Shakspeare's Dramatic Works

K. Edw. I pr’ythee, peace; my foul is full of forrow.

Stan. I will not rife, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou requeft'ft.

Stan. The forfeit, fovereign, of my fervant's life; Who flew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk.

K. Edo. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death,

And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave?
My brother kill'd no man, his fault was thought,
And yet his punishment was bitter death.
Who fu'd to me for him? who, in my wrath,
Kneel'd at my feet, and bid me be advis'd?
Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love?
Who told me, how the poor foul did forfake
The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me?
Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury,
When Oxford had me down, he refcu'd me,
And faid, Dear brother, live, and be a king?
Who told me, when we both lay in the field,
Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me
Even in his garments; and did give himself,
All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night?
All this from my remembrance brutish wrath
Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you
Had fo much grace to put it in my mind.
But, when your carters, or your waiting vaffals,
Have done a drunken flaughter, and defac'd
The precious image of our dear Redeemer,

You ftraight are on your knees for pardon, pardon;
And I, unjustly too, must grant it you :-
But for my brother not a man would speak,-
Nor I (ungracious) speak unto myself
For him, poor foul.-The proudest of you all
Hath been beholden to him in his life;
Yet none of you would once plead tor his life.-
O God! I fear, thy juftice will take hold
On me, and you, and mine, and yours, for this.-
Come, Haftings, help me to my closet. Oh,
Poor Clarence! [Exeunt King and Queen, Haftings,
Rivers, Dorfet, and Grey.

G. These are the fruits of rafhnefs !-Mark'd you not,

How that the guilty kindred of the queen
Look'd pale, when they did hear of Clarence' death?
O! they did urge it ftill unto the king:
Ged will revenge it. Come, lords; will you go,
To comfort Edward with our company?
Back. We wait upon your grace.

[Exeunt.

Dutch. My pretty coufins, you mistake me both: I do lament the fickness of the king,

As loth to lofe him, not your father's death;

it were loft forrow, to wail one that's loft.

Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. The king mine uncle is to blame for this: God will revenge it; whom I will importune With earnest prayers, all to that effect.

Daugh. And fo will I. [love you well: Dutch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth Incapable and shallow innocents,

You cannot guefs who caus'd your father's death. Son. Grandam, we can: for my good uncle Glofter Told me, the king, provok'd to 't by the queen, 15 Devis'd impeachments to imprison him: And when my uncle told me fo, he wept, And pitied me, and kindly kifs'd my cheek; Bade me rely on him, as on my father,

[25]

And he would love me dearly as his child. Dutch. Ah, that deceit should steal fuch gentle fhapes,

And with a virtuous vizor hide deep vice!

He is my fon, ay, and therein my shame,
Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit. [dam?
Son. Think you, my uncle did diffemble, gran-
Dutch. Ay, boy.

Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noife is this? Enter the Queen, diftractedly; Rivers, and Dorjet, after her.

30 Queen. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and weep?

To chide my fortune, and torment myself?

I ll join with black despair against my foul,
And to myfelf become an enemy.

Dutch. What means this fcene of rude impatience?
Queen. To make an act of tragic violence:-
Edward, my lord, thy fon, our king, is dead.-
Why grow the branches, when the root is gone?
Why wither not the leaves, that want their fap?-
4c If you will live, lament; if die, be brief;
That our fwift-winged fouls may catch the king's;
Or, like obedient fubjects, follow him
To his new kingdom of perpetual rest.

Dutch. Ah, fo much intereft have I in thy forrow, 45 As I had title in thy noble husband!

I have bewept a worthy husband's death, And liv'd by looking on his images : But now, two mirrors of his princely femblance Are crack'd in pieces by malignant death; 50 And I for comfort have but one false glass,

Enter the Dutchess of York, with the two children of 55

That grieves me when I fee my shame in him.
Thou art a widow; yet thou art a mother,
And haft the comfort of thy children left thee:
But death hathfnatch'd my husband from minearms,
And pluck'd two crutches from my feeble hands,
Clarence, and Edward. O, what caufe have I
(Thine being but a moiety of my grief)
Toover-go thy plaints, and drown thy cries?
Son. Ah, aunt! [To the Queen.] you wept not
for our father's death;

How can we aid you with our kindred tears?
Daugh. Our fatherlefs diftrefs was left unmoan'd,
Your widow dolour likewife be unwept!

