Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Of blessed sanctuary! not for all this land, Buck. You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord, 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? Hast. I go, my lord. Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you [Exeunt Cardinal and HASTINGS. may. Say, uncle Gloster, if our brother come, Where shall we sojourn till our coronation? 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: 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 used to admit. Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place: — Glo. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Prince. But say, my lord, it were not register'd; 8 Even to the general all-ending day. Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long. Glo. I say, without charácters, fame lives long. Prince. What say you, uncle? Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity, I moralize two meanings in one word. 9 •} Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous man ; With what his valour did enrich his wit, Prince. An if I live until I be a man, I'll win our ancient right in France again, [Aside. [Aside. » 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. Glo. Short summer's lightly' have a forward spring. Enter YORK, HASTINGS, and the Cardinal. [Aside. Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the duke of York. Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving bro ther? York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now. Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is Glo. How fares our cousin, noble lord of 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; you have power in me, as in a kinsman. But York. I pray you, uncle, then, give me this dagger. † York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give; 1 lightly-] Commonly, in ordinary course. 2 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. + "I pray you, uncle, give me," &c.— MALONE. 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; Because that I am little, like an ape, He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. Buck. With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons! To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle, 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? Prince. My lord protector needs will have it so. York. I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower. Glo. Why, sir, what should you fear? 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. ♦ 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. "My lord, will't please," &c. MALONE. But come, my lord, and, with a heavy heart, [Exeunt Prince, YORK, HASTINGS, Cardinal, Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating York Was not incensed by his subtle mother, To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously? 6 Glo. No doubt, no doubt: O, 'tis a parlous boy; Buck. Well, let them rest. Come hither, gentle Catesby†, thou art sworn As closely to conceal what we impart : In the seat royal of this famous isle? Cate. 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? Cate. 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, And summon him to-morrow to the Tower, If thou dost find him tractable to us, Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons: 6 5 Was not incensed-] i. e. incited or suggested. capable ;] here, as in many other places in these plays, means intelligent, quick of apprehension. + Mr. Malone omits "gentle." |