Glou.
Come, cousin, canst thou quake, and change thy colour ^note,
Murder ^note thy breath in middle of a word,
And then begin again ^note, and stop again,
As if thou wert ^note distraught ^note and mad with terror?

Buck.
Tut, I can ^note counterfeit the deep tragedian,
Speak and look back, and pry on every side,
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw ^note,

Intending deep suspicion: ghastly looks
Are ^note 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?

Glou.
He is; and, see, he brings the mayor along. Enter the Mayor ^note and Catesby.

Buck.
Lord mayor ^note,—

Glou.
Look to the drawbridge there!

Buck.
Hark! ^note a drum.

Glou.
Catesby ^note, o'erlook the walls.

Buck.
Lord mayor, the reason we have sent— ^note

Glou.
Look back, defend thee ^note, here are enemies.

Buck.
God and our innocency ^note defend and guard ^note us!

Glou.
Be patient, they are friends, Ratcliff and Lovel. ^note Enter ^note Lovel and Ratcliff, with Hastings' head. ^note

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

Glou.
So dear I loved the man, that I must weep.
I took him for the plainest harmless ^note creature ^note
That breathed upon this ^note earth a Christian ^note;
Made ^note 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 lived ^note from all attainder of suspect ^note.

Buck.
Well, well, he was the covert'st shelter'd traitor
That ever lived. ^note
Would you imagine ^note, or almost believe,
Were't ^note not that ^note, by great preservation,
We live to tell it you, the ^note subtle traitor
This day had ^note plotted, in the council-house
To murder me and my good Lord of Gloucester?

May.
What, had he so? ^note

Glou.
What, think you ^note we are Turks or infidels?
Or that we would ^note, against the form ^note of law,
Proceed thus rashly to the ^note villain's death,
But that the extreme ^note peril of the case,
The peace of England and our persons' safety,
Enforced us to this ^note execution? ^note

May.
Now, fair befall you! he deserved his death;
And you, my good lords ^note 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 ^note.

Glou. ^note
Yet had not we ^note determined he should die,
Until your lordship came to see his death ^note;

Which now the loving ^note haste of these our friends,
Somewhat against our meaning ^note, have ^note prevented:
Because, my lord, we ^note would have had you heard ^note
The traitor speak and timorously confess
The manner and the purpose of his treason ^note;
That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who haply ^note may
Misconstrue ^note us in him and wail his death.

May.
But ^note, my good lord, your grace's ^note word ^note shall serve,
As well as I ^note had seen and heard ^note him speak:
And doubt you not ^note, right noble princes both,
But I'll acquaint our ^note duteous citizens
With all your just proceedings in this cause ^note.

Glou.
And to that end we wish'd ^note your lordship here,
To avoid the carping censures of the ^note world ^note.

Buck.
But ^note since you come ^note too late of ^note our intents ^note,
Yet witness what you hear we did intend:
And so, my good lord mayor, we bid farewell ^note. [Exit Mayor.

Glou.
Go ^note, after, after, cousin Buckingham.
The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post:
There, at your meet'st advantage ^note of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children:

Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen,
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
And bestial ^note appetite in change of lust;
Which stretched to ^note their servants, daughters ^note, wives,
Even where his lustful ^note eye or savage heart,
Without control, listed ^note to make his prey ^note.
Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:
Tell them, when that my mother went with child
Of that unsatiate ^note Edward, noble York
My princely father then had wars ^note in France;
And, by just ^note 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:
But ^note touch this sparingly, as 'twere ^note far ^note off;
Because you know, my lord ^note, my mother ^note lives.

Buck.
Fear ^note 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.

Glou.
If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's Castle;
Where you shall find me well accompanied
With reverend fathers and well-learned bishops.

Buck.
I go; and towards three or four o'clock
Look for the news that the Guildhall affords ^note. [Exit. ^note

Glou.
Go, Lovel, with all speed to Doctor Shaw; [To Cate. ^note]
Go thou to Friar Penker ^note; bid them both
Meet me within this hour at Baynard's Castle ^note. [Exeunt ^note all but Gloucester.
Now will I in ^note, to take some privy order,
To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight;
And to give notice ^note, that no manner of person ^note
At any time have ^note recourse unto the princes. [Exit. ^{note note}

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