2590Rich. Stand all apart. Cousin of Buckingham.

2591Buck. My gracious Soueraigne.

2592Rich. Giue me thy hand. Sound.

2593Thus high, by thy aduice, and thy assistance,

2594Is King Richard seated:

2595But shall we weare these Glories for a day?

2596Or shall they last, and we reioyce in them?

2597Buck. Still liue they, and for euer let them last.

2598Rich. Ah Buckingham, now doe I play the Touch,

2599To trie if thou be currant Gold indeed:

2600Young Edward liues, thinke now what I would speake.

2601Buck. Say on my louing Lord.

2602Rich. Why Buckingham, I say I would be King.

2603Buck. Why so you are, my thrice-renowned Lord.

2604Rich. Ha? am I King? 'tis so: but Edward liues.

2605Buck True, Noble Prince.

2606Rich. O bitter consequence!

2607That Edward still should liue true Noble Prince.

2608Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.

2609Shall I be plaine? I wish the Bastards dead,

2610And I would haue it suddenly perform'd.

2611What say'st thou now? speake suddenly, be briefe.

2612Buck. Your Grace may doe your pleasure.

2613Rich. Tut, tut, thou art all Ice, thy kindnesse freezes:

2614Say, haue I thy consent, that they shall dye?

2615Buc. Giue me some litle breath, some pawse, deare Lord,

2616Before I positiuely speake in this:

2617I will resolue you herein presently. Exit Buck.

2618Catesby. The King is angry, see he gnawes his Lippe.

2619Rich. I will conuerse with Iron-witted Fooles,

2620And vnrespectiue Boyes: none are for me,

2621That looke into me with considerate eyes,

2622High-reaching Buckingham growes circumspect.

2623Boy.

2624Page. My Lord.

2625Rich. Know'st thou not any, whom corrupting Gold

2626Will tempt vnto a close exploit of Death?

2627Page. I know a discontented Gentleman,

2628Whose humble meanes match not his haughtie spirit:

2629Gold were as good as twentie Orators,

2630And will (no doubt) tempt him to any thing.

2631Rich. What is his Name?

2632Page. His Name, my Lord, is Tirrell.

2633Rich. I partly know the man: goe call him hither,

2635The deepe reuoluing wittie Buckingham,

2636No more shall be the neighbor to my counsailes.

2637Hath he so long held out with me, vntyr'd,

2638And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.

2640How now, Lord Stanley, what's the newes?

2641Stanley. Know my louing Lord, the Marquesse Dorset

2642As I heare, is fled to Richmond,

2643In the parts where he abides.

2644Rich. Come hither Catesby, rumor it abroad,

2645That Anne my Wife is very grieuous sicke,

2646I will take order for her keeping close.

2647Inquire me out some meane poore Gentleman,

2648Whom I will marry straight to Clarence Daughter:

2649The Boy is foolish, and I feare not him.

2650Looke how thou dream'st: I say againe, giue out,

2651That Anne, my Queene, is sicke, and like to dye.

2652About it, for it stands me much vpon

2653To stop all hopes, whose growth may dammage me.

2654I must be marryed to my Brothers Daughter,

2655Or else my Kingdome stands on brittle Glasse:

2656Murther her Brothers, and then marry her,

2657Vncertaine way of gaine. But I am in

2658So farre in blood, that sinne will pluck on sinne,

2659Teare-falling Pittie dwells not in this Eye.

2661Is thy Name Tyrrel?

2662Tyr. Iames Tyrrel, and your most obedient subiect.

2663Rich. Art thou indeed?

2664Tyr. Proue me, my gracious Lord.

2665Rich. Dar'st thou resolue to kill a friend of mine?

2666Tyr. Please you:

2667But I had rather kill two enemies.

2668Rich. Why then thou hast it: two deepe enemies,

2669Foes to my Rest, and my sweet sleepes disturbers,

2670Are they that I would haue thee deale vpon:

2671Tyrrel, I meane those Bastards in the Tower.

2672Tyr. Let me haue open meanes to come to them,

2673And soone Ile rid you from the feare of them.

2674Rich. Thou sing'st sweet Musique:

2675Hearke, come hither Tyrrel,

2676Goe by this token: rise, and lend thine Eare, Whispers.

