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HASTINGS: I'll wait upon your lordship. |
RATCLIFF: Come, bring forth the prisoners. |
RIVERS: Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this: To-day shalt thou behold a subject die For truth, for duty, and for loyalty. |
GREY: God keep the prince from all the pack of you! A knot you are of damned blood-suckers! |
VAUGHAN: You live that shall cry woe for this after. |
RATCLIFF: Dispatch; the limit of your lives is out. |
RIVERS: 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 thee up our guiltless blood to drink. |
GREY: Now Margaret's curse is fall'n upon our heads, For standing by when Richard stabb'd her son. |
RIVERS: Then cursed she Hastings, then cursed she Buckingham, Then cursed she Richard. O, remember, God To hear her prayers 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. |
RATCLIFF: Make haste; the hour of death is expiate. |
RIVERS: Come, Grey, come, Vaughan, let us all embrace: And take our leave, until we meet in heaven. |
HASTINGS: My lords, at once: the cause why we are met Is, to determine of the coronation. In God's name, speak: when is the royal day? |
BUCKINGHAM: Are all things fitting for that royal time? |
DERBY: It is, and wants but nomination. |
BISHOP OF ELY: To-morrow, then, I judge a happy day. |
BUCKINGHAM: Who knows the lord protector's mind herein? Who is most inward with the royal duke? |
BISHOP OF ELY: Your grace, we think, should soonest know his mind. |
BUCKINGHAM: Who, I, my lord I we know each other's faces, But for our hearts, he knows no more of mine, Than I of yours; Nor I no more of his, than you of mine. Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love. |
HASTINGS: 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 noble 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. |
BISHOP OF ELY: Now in good time, here comes the duke himself. |
GLOUCESTER: My noble lords and cousins all, good morrow. I have been long a sleeper; but, I hope, My absence doth neglect no great designs, Which by my presence might have been concluded. |
BUCKINGHAM: Had not you come upon your cue, my lord William Lord Hastings had pronounced your part,-- I mean, your voice,--for crowning of the king. |
GLOUCESTER: Than my Lord Hastings no man might be bolder; His lordship knows me well, and loves me well. |
HASTINGS: I thank your grace. |
GLOUCESTER: My lord of Ely! |
BISHOP OF ELY: My lord? |
GLOUCESTER: When I was last in Holborn, I saw good strawberries in your garden there I do beseech you send for some of them. |
BISHOP OF ELY: Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart. |
GLOUCESTER: Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you. Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business, And finds the testy gentleman so hot, As he will lose his head ere give consent His master's son, as worshipful as he terms it, Shall lose the royalty of England's throne. |
BUCKINGHAM: Withdraw you hence, my lord, I'll follow you. |
DERBY: We have not yet set down this day of triumph. To-morrow, in mine opinion, is too sudden; For I myself am not so well provided As else I would be, were the day prolong'd. |
BISHOP OF ELY: Where is my lord protector? I have sent for these strawberries. |
HASTINGS: His grace looks cheerfully and smooth to-day; There's some conceit or other likes him well, When he doth bid good morrow with such a spirit. I think there's never a man in Christendom That can less hide his love or hate than he; For by his face straight shall you know his heart. |
DERBY: What of his heart perceive you in his face By any likelihood he show'd to-day? |
HASTINGS: Marry, that with no man here he is offended; For, were he, he had shown it in his looks. |
DERBY: I pray God he be not, I say. |
GLOUCESTER: 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? |
HASTINGS: The tender love I bear your grace, my lord, Makes me most forward in this noble presence To doom the offenders, whatsoever they be I say, my lord, they have deserved death. |
GLOUCESTER: Then be your eyes the witness of this ill: See 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. |
HASTINGS: If they have done this thing, my gracious lord-- |
GLOUCESTER: If I thou protector of this damned strumpet-- Tellest thou 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. |
HASTINGS: Woe, woe for England! not a whit for me; For I, too fond, might have prevented this. Stanley did dream the boar did raze 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-hou... |
RATCLIFF: Dispatch, my lord; the duke would be at dinner: Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head. |
HASTINGS: O momentary grace of mortal men, Which we more hunt for than the grace of God! Who builds his hopes 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. |
LOVEL: Come, come, dispatch; 'tis bootless to exclaim. |
HASTINGS: O bloody Richard! miserable England! I prophesy the fearful'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 that shortly shall be dead. |
GLOUCESTER: Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change thy colour, Murder thy breath in the middle of a word, And then begin again, and stop again, As if thou wert distraught and mad with terror? |
BUCKINGHAM: 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... |
GLOUCESTER: He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along. |
BUCKINGHAM: Lord mayor,-- |
GLOUCESTER: Look to the drawbridge there! |
BUCKINGHAM: Hark! a drum. |
GLOUCESTER: Catesby, o'erlook the walls. |
BUCKINGHAM: Lord mayor, the reason we have sent-- |
GLOUCESTER: Look back, defend thee, here are enemies. |
BUCKINGHAM: God and our innocency defend and guard us! |
GLOUCESTER: Be patient, they are friends, Ratcliff and Lovel. |
LOVEL: Here is the head of that ignoble traitor, The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings. |
GLOUCESTER: So dear I loved the man, that I must weep. I took him for the plainest harmless creature That breathed upon this 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 mea... |
