Pr. Ed.
Pray, Madam, do not leave me yet,
For I have many more complaints to tell you.

Queen.
And I unable to redress the least:
What wou'dst thou say, my Child?

Pr. Ed.
O Mother! Since I first have lain i'th' Tower
My rest has still been broke with frightful Dreams,
Or shocking News has wak'd me into tears.
I'm scarce allow'd a Friend to visit me:
All my old honest Servants are turn'd off,
And in their rooms are strange ill-natur'd fellows,
Who look so bold, as they were all my Masters;
And, I'm afraid, they'll shortly take you from me.

Dutch. Y.
O mournful hearing!

Lady A.
O unhappy Prince!

D. York.
Dear Brother, why do you weep so?
You make me cry too.

Queen.
Alas, poor Innocence!

Pr. Ed.
Wou'd I but knew at what my Uncle aims;
If 'twere my Crown, I'd freely give it him,
So he'd but let me 'joy my life in quiet.

D. York.
Why! will my Uncle kill us, Brother?

Pr. Ed.
I hope he wo'n't: We never injur'd him.

Queen.
I cannot bear to see 'em thus.— [Weeping. Enter to them, Lord Stanley.

Ld. Stan.
Madam, I hope your Majesty will pardon
What I am griev'd to tell, Unwelcome News.

Queen.
Ah me! more sorrow yet! My Lord, we've long
Despair'd of happy Tydings, pray what is't?

Ld. Stan.
On Tuesday last, your noble Kinsmen Rivers,
Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan at Pomfret,
Were Executed on a publick Scaffold.

Dutch. Y.
O dismal Tydings.

Pr. Ed.
O poor Uncles! I doubt my turn is next.

Lady A.
Nor mine, I fear, far off.

Queen.
Why, then let's welcome Blood and Massacre,
Yield all our Throats to the fierce Tygers rage,
And die lamenting one another's wrongs.
O! I foresaw this ruin of our House. [Weeps. Enter Catesby to Lady Ann.

Cat.
Madam, the King
Has sent me to inform your Majesty
That you prepare (as is advis'd from Counsel)
To morrow for your Royal Coronation.

Queen.
What do I hear? Support me, Heaven!

Lady.
Despightful Tydings! O unpleasing News!
Alas, I heard of this before, but cou'd not
For my soul take heart to tell you of it.

Cat.
The King does further wish your Majesty
Wou'd less employ your visits at the Tower.
He gives me leave t'attend you to the Court,
And is impatient, Madam, till he sees you.

Lady A.
Farewel to all, and thou, poor injur'd Queen:
Forgive the unfriendly duty I must pay.

Queen.
Alas, kind Soul, I envy not thy Glory,
Nor think I'm pleas'd thou'rt partner in our sorrows.

Cat.
Madam.—

Lady A.
I come—

Queen.
Farewel, thou woeful welcomer of Glory.

Cat.
Shall I attend your Majesty?

Lady A.
Attend me! Whither, to be Crown'd?
Let me with deadly Venome be Anointed,
And die e'er Men can say, Long live the Queen.

Queen.
Poor grieving heart, I pity thy complaining.

Lady A.
No more than with my Soul I mourn for yours:
A long farewel to all.— (Exit Lady A. and Cat.

Ld. Stan.
Take comfort, Madam.

Queen.
Alas, where is it to be found?
Death and Destruction follow us so close,
They shortly must o'retake us.

Ld. Stan.
In Brittany
My Son-in-Law the Earl of Richmond still
Resides, who with a jealous Eye observes
The lawless actions of aspiring Richard:
To him, (wou'd I advise you) Madam, fly
Forthwith for Aid, Protection, and Redress.

He will I'm sure with open arms receive you.

D. York.
Delay not Madam,
For 'tis the only hope that Heaven has left us.

Queen.
Do with me what you please: For any Change
Must surely better our Condition.

Ld. Stan.
I farther wou'd advise you, Madam, this
Instant to remove the Princes to some
Remote Abode, where you your self are Mistress.

