University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

SCENE the Tower.
Enter the Duke of Gloster, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and Catesby.
Glost.
Thus far Success attends upon our Councils,
And each Event has answer'd to my Wish;
The Queen and all her upstart Race are quell'd;
Dorset is banish'd, and her Brother Rivers
'Ere this lies shorter by the Head at Pomfret.
The Nobles have with joint Concurrence nam'd me
Protector of the Realm: My Brother's Children,
Young Edward and the little York, are lodg'd
Here, safe within the Tower. How say you, Sirs.
Does not this business wear a lucky Face?
The Scepter and the Golden Wreath of Royalty
Seem hung within my Reach.

Ratel.
Then take 'em to you
And wear them long and worthily; you are
The last remaining Male of princely York:
(For Edward's Boys, the State Esteems not of 'em,)
And therefore on your Sovereignty and Rule
The Common-Weal does her Dependence make.
And leans upon your Highness's able Hand.

Cat.
And yet to Morrow does the Council meet
To fix a Day for Edward's Coronation:
Who can expound this Riddle?

Glost.
That can I.
Those Lords are each one my approv'd, good Friends.
Of special Trust and Nearness to my Bosom;
And howsoever busie they may seem,
And diligent to bustle in the State,
Their Zeal goes on no farther than we lead,
And at our bidding stays.

Cat.
Yet there is one,
And he amongst the foremost in his Power,
Of whom I wish your Highness were assur'd:
For me, perhaps it is my Nature's Fault,
I own, I doubt of his inclining, much.

Glost.
I guess the Man at whom your Words wou'd point:
Hastings—

Cat.
The same.

Glost.
He bears me great Good Will.

Cat.
'Tis true, to you, as to the Lord Protector
And Gloster's Duke, he bows with lowly Service:
But were he bid to cry, God save King Richard.
Then tell me in what Terms he wou'd reply.
Believe me, I have prov'd the Man, and found him:
I know he bears a most religious Reverence
To his dead Master Edward's Royal Memory.
And whither that may lead him is most plain;
Yet more—One of that stubborn sort he is
Who, if they once grow fond of an Opinion,
They call it Honour, Honesty, and Faith.
And sooner part with Life than let it go.

Glost.
And yet, this tough impracticable Heart.
Is govern'd by a dainty-finger'd Girl;
Such Flaws are found in the most worthy Natures;
A laughing, toying, wheadling, whimpering she.
Shall make him amble on a Gossips Message.
And take the Distaff with a Hand as patient
As e'er did Hercules.

Ratcl.
The fair Alicia
Of noble Birth, and exquisite of Feature,
Has held him long a Vassal to her Beauty.

Cat.
I fear, he fails in his Allegiance there;
Or my Intelligence is false, or else
The Dame has been too lavish of her Feast.
And fed him 'till he loaths.

Glost.
No more, he comes.

Enter Lord Hastings.
L. Hast.
Health and the Happiness of many Days
Attend upon your Grace.

Glost.
My good Lord Chamberlain!
W'are much beholden to your gentle Friendship.

L. Hast.
My Lord, I come an humble Suitor to you.

Glost.
In right good time. Speak out your Pleasure freely.

L. Hast.
I am to move your Highness in behalf
Of Shore's unhappy Wife.

Glost.
Say you? of Shore?

L. Hast.
Once a bright Star that held her Place on high:
The first and fairest of our English Dames
While Royal Edward held the Sovereign Rule
Now sunk in Grief, and pining with Despair.
Her waining Form no longer shall incite
Envy in Woman, or Desire in Man.
She never sees the Sun but thro' her Tears,
And wakes to sigh the live-long Night away.

Glost.
Marry! the Times are badly chang'd with her
From Edward's Days to these. Then all was Jollity.
Feasting, and Mirth, light Wantonness and Laughter.
Piping and Playing, Minstrelsie and Masquing;
Till Life fled from us like an idle Dream,
A Shew of Mommery without a Meaning.
My Brother, Rest and Pardon to his Soul,
Is gone to his Account; For this his Minion
The Revel-rout is done—But you were speaking
Concerning her—I have been told that you
Are frequent in your Visitation to her.

L. Hast.
No farther, my good Lord, than friendly Pity
And tender hearted Charity allow.

Glost.
Go to. I did not mean to chide you for it.
For, sooth to say, I hold it noble in you
To cherish the Distress'd—On with your Tale.

L. Hast.
Thus is it, gracious Sir, that certain Officers
Using the Warrant of your mighty Name,
With Insolence unjust, and lawless Power,
Have seiz'd upon the Lands, which late she held
By Grant from her great Master Edward's Bounty.

Glost.
Somewhat of this, but slightly, have I heard;
And tho' some Counsellors of forward Zeal,
Some of most ceremonious Sanctity,
And bearded Wisdom, often have provok'd
The Hand of Justice to fall heavy on her,
Yet still in kind Compassion of her Weakness,
And tender Memory of Edward's Love.
I have withheld the merciless stern Law,
From doing Outrage on her helpless Beauty.

L. Hast.
Good Heav'n, who renders Mercy back for Mercy,
With open-handed Bounty shall repay you:
This gentle Deed shall fairly be set foremost,
To screen the wild escapes of lawless Passion,
And the long Train of Frailties Flesh is Heir to.

Glost.
Thus far, the Voice of Pity pleaded only;
Our farther and more full Extent of Grace
Is given to your Request. Let her attend,
And to our self deliver up her Griefs.
She shall be heard with Patience, and each Wrong
At full redrest. But I have other News
Which much import us both, for still my Fortunes
Go hand in hand with yours; Our common Foes,
The Queen's Relations, our new fangl'd Gentry,
Have fall'n their haughty Crests—That for your Privacy.

[Exeunt.