Enter Catesby. Catef. Many good morrows to my Noble Lord. 'Till Richard wear the Garland of the Realm. Doft thou mean the Crown? Catef. Ay, my good Lord. Haft. I'll have this Crown of mine cut from my Shoulders, Before I'll fee the Crown fo foul mifplac'd; But canft thou guess that he doth aim at it? 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, e'er a Fortnight make me older, Catesby. The Princes both make high account of you Haft. I know they do, and I have well deferv'd it. For they account his Head upon the Bridge. [Afde VOL. IV. K Enter Enter Lord Stanley. Come on, come on, where is your Boar-fpear, Man? Stan. My Lord, good morrow, good morrow, Catesby; 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 yours, And never in my Days, I do protest, Was it fo precious to me as 'tis now ; Think you, but that I know the State fecure, I would be fo triumphant as I am? Stan. The Lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London, Were jocund, and fuppos'd their States were fure, But yet you fee how foon the Day o'er-cast. Pray God, I fay, I prove a needlefs Coward. 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, let's away. Enter a Purfuivant. Haft. Go on before, I'll talk with this good Fellow. [Exeunt Lord Stanley and Catesby. Purf. God hold it to your Honour's good Content. Purf. I thank your Honour. [Throws him his Purfe. [Exit Purfuivant. Enter Enter a Prieft. Prieft. Well met, my Lord, I am glad to fee your Honour. Haft. I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my Heart, I am in your debt for your laft Exercise : Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you. Prieft. I'll wait upon your Lordship. Enter Buckingham. Buck, What, talking with a Prieft, Lord Chamberlain? Your Friends at Pomfret, they do need the Priest, Your Honour hath no fhriving work in hand. Haft. Good faith, and when I met this holy Man, The Men you talk of came into my What, go you toward the Tower? mind. Buck. I do, my Lord, but long I cannot ftay there: I fhall return before your Lordship thence. Haft. Nay, like enough, for I'll ftay Dinner there. Buck. And Supper too, although thou know'ft it not. [Afide. Come, will you go? Haft. I'll wait upon your Lordship. SCENE III. [Exeunt, Enter Sir Richard Ratcliff, with Halberds, carrying the Nobles to Death at Pomfret. Riv. Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this, Gray. God bless the Prince from all the pack of you, Vaugh. You live that fhall cry woe for this hereafter. Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! Ő thou bloody Prison! Within the guilty closure of thy Walls Richard the Second here was hackt to Death; And for more flander to thy difmal Seat, Gray. Now Margaret's Curfe is faln upon our Heads, Riv Riv. Then curs'd the Richard, Then curs'd the Haftings. O remember God SCENE IV. Enter Buckingham, Derby, Haftings, Bishop of Ely, Nor folk, Ratcliff, Lovel, with others, at a Table. Haft. Now Noble Peers, the caufe why we are met In God's Name speak, when is the Royal Day? Ely. To Morrow then I judge a happy Day. Buck. Who knows the Lord Protector's Mind herein? W is moft inward with the Noble Duke? Ely. Your Grace, we think, fhould fooneft know his Mird. He knows no more of mine than I of yours, Haft. I thank his Grace, I know he loves me well: I have not founded him, nor he deliver'd His gracious pleasure any way therein: But you, my Honourable Lord, may name the time, Enter Gloucefter. Ely. In happy time here comes the Duke himfelf. Glo. My Noble Lords and Coufins all, good morrow; I have been a long fleeper; but I trust My abfence doth neglect no great defign, Which by my prefence might have been concluded. I mean your Voice for crowning of the King. Glo. Than my Lord Haftings no Man might be bolder, His Lordship knows me well, and loves me well. My Lord of Ely, when I was laft in Holbourn, I law good Strawberries in your Garden there, I do befeech you fend for fome of them. Ely. Marry and will, my Lord, with all my Glo. Coufin of Buckingham, a word with you. That he will lofe his Head e'er give confent heart. Buck Withdraw your felf a while, I'll go with you. [Exeunt. Der by. We have not yet fet down this Day of Triumph: To Morrow, in my Judgment, is too fudden, For I my felf am not fo well provided, As elfe I would be were the Day prolong'd. Ely. Where is my Lord, the Duke of Gloucester? Haft. His Grace looks chearfully and fmooth this Morning, There's fome Conceit or other likes him well When that he bids good Morrow with fuch Spirit. For by his Face ftraight fhall you know his Heart. Haft. Marry that with no Man here he is offended a Enter Gloucester and Buckingham, Glo. I pray you all, tell me what they deserve, That do confpire my Death with devilish Plots Of damned Witchcraft, and that have prevail'd Upon my Body, with their hellish Charms, K 3 Haft. |