King Richard The Third

1 Enter a Messenger to the door of Hastings.
2 MESSENGER.
3 My lord, my lord!
4 [_Knocking._]
5 HASTINGS.
6 [_Within_.] Who knocks?
7 MESSENGER.
8 One from the Lord Stanley.
9 HASTINGS.
10 [_Within_.] What is’t o’clock?
11 MESSENGER.
12 Upon the stroke of four.
13 Enter Hastings.
14 HASTINGS.
15 Cannot my Lord Stanley sleep these tedious nights?
16 MESSENGER.
17 So it appears by that I have to say.
18 First, he commends him to your noble self.
19 HASTINGS.
20 What then?
21 MESSENGER.
22 Then certifies your lordship that this night
23 He dreamt the boar had razed off his helm.
24 Besides, he says there are two councils kept,
25 And that may be determined at the one
26 Which may make you and him to rue at th’ other.
27 Therefore he sends to know your lordship’s pleasure,
28 If you will presently take horse with him
29 And with all speed post with him toward the north,
30 To shun the danger that his soul divines.
31 HASTINGS.
32 Go, fellow, go. Return unto thy lord;
33 Bid him not fear the separated council.
34 His honour and myself are at the one,
35 And at the other is my good friend Catesby,
36 Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
37 Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
38 Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance.
39 And for his dreams, I wonder he’s so simple
40 To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers.
41 To fly the boar before the boar pursues
42 Were to incense the boar to follow us,
43 And make pursuit where he did mean no chase.
44 Go, bid thy master rise and come to me,
45 And we will both together to the Tower,
46 Where he shall see the boar will use us kindly.
47 MESSENGER.
48 I’ll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
49 [_Exit._]
50 Enter Catesby.
51 CATESBY.
52 Many good morrows to my noble lord.
53 HASTINGS.
54 Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring.
55 What news, what news in this our tott’ring state?
56 CATESBY.
57 It is a reeling world indeed, my lord,
58 And I believe will never stand upright
59 Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.
60 HASTINGS.
61 How, wear the garland? Dost thou mean the crown?
62 CATESBY.
63 Ay, my good lord.
64 HASTINGS.
65 I’ll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders
66 Before I’ll see the crown so foul misplaced.
67 But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
68 CATESBY.
69 Ay, on my life, and hopes to find you forward
70 Upon his party for the gain thereof;
71 And thereupon he sends you this good news,
72 That this same very day your enemies,
73 The kindred of the Queen, must die at Pomfret.
74 HASTINGS.
75 Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
76 Because they have been still my adversaries.
77 But that I’ll give my voice on Richard’s side
78 To bar my master’s heirs in true descent,
79 God knows I will not do it, to the death.
80 CATESBY.
81 God keep your lordship in that gracious mind.
82 HASTINGS.
83 But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence,
84 That they which brought me in my master’s hate,
85 I live to look upon their tragedy.
86 Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older
87 I’ll send some packing that yet think not on’t.
88 CATESBY.
89 ’Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
90 When men are unprepared and look not for it.
91 HASTINGS.
92 O monstrous, monstrous! And so falls it out
93 With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey; and so ’twill do
94 With some men else that think themselves as safe
95 As thou and I, who, as thou know’st, are dear
96 To princely Richard and to Buckingham.
97 CATESBY.
98 The Princes both make high account of you—
99 [_Aside_.] For they account his head upon the Bridge.
100 HASTINGS.
101 I know they do, and I have well deserved it.
102 Enter Stanley Earl of Derby.
103 Come on, come on. Where is your boar-spear, man?
104 Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?
105 STANLEY.
106 My lord, good morrow; good morrow, Catesby.
107 You may jest on, but, by the Holy Rood,
108 I do not like these several councils, I.
109 HASTINGS.
110 My lord, I hold my life as dear as you do yours,
111 And never in my days, I do protest,
112 Was it so precious to me as ’tis now.
113 Think you, but that I know our state secure,
114 I would be so triumphant as I am?
115 STANLEY.
116 The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London,
117 Were jocund and supposed their states were sure,
118 And they indeed had no cause to mistrust;
119 But yet you see how soon the day o’ercast.
120 This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt;
121 Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward.
122 What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.
123 HASTINGS.
124 Come, come. Have with you. Wot you what, my lord?
125 Today the lords you talked of are beheaded.
126 STANLEY.
127 They, for their truth, might better wear their heads
128 Than some that have accused them wear their hats.
129 But come, my lord, let’s away.
130 Enter a Pursuivant.
131 HASTINGS.
132 Go on before; I’ll talk with this good fellow.
133 [_Exeunt Stanley and Catesby._]
134 How now, sirrah? How goes the world with thee?
135 PURSUIVANT.
136 The better that your lordship please to ask.
137 HASTINGS.
138 I tell thee, man, ’tis better with me now
139 Than when thou met’st me last where now we meet.
140 Then was I going prisoner to the Tower,
141 By the suggestion of the Queen’s allies.
142 But now, I tell thee—keep it to thyself—
143 This day those enemies are put to death,
144 And I in better state than e’er I was.
145 PURSUIVANT.
146 God hold it, to your honour’s good content!
147 HASTINGS.
148 Gramercy, fellow. There, drink that for me.
149 [_Throws him his purse._]
150 PURSUIVANT.
151 I thank your honour.
152 [_Exit._]
153 Enter a Priest.
154 PRIEST.
155 Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your honour.
156 HASTINGS.
157 I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart.
158 I am in your debt for your last exercise.
159 Come the next sabbath, and I will content you.
160 Enter Buckingham.
161 PRIEST.
162 I’ll wait upon your lordship.
163 [_Exit Priest._]
164 BUCKINGHAM.
165 What, talking with a priest, Lord Chamberlain?
166 Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest;
167 Your honour hath no shriving work in hand.
168 HASTINGS.
169 Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
170 The men you talk of came into my mind.
171 What, go you toward the Tower?
172 BUCKINGHAM.
173 I do, my lord, but long I cannot stay there.
174 I shall return before your lordship thence.
175 HASTINGS.
176 Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there.
177 BUCKINGHAM.
178 [_Aside_.] And supper too, although thou knowest it not.
179 Come, will you go?
180 HASTINGS.
181 I’ll wait upon your lordship.
182 [_Exeunt._]