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.
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

Because that I am little, like an ape,

and me;

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,

To meet you at the Tower, and welcome you.
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, no 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. -

8

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 seat royal of this famous isle?

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

And, as it were far off, sound thou lord Hastings,
How he doth stand affected to our purpose;
And summon him to-morrow to the Tower,

7 Incited:

8 Intelligent.

VOL. VII.

G

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 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,

both.

Glo. At Crosby-place, there shall you find us [Exit CATESBY. Buck. Now, my lord, what shall we do, if we

perceive

Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?
Glo. Chop off his head, man: somewhat we

will do:

And, look, when I am king, claim thou of me The earldom of Hereford, and all the moveables 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

ness.

Come, let us sup betimes; that afterwards

We may digest our complots in some form. [Exeunt.

9 Separate.

One from lord Stanley.

Mess.

Hast. [Within.] What is't o'clock?

Mess. Upon the stroke of four.

Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. Cannot thy master sleep the tedious nights? Mess. So it should seem by that I have to say. First, he commends him to your noble lordship. Hast. And then,

Mess. And then he sends you word, he dreamt To-night the boar had rased off his helm: Besides, he says, there are two councils held; And that may be determin'd at the one,

Which may make you and him to rue at the other. Therefore he sends to know your lordship's plea

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: 1
And for his dreams — I wonder, he's so fond 2

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 3 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?
Cate. 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 for-
ward

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 ain 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.

3 i. e. Gloster, who had a boar for his arms.