Unto his princely brother presently? If she deny,-lord Hastings, go with him, Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Buck. You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord, Too ceremonious, and traditional:" Weigh it but with the grossness of this age," To those whose dealings have deserv'd the place, But sanctuary children, ne'er till now. Card. My lord, you shall o'er-rule my mind for once. Come on, lord Hastings, will you go with me? Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may. Exeunt Cardinal and HASTINGS. Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother come, 6 Too ceremonious, and traditional:] Ceremonious for superstitious; traditional for adherent to old customs. 7 Weigh it but with the grossness of this age,] That is, compare the act of seizing him with the gross and licentious practices of these times, it will not be considered as a violation of sanctuary, for you may give such reasons as men are now used to admit. Where shall we sojourn till our coronation? Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place: Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? Glo. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified. Prince. Is it upon record? or else reported Successively from age to age he built it? Buck. Upon record, my gracious lord. 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, 8 Even to the general all-ending day. Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long. Prince. What say you, uncle? [Aside. Glo. I say, without charácters, fame lives long. Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity, Aside. I moralize two meanings in one word." Prince. That Julius Cæsar 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; 8 As 'twere retail'd to all posterity,] Retailed means handed down from one to another. 9 Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity, I moralize two meanings in one word.] The Vice of the old moralities was a buffoon character, whose chief employment was to make the audience laugh, and one of the modes by which he effected his purpose was by double meanings, or playing upon words. In these moral representations, Fraud, INIQUITY, Covetousness, Luxury, Gluttony, Vanity, &c. were frequently introduced. The formal Vice perhaps means, the shrewd, the sensible Vice. For now he lives in fame, though not in life.- Prince. An if I live until I be a man, Glo. Short summers lightly1 have a forward spring. [Aside. Enter YORK, HASTINGS, and the Cardinal. Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the duke of York. Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving brother? York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now. 3 Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours: Too late he died, that might have kept that title, Which by his death hath lost much majesty. Glo. How fares our cousin, noble lord of York? York. I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord, 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? 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. 2 York. I pray you, uncle, then, give me this dagger. Glo. My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart. lightly-] Commonly, in ordinary course. dread lord;] The original of this epithet applied to kings has been much disputed. In some of our old statutes the king is called Rex metuendissimus. JOHNSON. 3. Too late he died,] i. e. too lately, the loss is too fresh in our memory. 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 and me; He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. 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? * I weigh it lightly, &c.] i. e. I should still esteem it but a trifling gift, were it heavier, or perhaps, I'd weigh it lightly,— i. e. I could manage it, though it were heavier. Prince. My lord protector needs will have it so. 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 taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously? Glo. No doubt, no doubt: O, 'tis a parlous boy; Come hither, gentle Catesby; thou art sworn As closely to conceal what we impart: Thou know'st our reasons urg'd upon the way;— In the seat royal of this famous isle? Cate. He for his father's sake so loves the prince, Cate. He will do all in all as Hastings doth. 5 Was not incensed] i. e. incited or suggested. 6 capable;] here, as in many other places in these plays, means intelligent, quick of apprehension. |