Queen. Give me no help in lamentation,

I am not barren to bring forth laments:
All fprings reduce their currents to mine eyes,
That I, being govern'd by the watry moon,
May fend forth plenteous tears to drown the world!
Ah, for my husband, for my dear lord Edward!
Chil. Ah, for our father, for our dear lord Cla-
rence!
[Clarence!

Dutch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and

The broken rancour of your high-fwoln hearts,
But lately fplinted, knit, and join'd together,
Muft gently be preferv'd, cherish'd, and kept :
Me feemeth good, that, with some little train,

5 Forthwith from Ludlow the youngprince befetch'd Hither to London, to be crown'd our king.

Riv. Why with some little train, my lord of
Buckingham?

Buck. Marry, my lord, left, by a multitude,

Queen. What ftay had I, but Edward? and he's 10 The new-heal'd wound of malice fhould break out:

[gone.

gone. Chil. What ftay had we, but Clarence? and he's Dutch. What stays had I, but they? and they are gone.

Queen. Was neve. widow, had fo dear a lofs. Chil. Were never orphans, had fo dear a lofs. Dutch. Was never mother, had fo dear a lofs. Alas! I am the mother of thefe griefs; Their woes are parcell'd, mine are general. She for an Edward weeps, and fo do I ; I for a Clarence weep, fo doth not she: Thefe babes for Clarence weep, and fo do I; I for an Edward weep, fo do not they: Alas! you three, on me, threefold diftrefs'd, Pour all your tears; I am your forrow's nurse, And I will pamper it with lamentations.

Dor. Comfort, dear mother; God is much dif pleas'd,

Which would be fo much the more dangerous, By how muchthe estate is green,and yet ungovern'd: Where every horse bears his commanding rein, And may direct his courfe as please himself, 15 As well the fear of harm, as harm apparent, In my opinion, ought to be prevented. Glo. I hope, the king made peace with all of us; And the compact is firm, and true in me.

Riv. And fo in me; and fo, I think, in all: 20 Yet, fince it is but green, it should be put To no apparent likelihood of breach, Which, haply, by much company might be urg'd: Therefore, I fay, with noble Buckingham, That it is meet fo few should fetch the prince. 25 Haft. And so say I.

That you take with unthankfulness his doing:
In common worldly things, 'tis call'd-ungrateful,
With dull unwillingness to repay a debt,
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more, to be thus oppofite with heaven,
For it requires the royal debt it lent you.
Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mo-35
Of the young prince your fon: fend ftraight for
him,

[ther,

Let him be crown'd: in him your comfort lives: Drown defperate forrow in dead Edward's grave, And plant your joys in living Edward's throne, Enter Glofter, Buckingham, Stanley, Haftings, and Ratcliff

Glo. Then be it fo: and go we to determine Who they fhall be that straight shall post to Ludlow. Madam, and you my mother,—will you go To give your cenfures in this weighty bufinefs? [Excunt Queen, &c.

Manent Buckingham, and Glofter.

Buck. My lord, whoever journeys to the prince, For God's fake, let not us two stay at home: For, by the way, I'll fort occafion,

As index 3 to the story we late talk'd of,

To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince.
Glo. My other felf, my counsel's confiftory,
My oracle, my prophet!--My dear coufin,
I, as a child, will go by thy direction.

40 Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.
[Exeund.

1 Cit. Yes, that the king is dead.

2 Cir. Ill news, by 'r lady: feldom comes a better:

I fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world.

Enter another Citizen.

[peers,

Buck. You cloudy princes, and heart-forrowing That bear this mutual heavy lead of moan, Now chear each other in each other's love: Though we have spent our harvest of this king, We are to reap the harveft of his fon.

3 Cit. Neighbours, God speed!

Edward the young prince, in his father's life-time, and at his demife, kept his houfhold at Ludlow, as prince of Wales, under the governance of Anthony Woodville, earl of Rivers, his uncle by the mother's fide. The intention of his being fent thither was to fee juftice done in the Marches; and, by the authority of his prefence, to refrain the Welchmen, who were wild, diffolute, and ill-difpofed, from their accuftomed murders and outrages. 2. e. your opinions. 3 i. e. preparatory-by way of prelude.

