In him your comfort lives.
Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward’s grave
And plant your joys in living Edward’s throne.
Enter Richard, Buckingham, [Stanley, Earl of] Derby, Hastings and Ratcliffe
To the Queen
RICHARD Sister, have comfort. All of us have cause
To wail the dimming of our shining star,
But none can help our harms by wailing them.—
Madam, my mother, I do cry you mercy104:
I did not see your grace. Humbly on my knee
Kneels
I crave your blessing.
DUCHESS OF YORK God bless thee, and put meekness107 in thy breast,
Love, charity, obedience and true duty.
↓Richard rises↓
Aside
RICHARD Amen.—And make me die a good old man.
That is the butt-end110 of a mother’s blessing;
I marvel that her grace111 did leave it out.
BUCKINGHAM You cloudy112 princes and heart-sorrowing peers,
That bear this heavy mutual load of moan113,
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 rancour117 of your high-swoll’n hates,
But lately splintered118, knit, and joined together,
Must gently be preserved, cherished, and kept.119
Meseemeth good, that, with some little train120,
Forthwith121 from Ludlow the young prince be fet
Hither to London, to be crowned our king.
RIVERS Why with some little train, my lord of Buckingham?
BUCKINGHAM Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude124,
The new-healed wound of malice should break out,
Which would be so much the more dangerous
By how much the estate127 is green and yet ungoverned.
Where every horse bears his commanding rein128,
And may direct his course as please himself,
As well the fear of harm, as harm apparent130,
In my opinion, ought to be prevented.
RICHARD I hope the king made peace with132 all of us,
And the compact133 is firm and true in me.
RIVERS And so in me, and so, I think, in all.
Yet since it is but green135, it should be put
To no apparent136 likelihood of breach,
Which haply137 by much company might be urged:
Therefore I say with noble Buckingham,
That it is meet139 so few should fetch the prince.
HASTINGS And so say I.
RICHARD Then be it so, and go we to determine
Who they shall be that straight shall post142 to Ludlow.
Madam, and you my sister, will you go
To give your censures144 in this business?
Exeunt. Buckingham and Richard remain
BUCKINGHAM My lord, whoever journeys to the prince,
For God’s sake, let not us two stay at home.
For by147 the way I’ll sort occasion,
As index148 to the story we late talked of,
To part the queen’s proud kindred from the prince.
RICHARD My other self, my counsel’s150 consistory,
My oracle, my prophet, my dear cousin,
I, as a child, will go by thy direction.152
Towards Ludlow then, for we’ll not stay behind.
Exeunt
running scene 5
Enter one Citizen at one door, and another at the other
FIRST CITIZEN Good morrow, neighbour. Whither away so fast?
SECOND CITIZEN I promise you, I scarcely know myself.
Hear you the news abroad?3
FIRST CITIZEN Yes, that the king is dead.
SECOND CITIZEN Ill news, by’r lady5, seldom comes the better:
I fear, I fear ’twill prove a giddy6 world.
Enter another Citizen
THIRD CITIZEN Neighbours, God speed.7
FIRST CITIZEN Give you good morrow8, sir.
THIRD CITIZEN Doth the news hold9 of good King Edward’s death?
SECOND CITIZEN Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while.10
THIRD CITIZEN Then, masters11, look to see a troublous world.
FIRST CITIZEN No, no. By God’s good grace his son shall reign.
THIRD CITIZEN Woe to that land that’s governed by a child.
SECOND CITIZEN In him there is a hope of government,
Which in his nonage15, council under him,
And in his full and ripened years, himself,
No doubt shall then, and till then govern well.
FIRST CITIZEN So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
Was crowned in Paris but at nine months old.
THIRD CITIZEN Stood the state so?20 No, no, good friends, God wot,
For then this land was famously enriched
With politic grave counsel22; then the king
Had virtuous uncles to protect23 his grace.
FIRST CITIZEN Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.
THIRD CITIZEN Better it were they all came by his father,
Or by his father there were none at all.
For emulation27, who shall now be nearest,
Will touch us all too near28, if God prevent not.
O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,
And the queen’s sons and brothers haught30 and proud:
And were they to be ruled, and not to rule,
This sickly land might solace32 as before.
FIRST CITIZEN Come, come, we fear the worst. All will be well.
THIRD CITIZEN When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks;
When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
When the sun sets, who doth not look for36 night?
