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Buck. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace, [To the QUEEN.] but with all duteous love

Doth cherish you, and yours, Heaven punish me
With hate in those where I expect most love!
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he unto me! this do I beg of heaven,
When I am cold in love, to you or yours.

[Embracing RIVERS, &c. K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Bucking

ham,

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Enter GLOSTER.

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quest'st.

Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk.

K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death,

Glo. Good morrow to my sovereign king, and And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave? My brother kill'd no man, his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was bitter death.

queen;

And, princely peers, a happy time of day!

K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the Who sued to me for him? who, in my wrath,

day:

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Brother, we have done deeds of charity;

Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.

Glo. A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege. Among this princely heap, if any here,

By false intelligence, or wrong surmise,
Hold me a foe;

If I unwittingly, or in my rage,

Have aught committed that is hardly borne
By any in this presence, I desire

To reconcile me to his friendly peace:
'Tis death to me, to be at enmity;

I hate it, and desire all good men's love. -
First, madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service;
Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham,
If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us;
Of you, lord Rivers, - and lord Grey, of you,
That all without desert have frown'd on me;
Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, of all.
I do not know that Englishman alive,
With whom my soul is any jot at odds,
More than the infant that is born to-night;
I thank my God for my humility.

Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter :

I would to heaven all strifes were well com

pounded.

My sovereign lord, I do beseech your highness
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.

Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this,
To be so flouted in this royal presence?
Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead?
[They all start.
You do him injury to scorn his corse.
K. Edw. Who knows not he is dead! who knows

he is?

Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this Buck. Look I so pale, lord Dorset as the rest? Dor. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the pre

sence,

But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.

K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd.

Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died. And that a winged Mercury did bear;

Kneel'd at my feet, and bade me be advis'd? Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? Who told me, how the poor soul did forsake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me? Who told me, in the field of Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he rescued me, And said, Dear brother, live, and be a king? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his garments; and did give himself, All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night? All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you Had so much grace to put it in my mind. But when your carters or your waiting-vassals, Have done a drunken slaughter, and defac'd The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon' And I, unjustly too, must grant it you :— But for my brother, not a man would speak, Nor I (ungracious) speak unto myself For him, poor soul. - The proudest of you all Have been beholden to him in his life; Yet none of you would once plead for his life. O God! I fear thy justice will take hold On me, and you, and mine, and yours, for this. Come, Hastings, help me to my closet. O, Poor Clarence!

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Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head,
And call us orphans, wretches, cast-aways,
If that our noble father be alive?

Duch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both.
I do lament the sickness of the king,

As loath to lose him, not your father's death;
It were lost sorrow, to wail one that's lost.

Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead.
The king my uncle is to blame for this.

Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love you well:

Incapable 6 and shallow innocents,

You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death.

Son. Grandam, we can: for my good uncle Gloster
Told me, the king, provok'd to't by the queen,
Devis'd impeachments to imprison him:
And when my uncle told me so, he wept,
And pitied me, and kindly kiss'd my cheek;
Bade me rely on him, as on my father,
And he would love me dearly as his child.

That I, being govern'd by the wat'ry moon,
May send forth plenteous tears to drown the world!
Ah, for my husband, for my dear lord Edward!
Chil. Ah, for our father, for our dear lord Cla-
rence!

Duch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and
Clarence!

Q. Eliz. What stay had I, but Edward? and he's
gone.

Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's

gone.

Duch. What stays had I, but they? and they are

gone.

Q. Eliz. Was never widow, had so dear a loss.
Chil. Were never orphans, had so dear a loss.
Duch. Was never mother, had so dear a loss.
Alas! I am the mother of these griefs;
Their woes are parcell'd 7, mine are general.
She for an Edward weeps, and so do I;
I for a Clarence weep, so doth not she:

Duch. Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle These babes for Clarence weep, and so do I:

shapes

And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice!

He is my son, ay, and therein my shame,
Yet from my breast he drew not this deceit.

Son. Think you, my uncle did dissemble, gran-
dam?

Duch. Ay, boy.

Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this?

Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH, distractedly; RIVERS and DORSET, following her.

I for an Edward weep, so do not they :
Alas! you three, on me, threefold distress'd,
Pour all your tears; I am your sorrow's nurse,
And I will pamper it with lamentations.

Dor. Comfort, dear mother; God is much dis
pleas'd,

That you take with unthankfulness his doing;
In common worldly things, 'tis called — ungrateful,
With dull unwillingness to repay a debt,
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more to be thus opposite with heaven,

Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and For it requires the royal debt it lent you.

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That our swift-winged souls may catch the king's;
Or, like obedient subjects, follow him
To his new kingdom of perpetual rest.

Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother,
Of the young prince your son: send straight for him,
Let him be crown'd; in him your comfort lives:
Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward's grave,
And plant your joys in living Edward's throne.

Enter GLOSTER, BUCKINGHAM, STANLEY, HASTINGS,
RATCLIFF, and others.

Glo. Sister, have comfort: all of us have cause
To wail the dimming of our shining star;
But none can cure their harins by wailing them.
Madam, my mother, I do cry you mercy,

I did not see your grace: - Humbly on my knee

Duch. Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow, I crave your blessing.

As I had title in thy noble husband!

