Mes.
My lord, my lord,— ^note [knocking.

Has. [within.]
Who knocks? ^note

Mes.
One from ^note lord ^note Stanley.

Has.
What is't o'clock?

Mes.
Upon the stroke of four. Enter Hastings.

Has.
Cannot thy ^note master14Q0879 sleep the tedious nights?

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

Has.
And then, ^note—

Mes.
And then ^note he sends you word, my lord,
He dreamt to-night, the boar had raz'd his ^note helm:
Besides, he says, there are two councils held; ^note
And that may be ^note determin'd 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 hence into the ^note north,
To shun the danger that his soul divines.

Has.
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 good friend Catesby ^note;
Where nothing can proceed, that toucheth us,
Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
Tell him, his fears are shallow, without instance ^note:
And for his dreams,—I wonder, he's 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 chace.
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.

Mes.
I'll go, my lord, and tell ^note him what you say. [Exit. Enter Catesby.

Cat.
Many good morrows to my noble lord!

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

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

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

Cat.
Ay, my good lord.

Has.
I'll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders,
Before I'll see the crown so foul misplac'd.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?

Cat.
Ay, on my life; and ^note 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.

Has.
Indeed, I am no mourner for that ^note news,
Because they have been still my adversaries ^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.

Cat.
God keep your lordship in that gracious mind!

Has.
But I shall laugh at this a twelvemonth hence,—
That they which brought ^note me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.
Well, Catesby, ^note ere a fortnight make me older,
I'll send some packing, that yet think not on't. ^note

Cat.
'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepar'd and look not for it.

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

Cat.
The princes both make high account of you,—
&clquo;For they account his head upon the bridge.&crquo;

Has.
I know, they do; and I have well deserv'd it.— Enter Stanley.
Come on, come on, where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go so ^note unprovided? [Catesby:—

Sta.
My lord, good morrow;—and good morrow,
You may jest on, but, by the holy rood,
I do not like these several councils, I.

Has.
My lord,
I hold my life as dear as you do ^note yours;
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 secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

Sta.
The lords at Pomfret ^note, when they rode from London,
Were jocund, and suppos'd their states were sure ^note,
And they ^note (indeed) had no cause to mistrust;
But yet, you see, how soon the day o'er-cast.
This sudden stab ^note of rancour I misdoubt;
Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward!
What, shall we toward the tower? ^note the day is spent.

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

Sta.
They, for their truth, might better wear their heads,
Than some, that have accus'd them, wear their hats ^note.
But come, let ^note us away. Enter a Pursuivant.

Has.
Go on before, ^note
I'll talk with this good fellow.—How now, sirrah? [Exeunt Sta. and Cat.
How goes the world with thee?

Pur.
The better, that your lordship please to ^note ask.

Has.
I tell thee, man, 'tis ^note better with me now,
Than when thou met'st me ^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 ere I was.

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

Has.
Gramercy, fellow: There, † drink that for me. ^note [throwing him his Purse.

Pur.
I thank your honour. ^note [Exit Pursuivant. Enter a Priest.

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

Has.
I thank thee, good sir John ^note, with all my heart.
I am in your debt for your last exercise;
Come the next sabboth, and I will content you. ^note Enter Buckingham.

Buc.
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.

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

Buc.
I do, my lord; but long I cannot stay ^note there ^note
I shall return before your lordship thence.

Has.
Nay, like ^note enough, for I stay dinner there.

&clquo;Buc.
&clquo;And supper too, although thou know'st it not.&crquo;
Come, will you go? ^note

Has.
I'll wait upon your lordship. ^note [Exeunt.

Previous section

Next section