Buckingham, in rusty armour9 note, marvellous ill-favoured.
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* note,
Intending deep suspicion1 note
: 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,—
-- 130 --
Glo.
Look to the drawbridge there.
Buck.
Hark, hark! a drum2 note.
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 Ratcliff3 note, 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 creature4 note
,
That breath'd upon the earth a Christian5 note
;
-- 131 --
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 conversation6 note 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 Gloster?
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;
But that the extreme peril of the case,
The peace of England, and our persons' safety,
Enforc'd us to this execution?
May.
Now, fair befal you! he deserv'd his death;
And your good graces both have well proceeded,
To warn false traitors from the like attempts.
I never look'd for better at his hands,
After he once fell in with mistress Shore.
Buck.
Yet had we not determin'd he should die,
Until your lordship came to see his end;
Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
Somewhat against our meaning, hath prevented:
Because, my lord, we would have had you heard
The traitor speak, and timorously confess
The manner and the purpose of his treasons;
That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who, haply, may
-- 132 --
Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.
May.
But, my good lord, your grace's word shall serve,
As well as I had seen, and heard him speak:
And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens
With all your just proceedings in this case.
Glo.
And to that end we wish'd your lordship here,
To avoid the censures of the carping world.
Buck.
But since you came too late of our intent7 note
,
Yet witness what you hear we did intend:
And so, my good lord mayor, we bid farewell* note.
[Exit Lord Mayor.
Glo.
Go, after, after, cousin Buckingham.
The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post:—
There, at your meetest vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children:
Tell them, how Edward put to death a citizen8 note
,
Only for saying—he would make his son
Heir to the crown; meaning, indeed, his house,
Which, by the sign thereof, was termed so.
Moreover, urge his hateful luxury,
-- 133 --
And bestial appetite in change of lust;
Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters, wives,
Even where his lustful eye, or savage heart,
Without controul, listed9 note
to make his prey.
Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:—
Tell them1 note, when that my mother went with child
Of that insatiate Edward, noble York,
My princely father, then had wars in France;
And, by just computation of the time,
Found, that the issue was not his begot;
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble duke my father:
Yet touch this sparingly, as 'twere far off;
Because, my lord, you know, my mother lives.
Buck.
Doubt not my lord; I'll play the orator,
As if the golden fee, for which I plead,
Were for myself: and so, my lord, adieu* note.
Glo.
If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's castle2 note
;
Where you shall find me well accompanied,
With reverend fathers, and well-learned bishops.
-- 134 --
Buck.
I go; and, towards three or four o'clock,
Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.
[Exit Buckingham.
Glo.
Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw3 note,—
Go thou [To Cat.] to friar Penker4 note;—bid them both
Meet me, within this hour, at Baynard's castle.
[Exeunt Lovel and Catesby.
Now will I in, to take some privy order,
To draw the brats of Clarence5 note
out of sight;
-- 135 --
And to give notice, that no manner of person6 note
Have, any time, recourse unto the princes.
[Exit.
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
