Exter King Edward fick, the Queen, Dorset, Rivers,
Hafling, Buckingham, Grey, and others.
K. Edw. WHY, fo: -now have I done a good
You peers, continue this united league:
every day expect an embaffage
From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; And now in peace my foul thall part to heaven, Since I have made my friends at peace on earth. Rivers, and Haftings, take each other's hand; Diffemble not your hatred, fwear your love. Riv. By heaven, my foul is purg'd from grudg- ing hate;
And with my hand I feal my true heart's love. Haf. So thrive 1, as I truly fwear the like! K. Edw. Take heed, you dally not before your king;
Left he, that is the fupreme King of kings, Confound your hidden falfhood, and award Either of you to be the other's end.
Haft. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love. Riv. And I, as I love Hattings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourfelf are not exempt in this,-
Nor your fon Dorfet,-Buckingham, nor you;- You have been factious one against the other. Wife, love lord Haftings, let him kits your hand; And what you do, do it unfeignedly. [remember Queen. There, Haftings;-I will never more Our former hatred, fo thrive I, and mine!
K. Edw. Dorfet, embrace him ;-Haftings, love lord marquis.
Dor. This enterchange of love, I here proteft, Upon my part, fhall be inviolable. Hafl. And fo fwear 1.
K. Fdw. Now, princely Buckingham, feal thou With thy embracements to my wife's allies, And make me happy in your unity.
Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble Enter Glofter.
[duke. Gb. Good-morrow to my fovereign, king, and And, princely peers, a happy time of day! [queen;
K. Edu. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the
Brother, we have done deeds of charity; [day :
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Between thefe fwelling wrong-incenfed peers.
Glo. A bleffed labour, my most fovereign liege Among this princely heap, if any here, By faife intelligence, or wrong furmile, Hold me a foe; if I unwittingly Have aught committed that is hardly borne By any in this prefence, I defire To reconcile me to his friendly peace : 'Tis death to me, to be at enmity;
I hate it, and defire all good men's love.-- Firit, madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchafe with my duteous fervice;— Of you, my noble coufin Buckingham,
If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us ;— Of you, lord Rivets,—and, lord Grey, of you, That all without defert have frown'd on me ;- Of you, lord Woodville,--and, lord Scales, of you,-• Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, of all. I do not know that Englishman alive, With whom my foul is any jot at odds, More than the infant that is born to-night; I thank my God for my humility.
Queen. A holy-day this fhail be kept hereafter:- I would to God, all ftrifes were well compounded.-- My fovereign lord, I do befeech your highness To take our brother Clarence to your grace.
Gla. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this, To be fo Routed in this royal prefence ? Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead? They all fart. [he is >
You do him injury, to fcorn his corfe. K. Edw. Who knows not, he is dead! who knows Queen. Ali-feeing heaven, what a world is this! Buck. Look I fo pale, lord Dorset, as the reit? Dɔr. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the 1 prefence, [To the Sluga; But his red-colour bath forfook his cheeks.
Back. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hare Upon your grace, but with all duteous love
Doth cherish you, and yours, God punish me With hate in thore where I expect most love t When I have mott need to employ a friend, And most affured that he is a friend, Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile, Be he unto me! This do I beg of heaven, When I am cold in love, to you, or yours. Embracing Rivers,
K. Ed. A pleafing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart." There wanteth now our brother Gioiter here, To make the bletfed period of this peace.
3 This alludes to a proverbial expreffion, that "Ill news hath wings, and with the wind doth go; "Comfort's a coppie, and comes ever flow."
K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my foul is full of
Stan. I will not rife, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then fay at once, what is it thou requeft'ft.
Dutch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both; I do lament the fickness of the king,
As loth to lofe him, not your father's death; It were loft forrow, to wail one that's loft. Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead.
Star. The forfeit ', fovereign, of my fervant's life; The king mine uncle is to blame for this: Who flew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk.
K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my bro- ther's death,
And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave ? My brother kill'd no man, his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was bitter death. Who fu'd to me for him? who, in my wrath, Kneel'd at my feet, and bid me be advis'd? Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? Who told me, how the poor foul did fortake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for nie? Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he refcu'd me, And faid, Dear brother, live, and be a king? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his garments; and did give himself, All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night? All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you Had fo much grace to put it in my mind. But, when your carters, or your waiting vaffals, Have done a drunken flaughter, and defac'd The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon; And I, unjustly too, muft grant it you :-- But for my brother not a man would fpeak,- Nor I (ungracious) fpeak unto myself For him, poor foul.-The proudeft of you all Hath been beholden to him in his life; Yet none of you would once plead for his life.- O God! I fear, thy juftice will take hold On me, and you, and mine, and yours, for this. Come, Haftings, help me to my clofet. Oh, Poor Clarence! [Exeunt King and Queen, Haftings, Rivers, Dorfet, and Grey.