Cit

York. Marry, they fay, my uncle grew fo faft, That he could gnaw a cruft at two years old; 'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.

O, full of danger is the duke of Glofter; [proud: 20 Grandam, this would have been a biting jeft.

Enter Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York,
the Queen, and the Dutchess of York.
Arch. Laft night, I heard, they lay at Northamp-
At Stony-Stratford they do reft to-night: [ton!
To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.

Dutch. I long with all my heart to fee the prince: I hope, he is much grown fince last I saw him. Queen. But I hear, no; they say, my son of York Has almoft overta'en him in his growth.

Tork. Ay, mother, but I would not have it fo. Dutch. Why, my young coufin? it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night as we did fit at fupper, My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow More than my brother; Ay, quoth my uncle GlofSmalli berbs bave grace, great weeds do grow apace: And fince, methinks, I would not grow so fast,

[ter,

Are fent to Pomfret, prifoners; and, with them, Sir Thomas Vaughan.

Dutch. Who hath committed them?

[ham.

40 Mef. The mighty dukes, Glofter and BuckingQueen. For what offence?

Mes. The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd; Why, or for what, the nobles were committed, Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.

Queen. Ah me, I fee the ruin of my house! The tyger now hath feiz'd the gentle hind; Infulting tyranny begins to jut

Upon the innocent and awless 4 throne :Welcome destruction, blood, and massacre! 5cl fee, as in a map, the end of all.

Dutch. Accurfed and unquiet wrangling days! How many of you have mine eyes beheld? My hufband loft his life to get the crown; And often up and down my fons were toft, For me to joy, and weep, their gain, and lofs : And being feated, and domeftick broils Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors, Make war upon themselves; brother to brother, Blood to blood, felf against self :-0, prepofterous 6c And frantick outrage, end thy damned spleen; Or let me die, to book on death no more!

Wretched here means paltry, pitiful, being below expectation.

2 To be remembered is ufed by Shakfpeare to imply, to have one's memory quick, to have one's thoughts about one. 3 Parkus is keen, 4 i. e. not producing awe, not reverenced. To jut upon is to encroach.

fhrewd.

Tt4

Quan

Queen. Come, come, my boy, we will to fancMadam, farewel. [tuary.

Duick. Stay, I will go with you.

Queen. You have no caufe.

Arb. My gracious lady, go.

And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I'll refign unto your grace
The feal I keep: And fo betide to me,

As well I tender you, and all of yours!

5 Come, I'll conduct you to the fanctuary. [Exeunt.

SCENE 1.

In London.

The trumpets found.

chier, and others.

ACT

Enter the Prince of Wales, the Dukes of Glafter and Buckingham, Cardinal Bour

III.

Perfuade the queen to fend the duke of York
15 Unto his princely brother presently?

If the deny,-lord Haftings, you go with him,
And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.
Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak
oratory

Buck. WELCOME, fweet prince, to London, 20 Can from his mother win the duke of York,

to your chamber'.

[reign:

Glo. Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts' fove-
The weary way hath made you melancholy.

Prince. No, uncle; but our croffes on the way
Have made it tedious, wearifome, and heavy:
I want more uncles here to welcome me. [years
Glo. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your
Hath not yet div'd into the world's deceit :
No more can you distinguish of a man,

Anon expect him here: But if the be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid
We fhould infringe the holy privilege
Of bleffed fanctuary! not for all this land,
25 Would I be guilty of fo deep a fin.

Buck. You are too fenfelefs-obftinate, my lord,
Too ceremonious, and traditional 2:
Weigh it but with the groffness of this age,
You break not fanctuary in feizing him.

Than of his outward fhew; which, God he knows, 3 The benefit thereof is always granted

Seldom, or never, jumpeth with the heart.

Thofe uncles, which you want, were dangerous;

Your grace attended to their fugar'd words,

But look'd not on the poifon of their hearts:

To thofe whofe dealings have deferv'd the place,
And those who have the wit to claim the place:
This prince hath neither claim'd it, nor deferv'd it;
Therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it :

God keep you from them, and from fuch falfe 35 Then, taking him from thence, that is not there,

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I thought, my mother, and my brother York,
Would long ere this have met us on the way :--
Fie, what a flug is Haftings! that he comes not
To tell us, whether they will come, or no.
Enter Ilaftings.

