As if thou were distraught, and mad with terror?
Buck. Tut! I can counterfeit the deep tragedian,
Speak, and look back, and pry on every fide;
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
Intending deep fufpicion: ghaftly looks
Are at my fervice, like inforced fmiles;
And both are ready in their offices,
At any time to grace my ftratagems.
Glo. Here comes the Mayor,

Buck. Let me alone to entertain him. Lord Mayor.—

Enter the Lord Mayor, attended.

Glo. Look to the draw-bridge there.

Buck, Hark, a drum!

Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls.

Buck. Lord Mayor, the reafon we have fent-
Glo. Look back, defend thee, here are enemies.
Buck. God and our innocence defend and guard us!

Enter Lovel and Catesby with Hastings's head.

Glo. Be patient, they are friends; Catefby and Lovely
Lov. Here is the head of that ignoble traitor,
The dangerous and unfuspected Haftings.

Glo. So dear I lov'd the man, that I muft weep.
I took him for the plaineft, harmless creature,
That breath'd upon the earth a Christian :
Made him my book, wherein my foul recorded
The hiftory of all her fecret thoughts;

So fmooth he daub'd his vice with fhew of virtue,
That (his apparent open guilt omitted,

I mean his converfation with Shore's wife)

He liv'd from all attainder of suspect.

Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'ft fhelter'd trai Would you imagine, or almoft believe,

(Were't not that by great prefervation We live to tell it), that the fubtle traitor

This day had plotted in the council-house,

To murther me and my good Lord of Glo'fter.
Mayor. What? had he fo?

[tor.

Glo. What think you we are Turks or Infidels? Or that we would, against the form of law,

Proceed thus rafhly to the villain's death;

But that the extreme peril of the cafe,

The peace of England, and our perfon's fafety,
Inforc'd us to this execution ?

Mayor. Now, fair befal you! he deferv'd his death;
And your good graces both have well proceeded,
To warn falfe traitors from the like attempts.

I never look'd for better at his hands,

After he once fell in with Mistress Shore.

Buck. Yet had not we determin'd he fhould die,
Until your Lordship came to see his end;

Which now the loving hafte of these our friends,
Something against our meaning, hath prevented;
Because, my Lord, we would have had you heard
The traitor speak, and tim'rously confefs
The manner and the purpose of his treafons;
That you might well have fignify'd the fame
Unto the citizens, who haply may

Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.

Mayor. Tut! my good Lord, your Grace's word fha

As well as I had feen and heard him speak:

And do not doubt, right noble Princes both,
But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens

With all your juft proceedings in this cafe.

[ferve,

Glo. And to that end we with'd your Lordship here, T'avoid the cenfures of the carping world.

Buck. But fince you come too late of our intent,

Yet witness what you hear we did intend:

And fo, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.

[Exit Mayor.

Glo. Go after, after, coufin Buckingham.

The Mayor towards Guild-hall hies him in all post.
There, at your meetest vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children;
Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen,
Only for faying, he would make his fon

Heir to the crown, meaning indeed his houfe,
Which by the fign thereof was termed fo.
Moreover urge his hateful luxury,

And beltial appetite in change of luft,

Which stretch'd unto their fervants, daughters, wives, Ev n where his ranging eye, or favage heart,

Without controul, lufted to make a prey.

Nay, for a need, thus far come near my perfon:
Tell them, when that my mother went with child
Of that infatiate Edward, Noble York
My princely father then had wars in France;
And by juft computation of the time,
Found that the iffue was not his begot:
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the Noble Duke my father.
Yet touch this fparingly, as 'twere far off;
Because, my Lord, you know my mother lives.
Buck. Doubt not, my Lord, I'll play the orator,
As if the golden fee, for which I plead,
Were for myself: and fo, my Lord, adieu.

Glo If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's Where you fhall find me well accompanied

[castle,

With reverend fathers, and well learned bifhops.

Buck. I go, and towards three or four o'clock Look for the news that the Guild-hall affords. [Exit Buck. Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to Doctor Shaw; Go thou to Friar Peuker; bid them both [To Catefby. Meet me within this hour at Baynard's castle.

[Exeunt Lov. and Cates. Severally.

