Haft. But I fhall laugh at this a twelve-month
hence,-

That they, who brought me in my mafter's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.

Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older,
I'll fend fome packing, that yet think not on't.
Catef. 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepar'd and look not for it.

Haft. O monftrous, monftrous! and fo falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and fo 'twill do
With fome men elfe, who think themselves as fafe
As thou, and I;. who, as thou know'ft, are dear
To princely Richard, and to Buckingham.
Catef. The princes both make high account of

you,

For they account his head upon the bridge.

[Afide Haft. I know, they do; and I have well deferv'd it.

Enter Stanley.

Come on, come on, where is your boar-fpear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go fo unprovided?

Stanl. My lord, good morrow ;-and good morrow,
Catefby:-

You may jeft on, but, by the holy rood,
I do not like these several councils, I.

Haft. My lord,

I hold my

life as dear as you do yours; And never, in my days, I do proteft,

-the holy rood,] i. e. the cross. So, in the old mystery

of Candlemas-Day, 1512:

"Whan hir fwete fone fhall on a rood deye."

Again, in Spenfer's Faery Queen, B. VI. c. v:
"And nigh thereto a little chapell stoode
"Which being all with yvy overfpred,
"Deck'd all the roofe, and fhadowing the roode,
"Seem'd like a grove fair branched overhed."

STEEVENS.

Was

Was it more precious to me than 'tis now :
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be fo triumphant as I am?

Stanl. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from
London,

Were jocund, and fuppos'd their states were fure,
And they, indeed, had no cause to mistrust;
But yet, you fee, how foon the day o'er-caft.
This fudden ftab of rancour I mifdoubt;
Pray God, I fay, I prove a needless coward!
What, fhall we toward the Tower? the day is fpent.
Haft. Come, come,' have with you.

what, my lord?

you.

Wot you

To-day the lords you talk of are beheaded.

2

Stanl. They, for their truth, might better wear their heads,

Than fome, that have accus'd them, wear their hats. But come, my lord, let's away.

Enter a Purfuivant.

Haft. Go on before, I'll talk with this good fellow. [Exeunt Lord Stanley, and Catesby. Sirrah, how now? how goes the world with thee? Purf. The better, that your lordship please to ask. Haft. I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now, Than when thou met'ft me laft where now we meet: Then I was going prifoner to the Tower, By the fuggeftion 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 ftate than ere I was.

Purf. God 3 hold it, to your honour's good content!

-have with you.] A familiar phrafe in parting, as much as, take something along with you, or I have something to say to you. JOHNSON.

2

They, for their truth, their honefly. JOHNSON.

3

] That is, with respect to

hold it,] That is, continue it. JOHNSON.

VOL. VII.

G

Haft

Haft. Gramercy, fellow: There, drink that for

me.

Purf. I thank your honour.

[Throws him his purfes [Exit Purfuivant.

Enter a Prieft.

Prieft. Well met, my lord; I am glad to fee

honour.

your

Haft. I thank thee, good fir John, with all my

heart.

I am in your debt for your laft + exercife;
Come the next fabbath, and I will content you.

Enter Buckingham.

Buck. What, talking with a prieft, lord chamberlain ?

Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest; Your honour hath no 5 fhriving work in hand.

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

Buck. I do, my lord; but long I fhall not stay there :

I fhall return before your lordship thence.

Haft. Nay, like enough, for I ftay dinner there. Buck. And fupper too, although thou know'ft it

not.

Come, will you go?

[Afide

Haft. I'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

exercife;] Performance of divine fervice. JOHNSON. -Shriving work in hand.] Shriving work is confeffion.

JOHNSON.

SCENE

SCENE III.

Before Pomfret-caftle.

Enter Sir Richard Ratcliff, conducting Lord Rivers, Lord Richard Grey, and Sir Thomas Vaughan to execution.

Rat. Come, bring forth the prifoners 6. Riv. Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this,To-day fhalt thou behold a subject die,

For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.

Grey. God keep the prince from all the pack of you!

A knot you are of damned blood-fuckers.

Vaugh. You live, that fhall cry woe for this hereafter.

Rat. Difpatch; the limit of your lives is out. Riv. O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prifon, Fatal and ominous to noble peers!

Within the guilty closure of thy walls,

Richard the fecond here was hack'd to death:

And, for more flander to thy dismal feat,
We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.
Grey. Now Margaret's curfe is fallen upon our
heads,

When the exclaim'd on Haftings, you, and I,
For ftanding by when Richard ftabb'd her fon.
Riv. Then curs'd the Haftings, curs'd fhe Buck-
ingham,

Then curs'd the Richard :-O, remember, God,
To hear her prayer for them, as now for us!
As for my fifter, and her princely fons,-

Be fatisfied, dear God, with our true bloods,
Which, as thou know'ft, unjustly must be fpilt !

Come, bring forth the prisoners.] This fpecch is wanting in the folio. STEEVENS.

Rat. Make hafte, the hour of death is now expir'd. Riv. Come, Grey,-come, Vaughan,—let us here

Buckingham, Stanley, Haftings, Bishop of Ely, Catesby, Lovel, with others, at a table.

Haft. Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met Is to determine of the coronation :

In God's name, fpeak, when is the royal day?
Buck. Are all things ready for that royal time?
Stanl. They are, and wants but nomination.
Ely. To-morrow then I judge a happy day.
Buck. Who knows the lord protector's mind herein?
Who is most inward with the noble duke?

Ely. Your grace, we think, fhould foonest know

his mind.

Buck. We know each other's faces: for our hearts,—
He knows no more of mine, than I of yours;
Nor I of his, my lord, than you of mine :-
Lord Haftings, you and he are near in love.
Haft. I thank his grace, I know he loves me well;
But, for his purpofe in the coronation,

I have not founded him, nor he deliver'd.
His gracious pleasure any way therein:
But you, my noble lord, may name the time;
And in the duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which, I prefume, he'll take in gentle part.

Enter Glofter.

Ely. In happy time, here comes the duke himself.
Glo. My noble lords and coufins, all good morrow: