Mess.
What, ho! ^note my lord!

Hast. [Within ^note]
Who knocks at the door ^note?

Mess.
A messenger from the Lord ^note Stanley. Enter ^note Lord Hastings.

Hast.
What is't ^note o'clock?

Mess.
Upon the stroke of four.

Hast.
Cannot thy master ^note sleep these ^note tedious ^note nights ^note?

Mess.
So it should seem ^note by that ^note I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble lordship ^note.

Hast.
And then? ^note

Mess.
And then he sends you word ^note
He dreamt to-night ^note the boar ^note had razed ^note his helm:
Besides, he says there are two councils held ^note;
And that may be ^note determined at the one
Which may make you and him to rue at the other.
Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure,
If presently you will ^note take horse with him,
And with all speed ^note post with him toward ^note the north,
To shun the danger that his soul divines.

Hast.
Go, fellow ^note, go, return unto thy lord;
Bid him not fear the separated councils ^note:
His honour and myself are at the one,
And at the other is my servant ^note Catesby;
Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
Whereof I shall not have intelligence.

Tell him his fears are shallow, wanting instance ^note:
And for his dreams, I wonder he is so fond ^note
To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers:
To fly the boar before the boar pursues ^note,
Were to incense the boar to follow us
And make pursuit where he did mean no chase ^note.
Go, bid thy master rise and come to me;
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly.

Mess.
My gracious lord, I'll ^note tell him what you say. [Exit. ^note Enter Catesby. ^note

Cate.
Many good morrows to my noble lord!

Hast.
Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring:
What news, what news, in this our tottering state?

Cate.
It is a reeling world indeed, my lord;
And I believe 'twill ^note never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.

Hast.
How! ^note wear the garland! dost thou mean the crown? ^note

Cate.
Ay, my good lord.

Hast.
I'll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders
Ere I will ^note see the crown so foul misplaced.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?

Cate.
Ay, on my life ^note, and hopes to find you forward
Upon his party for the gain thereof:
And thereupon he sends you this good news,

That this same very day your enemies,
The kindred of the queen, must die at Pomfret.

Hast.
Indeed, I am no mourner for that ^note news,
Because they have been still mine enemies ^note:
But, that I'll give my voice on Richard's side,
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 twelve-month hence,
That they who ^note brought me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.
I tell thee ^note, Catesby,—

Cate.
What, my lord?

Hast.
Ere ^note a fortnight make me elder ^note,
I'll send some packing that yet think ^note not on it ^note.

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 ^note out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do
With some men else, who ^note think themselves as safe
As thou and I; who, as thou know'st ^note, are dear
To princely Richard and to ^note Buckingham.

Cate.
The princes both make high account of you; [Aside ^note]
For they account his head upon the bridge.

Hast.
I know they do; and I have well deserved it ^note. Enter Lord Stanley.
Come on, come on ^note; where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go ^note so unprovided?

Stan.
My lord, good morrow; good ^note 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 ^note yours ^note;
And never in my life ^note, I do protest,
Was it more precious to me than 'tis ^note now:
Think you, but that I know our state ^note secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

Stan.
The lords at Pomfret ^note, when they rode from London,
Were jocund and supposed their state was ^note sure,
And they ^note indeed had no cause to mistrust;
But yet, you see, how soon the day o'ercast ^note.
This sudden stab ^note of rancour I misdoubt:
Pray God, I say ^note, I prove a needless coward!
What, shall we toward the Tower? the day is spent.

Hast.
Come, come, have with you. Wot you ^note what, my lord? ^note
To-day the lords you talk ^note of are beheaded. ^note

Stan.
They, for their truth, might better wear their heads
Than some that have accused them wear their hats ^note.
But come, my lord, let us ^note away ^note.

Enter a Pursuivant. ^note

Hast.
Go on before; I'll talk with this good fellow. ^note [Exeunt ^note Stanley and Catesby.
How now, sirrah! ^{note note} how goes the world with thee?

Purs.
The better that your lordship please ^note to ask.

Hast.
I tell thee, man ^note, 'tis better with me now
Than when I met thee ^note 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 ^note I was.

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

Hast.
Gramercy, fellow ^note: there, drink that for me ^note. [Throws ^note him his purse.

Purs.
God save your lordship ^note. [Exit. ^note Enter a Priest.

Priest.
Well met, my lord; I am ^note glad to see your honour.

Hast.
I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart. ^note
I am ^note in your debt for your last exercise ^note;

^note
Come the next Sabbath ^note, and I will content you. [He whispers ^note in his ear. Enter Buckingham.

Buck.
What, talking with a priest, lord chamberlain? ^note
Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest;
Your honour hath no shriving ^note work in hand.

Hast.
Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
Those ^note men you talk of came into my mind.
What, go you toward ^note the Tower? ^note

Buck.
I do, my lord ^note; but long I shall not stay ^note:
I shall return before your lordship thence.

Hast.
'Tis ^note like enough, for I stay dinner there.

Buck. [Aside ^note]
And supper too, although thou know'st ^note it not.
Come, will you go?

Hast. ^note
I'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt. ^{note note}

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