That I may live to see your Grace eminent for the love of your country, for your service and duty to your prince, and, in convenient time, adorned with all the honours that have ever been conferred upon your noble family: that you may be distinguish'd to posterity, as the bravest, greatest, and the best man of the age you live in, is the hearty wish and prayer of, My Lord, Your Grace's most obedient, and N. ROWE. PROLOGUE. To night, if you have brought your good old taste, Justly they drew the fair, and spoke her plain, What most he fears, is, lest the dames should frown, DRAMATIS PERSONE. MEN. Richard Duke of GLOSTER. William Lord HASTINGS. Earl of DERBY.* Sir William CATESBY. Sir Richard RATCLIFFE. William SHORE,† under the assumed name of DUMONT. BELMOUR. Servant to Jane Shore. Servant to Alicia. WOMEN. JANE SHORE. ALICIA. Two servants attending on Alicia. Several Lords of the Council, Guards, and Attendants. Scene, London. *The Earl of Derby appears only at the Council in the fourth act, and speaks but twice. Henry Duke of BUCKINGHAM and Dr. John Morton BISHOP OF ELY are likewise introduced there but do not speak. He is called in the ballad Matthew Shore, but in a letter of Richard's extant in the British Museum he is called William; see Walpole, p. 118. Enter the Duke of GLOSTER, Sir Richard RATCLIFFE, and Sir William CATESBY. Glos. Thus far success attends upon our counsels, The Queen and all her upstart race are quell'd; The sceptre and the golden wreath of royalty Ratc. Then take them to you, And wear them long and worthily; you are (For Edward's boys, the state esteems not of them,) The reader is desired to compare these facts with the dates in the Preface, p. 91. Cate. And yet to-morrow does the council meet To fix a day for Edward's coronation. Who can expound this riddle? Glos. That can I. Those Lords are each one my approv'd good friends, Of special trust and nearness to my bosom; And howsoever busy they may seem, And diligent to bustle in the state, Their zeal goes on no further than we lead, Cate. Yet there is one, And he amongst the foremost in his pow'r, Of whom I wish your highness were assur'd: I own I doubt of his inclining much. Glos. I guess the man at whom your words would Hastings Cate. The same. Glos. He bears me great good will. [point: Cate. 'Tis true, to you, as to the Lord Protector, Is govern'd by a dainty-finger'd girl; Such flaws are found in natures else most worthy; And take the distaff with a hand as patient As e'er did Hercules. * Religious, in this place, means "so strong as if it were matter "of religion." |