Untimely storms makes men expect a dearth.37
All may be well; but, if God sort38 it so,
’Tis more than we deserve or I expect.
SECOND CITIZEN Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.
You cannot reason almost41 with a man
That looks not heavily42 and full of dread.
THIRD CITIZEN Before the days of change, still43 is it so.
By a divine instinct men’s minds mistrust44
Pursuing danger. As by proof45, we see
The water swell before a boist’rous46 storm.
But leave it all to God. Whither away?47
SECOND CITIZEN Marry, we were sent for to the justices.48
THIRD CITIZEN And so was I. I’ll bear you company.
Exeunt
running scene 6
Enter [the] Archbishop, young York, the Queen and the Duchess
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Last night, I heard, they lay at Stony Stratford1
And as Northampton2 they do rest tonight.
Tomorrow, or next day, they will be here.
DUCHESS OF WORK I long with all my heart to see the prince.
I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear, no. They say my son of York
Has almost overta’en him in his growth.
YORK Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.
DUCHESS OF YORK Why, my good cousin9, it is good to grow.
YORK Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talked how I did grow
More than my brother. ‘Ay’, quoth my uncle Gloucester,
‘Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace.13’
And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,
Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.
DUCHESS OF YORK Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold16
In him that did object the same17 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.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.
DUCHESS OF YORK I hope he is, but yet let mothers doubt.
YORK Now, by my troth23, if I had been remembered,
I could have given my uncle’s grace a flout24,
To touch his growth nearer than he touched mine.25
DUCHESS OF YORK How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.
YORK Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast
That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old.28
’Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
Grandam, this would have been a biting30 jest.
DUCHESS OF YORK I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?
YORK Grandam, his nurse.
DUCHESS OF YORK His nurse? Why, she was dead ere thou wast born.
YORK If ’twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
QUEEN ELIZABETH A parlous35 boy. Go to, you are too shrewd.
DUCHESS OF YORK Good madam, be not angry with the child.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Pitchers have ears.37
Enter a Messenger
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Here comes a messenger. What news?
MESSENGER Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.
QUEEN ELIZABETH How doth the prince?
MESSENGER Well, madam, and in health.
DUCHESS OF YORK What is thy news?
MESSENGER Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret43,
And with them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
DUCHESS OF YORK Who hath committed them?
MESSENGER The mighty dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK For what offence?
MESSENGER The sum of all I can48, I have disclosed.
Why or for what the nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lord.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Ay me, I see the ruin of my house.51
The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind52,
Insulting53 tyranny begins to jut
Upon the innocent and aweless throne.54
Welcome, destruction, blood and massacre.
I see, as in a map56, the end of all.
DUCHESS OF YORK Accurséd and unquiet wrangling day?,
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 tossed,
For me to joy and weep their gain and loss.
And being seated62, and domestic broils
Clean overblown63, themselves the conquerors,
Make war upon themselves, brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self. O, preposterous65
And frantic outrage66, end thy damnèd spleen,
Or let me die, to look on earth no more!
To young York
QUEEN ELIZABETH Come, come, my boy, we will to sanctuary.68—
To the Duchess
Madam, farewell.
DUCHESS OF YORK Stay, I will go with you.
QUEEN ELIZABETH You have no cause.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK My gracious lady, go,
And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I’ll resign unto your grace
The seal75 I keep: and so betide to me
As well I tender you and all of yours!
Go, I’ll conduct you to the sanctuary.
Exeunt
running scene 7
The trumpets sound. Enter young Prince [Edward], the Dukes of Gloucester [Richard] and Buckingham, Lord Cardinal with others
BUCKINGHAM Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.1
RICHARD Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts’ sovereign.2
The weary way hath made you melancholy.
PRINCE EDWARD No, uncle, but our crosses4 on the way
Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy.5
I want6 more uncles here to welcome me.
RICHARD Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years
Hath not yet dived into the world’s deceit.
No more can you distinguish of a man
Than of his outward show, which — God he knows —
Seldom or never jumpeth11 with the heart.
Those uncles which you want were dangerous:
Your grace attended13 to their sugared words,
But looked not on the poison of their hearts.
God keep you from them, and from such false friends.
PRINCE EDWARD God keep me from false friends, but they were none.
RICHARD My lord, the Mayor of London comes to greet you.