I have bewept a worthy husband's death,
And liv'd by looking on his images :

But now two mirrors of his princely semblance
Are crack'd in pieces by malignant death;
And I for comfort have but one false glass,
That grieves me when I see my shame in him.
Thou art a widow; yet thou art a mother,
And hast the comfort of thy children left thee:
But death hath snatch'd my husband from my arms,
And pluck'd two crutches from my feeble hands,
Clarence and Edward. O, what cause have I,
(Thine being but a moiety of my grief,)
To over-go thy plaints, and drown thy cries!
Son. Ah, aunt! you wept not for our father's
death;

How can we aid you with our kindred tears?
Daugh. Our fatherless distress was left unmoan'd,
Your widow-dolour likewise be unwept!

Q. Eliz. Give me no help in lamentation,
I am not barren to bring forth laments:
All springs reduce their currents to mine eyes,
6 Ignorant.

Duch. God bless thee; and put meekness in thy breast,

Love, charity, obedience, and true duty!

Glo. Amen; and make me die a good old man! That is the butt-end of a mother's blessing; [dside. I marvel that her grace did leave it out.

Buck. You cloudy princes, and heart-sorrowing
peers,

That bear this mutual heavy load of moan,
Now cheer each other in each other's love:
Though we have spent our harvest of this king,
We are to reap the harvest of his son.
The broken rancour of your high-swoln hearts,
But lately splinted, knit, and join'd together,
Must gently be preserv'd, cherish'd, and kept:
Me seemeth good, that, with some little train,
Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be fetch'd
Hither to London, to be crown'd our king.

Riv. Why with some little train, my lord of Buck

ingham?

Buck. Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude,
The new-heal'd wound of malice should break out;
7 Divided,
Nn

Which would be so much the more dangerous,
By how much the estate is green, and yet ungovern'd:
Where every horse bears his commanding rein,
And may direct his course as please himself,
As well the fear of harm, as harm apparent,
In my opinion, ought to be prevented.

Glo. hope, the king made peace with all of us;
And the compact is firm, and true, in me.

Riv. And so in me; and so, I think, in all:
Yet, since it is but green, it should be put
To no apparent likelihood of breach,
Which, haply, by much company might be urg'd:
Therefore I say, with noble Buckingham,
'That it is meet so few should fetch the prince.
Hast. And so say I.

Glo. Then be it so; and go we to determine
Who they shall be that straight shall post to Ludlow.
Madam, .and you my mother, -
will you go
To give your censures & in this weighty business?
[Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM and GLOSTER.
Buck. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince,
For heaven's sake, let not us two stay at home:
For, by the way, I'll sort occasion,

As index 9 to the story we late talk'd of,
To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince.
Glo. My other self, my counsel's consistory,
My oracle, my prophet ! . My dear cousin,
I, as a child, will go by thy direction.
Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.

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1 Cit.

Enter another Citizen.

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.

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 this nonage 1, 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,

not so ;

For then this land was famously enrich'd
With politick grave counsel; then the king
Had virtuous uncles to protect his grace.

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 heaven 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 Ensuing danger; as, by proof, we see The water swell before a boist'rous storm. But leave it all to heaven. Whither away? 2 Cit. Marry, we were sent for to the justices. 3 Cit. And so was I; I'll bear you company. [Exeunt.

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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 supper,
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 madarn.
Duch. I hope, he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'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;

1 Cit. Why, so hath this, both by his father and "Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth. mother.

3 Cit. Better it were they all came by his father; Or, by his father, there were none at all : For emulation now, who shall be nearest, Will touch us all too near, if heaven prevent not. O, full of danger is the duke of Gloster; 9 i c. Preparatory.

8 Opinions.

1 Minority.

Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.
Duch. I pr'ythee, pretty York, who told you 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 2 Converse.

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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 'gainst self: - O, preposterous And frantick courage, end thy wicked spleen! Or let me die, to look on death no more !

Q. Eliz. Come, come, my boy, we will to sanctuary. 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 me,

As well I tender you, and all of yours!

Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary. [Exeunt.

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Hath not yet div'd into the world's deceit :
No more can you distinguish of a man,
Than of his outward show; which, heaven 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:
Heaven keep you from them, and from such false
friends!

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

Glo. My lord, the mayor of London comes to

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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, heaven 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. Fye! 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

oratory

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 deep 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.

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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.

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Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place:Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? Glo. 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, As 'twere retail'd to all posterity, Even to the general all-ending day.

Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long.

Prince. What say you, uncle?

[Aside.

Glo. I say, without charácters, fame lives long.

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 gracious lord, will't please you pass along?

Myself, and my good cousin Buckingham,
Will to your mother; to entreat of her,

Thus like the formal vice, Iniquity,} [Aside. To meet you at the Tower, and welcome you.

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 this 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 loving

brother?

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

now.

Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours; Too late 6 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 is he more beholden 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, then, 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.

4 Sensible Vice, the buffoon in the old plays.
5 Commonly.
6 Lately.

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, sir, 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,

[Exeunt PRINCE, YORK, HASTINGS, Cardinal, and Attendants.

Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating York Was not incensed 7 by his subtle mother, To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

Glo. No doubt, do doubt; O, 'tis a parlous boy;
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable®;
He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.

Buck. Well, let them rest.—
Come hither, gentle 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 scat royal of this famous isle?

Cate. He for his father's sake so loves the priną
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.

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