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Lord Haftings will not yield to our complots?

Glo. Chop off his head, man; fomewhat we will do; And look, when I am King, claim thou of me The Earldom of Hereford, and the moveables Whereof, the King, my brother, ftood poffeft. Buck. I'll claim that promife at your Grace's hand. Glo. And look to have it yielded with all kindness. Come, let us fup betimes; that, afterwards, We may digeft our complots in fome form.

SCENE III.

Before Lord Haftings's Houfe.

[Exeunt.

Enter a Messenger to the door of Haftings.

Mes. M

Y Lord, my Lord,

Haft. [within.] Who knocks?

Mef. One from Lord Stanley.

Haft. What is't o'clock ?

Mef. Upon the ftroke of four.

Enter Lord Haftings.

Haft. Cannot thy mafter fleep thefe tedious nights?
Mef. So it appears, by what I have to say.

First, he commends him to your noble self.

Haft. What then?

Mef. Then certifies your Lordfhip, that this night He dreamt, the Boar had rafed off his helm. Besides, he fays, there are two councils held; And that may be determin'd at the one,

Which may make you and him to rue at th❜other.
Therefore he fends to know your Lordship's pleasure,
If you will presently take horse with him,

And with all speed poft with him tow'rds the north;
To fhun the danger that his foul divines.

Haft. Go, fellow, go, return unto thy Lord,

. Bid

Bid him not fear the feparated Councils:
His honour, and myfelf, are at the one;
And, at the other, is my good friend Catefty;
Where nothing can proceed, that toucheth us,
Whereof I fhall not have intelligence.
Tell him, his fears are fhallow,

wanting inftance;
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 purfues,
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.

Cates. Many good morrows to my noble Lord! Haft. Good morrow, Catesby. You are early stirring; What news, what news, in this our tott'ring State? 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 misplac'd.

But canft thou guess that he doth aim at it?
Catef. Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you for-

ward

9 Wanting infiance.] 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.

U 2

Upon

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, must die at Pomfret.
Haft. Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been still my adversaries;
But that I'll give my voice on Richard's fide,
To bar my master's heirs in true descent,
God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Catef. God keep your Lordship in that gracious mind!

Haft. But I fhall laugh at this a twelve-month hence,
That they, who brought me in my master'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.
Catef. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious Lord,
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

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

For they account his head upon the bridge.

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, Catefon;

You may jeft on, but, by the holy rood,

I do not like thefe feveral Councils, I.

He

My Lord,

I hold my life as dear as you

do yours.

And

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 so triumphant as I am?

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

Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were fure;
And they, indeed, had no cause to mistrust;
But yet, you fee, how foon the day o'er-caft.
This fudden ftab of rancor I misdoubt;

Pray God, I fay, I prove a needlefs coward!
What, fhall we tow'rd the Tower? the day is fpent.
Haft. Come, come, have with you.Wot ye
what, my Lord?

To day the Lords, you talk of, are beheaded.

2

Stanl. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads,

Than fome, that have accus'd them, wear their hats, -But come, my Lord, away.

Enter a Pursuivant.

Haft. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fellow. [Exeunt Lord Stanley and Catefby. Sirrah, how now? how goes the world with thee? Purf. The better, that your Lordship please to ask. 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 thyself,) This day thofe enemies are put to death, And I in better ftate, than e'er I was.

Purf. God hold it to your Honour's good content!

Have with you.] A familiar phrase in parting, as much as, take fomeshing along with you, or I bave fomething to say to you.

2 They, for their truth.] That is, with refpect to their bonefty. * Hold it, that is, continue it.

U 3

Haft.

Haft. Gramercy, fellow; there, drink that for me.

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 ?

Your friends at Pomfret they do need a Prieft,
Your Honour hath no thriving work in hand.
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 shall not stay; I fhall return before your Lordship thence.

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

Come, will you go?

Haft. I'll wait upon your Lordship.

[Exeunt.

Exercife.] Performance of .

divine service.

3. Shriving work is Confefe fion.

SCENE