Enter Lord Mayor
LORD MAYOR God bless your grace with health and happy days.
PRINCE EDWARD I thank you, good my lord, and thank you all.—
I thought my mother, and my brother York,
Would long ere21 this have met us on the way.
Fie, what a slug22 is Hastings, that he comes not
To tell us whether they will come or no.
Enter Lord Hastings
BUCKINGHAM And, in good time, here comes the sweating lord.
PRINCE EDWARD Welcome, my lord. What, will our mother come?
HASTINGS On what occasion26, God he knows, not I,
The queen your mother, and your brother York,
Have taken sanctuary. The tender28 prince
Would fain29 have come with me to meet your grace,
But by his mother was perforce30 withheld.
BUCKINGHAM Fie, what an indirect31 and peevish course
Is this of hers?— Lord Cardinal, will your grace
Persuade the queen to send the Duke of York
Unto his princely brother presently?34—
If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him,
And from her jealous36 arms pluck him perforce.
CARDINAL My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory37
Can from his mother win the Duke of York,
Anon39 expect him here. But if she be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God forbid
We should infringe the holy privilege
Of blessèd sanctuary. Not for all this land
Would I be guilty of so great a sin.
BUCKINGHAM You are too senseless44 obstinate, my lord,
Too ceremonious and traditional.
Weigh it but with46 the grossness of this age,
You break not sanctuary in seizing him.
The benefit48 thereof is always granted
To those whose dealings49 have deserved the place,
And those who have the wit50 to claim the place:
This prince hath neither claimed it nor deserved it,
And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it.
Then, taking him from thence that is not there53,
You break no privilege nor charter54 there.
Oft have I heard of sanctuary men,
But sanctuary children ne’er till now.
CARDINAL My lord, you shall o’er-rule my mind for once.—
Come on, Lord Hastings, will you go with me?
HASTINGS I go, my lord.
Exeunt Cardinal and Hastings
PRINCE EDWARD Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may.—
Say, uncle Gloucester, if our brother come,
Where shall we sojourn62 till our coronation?
RICHARD Where it think’st best unto your royal self.
If I may counsel you, some day or two
Your highness shall repose you at the Tower65:
Then where you please, and shall be thought most fit
For your best health and recreation.
PRINCE EDWARD I do not like the Tower, of any place.68—
To Buckingham
Did Julius Caesar build that place, my lord?
BUCKINGHAM He did, my gracious lord, begin that place,
Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified.71
PRINCE EDWARD Is it upon record?72 Or else reported
Successively from age to age, he built it?
BUCKINGHAM Upon record, my gracious lord.
PRINCE EDWARD But say, my lord, it were not registered75,
Methinks the truth should live from age to age,
As ’twere retailed77 to all posterity,
Even to the general ending day.78
Aside
RICHARD So wise so young, they say, do never live long.79
PRINCE EDWARD What say you, uncle?
RICHARD I say, without characters81, fame lives long.—
Aside
Thus, like the formal Vice82, Iniquity,
I moralize83 two meanings in one word.
PRINCE EDWARD That Julius Caesar was a famous man.
With what his valour did enrich his wit85,
His wit set down to make his valour live.
Death makes no conquest of his conqueror87,
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.
I’ll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham—
BUCKINGHAM What, my gracious lord?
PRINCE EDWARD An if91 I live until I be a man,
I’ll win our ancient right in France again,
Or die a soldier, as I lived a king.
Aside
RICHARD Short summers lightly94 have a forward spring.
Enter young York. Hastings and Cardinal
BUCKINGHAM Now, in good time, here comes the Duke of York.
PRINCE EDWARD Richard of York, how fares our noble brother?
YORK Well, my dear lord, so must I call you now.
PRINCE EDWARD Ay, brother, to our grief98, as it is yours:
Too late99 he died that might have kept that title,
Which by his death hath lost much majesty.
RICHARD How fares our cousin, noble lord of York?
YORK I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,
You said that idle103 weeds are fast in growth:
The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.
RICHARD He hath, my lord.
YORK And therefore is he idle?
RICHARD O, my fair cousin. I must not say so.
YORK Then he is more beholding108 to you than I.
RICHARD He may command me as my sovereign,
But you have power in me as110 in a kinsman.
YORK I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.111
RICHARD My dagger, little cousin? With all my heart.112
PRINCE EDWARD A beggar, brother?
