But on his knees at meditation:

Not dallying with a brace of courtezans;

But with two deep divines in sacred praying;
Happy were England, would this virtuous prince
Take on himself the toil of sov'reignty.

Lord M. Happy indeed, my lord.

He will not, sure, refuse our proffer'd love?

Buck. Alas, my lord! you know him not: his mind's Above this world-he's for a crown immortal.

Look there, his door opens; now where's our hope? Lord M. See where his grace stands, 'tween two cler gyinen!

Buck. Ay, ay, 'tis there he's caught-there's his ambi

tion.

Lord M. How low he bows to thank them for their care! And see! a prayer-book in his hand

Buck. 'Would he were king, we'd give him leave to

pray!

Methinks I wish it, for the love he bears the city.
How have I heard him vow, he thought it hard
The Mayor should lose his title with his office!
Well, who knows? he may be won.

Lord M. Ah, my lord!

Buck. See, he comes forth-my friend's, be resolute; I know he's cautious to a fault: but do not Leave him, till our honest suit be granted.

Enter GLOSTER, with a Book.

Glost. Cousin of Buckingham, ̈

I do beseech your grace to pardon me,
Who, earnest in my zealous meditation,
So long deferr'd the service of my friends.
Now do I fear I've done some strange offence,
That looks disgracious in the city's eye. If so,
Tis just you should reprove my ignorance.
Buck. Yon have, my lord: we wish your grace,
On our entreaties, would amend your fault.

Glost. Else wherefore breathe I in a christian land?
Buck. Know then, it is your fault that you resign
The scepter'd office of your ancestors,

Fair England's throne, your own due right of birth,
To the corruption of a blemish'd stock';

In this just cause I come, to move your highness,
That on your gracious self you'd take the charge
And kingly government of this your land,
Not as protector, steward, substitute,
Or lowly factor for another's gain,
But as successively, from blood to blood,
Your own by right of birth, and lineal glory.
Glost. I cannot tell, if to depart in silence,
Or bitterly to speak in your reproof,

Fits best with my degree, or your condition:
Therefore, to speak in just refusal of your suit,
And then in speaking not to check my friends,
Definitively thus I answer you:

Your love deserves my thanks; but my desert,
Unmeritable, shuns your fond request;

For, Heaven be thank'd, there is no need of me;
The royal stock has left us royal fruit,
Which, mellow'd by the stealing hours of time,
Will well become the seat of majesty,
And make us (no doubt) happy by his reign.
On him I lay what you would lay on me,
The right and fortune of his happier stars;

Which Heaven forbid my thoughts should rob him of! Lord M. Upon our knees, my lord, we beg your grace To wear this precious robe of dignity,

Which on a child must sit too loose and heavy;

'Tis yours, befitting both your wisdom and your birth. Catesby. My lord, this coldness is unkind,

Nor suits it with such ardent loyalty.

Buck. Oh, make them happy!

suit.

grant their lawful

Glost: Alas! why would you heap this care upon me? I am unfit for state and majesty.

I thank you for your loves, but must declare

(I do beseech you take it not amiss)

I will not, dare not, must not yield to you.

Buck. If you refuse us, through a soft remorse,
Loth to depose the child, your brother's son
(As well we know your tenderness of heart;)
Yet know, though you deny us to the last,
Your brother's son shall never reign our king,
But we will plant some other on the throne,
To the disgrace and downfall of your house:
And, thus resolved, I bid you, sir, fareweli.-
My lord, and gentlemen, I beg your pardon,
For this vain trouble-my intent was good,
I would have served my country and my king:
But 'twill not be-farewell, till next we meet.

Lord M. Be not too rash, my lord; his grace relents.'
Buck. Away, you but deceive yourselves.

Catesby. Sweet prince, accept their suit.

Lord M. If you deny us, all the land will rue it.

[Exit.

Glost. Call him again-[Exit Catesby.] you will enforce

me to

A world of cares-I am not made of stone,

But penetrable to your kind entreaties;

Though, Heaven knows, against my own inclining.

Enter BUCKINGHAM and CATESBY.

Cousin of Buckingham, and sage, grave men,
Since you will buckle fortune on my back,
To bear her burden, whether I will or no,

must have patience to endure the load; But, black scandal, or foul-faced reproach, Attend the sequel of your imposition,

Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me;
For Heaven knows, as you may partly see,
How far I am from the desire of this.

Lord M. Heaven guard your grace! we see it, and will say it.

Glost. You will but say the truth, my lord.

Buck. My heart's so full, it scarce has vent for words; My knee will better speak my duty, now.

Long live our sovereign, Richard, King of England! Glost. Indeed, your words have touch'd me nearly, cousin!

Pray rise-I wish you could recall them.

Buck. It would be treason, now, my lord; to-morrow, If it so please your majesty, from council Orders shall be given for your coronation.

