Hust. If they have done this thing, my gracious lord,

Glo. If thou protector of this damned strumpet,

Talk'st thou to me of "ifs"? Thou art a trai

tor:

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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 all, except Hastings, Lovel, and Ratcliff.

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

For I, too fond,1 might have prevented this. [Stanley did dream the boar did rase2 his helm; And I did scorn it, and disdain to fly: Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,

The Tower-walls.

SCENE V. The same. 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 begin again, 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?

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As well as I1 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,

¿T avoid the censures of the carping world. Buck. But since you come too late of our intent,2

Yet witness what you hear we did intend: 70 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:3

There, at your meetest vantage of the time, Infert 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,5 And bestial appetite in change of lust; [Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters, wives,

80

Even where his raging eye or savage heart,
Without control, 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; 90
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble duke my father:
Yet touch this sparingly, as 't were 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 99 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.

Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to Doctor Shaw,

[To Catesby] Go thou to Friar Penker;-bid them both

Meet me within this hour at Baynard's Castle.
[Exeunt Lovel, Catesby, and Ratcliff.
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 person
Have any time recourse unto the princes.

Scriv. Here is th' indictment of the goodLord 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! Why, who's so gross9

103

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 naught
When such ill dealing must be seen in
thought.10]

6 No manner person=no manner of person.

7 Precedent, i.e. the first draft of the indictment.

8 Untainted, uncharged with any crime.

9 Gross, dull.

Luxury, i.e. lasciviousness, profligacy.

[Exit.

10 Seen in thought, i.e. in silence, without taking any

visible notice of it.

SCENE VII. The same. Court of Baynard's

Castle.

Enter, from the castle, GLOSTER, and, from another door, BUCKINGHAM, meeting him. Glo. How now, how now! what say the citizens?

Scriv. Here is th' indictment of the good Lord Hastings Which in a set hand fairly is engross'd.-(Act iii. 6. 1, 2.)

Buck. Now, by the holy mother of our Lord, The citizens are mum, say not a word.

And his contract by deputy in France;
[Th' 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

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20

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!" X

Glo. And did they so?

Buck. No, so God help me, they spake not

At lower end of the hall, hurl'd up their caps, And some ten voices cried, "God save King Richard!"

And thus I took the vantage of1 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. ] 41 Glo. What tongueless blocks were they! would they not speak?

Buck. No, by my troth, my lord.

1 Took the vantage of, i.e. took advantage of.

Glo. I go; and if you plead as well for them As I can say nay to thee for myself, 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 entreat your grace, my noble lord,

60

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,
To draw him from his holy exercise.

Buck. Return, good Catesby, to the gracious duke;

Tell him, myself, the mayor and aldermen,
In deep designs and matters of great moment,
No less importing than our general good,
Are come to have some conference with his
grace.

Cate. I'll signify so much unto him straight. [Exit.

Buck. Ah, ha, my lord, this prince is not an Edward!

[He is not lolling on a lewd day-bed,

But on his knees at meditation;

'Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,

Now, Catesby, what says his grace?

Cate. He wonders to what end you have assembled

Such troops of citizens to come to him,
His grace not being warn'd thereof before:
He fears, my lord, you mean no good to him.
Buck. [Sorry I am my noble cousin should
Suspect me, that I mean no good to him:]
By heaven, we come to him in perfect love; 90-
And so once more return and tell his grace.
[Exit Catesby.

When holy and devout religious men
Are at their beads,' 't is much to draw them
thence,-

So sweet is zealous contemplation.

Enter GLOSTER, in a gallery above, between two Bishops.

CATESBY returns.

May. See, where his grace stands 'tween two clergymen !

Buck. [Two props of virtue for a Christian? prince,

To stay him from the fall of vanity:]
And, see, a book of prayer in his hand,-
True ornaments to know a holy man.—

Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince, 100
Lend favourable ear to our request;

And pardon us the interruption

71