The same.

SCENE V.

The Tower Walls. Enter 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 :2 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?

Glo. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along.
Enter the Lord 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's 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,

[1] Thus Holinshed: "The protector immediately after dinner, intending to set some colour upon the matter, sent in all haste for many substantial men out of the citie into the tower; and at their coming, himselfe with the duke of Buckingham, stood harnessed in old ill-faring briganders, such as no man should weene they would vouchsafe to have put upon their backes. except that some sudden necessitie had constreined them." STEEV. E2] That is, pretending. STEEV.

30*

VOL. V.

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,
(Wer'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 befal 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 :
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 signify'd 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 lord mayor, we bid farewell.

[Exit Lord Mayor.

Glo. Go, after, after, cousin Buckingham.

The mayor towards Guild-hall hies him in all post :-
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 Guild-hall affords.

[Exit BUCKINGHAM. Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,Go thou [To CAT.] 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.

SCENE VI.

A Street. Enter a Scrivener.

[Exit.

Scri. 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.3 [Exit.

SCENE VII.

The same.

Court of Baynard's Castle.
BUCKINGHAM, meeting

Enter GLOSTER and

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 children?
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.

13] That is, seen in silence, without notice or detection.

JOHNS.

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 cry'd, 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 even 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; intend some fear;4 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,5

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?
Cate. He doth intreat 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,

Todraw him from his holy exercise.

Buck. Return, good Catesby, to the gracious duke ; Tell him, myself, the mayor, and aldermen,

In deep designs, in matter of great moment,

[4] Perhaps, pretend; though intend will stand in the sense of giving at

tention.

JOHNS

[5] Buckinghm is to plead for the citizens; and if (says Richard) you speak for them as plausibly as I in my own person, or for my own purposes, shall seem to deny your suit, there is no doubt but we shall bring all to a happy issue. STEEV,