SCENE IV. London. A room in the Tower. BUCKINGHAM, STANLEY, In God's name, speak, when is the royal day? Buck. Who knows the lord protector's mind herein ? Who is most inward with the noble duke ? Ely. Your grace, we think, should soonest know his mind. Buck. We know each other's faces: for our hearts,He knows no more of mine, than I of yours; Nor I, of his, my lord, than you of mine :Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love. Hast. I thank his grace, I know he loves me well; I have not sounded him, nor he deliver'd Ely. In happy time, here comes the duke himself. Glo. My noble lords and cousins, all, good-morrow : I have been long a sleeper; but, I trust, My absence doth neglect no great design, Which by my presence might have been concluded. Glo. Than my lord Hastings, no man might be bolder ; [5] i. e. the only thing wanting, is appointment of a particular day for the ceremony. STEEVENS. [6] This expression is borrowed from the theatre. The cue, queue, or tail of a speech consists of the last words, which are the token for an entrance or answer. To come on the cue, therefore, is to come at the proper time. JOHNSON. Ely. Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart. [Exit ELY Glo. Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you. [Takes him aside. Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business; That he will lose his head, ere give consent, Buck. Withdraw yourself awhile, I'll go with you. For I myself am not so well provided, As else I would be, were the day prolong'd. Ely. Where is my lord protector? I have sent For these strawberries. Hast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this morn ing; There's some conceit or other likes him well, 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, Hast. The tender love I bear your grace, my lord, Glo. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil, And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch, JOHNSON. That by their witchcraft thus have marked me. Hast. If they have done this deed, my noble lord,- Lovel, and Catesby, look, that it be done; [Exeunt council, with GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM. Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,®. Cate. Despatch, my lord, the duke would be at dinner; Ready, with every nod, to tumble down Into the fatal bowels of the deep. Lov. Come, come, despatch; 'tis bootless to exclaim. Hast. Oh, bloody Richard!-miserable England! I prophesy the fearful'st time to thee, That ever wretched age hath look'd upon.- [Exeunt. [8] So, in The Legend of Lord Hastings, M.D. 1463. [Master Dolman.] "My palfry, in the playnest paved streete, Thryse bow'd his boanes, thryse kneled on the flower, Thryse shonnd (as Balams asse) the dreaded tower." The housings of a horse, and sometimes the horse himself, were anciently denomi nated a foot-cloth. STEEVENS. [9] So, Horace: Nescius auræ fallacis. JOHNSON. The same. SCENE V. The Tower walls. Enter GLOSTER and BUCK INGHAM, in rusty armour, marvellous ill-favoured.' • Glo. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change thy colour? Murder thy breath in middle of a word,- As if thou wert distraught, and mad with terror? Glo. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along. Enter the Lord Mayor, and CATESBY. Buck. Let me alone to entertain him.-Lord mayor,Glo. Look to the draw-bridge there. Buck. Hark, hark! a drum. Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls. Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent for you,- Glo. So dear I lov'd the man, that I must weep. So smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue, I mean, his conversation with Shore's wife, [1] Thus Holinshed: "The protector immediately after dinner, intending to set some colour upon the matter, sent in all haste for many substantial men out of the citie into the tower; and at their coming, himselfe with the duke of Buckingham, stood harnessed in old ill-faring briganders, such as no man should weene they would vouchsafe to have put upon their backes, except that some sudden necessitie liad constreined them." STEEVENS. [2] That is, pretending. STEEVENS. He liv'd from all attainder of suspect. Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor That ever liv'd.-Look you, my lord mayor, Would you imagine, or almost believe, Glo. What! think you we are Turks, or infidels ? The peace of England, and our persons' safety, May. Now, fair befall you! he deserv'd his death; heard Buck. Yet had we not determin'd he should die, you Misconstrue 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. [Exit Lord Mayor. |