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 9 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 friend 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

I 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?
somewhat we
Glo. Chop off his head, man : —
will do:-
And, look, when I am king, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables
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 kind-

sure,

If presently, you will 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 councils :
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, wanting instance':
And for his dreams - I wonder, he's so fond

Enter CATESBY.

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 forward you 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, who brought me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.
Well, Catesby, cre 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.

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!

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 BISHOP OF ELY.

Ely. Where is my lord protector? I have sent For these strawberries.

Hast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this
morning;

There's some conceit 9 or other likes him well,
When he doth bid good morrow with such spirit.
I think, there's ne'er a man in Christendom,
Can lesser hide his love, or hate, than he;
For by his face straight shall ye know his heart.

Stan. What of his heart perceive you in his face, By any likelihood 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 noble presence To doom the 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 wanton 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 Catesby, look that it be done; The rest that love me, rise, and follow me.

[Exeunt Council, with GLOSTER and
BUCKINGHAM.
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;
But I disdain'd it, and did scorn to fly,

Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,
And startled, when he look'd upon the Tower,
As loath to bear me to the slaughter-house.
O, now I want 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.

Enter GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM, in rusty Armour, marvellous ill-favour'd.

Glo. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change 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.

Enter LovEL and RATCLIFF, with HASTINGS's 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't 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,

Would you imagine, or almost believe, (Wer't not, that by great preservation We live to tell it you,) the subtle traitor

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 Heaven,

9 Thought.

To murder me, and my good lord of Gloster?
May. What! had he so ?

Glo. What! think you we are Turks, or infidels? Or that we would, against the form of law, 1 Pretending.

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 befall you! he deserv'd his death;
And your good graces both have well proceeded,
To warn false traitors from the like attempts.
I never look'd for better at his hands,
After he once fell in with mistress Shore.
Buck. 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,
Somewhat against our meaning, hath prevented:
Because, my lord, we 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
Misconstruc us in him, and wail his death.
May. But, my good lord, your grace's word 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 came 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: The, 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 restless appetite in change of lust; Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters, wives, Even where his raging eye, or savage heart, Without controul, listed to make his 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 just computation of the time, Found, that the issue was not his begot; Which well appeared in his lineaments, Being nothing like the noble duke 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.

my

Meet

And to give notice, that no manner of 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 precedent2 was full as long a doing:
And yet within these five hours Hastings liv'd,
Untainted, unexamined, 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 bad dealing must be seen in thought.

-

[Exit.

SCENE VII.
Enter GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM, meeting.
Glo. How now, how now? what say the citizens?
Buck. The citizens are mum, say not a word.
Glo. Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's chil-
dren?

Court of Baynard's Castle.

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 grew to an 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 Heaven help me, they spake not a

word;

But like dumb statues, or breathless stones,
Star'd on each other, and look'd deadly pale.
Which when I saw I reprehended them;
And ask'd the mayor, what meant this wilful silence:
His answer was,
the people were not us'd
To be spoke to, but by the recorder.
Then he was urg'd to tell my tale again:
Thus saith the duke, thus hath the duke inferr'd;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some followers of mine own,
At lower end o'the hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cried, God save king Richard!
And thus I took the vantage of 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.

Glo. What tongueless blocks were they; Would they not speak?

Will not the mayor then, and his brethen, come? 2 Original draft.

Buck. The mayor is here at hand: intend3 some
fear;

Be not you spoke with, but by mighty suit:
And look you, get a prayer-book in your hand,
And stand between two churchmen, good my lord;
For on that ground I'll make a holy descant :
And be not easily won to our requests.

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,
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 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, in matter 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.

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

He is not lolling on a wanton bed,
But on his knees at meditation;
Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body,
But praying, to enrich his watchful soul:
Happy were England, would this virtuous prince
Take on himself the sovereignty thereof:
But, sure, I fear, we shall ne'er win him to it.
May. Marry, Heaven forbid, his grace should say
us nay!

Buck. I fear, he will; Here Catesby comes
again;

-

And, see, a book of prayer in his hand;
True ornaments to know a holy man. —
Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince,
Lend favourable ear to our requests;
And pardon us the interruption

Of thy devotion, and right-christian zeal.
Glo. My lord, there needs no such apology;
I rather do beseech you pardon me,
Who, earnest in the service of my God,
Neglect the visitation of my friends.
Bu, leaving this, what is your grace's pleasure?
Buck. Even that, I hope, which pleaseth Heaven
above,

And all good men of this ungovern'd isle.

Glo. I do suspect, I have done some offence, That seems disgracious in the city's eye; And that you come to reprehend my ignorance. Buck. You have, my lord; Would it might please

your grace,

On our entreaties to amend your fault!

Glo. Else wherefore breathe I in a christian land? Buck. Know, then, it is your fault, that you resign The supreme seat, the throne majestical, The scepter'd office of your ancestors, Your state of fortune, and your due of birth, The lineal glory of your royal house, To the corruption of a blemish'd stock: Whilst, in the mildness of your sleepy thoughts, (Which here we waken to our country's good,) The noble isle doth want her proper limbs ; Her face defac'd with scars of infamy, Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants, And almost shoulder'd 5 in the swallowing gulf Of dark forgetfulness and deep oblivion. Which to recure 6, we heartily solicit Your gracious self to take on you the charge And kingly government of this your land: Not as protector, steward, substitute, Or lowly factor for another's gain : But as successively, from blood to blood, Your right of birth, your empery 7, your own. For this, consorted with the citizens, Your very worshipful and loving friends, And by their vehement instigation, In this just suit come I to move your grace. Glo. I cannot tell, if to depart in silence, Or bitterly to speak in your reproof, Best fitteth my degree, or your condition: If, not to answer, — you might haply think, Tongue-tied ambition, not replying, yielded To bear the golden yoke of sovereignty, Which fondly you would here impose on me; If to reprove you for this suit of yours, So season'd with your faithful love to me, Then, on the other side, I check'd my friends. Therefore to speak, and to avoid the first; And, then in speaking, not to incur the last, Definitively thus I answer you. Your love deserves my thanks; but my desert Unmeritable, shuns your high request. First, if all obstacles were cut away, And that my path were even to the crown, Yet so much is my poverty of spirit, As the ripe revenue and due of birth; So mighty, and so many my defects, That I would rather hide me from my greatness, Being a bark to brook no mighty sea, Than in my greatness covet to be hid, And in the vapour of my glory smother'd. 5 Thrust into. 6 Recover.

7 Empire

-