr'ythee, pretty York, who told thee this ?

York. Grandam, his nurse.

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 child.

Q. Eliz. Pitchers have ears.

Enter a MESSENGER.

Arch. Here comes a messenger:

What news ?

Mess. Such news, my lord,

As grieves me to unfold.

Q. Eliz. How doth the prince?

Mess. Well, madam, and in health.

Duch. What is thy news?

the

Mess. Lord Rivers and lord Grey are sent to

Pomfret,

With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.

Perilous, dangerous.

Duch. Who hath committed them!

Mess. The mighty dukes,

Gloster and Buckingham.

Q. Eliz. For what offence?

Mess. The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd; Why, or for what, the nobles were committed, Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.

Q. Eliz. Ah! me, I see the ruin of my house!

The tiger now hath seiz'd the gentle hind;
Insulting tyranny begins to jut

Upon the innocent and awless throne :-
Welcome, destruction, blood, and massacre !
I see, as in a map the end of all.

Duch. Accursed and unquiet wrangling days
How many of you have mine eyes beheld!
My husband lost his life to get the crown;
And often up and down my sons were tost,
For me to joy, and weep, their gain, and loss:
And being seated, and domestic broils
Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerers,
Make war upon themselves; brother to bro-
ther,
Blood to blood, self 'gainst self:-0 preposter-

oratory

Can from his mother win the duke of York,
Anon expect him here: But if she be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid
We should infringe the holy privilege
Of blessed sanctuary! not for all this land,
Would I be guilty of so deep a sin.

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 sauctuary men;
But sanctuary children, ne'er till now.

Card. My lord, you shall o'er-rule my mind for once.

Come on, lord Hastings, will you go with me? Hast. I go, my lord.

Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may.

[Exeunt CARDINAL and HASTINGS. Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother come, 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. It is 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 regis

ter'd ;

Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous

man:

With what his valour did enrich his wit,
His wit set down to make bis 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

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.

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 gracious 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 will have

it so.

Come, let us sup betimes; that afterwards We may digest our complots in some form.

[Exeunt.

York. Marry, my uncle Clarence' 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.

[Exeunt PRINCE, YORK, HASTINGS, CAR-
DINAL, and Attendants.

Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating|
York

Was not incensed by his subtle mother,
To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?
Glo. No doubt, no doubt: Oh! 'tis a parlous
boy;

Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable; +
He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.
Buck. Well, let them rest.-

Come hither, gentle Catesby; thou art sworn
As deeply to effect what we intend,
As closely to conceal what we impart :
Thou

know'st' our reasons urg'd upon the

way;

What think'st thou? is it not an easy matter
To make William lord Hastings of our mind,
For the instalment of this noble duke
In the seat royal of this famous isle?

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

That he will not be won to aught against him. 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,

Enter a MESSENGER.

Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure,

If presently you will 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: His honour, and myself, are at the one; And, at the other, is my good friend Catesby; Where nothing can proceed, that toucheth us, Whereof I shall not have intelligence.

Tell him, his fears are shallow, wanting instance: ⚫

And for his dreams-I wonder, he's so fond +
To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers:

ings,

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,
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.

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

His dangerous knot of adversaries

To-morrow are let blood at Pomfret castle;
And bid my friend, for joy of this good news,
Give mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more.
Buck. Good Catesby, go, 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, there shall you find us both. [Exit CATESBY. Buck. Now, my lord, what shall we, if we perceive

Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots? Glo. Chop off his head, man ;-somewhat we will do :

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.

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

Mess. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you [Exit.

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?
Cate. Ay, my good lord.
Hast. I'll have this crown 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 f

Cate. Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you forward

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

Cate. God keep your lordship in that gracious mind!

Hast. But I shall laugh at this a twelvemonth hence,

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

Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older, I'll send some packing, that yet think not on't. Cate. '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

you,

For they account his head upon the bridge.

[Aside. Hast. I know, they do; and I have well deserv'd it.

Enter STANLEY. Come on, come on, where is your boar-spear, man ?

Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?

Stan. My lord, good-morrow; and good morrow, Catesby :

You may jest on, but, by the holy rood,
I do not like these several councils, I.

Hast. My lord, I hold my life as dear as your's;

And never, in my life, I do protest,

Was it more precious to me than 'tis now:
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

Stan. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London, [sure, Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were And they, indeed, had no cause to mistrust; But yet, you see, how soon the day o'er-cast, This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt; Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward ! What, shall we toward the Tower? the day is spent.

Hast. Come, come, have with you.-Wot you what, my lord?

To-day, the lords you talk of are beheaded. Stan. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads,

Than some that have accus'd them, wear their hats.

But come, my lord, let's away.

Enter a PURSUIVANT.

Then I was going prisoner to the Tower,
By the suggestion of the queen's allies;
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 content!

Hast. Gramercy, fellow: There, drink that for me. [Throwing him his purse. Purs. I thank your honour. [Exit PURSUIVANT.

Enter a PRIEST. Pr. Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your honour.

SCENE III.-Pomfret.-Before the Castle. Enter RATCLIFF, with a guard, conducting RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN, to Execu tion.

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 cry woe for this hereafter.

Rat. Despatch; the limit of your lives is out. Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody

Then curs'd she Richard:-O 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
spilt !
Rat. Make haste, the hour of death is ex
piate. t

be

Riv. Come, Grey,-come, Vaughan,-let us here embrace :

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.

[Exeunt.