2677There is no more but so: say it is done,

2678And I will loue thee, and preferre thee for it.

2679Tyr. I will dispatch it straight. Exit.

2681Buck. My Lord, I haue consider'd in my minde,

2682The late request that you did sound me in.

2683Rich. Well, let that rest: Dorset is fled to Richmond.

2684Buck. I heare the newes, my Lord.

2685Rich. Stanley, hee is your Wiues Sonne: well, looke

2686vnto it.

2687Buck. My Lord, I clayme the gift, my due by promise,

2688For which your Honor and your Faith is pawn'd,

2689Th'Earledome of Hertford, and the moueables,

2690Which you haue promised I shall possesse.

2691Rich Stanley looke to your Wife: if she conuey

2692Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.

2693Buck. What sayes your Highnesse to my iust request?

2694Rich. I doe remember me, Henry the Sixt

2695Did prophecie, that Richmond should be King,

2696When Richmond was a little peeuish Boy.

2697A King perhaps.

2698Buck. May it please you to resolue me in my suit.

2699Rich. Thou troublest me, I am not in the vaine. Exit.

2700Buck. And is it thus? repayes he my deepe seruice

2701With such contempt? made I him King for this?

2702O let me thinke on Hastings, and be gone

2703To Brecnock, while my fearefull Head is on. Exit.

2705Tyr. The tyrannous and bloodie Act is done,

2706The most arch deed of pittious massacre

2707That euer yet this Land was guilty of:

2708Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborne

2709To do this peece of ruthfull Butchery,

2710Albeit they were flesht Villaines, bloody Dogges,

2711Melted with tendernesse, and milde compassion,

2712Wept like to Children, in their deaths sad Story.

2713O thus (quoth Dighton) lay the gentle Babes:

2714Thus, thus (quoth Forrest) girdling one another

2715Within their Alablaster innocent Armes:

2716Their lips were foure red Roses on a stalke,

2717And in their Summer Beauty kist each other.

2718A Booke of Prayers on their pillow lay,

2719Which one (quoth Forrest) almost chang'd my minde:

2720But oh the Diuell, there the Villaine stopt:

2721When Dighton thus told on, we smothered

2722The most replenished sweet worke of Nature,

2723That from the prime Creation ere she framed.

2724Hence both are gone with Conscience and Remorse,

2725They could not speake, and so I left them both,

2726To beare this tydings to the bloody King.

2728And heere he comes. All health my Soueraigne Lord.

2729Ric. Kinde Tirrell, am I happy in thy Newes.

2730Tir. If to haue done the thing you gaue in charge,

2731Beget your happinesse, be happy then,

2732For it is done.

2733Rich. But did'st thou see them dead.

2734Tir. I did my Lord.

2735Rich. And buried gentle Tirrell.

2736Tir. The Chaplaine of the Tower hath buried them,

2737But where (to say the truth) I do not know.

2738Rich. Come to me Tirrel soone, and after Supper,

2739When thou shalt tell the processe of their death.

2740Meane time, but thinke how I may do the good,

2741And be inheritor of thy desire.

2742Farewell till then.

2743Tir. I humbly take my leaue.

2744Rich. The Sonne of Clarence haue I pent vp close,

2745His daughter meanly haue I matcht in marriage,

2746The Sonnes of Edward sleepe in Abrahams bosome,

2747And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night.

2748Now for I know the Britaine Richmond aymes

2749At yong Elizabeth my brothers daughter,

2750And by that knot lookes proudly on the Crowne,

2751To her go I, a iolly thriuing wooer.

2753Rat. My Lord.

2754Rich. Good or bad newes, that thou com'st in so

2755bluntly?

2756Rat. Bad news my Lord, Mourton is fled to Richmond,

2757And Buckingham backt with the hardy Welshmen

2758Is in the field, and still his power encreaseth.

2759Rich. Ely with Richmond troubles me more neere,

2760Then Buckingham and his rash leuied Strength.

2761Come, I haue learn'd, that fearfull commenting

2762Is leaden seruitor to dull delay.

2763Delay leds impotent and Snaile-pac'd Beggery:

2764Then fierie expedition be my wing,

2765Ioues Mercury, and Herald for a King:

2766Go muster men: My counsaile is my Sheeld,

2767We must be breefe, when Traitors braue the Field.