Have taken sanctuary: 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 course If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him, Card. My Lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Anon expect him here; but if she be obdurate Of blesséd sanctuary! not for all this land 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, Oft have I heard of sanctuary-men; 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? Hast. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may. Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother come, Glo. Where it seems best unto your royal self. If I may counsel you, some day or two Your highness shall repose you at the Tower; Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place.— Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? Buck. He did, my 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, Even to the general all-ending day. Glo. [Aside.] So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long. Prince. What say you, uncle? Glo. I say, without charácters, fame lives long.— [Aside.] Thus, like the formal Vice, Iniquity, I moralize two meanings in one word. Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous man ; Prince. An if I live until I be a man, Glo. [Aside.] Short summers likely have a forward spring. Enter YORK, with the CARDINAL and HASTINGS. Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving brother? York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now. 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? He hath, my lord. And therefore is he idle? Glo. York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give; Glo. A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin. Glo. It is too heavy for your grace to wear. Glo. What, would you have my weapon, little lord? York. I would, that I might thank you as you call me. Glo. How? 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 ; Because that I am little, like an ape, He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. wit he reasons! To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle, 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. Prince. What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord? 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. 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. [Sennet. Exeunt PRINCE, YORK, HASTINGS, Cardinal, and others; also the Lord Mayor and his Train. Think you, my lord, this little prating York Buck. Was not incenséd by his subtle mother To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously? Glo. No doubt, no doubt: O, 'tis a parlous boy, Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable : He's all the mother's, from the top to toe. Buck. Well, let them rest.—Come, 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? Cates. 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? Cates. 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; And summon him to-morrow to the Tower, To sit about the coronation. If thou dost find him tractable to us, Encourage him, and show him all our reasons: Be thou so too; and so break off your talk, Wherein thyself shalt highly be employ'd. Glo. Commend me to Lord William: tell him, Catesby, His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries Buck. Good Catesby, go, effect this business soundly. Cates. You shall. Glo. At Crosby-place, there shall you find us both. Buck. [Exit CATESBY. 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 Th' earldom of Hereford, and the movables Whereof the king my brother stood 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 III.—Before Lord Hastings' House. Enter a Messenger. [Exeunt. Hast. Mess. Enter HASTINGS. Cannot thy master sleep these tedious nights? First, he commends him to your noble self. Hast. Mess. What then? Then certifies your lordship, that this night Which may make you and him to rue at th' other. |