[Exeunt Cardinal, and Haftings. Say, uncle Glofter, if our brother come, Where fhall we fojourn 'till our coronation? Glo. Where it feems beft unto your royal felf. If I may counfel you, fome day, or two, 50 Your highness fhall repofe you at the Tower: Then where you pleafe, and shall be thought moft fit

Buck. And, in good time, here comes the
fweating lord.
[ther come?
Prince. Welcome, my lord: What, will our mc-
Haft. On what occafion, God he knows, not I,
The queen your mother, and your brother York, 55
Have taken fanctuary: The tender prince
Would fain have come with me to meet your grace,
But by his mother was perforce withheld.

Buck. Fie! what an indirect and peevish courfe
Is this of hers ?-Lord cardinal, will your grace

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Prince. But fay, my lord, it were not register'd ;]
Methinks, the truth fhould live from age to age,
As 'twere retail'd to all pofterity,

Even to the general all-ending day.

Glo. How?

York. Little.

Prince. My lord of York will ftill be crofs in talk ;

Gl. So wife fo young, they fay, do ne'er live 5 Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.

long 2.

Prince. What fay you, uncle?

Glo. I fay, without characters, fame lives long. Thus, like the formal vice 3, Iniquity,

} Afide.

I moralize, two meanings in one word.
Prince. That Julius Cæfar was a famous man;
With what his valour did enrich his wit,
His wit fet down to make his valour live:
Death makes no conqueft of this conqueror;
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.-
I'll tell you what, my coufin Buckingham.
Buck. What, my gracious lord?
Prince. An if I live until I be a man,

I'll win our ancient right in France again,
Or die a foldier, as I liv'd a king.

Gio. Short fummers lightly 4 have a forward
fpring.

Enter York, Haftings, and the Cardinal.

[Afide.

York. You mean to bear me, not to bear with

me:

Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me;
Becaufe that I am little like an ape,

10 He thinksthat you should bear me on your shoulders.
Buck. With what a fharp-provided wit he rea-

201

Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the duke 25

of York.

[brother?

Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving
York. Well, my dread lord; fo muft I call you

now.

Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours:30 Too late 5 he died, that might have kept that title,

Which by his death has loft much majesty.

Gio. How fares our coufin, noble lord of York?
Yerk. I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,
You faid, that idle weeds are fast in growth:
The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.
Glo. He hath, my lord.

York. And therefore is he idle?

Glo. O my fair coufin, I muft not say so.
York. Then is he more beholden to you, than I.
Glo. He may command me, as my fovereign;
But you have power in me, as in a kinsman.

York. I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.
Glo. My dagger, little coufin? with all my heart.
Prince. A beggar, brother?

York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give :
And, being but a toy, which is no gift to give.

fons!

To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,

He prettily and aptly taunts himself:

So cunning, and fo young, is wonderful.

Glo. My 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 fo.
York. I fhall not fleep in quiet at the Tower.
Glo. Why, what should you fear?
York. Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost;
My grandam told me, he was murther'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. But come, my lord, and, with a heavy heart, Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

[Exeunt Prince, York, Haftings, Cardinal, and
Attendants.

Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating
York

Was not incenfed by his fubtle mother,

To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriɔ̃usly?
Glo. No doubt, no doubt; O, 'tis a parlous boy;
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable;

40 He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.
Buck. Well, let them reftCome hither,
Catesby; thou art sworn

Glo. A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.
York. A greater gift! O, that's the sword to it? 50
Glo. Ay, gentle coufin, were it light enough.
York. O then, I fee, you'll part but with light
gifts;

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In weightier things you'll fay a beggar, nay. Glo. It is too weighty for your grace to wear. Tork. I weigh it lightly, were it heavier. Gis. What, would you have my weapon, little lord? [me. York. I would, that I might thank you as you call 2 A proverbial line. 3 By vice the author means not a quality, but a 4 i. e. commonly, in ordinary course. 5 i. e. too lately, the lofs is too i.e. I fhould ftill efteem it but a trifling gift, were it heavier.

1 i. e. diffused, dispersed.

perfon. See note 3, p. 492. fresh in our memory.

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Shakspeare's Dramatic Works: With Explanatory Notes, Volume 2