Nor I of his, my lord, than you of mine.

Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.

[Hastings.] I thank his grace; I know he loves me well ; But for his purpose in the coronation

I have not sounded him, nor he deliver’d
His gracious pleasure any way therein:
But you, my gracious lord, may name the time;
And in the duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which, I presume, he'll take in gentle part.
-In happy time, here comes the duke himself.

[a pause.] [Gloster.] My noble lords and cousins all, good morrow: I have been long a sleeper; but, I trust,

My absence doth neglect no great design,

Which, by my presence, might have been concluded? [Buckingham.] Had you not come upon yon cue, my lord, William lord Hastings had pronounc'd your part,— I mean your voice,-for crowning of the king.

[Gloster.] Than my lord Hastings no man might be bolder: His lordship knows me well, and loves me well ;— Ah, my good lord of Ely,

It is not long ago I was in Holborn,

And saw good strawberries in your garden there:
I should not care to eat some, if we had them.

[Ely.] My lord, I'll send for some, with all my heart.

[Gloster.] Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.

Gloster leaves the chamber with Buckingham: the bishop of Ely presently returns:

[Ely.] The strawberries are sent for-where 's his grace? Hastings replies:

[Hastings.] Anon, no doubt, he will be here again.
There's some conceit or other likes him well,
When he doth bid good morrow with such spirit.
I think there's ne'er a man in Christendom

Can lesser hide his love or hate, than he:

For by his face, you straight shall know his heart.

Gloster, re-entering with Buckingham, speaks; and Hastings afterwards, in answer to him.

[Gloster.] I pray you all, tell me what they deserve
That do conspire my death with devi'lish plots
Of damned witchcraft; and that have prevail'd
Upon my body with their hellish charms ?

[Hastings.] The tender love I bear unto your grace,
Makes me most forward in this noble presence,
To doom the offenders, whosoe'er they be.
[Gloster.] Then be your eyes a witness of their evil.
Look, how I am bewitch'd; behold, mine arm
Is, like a blasted sapling, wither'd up:

And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with the harlot Shore: 'tis they

That, by their witchcraft thus have blighted me.
[Hastings.] If they have done this deed, my noble lord,—
[Gloster.] If! thou abettor of that crafty strumpet,
Talk'st thou to me of ifs? Thou art a traitor :—
Off with his head!-now, by St. Paul I swear,
I will not dine until it shall be brought me.
Lovel, and Catesby, look that it be done :-
The rest that love me, rise and follow me.

Hastings, we may well believe, is for a time struck dumb with astonishment and horror: at length he gets utterance:

[Hastings.] O bloody Richard! miserable England! I prophesy the fearful'st time to come

That ever wretched age hath look'd upon.

O momentary grace of mortal men,

Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!
Who builds his hope in the air of men's fair looks,
Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast,

Ready, with every nod, to tumble down
Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

[urgent.

[Catesby.] Come, come, my lord; the duke's command is Make a short shrift, and yield you to the block.

From the council-chamber in the Tower, Gloster and Buckingham betake themselves to the walls: Gloster speaks:

[Gloster.] Come, cousin, canst thou quake and change thy
As if thou wert distract and lost with terror? [colour,
[Buckingham.] Tut, you will find I am an apt tragedian :
Why, I can start at wagging of a straw;
Pretend a deep suspicion: ghastly looks
Are at my service, like enforced smiles:
And both are ready to promote your ends.
'Tis time, I think, that Ratcliffe should return.
And see, he comes, and brings the mayo'r along :
Let me alone to manage him.-Lord mayor,-
Look to the draw-bridge! Ratcliffe, guard thyself!
Lord mayo'r, the reason we have sent for you-
My lord protector!-pray you, shelter here:
Heaven and our innocence defend and guard us!
Look back,-defend thee-here are enemies!

[Gloster.] Be patient, cousin Buckingham: I think

That these are friends.-'Tis Catesby sure, and Lovel. [Catesby.] We bring the head of that ignoble traitor, The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.

[Gloster.] So dear I lov'd the man, that I must weep.
I took him for the plainest, kindest creature
That breath'd upon the earth a Christian :
Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded
The history of all her secret thoughts.
And truly,-one apparent guilt omitted,
I mean, his conversation with Shore's wife,-
His life seem'd free from blemish of suspicion.

[traitor [Buckingham.] Well, well, he was the closest-shelter'd That ever liv'd. My lord mayo'r, would you think it,

Would you believe, or could you e'en imagine,
(Albeit, by heaven's almighty preservation
We are alive to tell i't) 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? what, you, my lord protector?

[Gloster.] Think you, lord mayo'r, that we are Turks or in-
Or that we would, against the form of law, [fidels?
Have thus proceeded in the villain's death;
But that the extreme peril of the case

Enforc'd us? Yet we meant not 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 wish'd you to have heard
The traitor speak, and timo'rously 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 this, and wail his death.

[Mayor.] I pray you, noble princes both, believe me,
I will acquaint our duteous citizens

With all your just proceedings in this case.

Gloster.] 'Twas to that end we wish'd your lordship here,
To avoid the censures of the carping world;
And so, my good lord mayo'r, we bid farewell.-

[a pause.]

Go, after, after, cousin Buckingham :
Toward Guildhall now he hies him with all speed:
You know what points to touch upon and foremost
Take care to speak of Edward's former contract
To lady Eliza'beth Lucy, long before

His match with lady Grey. Moreover urge
King Edward's change of lust, and hateful luxury.

[Buckingham.] 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!

[Gloster.] If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's castle; Where you shall find me well accompanied

With reverend fathers and right learned bishops.

Our next scene, then, may be the court of Baynard's castle: Gloster, who is in waiting for Buckingham's return, speaks as the latter enters :

[Gloster.] How now,

how now? what say the citizens?

[senseless stones: [Buckingham.] Now, by our hopes, my lord, they a’re Their hesitating fear has struck them dumb.

[Gloster.] Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's children?

[Buckingham.] I did; his contract with the lady Lucy;
Nay, his own bastardy and tyranny :
Laid open all your victories in Scotland,
Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace;
Your bounty, justice, fair humility:
Indeed, left nothing that might gild our cause
Untouch'd, or slightly handled, in my talk:
And when my' oration drew towards an end,
I urg'd of them that lov'd their country's good,
To do you right, and cry, "Long live king Richard.”

[Gloster.] And did they so?

[Buckingham.] Not one, by heaven; but all, like statues Speechless and pale, star'd in each other's face: [fix'd, Which when I saw, I reprehended them;

And ask'd the mayo'r, what meant this wilful silence.
His answer was, the people were not us'd

To be address'd except by the recorder;
Who then took on him to repeat my words,-

"Thus saith the duke,-thus hath the duke inferr'd,—”
But nothing urg'd in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some follo'wers of my own,
At the lower end of the hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cried, "God save king Richard!"
At which I took the vantage of those few,