Glo. Than my lord Hastings, no man might be

bolder;

His lordship knows me well, and loves me well.-
My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn,
I saw good strawberries in your garden there;
I do beseech you, send for some of them.

Ely. Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart.

[Exit Ely.

Glo. Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
[Takes him aside.

Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business;
And finds the testy gentleman so hot,
That he will lose his head, ere give consent,
His master's child, as worshipfully he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England's throne.
Buck. Withdraw yourself awhile, I'll go with

you.

[Exeunt Glo'ster and Buckingham. Stan. We have not yet set, down this day of

triumph.

To-morrow, in my judgment, is too sudden;
For I myself am not so well provided,

As else I would be, were the day prolong'd.

Re-enter Bishop of Ely.

Ely. Where is my lord protector? I have sent For these strawberries.

Hast. His grace looks cheerfully and smooth this morning;

There's some conceit or other likes him well,

When he doth bid good morrow with such spirit.

I think, there's ne'er a man in Christendom,

Can lesser hide his love, or hate, than he;
For by his face straight shall you know his heart.
Stan. What of his heart perceive you in his face,
By any likelihood he show'd to-day?

Hast. Marry, that with no man here he is offended;

For, were he, he had shown it in his looks.

Re-enter Glo'ster and Buckingham.

Glo. I pray you all, tell me what they deserve, That do conspire my death with devilish plots Of damned witchcraft; and that have prevail'd Upon my body with their hellish charms?

Hast. The tender love I bear your grace, my lord,

Makes me most forward in this noble presence
To doom the offenders: Whosoe'er they be,
I say, my lord, they have deserved death.

Glo. Then be your eyes the witness of their evil,

Look how I am bewitch'd; behold, mine arm
Is, like a blasted sapling, wither'd up:
And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot, strumpet Shore,
That by their witchcraft thus have marked me.
Hast. If they have done this deed, my noble
lord,-

Glo. If! thou protector of this damned strum

pet,

Talk'st thou to me of ifs?-Thou art a traitor:-
Off with his head:-now, by saint Paul I swear,
I will not dine until I see the same.-

Lovel, and Catesby, look, that it be done;—
The rest, that love me, rise, and follow me.

[Exeunt Council, with Glo'ster and Buckingham. Hast. Woe, woe, for England! not a whit for

me;

For I, too fond, might have prevented this:
Stanley did dream, the boar did rase his helm;
But I disdain'd it, and did scorn to fly.

Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stum

ble,

And startled, when he look'd upon the Tower,
As loath to bear me to the slaughter-house.
O, now I want the priest that spake to me:
I now repent I told the pursuivant,
As too triumphing, how mine enemies,
To-day at Pomfret bloodily were butcher'd,
And I myself secure in grace and favour.
O, Margaret, Margaret, now thy heavy curse
Is lighted on poor Hastings' wretched head.

Cates. Despatch, my lord, the duke would be at dinner;

Make a short shrift, he longs to see your head.

Hast. O momentary grace of mortal men, Which we more hunt for than the grace of God! Who builds his hope in air of your fair looks, Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast;

Ready, with every nod, to tumble down

Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

Lov. Come, come, despatch; 'tis bootless to ex

claim.

Hast. O, bloody Richard!-miserable England! I prophecy the fearful'st time to thee,

That ever wretched age hath look'd upon.Come, lead me to the block, bear him my head; They smile at me, who shortly shall be dead.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

THE SAME. THE TOWER-WALLS.

Enter Glo'ster and Buckingham, in rusty armour, marvellous ill-favour'd.

Glo. Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change thy colour?

Murder thy breath in middle of a word,—
And then again begin, and stop again,

As if thou wert distraught, and mad with terror?
Buck. Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian;
Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
Intending deep suspicion: ghastly looks
Are at my service, like enforced smiles;
And both are ready in their offices,
At any time, to grace my stratagems.

But what, is Catesby gone?

Glo. He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along.

Enter the Lord Mayor and Catesby.

Buck. Let me alone to entertain him.—Lord

mayor,

Glo. Look to the draw-bridge there.

Buck.

Hark, hark! a drum.

Glo. Catesby, o'erlook the walls.

Buck. Lord mayor, the reason we have sent for

you,

Glo. Look back, defend thee, here are enemies. Buck. God and our innocence defend and guard us!

Enter Lovel and Ratcliff, with Hastings's head. Glo. Be patient, they are friends; Ratcliff, and Lovel.

Lov. Here is the head of that ignoble traitor, The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.

Glo. So dear I lov'd the man, that I must weep. I took him for the plainest harmless't creature, That breath'd upon the earth a christian; Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded The history of all her secret thoughts:

So smooth he daub'd his vice with show of virtue,
That, his apparent open guilt omitted,—

I mean, his conversation with Shore's wife,-
He liv'd from all attainder of

suspect.

Buck. Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd

traitor

That ever liv'd.-Look you, my lord mayor,
Would you imagine, or almost believe,
(Were't not, that by great preservation
We live to tell it you,) the subtle traitor
This day had plotted, in the council-house,
To murder me, and my good lord of Glo'ster?
May. What! had he so?

Glo. What! think you we are Turks, or infidels?

Or that we would, against the form of law,

Proceed thus rashly in the villain's death;

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