To bar my master's heirs in true descent,
God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Cate. God keep your lordship in that gracious mind!

Hast. But I shall laugh at this a twelvemonth

hence,

That they which brought me in my master's hate, I live to look upon their tragedy.

Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older, I'll send some packing that yet think not on't. Cate. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord, When men are unprepared, and look not for it. Hast. O monstrous, monstrous! and so falls it out

With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do With some men else, who think themselves as safe

As thou and I; who, as thou know'st, are dear To princely Richard, and to Buckingham.

Cate. The princes both make high account of you ;

[Aside.] For they account his head upon the bridge:

Hast. I know they do; and I have well deserved it.

Enter STANLEY.

Come on, come on; where is your boar-spear, man?

Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?

Stan. My lord, good morrow; and good morrow, Catesby :

:

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

I do not like these several councils, I.

Hast. My lord, I hold my life as dear as you do yours;

And never, in my days, I do protest,

Was it so precious to me as 'tis now :
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

Stan. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London,

Were jocund, and supposed their states were sure,
And they, indeed, had no cause to mistrust;
But yet, you see, how soon the day o'ercast,
This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt;
Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward!
What, shall we toward the Tower? the day is
spent.

Hast. Come, come, have with you. Wot you what, my lord?

To-day the lords you talk of are beheaded.

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

Than some that have accused them wear their

hats.

But come, my lord, let's away.

fellow.

Enter a Pursuivant.

Hast. Go on before, I'll talk with this good [Exeunt STANLEY and CATESBY. How now, sirrah? how goes the world with thee? Purs. The better that your lordship please to

ask.

Hast. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now, Than when thou mett'st me last where now we

meet:

Then was I going prisoner to the Tower,
By the suggestion of the queen's allies :
But now,
I tell thee, (keep it to thyself,)
This day those enemies are put to death,
And I in better state than e'er I was.

Purs. God hold it, to your honour's good content!

Hast. Gramercy, fellow: there, drink that for [Throwing him his purse. Purs. I thank your honour. [Exit Pursuivant.

me.

Enter a Priest.

Pr. Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your honour.

Hast. I thank thee, good sir John, with all my heart.

I am in your debt for your last exercise;
Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you.
Pr. I'll wait upon your lordship.

Enter BUCKINGHAM.

Buck. What, talking with a priest, lord chamberlain?

Your friends at Pomfret they do need the priest; Your honour hath no shriving work in hand.

Hast. 'Good faith, and when I met this holy

man,

The men you talk of came into my mind.
What, go you toward the Tower?

Buck. I do, my lord; but long I cannot stay there :

I shall return before your lordship thence. Hast. Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there.

Buck. [aside.] And supper too, although thou know'st it not.

Come, will you go?

Hast.

I'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Pomfret (Pontefract). Before the Castle.

Enter RATCLIFF, with a guard, conducting RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN, to execution.

Riv. Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this,

To-day shalt thou behold a subject die
For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.

Grey. God keep the prince from all the pack of you!

A knot you are of damned blood-suckers.

Vaugh. You live that shall cry woe for this

hereafter.

Rat. Dispatch; the limit of your lives is out. Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,

Fatal and ominous to noble peers!

Within the guilty closure of thy walls

Richard the second here was hack'd to death:
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.
Grey. Now Margaret's curse is fallen upon
our heads,

When she exclaim'd on Hastings, you, and I,
For standing by when Richard stabb'd her son
Riv. Then cursed she Richard, then cursed
she Buckingham,

Then cursed she Hastings:-O, remember,

God,

To hear her prayer for them, as now for us!
And for my sister and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know'st, unjustly must be spilt !

Rat. Make haste, the hour of death is expiate. Riv. Come, Grey,-come, Vaughan,-let us here embrace :

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-London.

A Room in the

Tower.

BUCKINGHAM, STANLEY, HASTINGS, the BISHOP OF ELY, RATCLIFF, LOVEL, and others, sitting at a table: Officers of the Council attending.

Hast. Now, noble peers, the cause why we are

met

Is, to determine of the coronation :

In God's name, speak, when is the royal day? Buck. Are all things ready for that royal time? Stan. They are; and wants but nomination. Ely. To-morrow then I judge a happy day. Buck. Who knows the lord protector's mind herein ?

Who is most inward with the noble duke?

Ely. Your grace, we think, should soonest 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 Hastings, you and he are near in love.
Hast. I thank his grace, I know he loves me
well :

But, for his purpose in the coronation,

I have not sounded him, nor he deliver❜d

His gracious pleasure any way therein :

But you, my honourable lords, may name the