YORK Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,
And being but a toy115, which is no grief to give.
RICHARD A greater gift than that I’ll give my cousin.
YORK A greater gift? O, that’s the sword to it.117
RICHARD Ay, gentle cousin, were it light118 enough.
YORK O, then, I see, you will part but with light gifts.
In weightier things you’ll say a beggar nay.120
RICHARD It is too weighty for your grace to wear.
YORK I weigh it lightly, were it122 heavier.
RICHARD What, would you have123 my weapon, little lord?
YORK I would, that I might thank you as you call me.
RICHARD How?
YORK Little.
PRINCE EDWARD My lord of York will still127 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 ape131,
He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.
Aside
BUCKINGHAM With what a sharp-provided133 wit he reasons!
To mit gate134 the scorn he gives his uncle,
He prettily135 and aptly taunts himself.
So cunning136 and so young is wonderful.
RICHARD 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 EDWARD My Lord Protector will have it so.
YORK I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.
RICHARD Why, what should you fear?
YORK Marry, my uncle Clarence’ angry ghost.
My grandam told me he was murdered there.
PRINCE EDWARD I fear no uncles dead.
RICHARD Nor none that live, I hope.
PRINCE EDWARD 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, Hastings and Dorset.
Richard, Buckingham and Catesby remain
BUCKINGHAM Think you, my lord, this little prating152 York
Was not incensèd153 by his subtle mother
To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?154
RICHARD No doubt, no doubt. O, ’tis a perilous155 boy:
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward156, capable.
He is all the mother’s157, from the top to toe.
BUCKINGHAM Well, let them rest.158—Come hither, Catesby.
Thou art sworn as deeply159 to effect what we intend
As closely160 to conceal what we impart.
Thou know’st our reasons urged161 upon the way,
What think’st thou? Is it not an easy matter
To make William Lord Hastings of our mind163,
For the instalment of this noble duke
In the seat royal of this famous isle?
CATESBY He for his father’s166 sake so loves the prince,
That he will not be won to aught167 against him.
BUCKINGHAM What think’st thou, then, of Stanley? Will not he?
CATESBY He will do all in all as Hastings doth.
BUCKINGHAM Well, then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby.
And, as it were far off171 sound thou Lord Hastings,
How he doth stand affected to172 our purpose,
And summon him tomorrow to the Tower,
To sit174 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 tomorrow hold divided councils180,
Wherein thyself shalt highly181 be employed.
RICHARD Commend me to Lord William.182 Tell him, Catesby.
His ancient knot183 of dangerous adversaries
Tomorrow are let blood184 at Pomfret Castle,
And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,
Give Mistress Shore186 one gentle kiss the more.
BUCKINGHAM Good Catesby, go effect this business soundly.
CATESBY My good lords both, with all the heed188 I can.
RICHARD Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?
CATESBY You shall, my lord.
RICHARD At Crosby House, there shall you find us both.
Exit Catesby
BUCKINGHAM Now my lord, what shall we do if we perceive
Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?193
RICHARD Chop off his head: something we will determine:
And look when I am king, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables196
Whereof the king my brother was possessed.
BUCKINGHAM I’ll claim that promise at your grace’s hand.
RICHARD And look to have it yielded with all kindness.
Come, let us sup betimes200, that afterwards
We may digest201 our complots in some form.
Exeunt
running scene 8
Enter a Messenger to the door of Hastings
MESSENGER My lord, my lord!
Within
HASTINGS Who knocks?
MESSENGER One from the lord Stanley.
Within
HASTINGS What is’t o’clock?
MESSENGER Upon the stroke of four.
Enter Lord Hastings
HASTINGS Cannot my lord Stanley sleep these tedious6 nights?
MESSENGER So it appears by that I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble self.
HASTINGS What then?
MESSENGER Then certifies your lordship that this night
He dreamt the boar11 had razèd off his helm.
Besides, he says there are two councils kept,
And that may be determined13 at the one
Which may make you and him to rue14 at th’other:
Therefore he sends to know your lordship’s pleasure15,
If you will presently16 take horse with him,
And with all speed post17 with him toward the north,
To shun the danger that his soul divines.
