Tell him, his fears are fhallow, wanting inftance; (9):
And for his dreams, I wonder, he's fo fond
To truft the mock'ry of unquiet flumbers.
To fly the boar, before the boar pursues,.
Were to incenfe the boar, to follow us,
And make purfuit, where he did mean no chase.
Go, bid thy mafter rife and come to me,
And we will both together to the Tower,

Where, he shall fee, the boar will ufe us kindly.
Mef. I'll go, my Lord, and tell him what you say..

Enter Catesby.

[Exit.

Catef. Many good morrows to my noble Lord! Haft. Good morrow, Catefby. You are early ftirring; What news, what news, in this our tottering ftate? 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 my fhoulders,

Before I'll fee the crown fo foul mifplac'd.

But canft thou guefs that he doth aim at it?

Catef Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you for ward

Upon his party, for the gain thereof;:

And thereupon he fends you this good news,
That this fame very day your enemies,

The kindred of the Queen, muft die at Pomfret..
Haft. Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been still my adverfaries;
But that I'll give my voice on Richard's fide,
To bar mafter's heirs in true defcent,

my

God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Catef. God keep your Lordship in that gracious mind!

(9) Wanting inftance;] That is, wanting fome example or act of malevolence, by which they may be juftified; or which, perhaps, is nearer to the true meaning, wanting any immediate ground or

reafon,

Haft.

Haft. But I fhall laugh at this a twelve-month hence,
That they, who brought, me in my mafter's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.

Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older,
I'll fend fome packing that yet think not on't.

Lord,

Catesby. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious When men are unprepar'd and look not for it. Haft. O monftrous, monftrous! and fo falls it out With Rivers, Vaughan, Gray; and fo 'twill do With fome men elfe, who think themselves as fafe As thou and I; who, as thou know'ft, are dear To princely Richard and to Buckingham.

Catef. The princes both make high account of

you

For they account his head upon

the bridge. [Afide. Haft. I know, they do; and I have well deferv'd it.

Enter Lord Stanley.

Come on, come on, where is your boar-fpear man?
Fear you the boar, and go fo unprovided?

Stanl. My Lord, good morrow; and, good morrow,,
Catefby;

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 proteft,
Was it fo precious to me as 'tis now;
Think you, but that I know our ftate fecure,
I would be fo triumphant as I am?

Stanl. The Lords at Pomfret, when they rode from
London,

Were jocund, and fuppos'd their ftates were fure;
And they, indeed, had no caufe to miftruft;
But yet, you fee, how foon the day o'er-caft,
This fudden ftab of rancour I mifdoubt;
Pray God, I fay, I prove a needlefs coward!

What, fhall we tow'rd the Tower? the day is fpent.
Haft. Come, come, (1) have with you.

(1) Have with you.] A familiar phrafe in parting, as much as, take fomething along with you, or Ihave fomething to fay to you.

To

To day the Lords, you talk of, are beheaded. Stanl. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads, (2)

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 alk.

Haft. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now, Than when thou met'ft me laft where now we meet; Then I was going prifoner to the Tower, By the fuggeftion of the Queen's allies, But now I tell thee (keep it to thyfelf,) This day thofe enemies are put to death, And I in better state, 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 Purfe. Purf. I thank your Honour.. [Exit Purfuivant. Enter a Prieft.

Prieft. Well met, my Lord, 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 laft exercife: +

Come the next fabbath, and I will content you.

Enter Buckingham:

[He whispers

Buck. What, talking with a Prieft, Lord Cham→ berlain?

(2) They, for their truth,] That is, with respect to their honefty. Hold it, that is, continue it.

Exercife] Performance of divine fervice.

Your

Your friends at Pomfret they do need a Prieft,
Your Honour hath no fhriving work in hand. (3)
Haft. Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
The men, you talk of, came into my mind.
What, go you tow'rd the Tower?

Buck. I do, my Lord, but long I fhall not ftay:
I fhall return before your Lordship thence.

Haft. Nay, like enough, for I ftay dinner there.
Buck. And fupper too, altho' thou know'ft it not.

[Afide.

[Exeunt.

Enter Sir Richard Ratcliff, with balberds, carrying Lord Rivers, Lord Richard Gray, and Sir Thomas Vaughan to Death.

Rat. Come, 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 fhall cry woe for this hereafter.

Rat. Difpatch; the limit of your lives is out.

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:

And, for more flander to thy difmal feat,

We give to thee our guiltlefs blood to drink.

Gray. Now, Margret's curfe is fall'n upon our heads,

When the exclaim'd on Haftings, you, and I, For standing by when Richard ftabb'd her fon. (3) Shriving work is Confeffion.

Riv. Then curs'd fhe Richard, curs'd the Buckingham,

Then curs'd fhe Haftings. O remember, God!
To hear her prayer for them, as now for us.
As for my fifter, and her princely fons,

;

Be fatisfy'd, dear God, with our true blood
Which, as thou know'ft, unjustly must be spilt.

Rat. Make hafte, the hour of death is now expired. Riv. Come, Gray; come, Vaughan; let us all em[They embrace. [Exeunt.

brace.

Farewell, until we meet again in heav'n.

SCENE V.

The Tower.

Buckingham, Stanley, Haftings, Bishop of Ely,
Catefby, Lovel, with others, at a table.
Haft. Now, noble Peers, the cause 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 moft inward with the noble Duke?

Ely. Your Grace, we think, fhould fooneft know

his mind.

Buck. We know each other's faces; for our hearts,
He knows no more of mine, than I of yours;
Nor I of his, my Lord, than you of mine.
-Lord Haftings, you and he are near in love.
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
His gracious pleafure any where therein;
But you my noble Lord, may name the time,
And in the Duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which I prefume, he'll take in gentle part.

Enter