Now will I go to take fome privy order

To draw the brats of Clarence out of fight;
And to give order, that no fort of perfon
Have any time recourfe unto the princes.

Enter a Scrivener.

[Exit.

Scriv. Here is the indictment of the good Lord Haft

Which in a fet hand fairly is ingrofs'd,

That it may be to-day read o'er in Paul's

And mark how well the fequel hangs together.

[ings,

Eleven hours I've spent to write it over,
For yefternight by Catesby was it fent me:
The precedent was full as long a doing.
And yet within thefe five hours Haftings liv'd,
Untainted, unexamin'd, free, at liberty.
Here's a good world the while;

-who is fo grofs,

That cannot fee this palpable device?

Yet who fo bold, but fays he fees it not?

Bad is the world, and all will come to nought,

• A house in Thames-street belonging to the Duke of Gloucester.

When fuch ill dealings must be seen in thought. [Exit.

SCENE VII. Changes to Baynard's cafile. Enter Gloucester and Buckingham, at feveral doors. Glo. How now, how now, what fay the citizens? Buck. Now, by the holy mother of our Lord, The citizens are mum, fay not a word.

Glo. Touch'd you the baftardy of Edward's children? Buck. I did; with his contract with Lady Lucy, And his contract by deputy in Francé;

Th' unfatiate greediness of his defires,
And his inforcement of the city-wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own bastardy,
As being got, your father then in France,
And his resemblance, being not like the Duke.
Withal, I did infer your lineaments,

Being the right idea of your father,

Both in your form and nobleness of mind;
Laid open
all your
victories in Scotland:
Your difcipline in war, wifdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility:
Indeed, left nothing fitting for the purpofe
Untouch'd, or flightly handled in discourse.
And when my oratory grew tow'rd end,

I bid them that did love their country's good,
Cry, God fave Richard, England's Royal King!
Glo. And did they so!

Buck. No, fo God help me: they spake not a word; But, like dumb ftatues, or unbreathing ftones,

Star'd each on other, and look'd deadly pale :
Which when I faw, I reprehended them;

And afk'd the Mayor, what meant this wilful filence?
His answer was, the people were not used
To be spoke to except by the Recorder.
Then he was urg'd to tell my tale again:

Thus faith the Duke, thus hath the Duke inferr'd;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, fome followers of mine own,
At lower end o'th' hall, hul'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cry'd, God fave King Richard!
And thus I took the vantage of those few :

Thanks, gentle citizens and friends, quoth I;
This general applause and chearful fhout
Argues your wisdom, and your love to Richard:
And even here brake off and came away.

Glo. What tongueless blocks were they, they would not speak?

Will not the Mayor then and his brethren come?
Buck. The Mayor is here at hand; pretend fome fear;
Be not you spoke with, but by mighty fuit;
And look you get a prayer-book in your hand,
And ftand between two churchmen, good my
Lord:
For on that ground I'll build a holy defcant:
And be not eafily won to our requests:
Play the maids part, ftill anfwer Nay, and take it.
Glo I go; and if you plead as well for them,

As I can fay Nay to thee, for myself,

No doubt we'll bring it to a happy iffue.

[Ex. Gle.

Buck. Go, go up to the leads, the Lord Mayor knocks,

Enter Lord Mayor and Citizens.

Welcome, my Lord, I dance attendance here ;
I think the Duke will not be spoke withal.

Enter Catesby.

Buck. Catesby what fays your Lord to my request ? Gates. He doth intreat your Grace, my Noble Lord, To vift him to morrow, or next day;

He is within, with two right-reverend fathers,

Divinely bent to meditation;

And in no worldly fuits would he be mov'd,

To draw him from his holy exercise.

Buck. Return, good Catefby, to the gracious Duke; Tell him, nyfelf, the Mayor, and Aldermen,

In deep defigns, in matter of great moment,
No lefs importing than our gen'ral good,

Are come to have fome conf'rence with his Grace.
Catef. I'll fignify fo much unto him strait.

[Exit.

Buck. Ah, ah! my Lord, this prince is not an Ed

He is not lolling on a lewd love-bed,

[ward:

But on his knees at meditation ;

Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,