Pr. Ed.
Dear Madam take me hence: For I shall ne'er
Enjoy a moments quiet here.

D. York.
Nor I: Pray Mother let me go too?

Queen.
Come then, my pretty young ones, lets away:
For here you lie within the Falcon's reach,
Who watches but th'unguarded hour to seize you. Enter the Lieutenant with an Order.

Lieu.
I beg your Majesty will pardon me:
But the young Princes must, on no account,
Have Egress from the Tower,
Nor must, without the King's especial Licence,
Of what degree soever, any Person
Have admittance to 'em.—All must retire.

Queen.
‘I am their Mother, Sir, who else commands 'em?
‘If I pass freely, they shall follow me.
‘For you—I'll take the peril of your fault upon my self.

Lieu.
My Inclination, Madam, wou'd oblige you,
‘But I am bound by Oath, and must obey.
Nor, Madam, can I now with safety answer
For this continued Visit.
Please you my Lord to read these Orders. (Gives 'em Ld. Stanley.

Queen.
O Heavenly powers! Shall not I stay with 'em?

Lieu.
Such are the Kings Commands, Madam.

Queen.
My Lord!

Ld. Stan.
'Tis too true, and it were vain t'oppose 'em.

Queen.
Support me Heaven!
For life can never bear the pangs of such a parting.
O my poor Children! O distracting thought!
I dare not bid 'em (as I shou'd) farewel,
And then to part in silence stabs my Soul.

Pr. Ed.
What, must you leave us, Mother?

Queen.
What shall I say? (Aside.
But for a time, my Loves—we shall meet again,
At least in Heaven. [To her self.

D. York.
Won't you take me with you, Mother?
I shall be so 'fraid to stay when you are gone.

Queen.
I cannot speak to 'em, and yet we must
Be parted—Then let these kisses say farewel. [kissing 'em.
Why! O why just Heaven, must these be our last?

D. York.
Give not your grief such way: be sudden when you part.

Queen.
I will—since it must be, to Heaven I leave 'em.
Hear me, you Guardian powers of Innocence!
Awake or sleeping: O! protect 'em still,
Still may their helpless youth attract mens pity;
That when the arm of Cruelty is rais'd,
Their looks may drop the lifted Dagger down
From the stern murderers relenting hand,
And throw him on his knees in penitence.

Both Pr.
O Mother! Mother!

Queen.
O my poor Children! (Ex. parted severally: The Scene changes to the Presence, discovering Richard seated with Buckingham, Catesby, Ratcliff, Lovel, other Lords and Attendants.

Rich.
Stand all apart: Cousin of Buckingham.

Buc.
My gracious Sovereign. Rich.
Give me thy hand:
At length by thy advice and thy assistance
Is Richard seated on the English Throne.
But say, my Cousin, what,
Shall we wear these Glories for a day?
Or shall they last, and we rejoyce in 'em?

Buc.
I hope for Ages, Sir, Long may they Grace you.

Rich.
O Buckingham! now do I play the touch-stone,
‘To try if thou be current Friend indeed.
‘Young Edward lives: So does his Brother York.
‘Now think what I wou'd speak!

Buc.
‘Say on, my gracious Lord.

Rich.
I tell thee, Cuz, I've lately had two Spiders
Crawling upon my startled hopes: Now tho'
Thy friendly hand has brush'd 'em from me,
Yet still they Crawl offensive to my Eyes,
I wou'd have some Friend to tread upon 'em.
I wou'd be King, my Cousin—

Buc.
Why so I think you are, my Royal Lord.

Rich.
Ha, am I King? 'Tis so—But—Edward lives!

Buc.
Most true, my Lord.

Rich.
Cousin, thou wert not wont to be so dull—
Shall I be plain? I wish the Bastards dead.
And I wou'd have it suddenly perform'd—
‘Now Cousin, canst thou answer me?

Buc.
None dare dispute your Highness Pleasure.

