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 by his subtle mother

To scorn and taunt you thus opprobriously?

Glo. No doubt, no doubt: O, 'tis a parlous boy :
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable ;5
He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.

Buck. Well, let them rest.-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;

[5] Capable; here, as in many other places in these plays, means intelligent, quick of apprehension. MAL.

And summon him to-morrow to the Tower,
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, 6
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 ?

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 kindness. Come, let us sup betimes; that afterwards

We may digest our complots in some form.

SCENE II,"

[Exeunt.

Before Lord HASTINGS' House. Enter a Messenger.

Mes. My lord, my lord,

Hast. [Within.] Who knocks?

Mes. One from lord Stanley.

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

Mes. Upon the stroke of four.

[Knocking.

[6] That is, a private consultation, separate from the known and public Council. So, in the next scene, Hastings says:

"Bid him not fear the separated councils."

JOHNS.

[7] Every material circumstance in the following scene is taken from Holinshed's Chronicle, except that it is a knight with whom Hastings contrses, instead of Buckingham, STEEV.

Enter HASTINGS.

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

Mes. 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 pleasure,— If presently, you will take horse with him,

And with all speed post with him towards 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
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 will use us kindly.
Mes. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say. [Exit.
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,

[8] That is, wanting some example or act of malevolence, by which they may be justified or which, perhaps, is nearer to the true meaning, want ing any immediate ground or reason. JOHNS.

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 forward 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, ere 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 net 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
For they account his head upon the bridge.

you,-
[Aside.

Hast. I know, they do; and I have well deserv'd it.

Enter STANLEY.

Come on, come on, where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?

Stan. My lord, good morrow :-and, good morrow,
Catesby :-

You may jest on, but, by the holy rood,9

I do not like these several councils, I.

Hast. My lord, I hold my life as dear as your's.;

And never, in my life, I do protest,

Was it more precious to me than 'tis now:
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

[9] i. e. the cross. So in Spenser's Fairy Queen, B. VI. c. vi:
"And nigh thereto a little chapell stoode
Which being all with yvy overspred,
Deck'd all the roofe, and shadowing the roode,
Seem'd like a grove fair branched overhed."

STEEV.

Stan. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from

London,

Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were sure,
And they, indeed, had no cause to mistrust ;
But yet, you see, how soon the day o'er-cast.
This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt:

Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward!
What, shall we toward the Tower? the day is spent.
Hast. Come, come, have with you.'-Wot you what,
my lord?

To-day, the lords you talk of are beheaded.

Stan. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads,

Than some, that have accus'd them, wear their hats. But come, my lord, let's away.

Enter a Pursuivant.
Hast. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fellow.
[Exeunt STANLEY and CATESBY.
How now, sirrah, how goes the world with thee?
Purs. The better, that your lordship please to ask.
Hast. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now,
Than when thou met'st me last where now we meet :
Then was I going prisoner to the Tower,

By the suggestion of the queen's allies;
But now, I tell thee (keep it to thyself),
This day those enemies are put to death,
And I in better state than e'er I was.

Purs. God hold it, to your honour's good content!
Hast. Gramercy, fellow: There, drink that for me.
[Throwing him his purse.
[Exit Pursuivant.

Purs. I thank your honour.

Enter a Priest.

Priest. Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your

honour.

Hast. I thank thee, good sir John, with all my heart. I am in your debt for your last exercise ;2

Come the next sabbath, and I will content you.

Enter BUCKINGHAM.

Buck. What, talking with a priest, lord chamberlain? Your friends at Pomfret, they do need a priest;

Your honour hath no shriving work in hand.3

[1] This phrase signified merely "I will go along with you ;" and is an expression in use at this day. M. MASON.

[2] Attending him in private to hear his confession.

[3] Shriving work is confession.

JOHNS.

MAL.