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Mess. So it appears by that I have to say. First, he commends him to your noble self. Hast. What then?

Mess. Then certifies your lordship, that this night He dreamt the boar had rased off his helm: Besides, he says, there are two councils kept; And that may be determin'd at the one, Which may make you and him to rue at th' other. Therefore, he sends to know your lordship's plea

sure,

If you will presently 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 council:
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, without instance:
And for his dreams-I wonder he's so simple
To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers.
To fly the boar, before the boar pursues,
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?
Cute. 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,—
That this same very day your enemies,
The kindred of the queen, must die at Pomfret.
Hast. 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's heirs in true descent,
God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Cate. God keep your lordship in that gracious mind.

Hast. But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence,

That they 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.

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.

Cute. 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:-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 yours; And never, in my days, I do protest, Was it so precious to me as '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,

Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were sure.
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.

Hast. Go on before; I'll talk with this good fellow. [Exeunt STANLEY 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, was I 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.

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Rat. Despatch: the limit of your lives is out. Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O, 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:
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.

Grey. Now Margaret's curse is fall'n upon our heads,

When she exclaim'd on Hastings, you, and I,
For standing by when Richard stabb'd her son.
Riv. Then curs'd she Richard, then curs'd she
Buckingham,

Then curs'd she Hastings :-O, remember, God,
To hear her prayer for them, as now for us!
And for my sister, and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know'st, unjustly must be spilt!
Rat. Make haste: the hour of death is expiate.
Riv. Come, Grey,-come, Vaughan;-let us
here embrace :

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven. [Exeunt.

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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.

Hast. Now, noble peers, the cause why we are

met

Is to determine of the coronation :
In God's name, speak, when is this royal day!
Buck. Are all things ready for the royal time?
Stan. They are; and want but nomination.
Ely. To-morrow, then, I judge a happy day.
Buck. Who knows the lord protector's mind
herein ?

Who is most inward with the noble duke?

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;
Nor I of his, my lord, than you of mine.
Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.

Hast. I thank his grace, I know he loves me well;

But for his purpose in the coronation,

I have not sounded him, nor he deliver'd
His gracious pleasure any way therein:

But you, my honourable lords, may name the time;
And in the duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which, I presume, he'll take in gentle part.

Enter GLOSTER.

Ely. In happy time here comes the duke himself.

Glo. My noble lords and cousins, all, good mor

row.

I have been long a sleeper; but, I trust,
My absence doth neglect no great design,
Which by my presence might have been concluded.
Buck. Had you not come upon your cue, my
lord,

William lord Hastings had pronounc'd your part,
I mean, your voice, for crowning of the king.

Glo. Than my lord Hastings, no man might be
bolder:

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.
Ely. Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart.
[Exit ELY.
Glo. Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
[Takes him aside.
Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business,
And finds the testy gentleman so hot,
That he will lose his head, ere give consent,
His master's child, as worshipfully he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England's throne.
Buck. Withdraw yourself awhile; I'll go with
you. [Exeunt GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM.
Stan. We have not yet set down this day of
triumph.

To-morrow, in my judgment, is too sudden;
For I myself am not so well provided,
As else I would be, were the day prolong'd.

Re-enter the Bishop of ELY.

Ely. Where is my lord, the duke of Gloster? I have sent for these strawberries. Hast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this morning:

There's some conceit or other likes him well,
I think, there's never a man in Christendom
When that he bids good morrow with such spirit.
Can lesser hide his love, or hate, than he;
For by his face straight shall you know his heart.
Stan. What of his heart perceive you in his
face,

By any livelihood he show'd to-day?

Hast. Marry, that with no man here he is offended;

For, were he, he had shown it in his looks.

Re-enter GLOSTer, and BuckinGHAM.

Glo. I pray you all, tell me what they deserve, That do conspire my death with devilish plots Of damned witchcraft? and that have prevail'd Upon my body with their hellish charms?

Hast. The tender love I bear your grace, my

lord,

Makes me most forward in this princely presence
To doom th' offenders: whosoe'er they be,
I say, my lord, they have deserved death.

Glo. Then, be your eyes the witness of their evil.

Look how I am bewitch'd; behold mine arm
Is like a blasted sapling wither'd up:
And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot, strumpet Shore,
That by their witchcraft thus have marked me.
Hast. If they have done this deed, my noble
lord,-

Glo. If! thou protector of this damned 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.-
Lovel, and Ratcliff, look that it be done :
The rest, that love me, rise, and follow me.

[Exeunt Council, with GLOSTER and BUCK

INGHAM.

Hast. Woe, woe, for England! not a whit for

me;

For I, too fond, might have prevented this.
Stanley did dream the boar did rase his helm;
And I did scorn it, and disdain'd to fly.
Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,
And started when he look'd upon the Tower,
As loath to bear me to the slaughter-house.
O! now I need the priest that spake to me :
I now repent I told the pursuivant,
As too triumphing, how mine enemies,
To-day at Pomfret bloodily were butcher'd,
And I myself secure in grace and favour.
O, Margaret, Margaret! now thy heavy curse
Is lighted on poor Hastings' wretched head.

Rat. Come, come; despatch, the duke would be at dinner:

Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head.

Hast. O, momentary grace of mortal men! Which we more hunt for than the grace of God. Who builds his hope in air of your good looks, Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast; Ready with every nod to tumble down Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

Lov. Come, come, despatch: 'tis bootless to exclaim.

Hast. O, bloody Richard!-miserable England!

I prophesy the fearfull'st time to thee,
That ever wretched age hath look'd upon.
Come, lead me to the block; bear him my head:
They smile at me, who shortly shall be dead.

¡Exeunt

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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: 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. Lord mayor,—

Glo. Look to the drawbridge there!
Buck.

Hark! a drum.

Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls.
Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent,—
Glo. Look back, defend thee: here are enemies.
Buck. God and our innocency defend and guard
us!

Enter LovEL, and RATCLIFF, with HASTINGS' 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 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,

He liv'd from all attainder of suspects.

Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor

That ever liv'd.—

Would you imagine, or alinost believe,
Were't not that by great preservation
We live to tell it, that the subtle traitor
This day had plotted, in the council house,
To murder me, and my good lord of Gloster?
May. Had he done 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.

Buck. I never look'd for better at his hands, After he once fell in with mistress Shore; 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, Something against our meanings, hath prevented: Because, my lord, I would have had you heard The traitor speak, and timorously confess The manner and the purpose of his treasons;

That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who haply, may

Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.

May. But, my good lord, your grace's words 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 come 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 Guildhall 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 controul lusted to make a 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 true 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 Guildhall affords.

[Exit BUCKINGHAM. Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,Go thou-[To CATESBY.]-to friar Penker:-bid them both

Meet me within this hour at Baynard's castle.
[Exeunt LovEL and CATESBY.

Now will I go, to take some privy order,
To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight;
And to give order, that no manner person
Have any time recourse unto the princes. [Erit.

SCENE VI.-A Street.

Enter a Scrivener.

Scriv. 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 ill dealing must be seen in thought.

[Exit.

SCENE VII.-The Same. The Court of Baynard's Castle.

Enter GLOSTER at one door, and BUCKINGHAM at another.

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?

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 drew toward 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 word;

But, like dumb statues, or breathing stones,

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