Gle. These are the fruits of rafhnefs !--Mark'd you not,
How that the guilty kindred of the queen Look'd pale, when they did hear of Clarence' death? O! they did urge it ftill unto the king: God will revenge it. Come, lords; will you go, To comfort Edward with our company? Buck. We wait upon your grace.
Enter the Dutchess of York, with the two children
Son. Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead? Dutch. No, boy. [breaft? Daugh. Why do you weep fo oft ? and beat your And cry,-0 Clarence, my unhappy fon!
God will revenge it; whom I will importune With earnest prayers, all to that effect.
Daugh. And fo will I. [love you well: Dutch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth Incapable and thallow innocents,
You cannot guess who caus! your father's death.
Son. Grandam, we can: for my good uncle Glofter Told me, the king, provok'd to't by the queen, Devis'd impeachments to imprifon him: And when my uncle told me fo, he wept, And pitied me, and kindly kifs'd my cheek; Bade me rely on him, as on my father, And he would love me dearly as his child. Dutch. Ah, that deceit should steal fuch gentle fhapes,
And with a virtuous vizor hide deep vice!
He is my fen, ay, and therem my thame, Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit. [dam Son. Think you, my uncle did diflemble, gran- Dutch. Ay, boy.
Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noife is this? Enter the Queen, diftractedly; Rivers, and Dorfei, after her.
Queen. Ah! who fall hinder me to wail and
To chide my fortune, and torment myself? I'll join with black defpair against my foul, And to myfelf become an enemy.-
Dutch. What means this fcene of rude impatience? Queen. To make an act of tragic violence:→→ Edward, my lord, thy fon, our king, is dead.— Why grow the branches, when the rout is gone? Why wither not the leaves, that want their fap ?— If you will live, lament; if die, be brief; That our fwift-winged fouls may catch the king's; Or, like obedient fubjects, follow him To his new kingdom of perpetual rest.
Dutch. Ah, fo much intereft have 1 in thy forrow, As I had title in thy noble husband!
I have bewept a worthy husband's death, And liv'd by looking on his images : But now, two mirrors of his princely femblance Are crack'd in pieces by malignant death; And I for comfort have but one falfe glafs, That grieves me when I fee my fhame in him. Thou art a widow; yet thou art a mother, And haft the comfort of thy children left thee; But death hath fnatch'd my husband from mine arms, And pluck'd two crutches from my feeble hands, Clarence, and Edward. O, what cause have 1 (Thine being but a moiety of my grief) To over-go thy plaints, and drown thy cries? Son. Ah, aunt! [To the Queen.] you wept not for our father's death;
Son. Why do you look on us, and shake your head, | How can we aid you with our kindred tears? And call us,-orphans, wretches, caft-aways,
If that our noble father be alive?
Daugh. Our fatherlefs dittrets was left unmoar'd, Your widow dolour likewife be unwept
1 He means the remiffion of the forfeit.
Dutch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and Queen. What ftay had I, but Edward? and he's gone. [gone. Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's Dutch. What ftays had I, but they? and they are gone.
Queen. Was never widow, had fo dear a lofs. Chil. Were never orphans, had fo dear a lofs. Dutch. Was never mother, had fo dear a lofs. Alas! I am the mother of these griefs; Their woes are parcell'd, mine are general. She for an Edward weeps, and fo do I ; I for a Clarence weep, fo doth not she: Thefe babes for Clarence weep, and fo do I; 1 for an Edward weep, fo do not they :—— Alas! you three, on me, threefold diftrefs'd, Pour all your tears; I am your forrow's nurse, And I will pamper it with lamentations.
The broken raucour of your high-fwoln hearts, But lately fplinted, knit, and join'd together, Muft gently be preserv'd, cherish'd, and kept : Me feemeth good, that, with fome little train, Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be fetch'd Hither to London, to be crown'd our king.
Riv. Why with fome little train, my lord of Buckingham?
Buck. Marry, my lord, left, by a multitude, The new-heal'd wound of malice should break out; Which would be fo much the more dangerous, By how much the eftate is green, and yet ungovern'd: Where every horfe bears his commanding rein, And may direct his course as pleate 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 fo in me; and fo, I think, in all : Yet, fince 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 fay, with noble Buckingham,
That it is meet fo few thould fetch the prince. Hafi. And fo fay I.
