Hast. The tender love I bear your grace, my lord, Makes me most forward in this noble presence Glo. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil, And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch, - Glo. If! thou protector of this wanton strumpet, Talk'st thou to me of ifs? Thou art a traitor: Off with his head :-now, by Saint Paul I swear, I will not dine until I see the same.Lovel, and Catesby, look, that it be done; The rest that love me, rise, and follow me. [Exeunt Council, with GLOSTER and BUCK INGHAM.' Hast. Woe, woe, for England! not a whit for me; Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble, Cate. Despatch, my lord, the duke would be at dinner; Make a short shrift, he longs to see your head. Which we more hunt for than the grace of God! Lov. Come, come, despatch; 'tis bootless to ex- Hast. O, bloody Richard! - miserable England! I prophecy the fearful'st time to thee, That ever wretched age hath look'd upon. Come, lead me to the block, bear him my head; They smile at me, who shortly shall be dead. [Exeunt. SCENE V. The Tower-walls. Enter GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM, in rusty armour, marvellous ill-favour'd. Glo. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change Murder thy breath in middle of a word, As if thou wert distraught, and mad with terror? At any time, to grace my stratagems. But what, is Catesby gone? Glo. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along. Pretending. Enter the Lord Mayor and CATESBY. Buck. Let me alone to entertain him. mayor, Glo. Look to the draw-bridge there. Lord Hark, hark! a drum. Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls. Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent for you, Glo. Look back, defend thee, here are enemies. Buck. Heaven and our innocence defend and guard us! Enter LovEL and RATCLIFF, with HASTINGS'S head. Glo. Be patient, they are friends; Ratcliff, and Lovel. Lov. Here is the head of that ignoble traitor, The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings. Glo. So dear I lov'd the man, that I must weep. I took him for the plainest harmless't creature, That breath'd upon the earth a Christian; Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded The history of all her secret thoughts: So smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue, That, his apparent open guilt omitted, I mean, his conversation with Shore's wife, He liv'd from all attainder of suspect. Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor That ever liv'd.-Look you, my lord mayor, Glo. What! think you we are Turks, or infidels? Or that we would, against the form of law, The peace of England, and our persons' safety, May. Now, fair befal you! he deserv'd his death; heard Buck. Yet had we not determin'd he should die, Until your lordship came to see his end; Which now the loving haste of these our friends, Somewhat against our meaning, hath prevented: Because, my lord, we would have had you The traitor speak, and timorously confess The manner and the purpose of his treasons; That you might well have signified the same Unto the citizens, who, haply, may Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death. May. But, my good lord, your grace's word shall serve, As well as I had seen, and heard him speak : With all your just proceedings in this case. Glo. And to that end we wish'd your lordship here, To avoid the censures of the carping world. Buck. But since you came too late of our intent, Yet witness what you hear we did intend: And so, my good lord mayor, we bid farewell. [Exit Lord Mayor. Glo. Go after, after, cousin Buckingham. The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post : There, at your meetest vantage of the time, Infer the bastardy of Edward's children: Tell them, how Edward put to death a citizen, Only for saying-he would make his son Heir to the crown; meaning, indeed his house, And restless appetite in change of lust; Even where his raging eye, or savage heart, Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person :- Glo. If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's Where you shall find me well accompanied, [Exit BUCKINGHAM. Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,Go thou [To CAT.] to friar Penker;-bid them both Meet me, within this hour, at Baynard's castle. [Exeunt LovEL and CATESBY. Now will I in, to take some privy order To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight; And to give notice, that no manner of person Have, any time, recourse unto the princes. [Exit. |