Glost. E'en when you please, for you will have it so. Buck. To-morrow, then, we will attend your majesty. And now we take our leaves with joy.

Glost. Cousin, adieu-my loving friends, farewell.
I must unto my holy work again. [Exeunt all but Richard.
Why, now my golden dreamn is out-

Ambition, like an early friend, throws back
My curtains with an eager hand, o'erjoy'd
To tell me what I dreamt is true-A crown!
Thou bright reward of ever-daring minds!
Oh! how thy awful glory wraps my soul!
Nor can the means that got thee dim thy lustre !
For not men's love, fear pays the adoration,

And fame not more survives from good than evil deeds.
Th' aspiring youth, that fired the Ephesian dome,
Outlives, in fame, the pious fool t
Conscience, lie still; more lives wi
Crowns got with blood must be wit,

raised it.

et be drain'd;
'ood maintain'd.

[Exit.

ACT IV.

SCENE 1-The Tower-QUEEN, PRINCE EDWARD, DUKE OF YORK, DUCHESS OF YORK, and LADY ANNE, discovered.

P.Ed. Pray, madam, do not leave me yet,
For I have many more complaints to tell you.
Queen. And I unable to redress the least!-
What would'st thou say, my child?

P. Ed. Oh, mother, since I have lain l' the Tower,
My rest has still been broke with frightful dreams,
Or shocking news has waked me into tears;
I'm scarce allow'd a friend to visit me;
All my old honest servants are turn'd off,
And in their room are strange ill-natured fellows,
Who look so bold as they were all my masters;
And I'm afraid they'll shortly take you from me.
Duch. of York. Oh, mournful hearing!
Lady A. Oh, unhappy prince!

D. of York. Dear brother, why do you weep so?
You make me cry too!

Queen. Alas, poor innocence!

i

P. Ed. 'Would I but knew at what my uncle aims; If 'twere my crown, I'd freely give it him,

So he'd but let me 'joy my life in quiet.

D. of York. Why, will my uncle kill us, brother?
P. Ed. I hope he won't; we never injured him.
Queen. I cannot bear to see them thus.

Enter LORD STANLEY.

[Weeping.

Stanley. Madam, I hope your majesty will pardon th What I'm grieved to tell, unwelcome news!

Queen. Ah me! more sorrow yet! My lord, we've long Despair'd of happy tidings; pray, what is't?

Stanley. On Tuesday last, your noble kinsmen, Rivers, Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan, at Pomfret,

Were executed on a public scaffold.

Duch. of York. Oh dismal tidings!

P. Ed. Oh poor uncles! I doubt my turn is next.

Lady A. Nor mine. I fear, far off.

Queen. Why then let's welcome blood and massacre,

Yield all our throats to the fell tiger's rage,

And die lamenting one another's wrongs;

Oh! I foresaw this ruin of our house!

Enter CATESBY.

Catesby. Madam, the king

Has sent me to inform your majesty,

[Weeps

That you prepare (as is advised from council)
To-morrow for your royal coronation.

Queen. What do I hear! support me, Heaven!
Lady A. Alas, I heard of this before, but could not
For my soul find heart to tell you of it.

Catesby. The king does farther wish your majesty Would less employ your visits at the Tower;

He gives me leave t' attend you to the court,

And is impatient, madam, till he sees you.

Lady A. Farewell to all! and thou, poor, injured queen, Forgive the unfriendly duty I must pay.

Queen. Alas, kind soul, I envy not thy glory;.

Nor think I'm pleased thou'rt partner in our sorrow.
Catesby. Madam,

Lady A. I come.

Catesby. Shall I attend your majesty?

Lady A. Attend me? whither? to he crown'd? Let me with deadly venom be anointed,

And die ere man can say, Long live the Queen!

Stanley. Take comfort, madam.

[Exit with Catesby

Queen. Alas! where is it to be found? Death and destruction follow us so close, They shortly must o'ertake us!

Stanley. In Brittany,

My son-in-law, the Earl of Richmond, still
Resides, who with a jealous eye observes
The lawless actions of aspiring Gloster;
To him would I advise you, madam, fly
Forthwith for aid, protection, and redress:
He will, I'm sure, with open arms, receive you.
Duch. of York. Delay not, madam,

For 'tis the only hope that Heaven has left us.

Queen. Do with me what you please—for any change Must surely better our condition.

Stanley. I farther would advise you, madam, this in

stant

To remove the princes to some

Remote abode, where you yourself are mistress.

P. Ed. Dear madam, take me hence; for I shall ne'er Enjoy a moment's quiet here.

D. of York, Nor I:-pray, mother, let me go too. Queen. Come, then, my pretty young ones, let's away, For here you lie within the falcon's reach,

Who watches but the unguarded hour to seize you.
Enter LIEUTENANT, with a Warrant.

Lieut. Lbeg your majesty will pardon me ;
But the young princes must on no account
Have egress from the Tower,

Nor must (without the king's especial licence)