Enter Catesby. Cates. Many good-morrows to my noble Lord! Haft. Good-morrow, Catesby, you are early stirring: What news, what news, in this our tott'ring state? Catef. It is a reeling world, indeed, my Lord; And, I believe, will never ftand upright, Till Richard wear the garland of the realm. Haft.How! wear the garland? doft thou mean the crown ? Catef Ay, my good Lord. Haft. I'll have this crown of mine cut from Before I'll fee the crown fo foul misplac'd. my But canft thou guefs, that he doth aim at it? fhoulders, Catef Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you forward Upon his party, for the gain thereof ; And thereupon he fends you this good news, The kindred of the Queen, muft die at Pomfret. Catef. God keep your Lordship in that gracious mind! Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older, Catef. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious Lord, Haft. O monitrous, monftrous! and fo falls it out Catef. The Princes both make high account of youFor they account his head upon the bridge. [Afide. Haft. I know they do; and I have well deferv'd it. Enter Enter Lord Stanley. Come on, come on, where is your boar-fpear, man ? Fear you the boar, and go fo unprovided? [Catesby; Stan. My Lord, good-morrow; and, good-morrow, You may jeft on, but, by the holy rood, I do not like thefe feveral councils, I. Haft. My Lord, I hold my life as dear as you do yours. And never in my days, I do protest, Was it fo precious to me as 'tis now; Think you, but that I know our state fecure, Stan. The Lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London, Haft. Come come, have with you: wot ye what, my Lord? To-day the Lords, you talk of, are beheaded. Stan. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads, Than fome that have accus'd them, wear their hats. But come, my Lord, away. Enter a Purfuivant. Haft. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fellow. [Exeunt Lord Stanley and Catesby. Sirrah, how now? how goes the world with thee? Purf. The better, that your Lordship please to ask. Haft. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now, Than when thou met'ft me laft where now we meet; Then was I going prifoner to the Tower, By the fuggeftion of the Queen's allies. But now I tell thee, (keep it to thyself) This day those enemies are put to death; And I in better ftate, than e'er I was. Purf. God hold it to your Honour's good content! Haft. Gramercy, fellow; there, drink that for me. [Throws him his purse. L 3 Purf. I thank your Honour. Enter a Prieft. [Exit Purfuivant. Prieft. Well met, myLord, I'm glad to fee your Honour. Haft. I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart; I'm in your debt for your last exercife: Come the next fabbath, and I will content you. Enter Buckingham. [He whispers. Buck. What, talking with a prieft, Lord Chamberlain ? Haft. Good faith, and when I met his holy man, Buck. I do, my Lord, but long I fhall not flay: I fhall return before your Lordship thence. Haft. Nay, like enough, for I ftay dinner there. Buck. And fupper too, altho' thou know'st it not. [Afide. Come, will you go ? Haft. I'll wait upon your Lordship. [Exeunt SCENE changes to Pomfret-Caftle. Enter Sir Richard Ratcliff, with halberds, carrying Lord Rivers, Lord Richard Gray, and Sir Thomas Vaugh、 han to Death. Rat. Ome, bring forth the prifoners. Riv. Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this, To-day fhalt thou behold a fubject die For truth, for duty, and for loyalty. Gray. God keep the Prince from all the pack of you, A knot you are of damned blood-fuckers. Vaugh. You live, that shall cry woe for this hereafter.— Rat. Difpatch; the limit of your lives is out. (13) Riv. (13) Vaugh. You live, that fall cry woe for this hereafter. Rat. Difpatch; the limit of your lives is out.] Thefe two lines Mr. Pope has thought fit to fupprefs in his editions, for what reafon I can't pretend to fay; tho' they have the authority both of the old folic's Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prifon, Fatal and ominous to noble Peers! Within the guilty clofure of thy walls Richard the fecond, here, was hack'd to death: Gray. Now Margret's curfe is fall'n upon our heals. When the exclaim'd on Haftings, you, and I, (14) For ftanding by when Richard tabb'd her fon. Riv. Then curs'd fhe Richard, curs'd the Buckingham, Be fatisfy'd, dear God, with our true blood; Rat. Make hafte, the hour of death is now expir'd. Riv. Come, Gray; come, Vaughan; let us all embrace; Farewel, until we meet again in heaven. SCENE, The Tower. [Exeunt. Buckingham, Stanley, Haftings, Bishop of Ely, Catesby, Lovel, with others, at a table. Haft. NOW noble Peers, the caufe why we are met Is to determine of the coronation : In God's name fpeak, when is the royal day? Buck. Are all things ready for that royal time? Stanl. They are, and want but nomination. Ely. To-morrow then I judge a happy day. Buck. Who knows the Lord Protector's mind herein ? Who is most inward with the noble Duke? Ely. YourGrace,we think, fhould fooneft know his mind. folio's, and are likewife in Mr. Rowe, whom he feems generally to "follow. Without them, I would obferve, that Sir Thomas Vaughan is introduced, and led off to die, without a fingle fyllable fpoken by him. (14) When he exclaim'd on Haftings, you, and I] This verfe is likewife tacitly fupprefs'd by Mr. Pope, tho' it has the same authorities as the former. He knows no more of mine, than I of yours; Nor I of his, my Lord, than you of mine: Haft. I thank his Grace, I know, he loves me well; But for his purpofe in the coronation, I have not founded him; nor he deliver❜d Enter Glocefter.. Ely. In happy time here comes the Duke himself. Which by my prefence might have been concluded. Glo. Than my Lord Haftings no man might be bolder, Ely. Marry, and will, my Lord, with all my heart. [Exit Ely. That he will lofe his head, ere give confent, Buck. Withdraw yourself awhile, I'll go with you. Re-enter |