Cates. Despatch, my lord; the duke would be at

dinner :

Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head.

Has. O momentary grace of mortal men, Which we more hunt for than the grace of God! Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks, Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast; Ready, with every nod, to tumble down Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

Lo. Come, come, despatch: 'tis bootless to exclaim.

Has. O, bloody Richard!-miserable England! I prophesy the fearfull❜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.

SCENE V.

The same. The Tower walls.

[Exeunt.

Enter GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM, in rusty armour, marvellous ill-favored.

Glos. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change thy color ?

Murder thy breath in middle of a word,—
And then again begin, and stop again,

As if thou wert distraught,1 and mad with terror?

1 Distracted.

Buck. Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian : Speak, and look back, and pry on every side; Tremble and start at wagging of a straw, Intending1 deep suspicion: ghastly looks Are at my service, like enforced smiles; And both are ready in their offices, At any time, to grace my stratagems. But what, is Catesby gone?

Glos. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along.

Enter LORD MAYOR and CATESBY.

Buck. Let me alone to entertain him.-Lord

mayor,

Glos. Look to the drawbridge there.

Buck.

Hark, hark! a drum.

Glos. Catesby, o'erlook the walls.

Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent for

you,

Glos. Look back; defend thee; here are enemies. Buck. God and our innocence defend and guard us!

Enter LOVEL and RATCLIFF, with HASTINGS' head.

Glos. Be patient; they are friends, Ratcliff and
Lovel.

Lo. Here is the head of that ignoble traitor,
The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.

1 Pretending.

Glos. So dear I loved the man, that I must weep.

I took him for the plainest harmless creature,
That breathed 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 lived from all attainder of suspect.

Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor

That ever lived. Look you, my lord mayor,

Would you imagine, or almost believe,
(Were 't not, that by great preservation
We live to tell it you) the subtle traitor
This day had plotted, in the council-house,
To murder me and my good lord of Gloster?
Mayor. What! had he so?

Glos. What! think you we are Turks or infidels?
Or that we would, against the form of law,
Proceed thus rashly in the villain's death;
But that the extreme peril of the case,

The peace of England, and our persons' safety,
Enforced us to this execution?

Mayor. Now, fair befal you! he deserved his
death;

And your good graces both have well proceeded,
To warn false traitors from the like attempts.

I never look'd for better at his hands

After he once fell in with mistress Shore.

Buck. Yet had we not determined 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
heard
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.

Mayor. But, my good lord, your grace's word shall serve,

As well as I had seen, and heard him speak:
And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens
With all your just proceedings in this case.
Glos. 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.

Glos. 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, Which, by the sign thereof, was termed so. Moreover, urge his hateful luxury,

And bestial appetite in change of lust;

Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters,

wives,

Even where his lustful eye or savage heart,

Without control, listed to make his prey.

Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person :—
Tell them, when that my mother went with child
Of that insatiate Edward, noble York,

My princely father, then had wars in France;
And, by just computation of the time,
Found that the issue was not his begot;
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble duke my father:
Yet touch this sparingly, as 'twere far off;
Because, my lord, you know, my mother lives.
Buck. Doubt not, my lord: I'll play the orator,
As if the golden fee, for which I plead,

Were for myself: and so, my lord, adieu.

Glos. If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's castle,

Where you shall find me well accompanied
With reverend fathers and well-learned bishops.
Buck. I go; and, towards three or four o'clock,
Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.

[Exit Buck.

Glos. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,— Go thou [to Cates.] 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;