A Enter two Citizens, meeting. 1 Cit. Good morrow, neighbour : Whither away so fast? 2 Cit. I promise you, I scarcely know myself : Hear you the news abroad? 1 Cit. Yes; the king's dead, 2 Cit. Ill news, by'r lady; seldom comes the better : I fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world, Enter another Citizen. 3 Cit. Neighbours, God speed ! 1 Cit. Give you good morrow, sir. 3 Cit. Doth the news hold of good king Edward's death? 2 Cit. Ay, sir, it is too true; God help, the while ! 3 Çit. Then, masters, look to see a troublous world. 1 Cit. No, no; by God's good grace, his son shall reign. 3 Cit. Woe to that land, that's govern'd by a child ! 2 Cit. In him there is a hope of government ; i Cit. So stood the state, when Henry the sixth Was crown'd in Paris but at nine months old. 7 Minority 3 Cit. Stood the state so? no, no, good friends, God wot;8 8 For then this land was famously enrich'd mother. 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 ; And the queen's sons, and brothers, haught and proud : And were they to be rul'd, and not to rule, This sickly land might solace as before. i Cit. Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be well. 3 Cit. When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks ; 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 "Tis more than we deserve, or I expect. 2 Cit. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear : You cannot reason9 almost with a man That looks not heavily, and full of dread. 3 Cit. Before the days of change, still is it so: By a divine instinct, men's minds mistrust Ensuing danger; as, by proof, we see so, 8 Knows. 9 Converse. The water swell before a boist'rous storm. 2 Cit. Marry, we were sent for to the justices, [Exeunt. Enter the Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York, Queen ELIZABETH, and the Duchess of York. Stratford; Duch. I long with all my heart to see the prince; I hope, he is much grown since last I saw him. Q. Eliz. But I hear, no; they say, my son of York Hath almost overta'en him in his growth. York. Ay, mother, but I would not have it so. Duch. Why, my young cousin; it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night, as we did sit at sup per, My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow More than my brother; Ay, quoth my uncle Gloster, Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace : And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast, Because sweet flowers are slow, and weeds make haste. Duch. 'Good faith, 'good faith, the saying did not hold . In him that did object the same to thee : Arch. And so, no doubt, he is, my gracious madam. ber'd, I could have given my uncle's grace a fout, To touch his growth, nearer than he touch'd mine. Duch. How, my young York? I pr’ythee, let me hear it. Duch. I pr’ythee, pretty York, who told thee this ? wast born. York. If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me. Q. Eliz. A parlous' boy: Go to, you are too shrewd. Arch. Good madam, be not angry with the child. Q. Eliz. Pitchers have ears. Enter a Messenger. Here comes a messenger ; Arch, What news? Mess. Such news, my lord, i Perilous, dangerous, As grieves me to unfold. How doth the prince? What is thy news ? Mess. Lord Rivers, and lord Grey, are sent to Pomfret, Duch. Who hath committed them? The mighty dukesy For what offence ? my house ! Duch. Accursed and unquiet wrangling days! eyes beheld ? you have mine |