SCENE IV. London. A Room in the Palace.

Enter the ARChbishop of YORK, the young DUKE OF York, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK.

Archbishop. Last night I heard they lay at Northampton; At Stony Stratford they do rest to-night:

To-morrow or next day they will be here.

Duchess. I long with all my heart to see the prince.

I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.

Queen Elizabeth. But I hear no; they say my son of York Hath almost overta'en him in his growth.

York. Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.

Duchess. Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper, My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow More than my brother; 'Ay,' quoth my uncle Gloster, 'Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace.' And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast, Because sweet flowers are slow, and weeds make haste. Duchess. Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold In him that did object the same to thee;

He was the wretched'st thing when he was young,

So long a-growing, and so leisurely,

That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious.

Archbishop. And so, no doubt, he is, my gracious madam.
Duchess. I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd,

I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,

To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.

10

20

Duchess. How, my young York? I prithee, let me hear it.

York. Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast

That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old; 'T was full two years ere I could get a tooth. Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.

30

Duchess. I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?
York. Grandam, his nurse.

Duchess. His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wast born. York. If 't were not she, I cannot tell who told me.

Queen Elizabeth. A parlous boy! Go to, you are too

shrewd.

Archbishop. Good madam, be not angry with the child. Queen Elizabeth. Pitchers have ears.

Enter a Messenger.

Archbishop. Here comes a messenger: what news? Messenger. Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report. Queen Elizabeth. Hov. doth the prince?

Messenger.

Duchess. What is thy news?

Well, madam, and in health.

41

Messenger. Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,

And with them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.

Duchess. Who hath committed them?

Messenger.

Gloster and Buckingham.

Archbishop.

The mighty dukes,

For what offence?

Messenger. The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd:

Why or for what the nobles were committed

Is all unknown to me, my gracious lord.

Queen Elizabeth. Ay me, I see the ruin of my house!

The tiger now hath seiz'd the gentle hind;

Insulting tyranny begins to jut

Upon the innocent and aweless throne.-
Welcome destruction, blood, and massacre !

I see, as in a map, the end of all.

Duchess. Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,
How many of you have mine eyes beheld!
My husband lost his life to get the crown;
And often up and down my sons were toss'd,

50

For me to joy and weep their gain and loss:
And being seated, and domestic broils
Clean overblown, themselves, the conquerors,
Make war upon themselves; brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self:-O, preposterous
And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen,

Or let me die, to look on death no more!

60

Queen Elizabeth. Come, come, my boy; we will to sanc

tuary.

Madam, farewell.

Duchess.

Stay, I will go with you.

Queen Elizabeth. You have no cause.
Archbishop.

My gracious lady, go,

[To the Queen.

And thither bear your treasure and your goods.

For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
The seal I keep; and so betide to me
As well I tender you and all of yours!
Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.

70

[Exeunt.

The trumpets sound.

ACT III.

London. A Street.

Enter the PRINCE OF WALES, GLOSTER,

BUCKINGHAM, CARDINAL BOUCHIER, CATESBY, and others.

Buckingham. Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.

Gloster. Welcome, dear cousin, my thought's sovereign; The weary way hath made you melancholy.

Prince. No, uncle; but our crosses on the way

Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy:

I want more uncles here to welcome me.

Gloster. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years Hath not yet div'd into the world's deceit.

No more can you distinguish of a man

Than of his outward show; which, God he knows,
Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart.

Those uncles which you want were dangerous;
Your grace attended to their sugar'd words,

But look'd not on the poison of their hearts:

IC

God keep you from them, and from such false friends! Prince. God keep me from false friends! but they were

none.

Gloster. My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.

Enter the Lord Mayor and his Train.

Mayor. God bless your grace with health and happy

days!

Prince. I thank you, good my lord; and thank

I thought my mother and my brother York
Would long ere this have met us on the way;

Fie! what a slug is Hastings, that he comes not
To tell us whether they will come or no!

Enter HASTINGS.

you all.

20

Buckingham. And, in good time, here comes the sweating lord.

Prince. Welcome, my lord. What! will our mother come? Hastings. On what occasion, God he knows, not I,

The queen your mother and your brother York

Have taken sanctuary; the tender prince

Would fain have come with me to meet your grace,

But by his mother was perforce withheld.

Buckingham. Fie! what an indirect and peevish course.

Is this of hers!—Lord cardinal, will your grace
Persuade the queen to send the Duke of York
Unto his princely brother presently?—

30