ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Interior of the Tower,

Prince Edward, Duke of York, Lady Anne, Queen, Dorset, and Duchess of York discovered.

P. Edw. Dear Mother, why do you weep, and wring your hands,

And call us orphans, wretches, castaways?

Why do you look thus sad, and shake your

head?

Queen. Poor shallow innocents! ye cannot see

The lowering star, that envies your estate;
And I can only wail my darling's woes

With sad, unhelpful tears.

Dor. Have comfort, Madam,

Things at the worst will cease, or else climb upward
To what they were before.

P. Edw. Think you my uncle means us harm, dear
Mother?

I never did him wrong, nor no man wrong;
And if his purpose be to take my crown,
I will resign it with all willingness.

Queen. My tender babes!

Enter Stanley.

Stanley, thy looks foretell

Some dreadful story hanging on thy tongue :
What news?

Stan. Such news, your grace, as grieves me to unfold. Some few days since, your noble kinsmen,

Lord Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, were put to death
At Pomfret.

Queen. Oh! speak no more, for I have heard too much : The tyger now hath seized his hapless prey;—

Ah me! I see the ruin of our house.

Enter Catesby.

Cates. All happiness unto your gracious majesty! I have it in command, so please you, madam,

Strait to attend you unto Westminster,

There to be crowned Richard's royal Queen.
Queen. Oh! my pent heart!

Lady Anne. Oh! most unpleasing news!
For none hath greater cause to mourn than I.—
Queen. Alas! poor soul, I envy not thy glory,

And from my heart I pity thy complaining.

Lady Anne. No more than, from my soul, I mourn for yours.

My pretty cousins, blessings rest upon you!

Cates. Your pardon, madam, I in all haste was sent.
Lady Anne. And I, with all unwillingness will go.
Oh! would to Heaven, that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal, that must round my brow,
Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brain!
Anointed let me be with deadly venom,

And die, 'ere man can say, Long live the Queen I' (Exeunt Lady Anne and Catesby.

Queen. Oh, wretched times!

Dor. Madam, be of good cheer.

Queen. O, Dorset, speak not to me get thee gone— Death and destruction dog thee at the heels:

If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas,

And live with Richmond from the reach of hell.

Stan. Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam. (To Dorset.) Take all the swift advantage of the hour, You shall have letters from me to my son :And would your majesty take my advice, (For I fear danger may approach the princes) Be not found here-hence with your little ones, And forthwith speed unto some sanctuary, Where you may rest secure from force or fraud. Queen. Come then, my children,

E

And since mischance hath trod our title down,
Let us embrace these sour adversities,
And what heaven wills, with patience yield unto.

Enter Brakenbury.

Brak. I beg your majesty to pardon me,
But the young princes must on no account

Have egress from the Tower: and by your patience,
I may not suffer you to visit them.

The king has strictly charged the contrary

All must retire.

(Giving warrant to Stanley. Queen. I am their mother, who shall bar me from them? I'll bear thy blame,

And take thy office from thee on my peril.

Brak. The duty that I owe his majesty
Forbids me, madam: I dare not leave it so ;
I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

Stan. So is it given in charge, and please your grace.

(Returning warrant to Brakenbury.

P. Edw. And must you leave us, mother?
Queen. If I speak

To them, my heart will burst-Oh! righteous Heaven!
Why do you make us love your goodly gifts

And snatch them strait away?

P. Edw. And will you go, and bid us not farewell? Queen. My pretty little ones! we shall meet again— At least in heaven!

D. York. Oh! take me with you,
Queen. I cannot speak to them—

mother.

But let these kisses say farewell!-Oh, why,

Why must they be our last?

Duchess Y. Cease, I entreat you;

Be sudden when you part.

Queen. I will; since it must be so,

To Heaven I leave them.

Hear me, ye guardian powers of innocence!
Awake or sleeping, O protect 'em still!

Still may their helpless youth attract men's pity,
That, when the arm of cruelty is rais'd,

Their looks may drop the lifted dagger down
From the stern murderer's relenting hand,
And throw him on his knees in penitence!

P. Edw. and

D. York.

}

O, mother! mother!

Queen. O, my poor children!

(Exeunt Queen, Duchess of York, Dorset, and Stanley; Brakenbury with the princes.

SCENE II.-A room of state in the Palace."

(Flourish of trumpets.)

Richard, as king, upon his throne:-Buckingham, Catesby, a page, and others.

King R. Stand all apart.—Cousin of Buckingham,—
Buck. My gracious sovereign.
Give me thy hand.
high, by thy advice,

King R.

(Comes down.) Thus

And thy assistance, is king Richard seated:

But shall we wear these glories for a day?

Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?

Buck. Still live they, and for ever let them last!
King R. Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch-

stone

To try if thou be current gold, indeed :

-

Young Edward lives;-think now what I would speak.
Buck. Say on, any loving lord.

King R. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king.
Buck. Why, so you are, my thrice-renowned liege.

King R. Ha! am I a king? 'Tis so; but Edward lives. Buck. True, noble prince.

King R. O, bitter consequence,

That Edward still should live, true, noble prince!

Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.

Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead,

And I would have it suddenly perform'd.

What say'st thou know? Speak suddenly, be brief.

Buck. Your grace may do your pleasure.

King R. Tut! tut! thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes:

Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?

Buck. Give me some breath, some little pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this:

I will resolve your grace immediately.

(Exit Buckingham)

King R. I will converse with iron-witted fools,
And unrespective boys; none are for me,
That look into me with considerate eyes ;-

High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.--
Boy,-

Page. My lord?

King R. Know'st thou not any whom corrupting gold Would tempt unto a close exploit of death?

Page. I know a discontented gentleman,

Whom gold, no doubt, would tempt

King R. What is his name?

Page. His name, my lord, is-Tyrrel.

King R. I partly know the man; go, call him hither, boy. (Exit Page.

The deep-revolving, witty Buckingham

No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels :

Hath he so long held out with me untir'd,

And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.—

Enter Stanley.

How now, lord Stanley? What's the news?

Stan. My lord,

The Marquis Dorset, as I hear, is fled

To Richmond, in the court of Brittany.

King R. Come hither, Catesby: rumour it abroad,

That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick;

I will take order for her keeping close.

Look, how thou dream'st! I say again, give out,
That Anne, my queen, is sick, and like to die :
About it; for it stands me much upon,

To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
(Exit Catesby.

I must be married to my brother's daughter, else my kingdom stands on brittle glass :