| ACT III SCENE II | Before Lord Hastings' house. | |
| | Enter a Messenger. [Knocking.] | |
| Messenger | What, ho! my lord! | |
| HASTINGS | Within | |
| Messenger | A messenger from the Lord Stanley. | |
| | Enter HASTINGS. | |
| HASTINGS | What is't o'clock? | |
| Messenger | Upon the stroke of four. | | 5 |
| HASTINGS | Cannot thy master sleep these tedious nights? | |
| Messenger | So it should seem by that I have to say. | |
| | First, he commends him to your noble lordship. | |
| HASTINGS | And then? | |
| Messenger | And then he sends you word |
| | He dreamt to-night the boar had razed his helm: | | 10 |
| | Besides, he says there are two councils held; | |
| | And that may be determined at the one | |
| | which may make you and him to rue at the other. | |
| | Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure, |
| | If presently you will take horse with him, | | 15 |
| | And with all speed post with him toward the north, | |
| | To shun the danger that his soul divines. | |
| HASTINGS | Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord; | |
| | Bid him not fear the separated councils |
| | His honour and myself are at the one, | | 20 |
| | And at the other is my servant Catesby | |
| | Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us | |
| | Whereof I shall not have intelligence. | |
| | Tell him his fears are shallow, wanting instance: |
| | And for his dreams, I wonder he is so fond | | 25 |
| | To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers | |
| | To fly the boar before the boar pursues, | |
| | Were to incense the boar to follow us | |
| | And make pursuit where he did mean no chase. |
| | Go, bid thy master rise and come to me | | 30 |
| | And we will both together to the Tower, | |
| | Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly. | |
| Messenger | My gracious lord, I'll tell him what you say. | |
| | Exit | |
| | Enter CATESBY. | |
| CATESBY | Many good morrows to my noble lord! |
| HASTINGS | Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring | | 35 |
| | What news, what news, in this our tottering state? | |
| CATESBY | It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord; | |
| | And I believe twill never stand upright | |
| | Tim Richard wear the garland of the realm. |
| HASTINGS | How! wear the garland! dost thou mean the crown? | | 40 |
| CATESBY | Ay, my good lord. | |
| HASTINGS | I'll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders | |
| | Ere I will see the crown so foul misplaced. | |
| | But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it? |
| CATESBY | Ay, on my life; and hopes to find forward | | 45 |
| | Upon his party for the gain thereof: | |
| | And thereupon he sends you this good news, | |
| | That this same very day your enemies, | |
| | The kindred of the queen, must die at Pomfret. |
| HASTINGS | Indeed, I am no mourner for that news, | | 50 |
| | Because they have been still mine enemies: | |
| | But, that I'll give my voice on Richard's side, | |
| | To bar my master's heirs in true descent, | |
| | God knows I will not do it, to the death. |
| CATESBY | God keep your lordship in that gracious mind! | | 55 |
| HASTINGS | But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence, | |
| | That they who brought me in my master's hate | |
| | I live to look upon their tragedy. | |
| | I tell thee, Catesby-- |
| CATESBY | What, my lord? | |
| HASTINGS | Ere a fortnight make me older, | |
| | I'll send some packing that yet think not on it. | | 60 |
| CATESBY | 'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord, | |
| | When men are unprepared and look not for it. |
| HASTINGS | O monstrous, monstrous! and so falls it out | |
| | With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do | |
| | With some men else, who think themselves as safe | | 65 |
| | As thou and I; who, as thou know'st, are dear | |
| | To princely Richard and to Buckingham. |
| CATESBY | The princes both make high account of you -- | |
| | [Aside] For they account his head upon the bridge. | |
| HASTINGS | I know they do; and I have well deserved it. | | 70 |
| | Enter STANLEY. | |
| | Come on, come on; where is your boar-spear, man? | |
| | Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided? |
| STANLEY | My lord, good morrow; good morrow, Catesby: | |
| | You may jest on, but, by the holy rood, | |
| | I do not like these several councils, I. | | 75 |
| HASTINGS | My lord, | |
| | I hold my life as dear as you do yours; |
| | And never in my life, I do protest, | |
| | Was it more precious to me than 'tis now: | |
| | Think you, but that I know our state secure, | | 80 |
| | I would be so triumphant as I am? | |
| STANLEY | The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London, |
| | Were jocund, and supposed their state was sure, | |
| | And they indeed had no cause to mistrust; | |
| | But yet, you see how soon the day o'ercast. | | 85 |
| | This sudden stag of rancour I misdoubt: | |
| | Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward! |
| | What, shall we toward the Tower? the day is spent. | |
| HASTINGS | Come, come, have with you. Wot you what, my lord? | |
| | To-day the lords you talk of are beheaded. | | 90 |
| LORD STANLEY | They, for their truth, might better wear their heads | |
| | Than some that have accused them wear their hats. |
| | But come, my lord, let us away. | |
| | Enter a Pursuivant. | |
| HASTINGS | Go on before; I'll talk with this good fellow. | |
| | Exeunt STANLEY and CATESBY. | |
| | How now, sirrah! how goes the world with thee? | | 95 |
| Pursuivant | The better that your lordship please to ask. | |
| HASTINGS | I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now |
| | Than when I met thee last where now we meet: | |
| | Then was I going prisoner to the Tower, | |
| | By the suggestion of the queen's allies; | | 100 |
| | But now, I tell thee--keep it to thyself-- | |
| | This day those enemies are put to death, |
| | And I in better state than e'er I was. | |
| Pursuivant | God hold it, to your honour's good content! | |
| HASTINGS | Gramercy, fellow: there, drink that for me. | | 105 |
| | Throws him his purse. | |
| Pursuivant | God save your lordship! | |
| | Exit | |
| | Enter a Priest. | |
| Priest | Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your honour. |
| HASTINGS | I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart. | |
| | I am in your debt for your last exercise; | |
| | Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you. | | 110 |
| | He whispers in his ear | |
| | Enter BUCKINGHAM. | |
| BUCKINGHAM | What, talking with a priest, lord chamberlain? | |
| | Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest; |
| | Your honour hath no shriving work in hand. | |
| HASTINGS | Good faith, and when I met this holy man, | |
| | Those men you talk of came into my mind. | | 115 |
| | What, go you toward the Tower? | |
| BUCKINGHAM | I do, my lord; but long I shall not stay |
| | I shall return before your lordship thence. | |
| HASTINGS | 'Tis like enough, for I stay dinner there. | |
| BUCKINGHAM | Aside And supper too, although thou knowest it not. | | 120 |
| | Come, will you go? | |
| HASTINGS | I'll wait upon your lordship. | |
| | Exeunt | |