Glo. Then be it fo; and go we to determine Dor. Comfort, dear mother; God is much dif- Who they fhall be that straight shall post to Ludlow,
That you take with unthankfulness his doing: In common worldly things, 'tis call'd—ungrateful, With dull unwillingness to repay a debt, Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent; Much more, to be thus oppofite with heaven, For it requires the royal debt it lent you. [ther, Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mo- Of the young prince your fon: fend straight for him,
Let him be crown'd: in him your comfort lives: Drown defperate forrow in dead Edward's grave, And plant your joys in living Edward's throne. Enter Glofter, Buckingham, Stanley, Haftings, and Ratcliff.
Glo. Sifter, have comfort: all of us have caufe To wail the dimming of our fhining star; But none can cure their harms by wailing them.---Madam, my mother, I do cry you mercy,
I did not fee your grace:-Humbly on my knee I crave your bleffing.
Madam,-and you my mother,will you go To give your cenfures 2 in this weighty business? [Exeunt Queen, St.
Manent Buckingham, and Glofter. Buck. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince, For God's fake, let not us two stay at home: For, by the way, I'll fort occafion, As index 3 to the story we late talk'd of, To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince, Glo. My other felf, my counfel's confiftory,
My oracle, my prophet !—My dear coufin, I, as a child, will go by thy direction. Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.
1 Cit. Good morrow, neighbour: Whither away fo faft?
2 Cit. I promise you, I hardly know myself :
you the news abroad?
1 Cit. Yes, that the king is dead.
2 Cit. Ill news, by 'r lady: feldom comes a better: fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world.
Enter another Citissen.
3 Cit. Neighbours, God fpeed!
1 Cit. Give you good morrow, fir.
1 Edward the young prince, in his father's life-time, and at his demife, kept his houshold at LudJow, as prince of Wales, under the governance of Anthony Woodville, earl of Rivers, his uncle by the mother's fide. The intention of his being fent thither was to fee juftice done in the Marches; and, by the authority of his prefence, to reftrain the Welchmen, who were wild, diffolute, and illdifpofed, from their accustomed murders and outrages. 2 i. c. your opinions. 3 i. c. prepa
ratory-by way of prelude.
Cit. No, no; by God's good grace, his fon, Because sweet flowers are flow, and weeds mak
fhall reign. 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, fhall then, and till then, govern well.
1 Cit. So ftood the ftate, when Henry the fixth Was crown'd in Paris but at nine months old.
3 Cit. Stood the state fo? no, no, good friends, God wot;
For then this land was famoufly enrich'd With politick grave counfel; then the king Had virtuous uncles to protect his grace. [mother. 1 Git. Why, fo hath this, both by his father and 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 Glofter; [proud: And the queen's fons, and brothers, haught and And were they to be rul'd and not to rule, This fickly land might folace as before.
1 Cit. Come, come, we fear the worft; all will be well.
3 Cit. When clouds are feen, wife men put on their When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand; When the fun fets, who doth not look for night? Untimely ftorms make men expect a dearth : All may be well; but, if God fort it fo, 'Tis more than we deferve, or I expect.
2 Cit. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear : You cannot reafon almost with a man That looks not heavily, and full of dread.
3 Cit. Before the days of change, ftill is it fo: By a divine inftinct, men's minds mistrust Enfuing danger; as, by proof, we see The water fwell before a boift'rous ftorm. Whither away? But leave it all to God.
2 Cit. Marry, we were fent for to the juftices. 3 Cit. And fo was I; I'll bear you company.
hafte. [not hold Dutch. Good faith, good faith, the faying did In him that did object the fame to thee: [young, He was the wretched'ft thing, when he was So long a growing, and fo leifurely, That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious. Arch. And fo, no doubt, he is, my gracious ma- dam.
Dutch. I hope, he is; but yet iet mothers doubt. York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remem- ber'd 2,
I 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
York. Marry, they fay, my uncle grew so fast, That he could gnaw a cruft at two hours old; 'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth. Grandam, this would have been a biting jeft. Dutch. I pr'ythee, pretty York, who told thee York. Grandam, his nurse.
Dutch. His murfe! why, fhe was dead ere thou
York. If 'twere not fhe, I cannot tell who told Queen. A parlous 3 boy :-Go to, you are too fhrewd.
Dutch. Good madam, be not angry Queen. Pitchers have ears.
Arch. Here comes a mellenger: What news? Mef. Such news, my lord, as grieves me to un- Queen. How doth the prince? Mef. Well, madam, and in health. Dutch. What is thy news?
Mef. Lord Rivers, and lord Grey,
Are fent to Pomfret, prifoners; and, with them, Sir Thomas Vaughan.
Dutch. Who hath committed them? Mef. The mighty dukes, Glofter and Bucking- Queen. For what offence?
Mef. The fum of all I can, I have difclos'd ; Why, or for what, the nobles were committed, Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.