Rich.
‘Indeed, methinks thy kindness freezes Cousin;
‘Thou dost refuse me then!—They shall not die?

Buc.
‘My Lord, since 'tis an action cannot be
‘Recall'd, allow me but some pause to think,
‘Ill instantly resolve your Highness. (Ex. Buc.

Cat.
The King seems angry; see he gnaws his lip.

Rich.
I'll henceforth deal with shorter sighted Fools,
None are for me that look into my Deeds,
‘With thinking Eyes—
High reaching Buckingham grows Circumspect.
The best on't is it may be done without him,
Tho' not so well perhaps—had he consented,
Why, then the murther had been his, not mine.—
—We'll make a shift as 'tis—Come hither, Catesby.
Where's that same Tirrel whom thou toldst me of?
Hast thou given him those sums of Gold I order'd?

Cat.
I have, my Liege.

Rich.
Where is he?

Cat.
He waits your Highness pleasure.

Rich.
Give him this Ring, and say my self
Will bring him farther Orders instantly. (Ex. Cat.
‘The deep revolving Duke of Buckingham
No more shall be the Neighbour to my Counsels:
Has he so long held out with me untir'd,
And stops he now for Breath? Well, be it so.— Enter Lord Stanley.
How now, Lord Stanley? What's the News?

Ld. Stan.
I hear, my Liege, the Lord Marquess of Dorset
Is fled to Richmond, now in Brittany.

Rich.
Why let him go, my Lord, he may be spar'd.
Hark thee, Ratcliff, when saw'st thou Ann, my Queen?
Is she still weak? Has my Physician seen her?

Rat.
He has, my Lord, and fears her mightily.

Rich.
But he's excelling skillful, she'll mend shortly.

Rat.
I hope she will, my Lord.

Rich.
And, if she does, I have mistook my man. (aside.
I must be married to my Brother's Daughter,
At whom I know the Brittain Richmond aims;
And by that knot looks proudly on the Crown.

But then to stain me with her Brother's Blood:
Is that the way to wooe the Sisters Love?
‘—No matter what's the way—For while they live
‘My goodly Kingdom's on a weak Foundation.
'Tis done: My daring heart's resolv'd—they're dead. Re-enter Duke of Buckingham.

Buc.
My Lord, I have consider'd in my mind,
The late Request that you did sound me in.

Rich.
Well, let that rest: Dorset is fled to Richmond.

Buc.
I have heard the News, my Lord.

Rich.
Stanley, he's your near Kinsman—Well, look to him.

Buc.
My Lord, I claim that gift, my due by promise,
‘For which your Honour and your Faith's engag'd;
‘The Earldom of Hereford, and those Moveables,
‘Which you have promis'd I shall possess.

Rich.
Stanley, look to your Wife; if she convey
Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.

Buc.
‘What says your Highness to my Just request?

Rich.
I do remember me, Henry the Sixth
Did Prophecy that Richmond should he King,
When Richmond was a peevish Boy!
‘'Tis odd—A King perhaps. Enter Catesby.

Cat.
My Lord, I have obey'd your Highness Orders.

Buc.
May it please you to resolve me in my Suit?

Rich.
Lead Tirrel to my Closet, I'll meet him.

Buc.
I beg your Highness ear my Lord—

Rich.
I'm busie: Thou troubl'st me—I'm not i'th' vein. (Ex. Rich.

Buc.
O patience, Heaven! Is't thus he pays my service?
Was it for this I rais'd him to the Throne?
Since he forgets the hand that lifted him,
That seated still supports him; then 'tis time
To loose my hold, and let him fall as low,
As this contemn'd, this out-cast Buckingham.
O! if the peaceful dead have any sence
Of those vile injuries they bore, while living:
Then sure the joyful Souls of Blood-suck'd Edward,
Henry, Clarence, Hastings, and All that through
His foul corrupted dealings have miscarried,
Will from the Walls of Heav'n in smiles look down
To see this Tyrant tumbling from his Throne,
His Fall unmourn'd, and Bloody as their own. (Exit.

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