HASTINGS Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord,
Bid him not fear the separated council:
His honour21 and myself are at the one,
And at the other is my good friend Catesby,
Where nothing can proceed that toucheth23 us
Where of I shall not have intelligence.24
Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance.25
And for his dreams, I wonder he’s so simple
To trust the mock’ry27 of unquiet slumbers.
To fly28 the boar before the boar pursues,
Were29 to incense the boar to follow us
And make pursuit where he did mean30 no chase.
Go, bicithy master rise and come to me
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where he shall see the boar will use33 us kindly.
MESSENGER I’ll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
Exit
Enter Catesby
CATESBY Many good morrows to my noble lord.
HASTINGS Good morrow, Catesby. You are early stirring.
What news, what news, in this our tott’ring state?
CATESBY It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord,
And I believe will never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland40 of the realm.
HASTINGS How? Wear the garland? Dost thou mean the crown?
CATESBY Ay, my good lord.
HASTINGS I’ll have this crown43 of mine cut from my shoulders
Before I’ll see the crown so foul44 misplaced.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
CATESBY Ay, on my life, and hopes to find you forward46
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.
HASTINGS Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been still my adversaries.
But that I’ll give my voice on Richard’s side
To bar my master’s54 heirs in true descent,
God knows I will not do it, to the death.
CATESBY God keep your lordship in that gracious mind.
HASTINGS But I shall laugh at this a twelvemonth hence,
That they58 which 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.
CATESBY ’T’is a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepared and look not for it.
HASTINGS O, monstrous64, monstrous! And so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so ’twill do
With some men else, that think themselves as safe
As thou and I — who, as thou know’st, are dear
To princely Richard and to Buckingham.
CATESBY The princes both make high account69 of you.—
Aside
For they account70 his head upon the bridge.
HASTINGS I know they do, and I have well deserved it.
Enter Lord Stanley [Earl of Derby]
To Derby
Come on, come on, where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?73
DERBY My lord, good morrow.—Good morrow, Catesby.
You may jest on, but, by the holy rood75,
I do not like these several76 councils, I.
HASTINGS My lord, I hold my life as dear as yours,
And never in my days, I do protest78,
Was it so precious to me as ’tis now.
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant81 as I am?
DERBY The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London,
Were jocund83 and supposed their states were sure,
And they indeed had no cause to mistrust84:
But yet you see how soon the day o’ercast.
This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt86:
Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward.
What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.88
HASTINGS Come, come, have with you.89 Wot you what, my lord?
Today the lords you talk of are beheaded.
LORD DERBY They, for their truth91, might better wear their heads
Than some that have accused them wear their hats.92
But come, my lord, let’s away.
Enter a Pursuivant
HASTINGS Go on before94: I’ll talk with this good fellow.—
Exeunt Derby and Catesby
How now, sirrah?95 How goes the world with thee?
PURSUIVANT The better that your lordship please to ask.
HASTINGS 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,
By the suggestion100 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 state103 than e’er I was.
PURSUIVANT God hold104 it to your honour’s good content.
HASTINGS Gramercy105, fellow. There, drink that for me.
Throws him his purse
PURSUIVANT I thank your honour.
Exit
Enter a Priest
PRIEST Well met, my lord. I am glad to see your honour.
HASTINGS I thank thee, good Sir108 John, with all my heart.
I am in your debt for your last exercise109:
Whispers in his ear
Come the next Sabbath, and I will content110 you.
PRIEST I’ll wait upon your lordship.
Enter Buckingham
BUCKINGHAM What, talking with a priest, Lord Chamberlain?
Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest:
Your honour hath no shriving work114 in hand.
HASTINGS Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
The men you talk of came into my mind.
What, go you toward the Tower?
BUCKINGHAM I do, my lord, but long I cannot stay there.
I shall return before your lordship thence.119
HASTINGS Nay, like enough, for I stay120 dinner there.
Aside
BUCKINGHAM And supper too, although thou know’st it not.—
Come, will you go?
HASTINGS I’ll wait upon your lordship.
Exeunt
running scene 9
Enter Sir Richard Ratcliffe with Halberds, carrying the nobles [Rivers, Grey and Vaughan] to death at Pomfret
RIVERS Sir Richard Ratcliffe, let me tell thee this:
Today shalt thou behold a subject die
For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.
GREY God bless the prince from all the pack of you.
A knot5 you are of damnèd blood-suckers!
VAUGHAN You live that shall cry woe for this hereafter.
