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

I 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 hope 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.

3 Cit. Better it were they all came by his father, Or by his father there were none at all; For emulation, who shall now be nearest, Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not. ! 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 on their cloaks;

When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand:
When the sun sets, who doth not look for 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 Pursuing danger; as by proof we see The water swell before a boisterous storm. But leave it all to God. Whither away?

2 Cit. Marry, we were sent for to the justices. 3 Cit. And so was 1: I'll bear you company. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-London. 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 so. Duch. Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night, as we did sit at sup

per,

My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow
More than my brother; "Ay," quoth my uncle
Gloster,

"Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow

apace:"

And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast, Because sweet flowers are slow, and weeds make haste.

Duch. 'Good faith, 'good faith, the saying did not hold

In him that did object the same 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.
Arch. And so, no doubt, he is, my gracious madam.
Duch. I hope, he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remem-
ber'd,

I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,
To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.
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 the 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 report.

Q. Eliz. How doth the prince?
Mess.
Well, madam, and in health.

Duch. What is thy news?

Mess. Lord Rivers and lord Grey are sent to
Pomfret,

And with them sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
Duch. Who hath committed them?
Mess.

Gloster and Buckingham.

The mighty dukes.

For what offence?

Arch.
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 jet

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 conquerors,
Make war upon themselves; brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self:-O! preposterous
And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen;
Or let me die, to look on death no more.

Q. Eliz. Come, come, my boy; we will to sanc-
tuary.-
Madam, farewell.
Duch.

Stay, I will go with you.
Q. Eliz. You have no cause.
Arch.

My gracious lady, go.
[To the Queen.

And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
The seal I keep: and so betide to me,
As well I tender you, and all of yours.
Go; I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.
31

[Exeunt

SCENE I.-London. A Street.

The trumpets sound. Enter the Prince of WALES, GLOSTER, BUCKINGHAM, Cardinal BOURCHIER, and others.

Buck. Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.

Glo. Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts' sovereign:

The weary way hath made you melancholy.

Prince. No, uncle; but our crosses on the way Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy: I want more uncles here to welcome me.

Glo. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years

Hath not yet div'd 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, jumpeth with the heart.
Those uncles, which you want, were dangerous;
Your grace attended to their sugar'd words,
But look'd not on the poison of their hearts:
God keep you from them, and from such false
friends!

Prince. God keep me from false friends! but they were none.

Glo. My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.

Enter the Lord Mayor, and his Train.

May. God bless your grace with health and happy days!

Prince. I thank you, good my lord; and thank you all.[Exeunt Mayor, &c. I thought my mother, and my brother York, Would long ere this have met us on the way:

Fie! what a slug is Hastings, that he comes not To tell us whether they will come or no.

Enter HASTINGS.

Buck. And in good time here comes the sweating lord.

Prince. Welcome, my lord. What! will our mother come?

Hast. On what occasion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother, and your brother York, Have taken sanctuary: the tender prince Would fain have come with me to meet your grace, But by his mother was perforce withheld.

Buck. Fie! what an indirect 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?

If she deny, lord Hastings, go with him,
And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.
Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak ora-

tory

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 great 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 sanctuary 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?

Buck. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place, Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified. Prince. Is it 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 register'd, Methinks, the truth should live from age to age,

165

As 'twere retail'd to all posterity, Even to the general all-ending day.

Glo. So wise so young, they say, do never live long. [Aside.

Prince. What say you, uncle?

Glo. I say without characters fame lives long. Thus, like the formal Vice, Iniquity, [Aside.

I moralize two meanings in one word.
Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous man :
With what his valour did enrich his wit,
His wit set down to make his valour live:
Death makes no conquest of his 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 duke of York.

Prince. Richard of York! how fares our noble brother?

33

York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you

now.

Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours. Too late he died, that might have kept that title, Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

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 I. 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. 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, 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.

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 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' 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, HASTINGS, Cardinal, 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. O! 'tis a perilous

boy;

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

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,

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,
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 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.
Buck. Good Catesby, go; effect this business
soundly.

Cate. My good lords both, with all the heed 1

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 do, if we perceive

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

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.

Glo. And look to have it yielded with all kindness-
Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards
We may digest our complots in some form.

[Exeunt.