1 Glo. Commend me to Lord William: tell him, Cates by, Buck, Good Catesby, go, effect this business soundly. Glo. At Crosby-place, there shall you find us both. 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 Buck. I'll claim that promise at your grace's hand. We may digest our complots in some form. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Before Lord Hastings' House, Mess. [Knocking. One from Lord Stanley. Hast. [Within.] What is 't o'clock Enter HASTINGS. Hast, Cannot thy master sleep these tedious nights? Mess. And then he sends you word, he dreamt Which may make you and him to rue at the other. If presently, you will take horse with him, And with all speed post with him toward the north, Hast. Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord; 1. Tell him, his fears are shallow, wanting instance: And make pursuit, where he did mean no chase. Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly. Moss. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say. [Exit. 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? 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,- The kindred of the queen, must die at Pomfret. A Cate. God keep your lordship in that gracious mind!' Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older, Hast. O, monstrous, monstrous! and so falls it out 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? Stan. My lord, good morrow; and good morrow, 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 you do yours; And never, in my life, I do protest, Was it more precious to me than 'tis now: I would be so triumphant as I am? Stan. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were sure, Pray God, I say, 1 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. Hast. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fellow. [Exeunt STAN. and CATESBY. How now, sirrah? how goes the world with thee? Purs. The better, that your lordship please to ask. Hast. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now, Than when thou met'st me last where now we meet: 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 hon our. Hast. I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart. I am in your debt for your last exercise; Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you. Enter BUCKINGHAM, Buck. What, talking with a priest, lord chamberlain? Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest; Your honour hath no shriving work in hand. Hast, 'Good faith, and when I met this holy man, The men you talk of came into my mind. What, go you toward the Tower? Buck. I do, my lord; but long I cannot stay there: I shall return before your lordship thence. Hast. Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there. Buck. And supper too, although thou know'st it not. [Aside. SCENE III. Pomfret. Before the Castle. Enter RATCLIFF, with a Guard, conducting RIVERS, Rat. Come, bring forth the prisoners. To-day, shalt thou behold a subject die, 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! 0 thou bloody prison, Fatal and ominous to noble peers! Within the guilty closure of thy walls Richard the Second here was hack'd to death: Riv. Then curs'd she Hastings, then curs'd she Then curs'd she Richard:- 0, remember, God, Farewell, until we meet again in heaven. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. London. A Room in the Tower. BUCKINGHAM, STANLEY, HASTINGS, the BISHOP OF ELY, CATESBY, LOVEL, and Others, sitting at a Table; Officers of the Council attending. 1s Hast. Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met to determine of the coronation: -- In God's name, speak, when is the royal day? Ely. Your grace, we think, should soonest know his mind. Buck. We know each other's faces; for our hearts,-* He knows no more of mine, than I of yours; King Richard III. |