RATCLIFFE Dispatch.7 The limit of your lives is out.
RIVERS O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison!
Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
Within the guilty closure10 of thy walls
Richard the Second here was hacked to death.
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat12,
We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.
GREY Now Margaret’s curse is fall’n upon our heads,
When she exclaimed on Hastings, you and I15,
For standing by when Richard stabbed her son.
RIVERS Then cursed she Richard, then cursed she Buckingham,
Then cursed she Hastings. O, remember, God,
To hear her prayer for them, as now for us:
And for20 my sister and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know’st, unjustly must be spilt.
RATCLIFFE Make haste: the hour of death is expiate.23
RIVERS Come, Grey, come, Vaughan, let us here embrace.
Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.
Exeunt
running scene 10
Enter Buckingham, Derby, Hastings, Bishop of Ely, Norfolk, Ratcliffe, Lovell, with others. [They take their seats] at a table
HASTINGS Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met
Is to determine of2 the coronation.
In God’s name speak: when is the royal day?
BUCKINGHAM Is all things ready for the royal time?
DERBY It is, and wants but nomination.5
BISHOP OF ELY Tomorrow, then, I judge a happy6 day.
BUCKINGHAM Who knows the Lord Protector’s mind herein?
Who is most inward8 with the noble duke?
BISHOP OF ELY Your grace, we think, should soonest know his mind.9
BUCKINGHAM We know each other’s faces: for10 our hearts,
He knows no more of mine, than I of yours,
Or I of his, my lord, than you of mine.—
Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.13
HASTINGS I thank his grace, I know he loves me well.
But, for his purpose in the coronation,
I have not sounded16 him, nor he delivered
His gracious pleasure any way therein:
But you, my honourable lords, may name the time,
And in19 the duke’s behalf I’ll give my voice,
Which I presume he’ll take in gentle part.20
Enter [Richard of] Gloucester
BISHOP OF ELY In happy time, here comes the duke himself.
RICHARD My noble lords and cousins22 all, good morrow.
I have been long a sleeper: but I trust
My absence doth neglect24 no great design
Which by my presence might have been concluded.
BUCKINGHAM Had you not come upon your cue, my lord,
William Lord Hastings had pronounced your part27 —
I mean your voice — for crowning of the king.
RICHARD Than my lord Hastings no man might be bolder29:
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.
BISHOP OF ELY Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart.
Exit Bishop
RICHARD Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
They speak
aside
Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business,
And finds the testy gentleman so hot37 aside
That he will lose his head38 ere give consent
His master’s child, as worshipfully39 he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England’s throne.
BUCKINGHAM Withdraw yourself a while. I’ll go with you.
Exeunt [Richard and Buckingham]
DERBY We have not yet set down42 this day of triumph.
Tomorrow, in my judgement, is too sudden,
For I myself am not so well provided44
As else I would be, were the day prolonged.45
Enter the Bishop of Ely
BISHOP OF ELY Where is my lord, the Duke of Gloucester?
I have sent for these strawberries.
HASTINGS His grace looks cheerfully and smooth48 this morning:
There’s some conceit49 or other likes him well,
When that he bids good morrow with such spirit.
I think there’s never a man in Christendom
Can lesser hide his love or hate than he,
For by his face straight53 shall you know his heart.
DERBY What of his heart perceive you in his face
By any livelihood55 he showed today?
HASTINGS Marry, that with no man here he is offended:
For, were he, he had shown it in his looks.
Enter Richard and Buckingham
RICHARD I pray you all, tell me what they deserve
That do conspire my death with devilish plots
Of damnèd witchcraft, and that have prevailed
Upon my body with their hellish charms.61
HASTINGS The tender love I bear your grace, my lord,
Makes me most forward in this princely presence
To doom64 th’offenders, whosoe’er they be:
I say, my lord, they have deservèd death.
RICHARD Then be your eyes the witness of their evil.
Points to his arm
Look how I am bewitched: behold, mine arm
Is like a blasted68 sapling, withered up:
And this is69 Edward’s wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot, strumpet Shore70,
That by their witchcraft thus have markèd me.
HASTINGS If they have done this deed, my noble lord—
RICHARD If? Thou protector of this damnèd 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.76 —
Lovell and Ratcliffe, look that it be done.
The rest that love me, rise and follow me.
Exeunt.
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