Enter the Lord Mayor, and his Train. May. God bless your grace with health and happy days! Prince. I thank you, good my lord;—and thank [Exeunt Mayor, &c. you all. I thought, my mother, and my brother York, Would long ere this have met us on the way:Fie, what a slug is Hastings! that he comes not To tell us, whether they will come, or no. Enter Hastings. Buck. And, in good time, here comes the sweating lord. Prince. Welcome, my lord: What, will our mother come?" Hast. On what occasion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother, and your brother York, Have taken sanctuary: The tender prince Would fain have come with me to meet your grace, But by his mother was perforce withheld. Buck. Fie! what an indirect and peevish course Is this of hers?-Lord cardinal, will your grace Persuade the queen to send the duke of York Unto his princely brother presently? If she deny,-lord Hastings, go with him, Card. My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Can from his mother win the duke of York, Anon expect him here: But if she be obdurate We should infringe the holy privilege Of blessed sanctuary! not for all this land, Buck. You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord, Too ceremonious, and traditional: Weigh it but with the grossness of this age, To those whose dealings have deserv'd the place, But sanctuary children, ne'er till now. Card. My lord, you shall o'er-rule my mind for once. Come on, lord Hastings, will you go with me? Prince. Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may. [Exeunt Cardinal and Hastings. Say, uncle Glo'ster, if our brother come, Where shall we sojourn till our coronation? Prince. I do not like the Tower, of any place:Did Julius Cæsar build that place, my lord? Glo. He did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edify'd. Prince. Is it upon record? or else reported Successively from age to age, he built it? Buck. Upon record, my gracious lord. Prince. But say, my lord, it were not register'd; Methinks, the truth should live from age to age, As 'twere retail'd to all posterity, Even to the general all-ending day Glo. So wise so young, they say, do ne'er live long. Prince. What say you, uncle? [Aside. Glo. I say, without charácters, fame lives long. Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity, I moralize two meanings in one word. Aside. Prince. That Julius Cæsar was a famous man; With what his valour did enrich his wit, His wit set down, to make his valour live: Death makes no conquest of this conqueror; For now he lives in fame, though not in life.— I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham. Buck. What, my gracious lord? Prince. An if I live until I be a man, I'll win our ancient right in France again, Or die a soldier, as I liv'd a king. Glo. Short summers lightly have a forward spring. [Aside. Enter York, Hastings, and the Cardinal. Buck. Now, in good time, here comes the duke of York. Prince. Richard of York! how fares our loving brother? York. Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now. Prince. Ay, brother; to our grief, as it is yours: Too late he died, that might have kept that title, Which by his death hath lost much majesty. Glo. How fares our cousin, noble lord of York? York. I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord, You said, that idle weeds are fast in growth: The prince my brother hath outgrown me far. Glo. He hath, my lord. York. And therefore is he idle? Glo. O, my fair cousin, I must not say so. York. Then is he more beholden to you, than I. Glo. He may command me, as my sovereign; But you have power in me, as in a kinsman. York. I pray you, uncle, then, give me this dag ger. Glo. My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart. York. Of my kind uncle, that I know will give; And, being but a toy, which is no grief to give. Glo. A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin. York. A greater gift! O, that's the sword to it? Glo. Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough. York. Othen, I see, you'll part but with light gifts; In weightier things you'll say a beggar, nay. Glo. It is too weighty for your grace to wear. York. I weigh it lightly, were it heavier. Glo. What, would you have my weapon, little lord? F York. I would, that I might thank you as you call me. Glo. How? York. Little. Prince. My lord of York will still be cross in talk; Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him. York. You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me: Uncle, my brother mocks both you Because that I am little, like an ape, and me; He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders. Buck. With what a sharp-provided wit he rea sons! To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle, He prettily and aptly taunts himself: So cunning, and so young, is wonderful. Glo. My gracious lord, will't please you pass along? Myself, and my good cousin Buckingham, Will to your mother; to entreat of her, To meet you at the Tower, and welcome you. York. What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord? Prince. My lord protector needs will have it so. York. I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower. Glo. Why, sir, what should you fear? York. Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost; My grandam told me, he was murder'd there. Prince. I fear no uncles dead. Glo. Nor none that live, I hope. |