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York. You mean, to bear me, not to bear with

me:

Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me ;
Because that I am little like an ape,

He thinks that you fhould bear me on your fhoulders.
Buck. With what a fharp-provided wit he reasons !
To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,
He prettily and aptly taunts himself :
So cunning, and fo young, is wonderful.
Glo. My lord, will't please you pass along?
Myself, and my good coufin Buckingham,
Will to your mother; to entreat of her,
To meet you at the Tower, and welcome you.
York. What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord ?
Prince. My lord protector needs will have it fo.
York. I fhall not fleep in quiet at the Tower.
Glo. Why, what fhould you fear?

York. Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost;
My grandam told me, he was murther'd there.
Prince. I fear no uncles dead.

Glo. Nor none that live, I hope.

Prince. An if they live, I hope, I need not fear. But come, my lord, and, with a heavy heart, Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

[Exeunt Prince, York, Haftings, Cardinal and attendants. Buck. Think you, my lord, this little prating York

Was not incensed by his fubtle mother,
To taunt and fcorn you this opprobriously?

3 Becaufe that I am little like an ape,] The reproach seems to confift in this at country fhews it was common to fet the monkey on the back of fome other animal, as a bear. The duke therefore, in calling himself ape, calls his uncle bear. JOHNSON. To this custom there feems to be an allufion in Ben Jonson's Mafque of Gypfies:

"A gypfy in his shape,

"More calls the beholder,
"Than the fellow with the ape,

Or the ape on his fhoulder." STEEVENS,

Glo

Glo. No doubt, no doubt: O, 'tis a parlous boy; Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable; He's all the mother's, from the top to toe.

Buck. Well, let them reft.-Come hither, Catefby; thou art fworn

As deeply to effect what we intend,

As closely to conceal what we impart :
Thou know'ft our reafons urg'd upon the way ;-
What think'ft thou? is it not an easy matter
To make William lord Haftings of our mind,
For the inftalment of this noble duke

In the feat royal of this famous ifle?

Catef. He for his father's fake fo loves the prince,
That he will not be won to aught against him.
Buck. What think'ft thou then of Stanley? will
not he?

Catef. He will do all in all as Hastings doth.
Buck. Well then, no more but this: Go, gentle
Catesby,

And, as it were far off, found thou lord Haftings,
How he doth stand affected to our purpose;
And fummon him to-morrow to the Tower,
To fit about the coronation.

If thou doft find him tractable to us,
Encourage him, and tell him all our reafons:
If he be leaden, icy, cold, unwilling,
Be thou fo too; and fo break off the talk,
And give us notice of his inclination :
For we to-morrow hold' divided councils,
Wherein thyself fhalt highly be employ'd.

Glo. Commend me to lord William: tell him,
Catesby,

His ancient knot of dangerous adverfaries
To-morrow are let blood at Pomfret-caftle;

divided councils,] That is, a private confultation, feparate from the known and publick council. So, in the next fcene, Haftings fays:

Bid him not fear the separated councils. JOHNSON.

And

And bid my friend, for joy of this good news,
Give mistress Shore one gentle kifs the more.

Buck. Good Catesby, go, effect this business foundly.

Catef. My good lords both, with all the heed I can. Glo. Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we fleep? Catef. You fhall, my lord.

Glo. At Crofby-place, there you fhall find us both. [Exit Catesby. Buck. Now, my lord, what fhall we do, if we per

ceive

Lord Haftings will not yield to our complots? Glo. Chop off his head, man ;-fomewhat we will do 5:

And, look, when I am king, claim thou of me The earldom of Hereford, and all the moveables Whereof the king my brother was poffefs'd.

Buck. I'll claim that promife at your grace's hand. Glo. And look to have it yielded with all kindness. Come, let us fup betimes; that afterwards We may digeft our complots in fome form. [Exeunt.

SCENE II."

Before Lord Haftings houfe.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. My lord, my lord,

Haft. [Within.] Who knocks?
Mef. One from lord Stanley.
Haft. What is't o'clock ?
Mef. Upon the ftroke of four.

T

5 will do:] The folio reads-will determine. STEEVENS. • Scene II. Every material circumftance in the following fcene is taken from the Chronicles, except that it is a knight with whom Haftings converfes, inftead of Buckingham, STEEVENS.

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Enter

Enter Haftings.

Haft. Cannot thy mafter sleep these tedious nights? Mef. So it fhould seem by that I have to fay. Firft, he commends him to your noble lordship. Haft. And then,—

;

Mef. Then certifies your lordship, that this night
He dreamt, the boar had rafed off his helm 7:
Befides, he fays, there are two councils held
And that may be determin'd at the one,
Which may make you and him to rue at the other.
Therefore he fends to know your lordship's pleasure,
If presently you will take horfe with him,
And with all speed poft with him toward the north,
To fhun the danger that his foul divines.

Haft. Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord;
Bid him not fear the feparated councils:
His honour, and myself, are at the one;
And, at the other, is my good friend Catefby;
Where nothing can proceed, that toucheth us,
Whereof I fhall not have intelligence.

Tell him, his fears are fhallow, wanting inftance;
And for his dreams,-I wonder, he's fo fond

To truft the mockery of unquiet flumbers :

7

the boar had rafed off his helm.] This term rafed or rashed is always given to defcribe the violence inflicted by a boar. So, in K. Lear, 4to edit :

"In his anointed flesh rash boarish fangs."

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Again, in Warner's Albion's England, 160z, B. VII. ch. 36: ha, cur, avaunt, the bore fo rafe thy hide !" By the boar, throughout this scene, is meant Glofter, who was called the boar, or the bog, from his having a boar for his cognizance, and one of the supporters of his coat of arms.

8

STEEVENS.

wanting inftance:] That is, wanting fome example · or act of malevolence, by which they may be justified: or which, perhaps, is nearer to the true meaning, wanting any immediate ground or reafon. JOHNSON.

The folio reads without inftance. STEEVENS.

To

E

To fly the boar, before the boar purfues,

Were to incenfe the boar to follow us,
And make purfuit, where he did mean no chafe.
Go, bid thy mafter rife and come to me;
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where, he fhall fee, the boar will ufe us kindly.
Mef. I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
[Exit.

Enter Catesby.

Catef. Many good morrows to my noble lord!
Haft. Good morrow, Catelby; you are early
ftirring;

What news, what news, in this our tottering state?
Catef. It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord;
And, I believe, will never ftand upright,

'Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.S
Haft. How! wear the garland? doft thou mean
the crown?

Catef. Ay, my good lord..

Haft. I'll have this crown of mine cut from my fhoulders,

Before I'll fee the crown fo foul misplac'd.

But canft thou guefs that he doth aim at it? Catef. Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you for ward

Upon his party, for the gain thereof:

And, thereupon, he fends you this good news,
That, this fame very day, your enemies,
The kindred of the queen, muft die at Pomfret.
Haft. Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been ftill my adverfaries:
But, that I'll give my voice on Richard's fide,
To bar my master's heirs in true defcent,
God knows, I will not do it, to the death.

Catef. God keep your lordfhip in that gracious
mind!

Haft.

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