Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

Queen. Give me no help in lamentation,
I am not barren.to bring forth laments :
All springs reduce their currents to mine eyes,
That I, being govern'd by the watry 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 Cha-
[Clarence!

5

rence! Dutch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and Queen. What stay had I, but Edward? and he's 10 [gone. Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's Dutch. What stays had I, but they? and they

gone.

are gone.

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

15

The broken rancour of your high-swoln hearts,
But lately splinter'd, knit and join'd together,
Must gently be preserv'd, cherish'd, and kept:
Me seemeth good, that, with some little train,
Forthwithfrom Ludlow the youngprincebefetch'd
Hither to London, to be crown'd our king.

Rio. Why with some little train, my lord of
Buckingham?

Buck. Marry, my lord, lest, by a multitude,
The new-heal'd wound of malice should break out:
Which would be so much the more dangerous,*
Byhowmuchtheestateisgreen, 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. I 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:
20 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.

25

That you take with unthankfulness his doing:
In common worldly things, 'tis call'd-ungrateful, 30
With dull unwillingness to pay a debt,
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more, to be thus opposite with heaven,
For it requires the royal debt it lent you. [ther,
Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mo-35
Of the young prince your son: send straight for

him,

Glo. Then be it so: and go we to determine
Who they shallbe that straight shall post toLudlow.
Madam, and you my mother, will you go
To give your censures in this weighty business?
[Exeunt Queen, &c.

Manent Buckingham, and Gloster.
Buck. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince,
For God's sake, let not us two stay at home;
For, by the way, I'll sort occasion,

As index to the story we late talk'd of, Topart 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. And plant your joys in living Edward's throne. 40 Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.

Let him be crown'd: in him your comfort lives:
Drown desp'rate sorrow in dead Edward's grave,

Enter Gloster, Buckingham, Stanley, Hastings,

and Ratcliff.

Glo. Sister, have comfort: all of us have cause
To wail the dimming of our shining star;
But none can cure their harms by wailing them.-45|
Madam, my mother, I do cry you mercy,
I did not see your grace:-Humbly on my knee
I crave your blessing.
[thy breast,
Dutch. God bless thee; and put meekness in
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![Aside.
I marvel, that her grace did leave it out. [peers,

Buck. You cloudy princes, and heart-sorrowing That bear this mutual heavy load of moan, Now chear 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.

50

1551

SCENE III.

A Street near the Court.

Enter two Citizens, meeting.

[Exeunt.

1 Cit. Good morrow, neighbour: Whither away so fast?

2 Cit. I promise you, I hardly know myself: Hear you the news abroad?

Cit. Yes, that the king is dead.

[better:

2 Cit. Ill news, by'r lady: seldom comes a I fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world. Enter another Citizen. 3 Cit. Neighbours, God speed'

1 Cit. Give you good morrow, sir. [death? 3 Cit. Doth the news hold of good king Edward's 2 Cit. Ay, sir, it is too true; God help, the while! SCit.Then,masters, lookto see a troublousworld.

'Edward the young prince, in his father's life-time, and at his demise, kept his household at Ludlow, as prince of Wales, under the governance of Anthony Woodville, earl of Rivers, his uncle by the mother's side. The intention of his being sent thither was to see justice done in the Marches; and, by the authority of his presence, to restrain the Welchmen, who were wild, dissolute, and ill-disposed, from their accustomed murders and outrages. i. e. your opinions. 2. e. preparatory-by way of prelude.

1 Cit. No, no; by God's good grace, his son
shall reign.
[child!

3 Cit. Woe to that land, that's govern'd by a
2 Cit. In him there is a hope of government; ;
That, in his nonage, 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.

[blocks in formation]

3 Cit. Stood the state so? no, no, good friends, 10
God wot;

For then this land was famously enrich'd
With politick grave counsel; then the king
Had virtuous uncles to protect his grace. [mother.
1 Cit. Why, so hath this, both by his father and 15
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 God prevent not.
O, full of danger is the duke of Gloster; [proud: 20
And the queen's sons, and brothers, haught and
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.
[their cloaks; 25
3 Cit. When clouds are seen, wise men put on
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 God 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.

30

3 Cit. Before the days of change, still is it so:35 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 God. Whither away? 2 Cit. Marry, we were sent for to the justices. 3 Cit. And so was I; I'll bear you company.

SCENE IV.