BUCKINGHAM: Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor That ever lived. Would you imagine, or almost believe, Were't not that, by great preservation, We live to tell it you, the subtle traitor This day had plotted, in the council-house To murder me and my good Lord of Gloucester? |
Lord Mayor: What, had he so? |
GLOUCESTER: What, think You we are Turks or infidels? Or that we would, against the form of law, Proceed thus rashly to the villain's death, But that the extreme peril of the case, The peace of England and our persons' safety, Enforced us to this execution? |
Lord Mayor: Now, fair befall you! he deserved his death; And you my good lords, 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. |
GLOUCESTER: Yet had not we determined he should die, Until your lordship came to see his death; Which now the loving haste of these our friends, Somewhat against our meaning, have prevented: Because, my lord, we would have had you heard The traitor speak, and timorously confess The manner and the purpose of his treason... |
Lord Mayor: But, my good lord, your grace's word shall serve, As well as I had seen and heard him speak And doubt you not, right noble princes both, But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens With all your just proceedings in this cause. |
GLOUCESTER: And to that end we wish'd your lord-ship here, To avoid the carping censures of the world. |
BUCKINGHAM: But since you come too late of our intents, Yet witness what you hear we did intend: And so, my good lord mayor, we bid farewell. |
GLOUCESTER: Go, after, after, cousin Buckingham. The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post: There, at your meet'st advantage 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,... |
BUCKINGHAM: Fear 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. |
GLOUCESTER: If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's Castle; Where you shall find me well accompanied With reverend fathers and well-learned bishops. |
BUCKINGHAM: I go: and towards three or four o'clock Look for the news that the Guildhall affords. |
GLOUCESTER: Go, Lovel, with all speed to Doctor Shaw; Go thou to Friar Penker; bid them both Meet me within this hour at Baynard's Castle. 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 of person At any time have recourse unto the princes. |
Scrivener: This is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings; Which in a set hand fairly is engross'd, That it may be this day read over in Paul's. And mark how well the sequel hangs together: Eleven hours I spent to write it over, For yesternight by Catesby was it brought me; The precedent was full as long a-doing: And... |
GLOUCESTER: How now, my lord, what say the citizens? |
BUCKINGHAM: Now, by the holy mother of our Lord, The citizens are mum and speak not a word. |
GLOUCESTER: Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's children? |
BUCKINGHAM: 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, His resemblance, being not like the duke; Withal I did infer you... |
GLOUCESTER: Ah! and did they so? |
BUCKINGHAM: No, so God help me, they spake not a word; But, like dumb statues or breathing stones, Gazed each on 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 wont To be spoke to but by the recorder. Then he w... |
GLOUCESTER: What tongueless blocks were they! would not they speak? |
BUCKINGHAM: No, by my troth, my lord. |
GLOUCESTER: Will not the mayor then and his brethren come? |
BUCKINGHAM: The mayor is here at hand: intend some fear; Be not you spoke with, but by mighty suit: And look you get a prayer-book in your hand, And stand betwixt two churchmen, good my lord; For on that ground I'll build a holy descant: And be not easily won to our request: Play the maid's part, still answer nay, and ... |
GLOUCESTER: I go; and if you plead as well for them As I can say nay to thee for myself, No doubt well bring it to a happy issue. |
BUCKINGHAM: Go, go, up to the leads; the lord mayor knocks. Welcome my lord; I dance attendance here; I think the duke will not be spoke withal. Here comes his servant: how now, Catesby, What says he? |
CATESBY: My lord: he doth entreat your grace; To visit him to-morrow or next day: He is within, with two right reverend fathers, Divinely bent to meditation; And no worldly suit would he be moved, To draw him from his holy exercise. |
BUCKINGHAM: Return, good Catesby, to thy lord again; Tell him, myself, the mayor and citizens, In deep designs and matters of great moment, No less importing than our general good, Are come to have some conference with his grace. |
CATESBY: I'll tell him what you say, my lord. |
BUCKINGHAM: 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, 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 ... |
Lord Mayor: Marry, God forbid his grace should say us nay! |
BUCKINGHAM: I fear he will. How now, Catesby, what says your lord? |
CATESBY: My lord, He wonders to what end you have assembled Such troops of citizens to speak with him, His grace not being warn'd thereof before: My lord, he fears you mean no good to him. |
BUCKINGHAM: Sorry I am my noble cousin should Suspect me, that I mean no good to him: By heaven, I come in perfect love to him; And so once more return and tell his grace. When holy and devout religious men Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them thence, So sweet is zealous contemplation. |
Lord Mayor: See, where he stands between two clergymen! |
BUCKINGHAM: 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, Lend favourable ears to our request; And pardon us the interruption Of thy devotion and right Christian zeal. |
GLOUCESTER: 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. But, leaving this, what is your grace's pleasure? |
BUCKINGHAM: Even that, I hope, which pleaseth God above, And all good men of this ungovern'd isle. |
GLOUCESTER: I do suspect I have done some offence That seems disgracious in the city's eyes, And that you come to reprehend my ignorance. |
BUCKINGHAM: You have, my lord: would it might please your grace, At our entreaties, to amend that fault! |
GLOUCESTER: Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land? |
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