Queen. Ah me, I fee the ruin of my house! The tyger now hath feiz'd the gentle hind; Infulting tyranny begins to jut
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-Upon the innocent and awless 4 throne :— [ton; Welcome destruction, blood, and massacre! At Stony-Stratford they do reft to-night : I fee, as in a map, the end of all. To-morrow, or next day, they will be here. Dutch. I long with all my heart to fee the prince; I hope, he much grown fince laft I faw him. Queen. But I hear, no; they fay, my fon of York Has almoft overta'en him in his growth.
Dutch. Accurfed and unquiet wrangling days! How many of you have mine eyes beheld ? My husband loft his life to get the crown ; And often up and down my sons were toft, For me to joy, and weep, their gain, and lofs: York. Ay, mother, but I would not have it fo. Dutch. Why, my young coufin? it is good to grow. And being feated, and domeftick broils York. Grandam, one night as we did fit at fupper, Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors, [ter, Make war upon themselves; brother to brother, My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow More than my brother; Ay, quoth my uncle Glof- Blood to blood, felf against felf:-O, prepofterous Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace: And frantick outrage, end thy damned fpleen ; Or let me die, to look on death no more! And fince, methinks, I would not grow so fast,
c&tation. 2 To be remembered is used by 1 Wretched here means paltry, pitiful, being below exped Shakspeare to imply, to have one's memory quick, to have one's thoughts about one. is keen, fhrewd. 4 i. c. not producing awe, not reverenced. To jut upon is to encroach.
Queen. Come, come, my boy, we will to fauc-, And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
Madam, farewel.
Dutch. Stay, I will go with you.
Queen. You have no cause.
Arch. My gracious lady, go.
[tuary. For my part, I'll refign unto your grace
The feal I keep: And fo betide to me, As well I tender you, and all of yours! Come, I'll conduct you to the fanctuary. [Exeum.
The trumpets found. Enter the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of Glofter and Buckingham, Cardinal Bourchier, and others.
Glo. Welcome, dear coufin, my thoughts' foveThe weary way hath made you melancholy.
Perfuade the queen to fend the duke of York Unto his princely brother presently? If the deny,-lord Haftings, you go with him, And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce. Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory
Buck. WELCOME, fweet prince, to London, Can from his mother win the duke of York, to your chamber 1. [reign: Anon expect him here: But if she be obdurate To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid We fhould infringe the holy privilege Of bleifed fanctuary! not for all this land, Would I be guilty of fo deep a fin.
Prince. No, uncle; but our croffes on the way Have made it tedious, wearifome, 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 diftinguish of a man, Than of his outward fhew; which, God he knows, Seldom, or never, jumpeth with the heart. Thofe uncles, which you want, were dangerous; Your grace attended to their fugar'd words, But look'd not on the poifon of their hearts: God keep you from them, and from fuch falfe
'Prince. God keep me from falfe friends! but they were none. [greet you. Glo. My lord, the mayor of London comes to
Enter the Lord Mayor, and bis Train. Mayor. God blefs 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 ha e mct us on the way :-- Fie, what a flug is Haftings! that he comes not To tell us, whether they will come, or no.
Enter Haftings. Buck. And, in good time, here comes the fweating lord. [ther come? Prince. Welcome, my lord: What, will our mo- Haf. On what occafion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother, and your brother York, Have taken fanctuary: 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 courfe Is this of hers-Lord cardinal, will your grace
1 London was anciently called Camera regia. herent to old customs.
Buck. You are too fenfeless-obftinate, my lord, Too ceremonious, and traditional 2: Weigh it but with the groffnefs of this age, The benefit thereof is always granted You break not fanctuary in feizing him.
To thofe whofe dealings have deferv'd the place, And thofe who have the wit to claim the place: This prince hath neither claim'd it, nor deferv'd it; Therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it : Then, taking him from thence, that is not there, Oft have I heard of fanctuary men; You break no privilege nor charter there. But fanctuary children, ne'er 'till now.
Card. My lord, you fhall o'er-rule my mind for once.-
Come on, lord Haftings, will you go with me? Hall. I go, my lord.
Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy hafte
[Exeunt Cardinal, and Haflings. Say, uncle Glofter, if our brother come, Where fhall we fojourn 'till our coronation ?
Gle. Where it feems beft unto your royal felf. If 1 may counfel you, fome day, or two, Your highnefs fhall repofe you at the Tower: Then where you pleafe, and shall be thought
For your best health and recreation.
Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place :- Did Julius Cæfar build that place, my lord ?
Glo. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, fince, fucceeding ages have re-edify'd. Prince. Is it upon record or else reported Succellively from age to age, he built it? Buck. Upon record, my gracious lord,
2Ceremonious for fuperftitious; traditional for ad
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