A Room in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York,
the Queen, and the Dutchess of York.
Arch. Last night, I heard, they lay at Northamp
At Stony-Stratford they do rest to-night: [ton!
To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.
Dutch. I long with all my heart to see the prince:
I hope, he is much grown since last I saw him.
Queen. But I hear, no; they say, my son of York
Has almost overta'en him in his growth.

40

45

1

That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious. Arch. And so, no doubt, he is, my gracious madam.

I

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

could have given my uncle's grace a flout,
To touch his growth, nearer than he touch'd mine.
Dutch. 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 years old;
'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.
Dutch. I pr'ythee, pretty York, who told thee
York. Grandam, his nurse.

[this?

Dutch. His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou
wast born.
[me.
York. If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told
Queen. A parlous' boy:-Go to, you are too
shrewd.
[child.

Dutch. Good madam, be not angry with the
Queen. Pitchers have ears,

Enter a Messenger.

[unfold.

Arch. Here comes a messenger: What news?
Mes. Such news, my lord, as grieves me to
Queen. How doth the prince?
Mes. Well, madam, and in health.
Dutch. What is thy news?

Mes. Lord Rivers, and lord Grey,
Are sent to Pomfret, prisoners; and, with them,
Sir Thomas Vaughan.

[ham.

Dutch. Who hath committed them?
Mes. The mighty dukes, Gloster and Bucking-
Queen. For what offence?

Mes. The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd;
Why, or for what, the nobles were committed,
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.

Queen, Ah me, I see the ruin of my house!
The tyger now hath seiz'd the gentle hind;
Insulting tyranny begins to jut

Upon the innocent and awless' throne :Welcome destruction, blood, and massacre! 50I see, as in a map, the end of all.

Dutch, 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,
55 For me to joy, and weep, their gain, and loss:
And being seated, and domestick broils

York. Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.
Dutch. 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 Glos-
Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace: 60
And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,

[ter,

Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors,
Make war upon themselves; brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self:-O, preposterous
And frantick outrage, end thy damned spleen;"
Or let me die, to look on death no more!

1 Wretched here means paltry, pitiful, being below expectation. 2 To be remembered is used by Shakspeare to imply, to have one's memory quick, to have one's thoughts about one.

is keen, shrewd, i. e. not producing awe, not reverenced. To jut upon is to encroach.

Tt4

3 Parlous

Queen.

[graphic]

Queen. You have no cause.

Arch. My gracious lady, go.

As well I tender you, and all of 5 Come, I'll conduct you to the san

SCENE I.

In London.

ACT III.

The trumpets sound. Enter the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of Gloster and Buckingham, Cardinal Bourchier, and others.

Buck. WELCOME, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber'. [reign: Glo. Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts' soveThe weary way hath made you melancholy.

Prince. No, uncle; but our crosses on the way Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy: I want more uncles here to welcome me. [years Glo. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your Hath not yet div'd into the world's deceit :" No more can you distinguish of a man, Than of his outward shew; which, God he 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: God keep you from them, and from such false friends!

Prince. God keep me from false friends! but they were none. [greet you. Glo. My lord, the mayor of London comes to Enter the Lord Mayor, and his Train. Mayor. God bless your grace with health and happy days!

Prince. I thank you, good my lord :-and thank

you all.

I thought, my mother, and my brother York, Would long ere this have met us on the way :Fie, what a slug is Hastings! that he comes not To tell us, whether they will come, or no.

Enter Hastings.

[blocks in formation]

Can from his mother win the duk Anon expect hini here: But if she To mild entreaties, God in heav We should infringe the holy priv Of blessed sanctuary! not for all 25 Would I be guilty of so deep as

30

35

140

45

Buck. You are too senseless-obs Too ceremonious, and traditiona Weigh it but with the grossness You break not sanctuary in seizin The benefit thereof is always gran To those whose dealings have des And those who have the wit to cla This prince hath neither claim'd it, Therefore, in mine opinion, cann Then, taking him from thence, tha You break no privilege nor chart Oft I have heard of sanctuary me But sanctuary children, ne'er till Card. My lord, you shall o'er for once.

Come on, lord Hastings, will you Hast. I go, my lord.

Prince. Good lords, make all th

you may.

[Exeunt Cardinal, Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother Where shall we sojourn 'till our co

Glo. Where it seems best unto y If I may counsel you, some day, 50 Your highness shall repose you at Then where you please, and sha most fit

Buck, And, in good time, here comes the sweating lord. [mother come? Prince. Welcome, my lord: What, will our Hast. On what occasion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother, and your brother York, 55 Have taken sanctuary: The tender prince Would fain have come with me to meet your grace, But by his mother was perforce withheld,

Buck. Fie! what an indirect and peevish course Is this of hers?-Lord cardinal, will your grace

[ocr errors][merged small]

60

For your best health and recreatio

Prince. I do not like the Tower, o Did Julius Cæsar build that place,

Glo. He did, my gracious lord, be Which, since, succeeding ages have Prince. Is it upon record? or el Successively from age to age, he b Buck. Upon record, my graciou

2 Ceremonious for superstitious; t

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. How?
York. Little.

Prince. My lord of York will still be cross in falk;

Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live 5 Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him. long 2.

Prince. What say you, uncle?

Glo. I say, without characters, fame lives long. Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity,

I moralize, two meanings in one word. } Aside.

Prince. That Julius Caesar 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.

4

Glo. Short summers lightly have a forward spring.

[Aside

York. You mean to bear me, not to bear with

[blocks in formation]

Enter York, Hastings, and the Cardinal. Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the 25 [brother?

duke of York.

Prince. Richard of York, how fares our loving
York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you

now.

Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours: 30 Too late he died, that might have kept that title,

Which by his death has lost much majesty.

Glo. How fares our cousin, noble lord of York?
York. I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord, 35
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?

Prince. My lord protector needs will have it so.
York. I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.
Glo. Why, what should you fear?

York. Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost;
My grandam told me, he was murther'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 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;
40 He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.
Buck. Well, let them rest. Come hither,
Catesby; thou art sworn

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, give me this dagger.
Glo. My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart. 45
Prince. A beggar, brother?

York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give:
And, being but a toy, which is no gift to give.
Glo, A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.
York. Å greater gift! O, that's the sword to it: 50
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?
[me.
York. I would, that I might thank you as you call

[blocks in formation]

55

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?

Cates. 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?

Cates. 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,

A proverbial line. By vice the author means not a quality, but a
i.e. commonly. in ordinary course. 6i.e. too lately. the loss ik

To sit about the coronation.
If thou dost find him tractable to us,
Encourage him, and tell hin 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,

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;
5 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
To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers:
10 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 will use us kindly.
Mes. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you
say.
[Exit.
Enter 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 15
soundly.
[can.

Cates. My good lords both, with all the heed I
Glo. Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we
Cates. You shall, my lord.
Glo. At Crosby-place, there you shall find us 20
[sleep
both.
[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 25
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'llclaimthat promise at your grace's hand. 30
Glo. And look to have it yielded withallkindness.
Come, let us sup betimes; that afterwards,
We may digest our complots in some form.
[Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]

Cates. Many good morrows to my noble lord Hast. Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring;

[ocr errors]

What news, what news, in this our tottering state?
Cates. 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.
Cates. Ay, my good lord. [the crown?
Hast. I'll have this crown of mine cut from
Before I'll see the crown so foul misplac'd.
my shoulders,
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it? [ward
Cates. Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you for-
Upon his party, for the gain thereof:

And, thereupon, he sends you this good news,35 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,
40 To bar my master's heirs in true descent,

God knows, I will not do it, to the death. [mind!
Cates. God keep your lordship in that gracious
Hast. But I shall laugh at this a twleve-month
hence,-

45 That they, who brought me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.

Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older,
I'll send some packing, that yet think not on't.

Cates. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord, 50 When men are unprepar'd, and look not for it.

Mes.Then certifies your lordship, that this night
He dreamt, 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 th' other. 55
Therefore he sends to know your lordship's plea-
If presently you will take horse with him, [sure,-
And with all speed post with him toward the north,
To shun the danger that his soul divines.

Hast.Omonstrous, monstrous! and so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do
With some men else, who think themselves as safe
To princely Richard, and to Buckingham.
As thou, and I; who, as thou know'st, are dear ·

Cates. 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.

1i. e. a private consultation, separate from the known and public council. rashed is alway given to describe the violence inflicted by a boar. By a boar, throughout this scene, 2. This term rased or is meant Gloster, who was called the boar, or the hog, as has been before observed, from his having a boar for his cognizance, and one of the supporters of his coat of arms. or act of malevolence, by which they may be justified.

3i.e, wanting some example

Enter

« ÎnapoiContinuă »