And help me to support this feeble frame,
That, nodding, totters with oppressive woe,
And sinks beneath its load.
[Exeunt Jane Shore and Alicia. Glos. Heavy of heart she seems, and sore afflicted. But thus it is when rude calamity
Lays its strong gripe upon these mincing minions;
The dainty gew-gaw forms dissolve at once,
And shiver at the shock. What says her paper?
[Seeming to read. Ha! What is this? Come nearer, Ratcliffe! Catesby! Mark the contents, and then divine the meaning:
Wonder not, princely Gloster, at the notice
This paper brings you from a friend unknown;
Lord Hastings is inclin'd to call you master,
And kneel to Richard, as to England's King;
But Shore's bewitching wife misleads his heart,
And draws his service to King Edward's sons:
Drive her away, you break the charm that holds him,
And he, and all his powers attend on you.
Rute. 'Tis wonderful!
Cate. The means by which it came
Yet stranger too!
Glos. You saw it giv'n but now.
Ratc. She could not know the purport.
Glos. No, 'tis plain
She knows it not, it levels at her life;.
Should she presume to prate of such high matters,
The meddling harlot! dear she should abide it.*
Cate. What hand soe'er it comes from, be assur'd,
It means your Highness well-
Lord Hastings will be here; this morn I mean
To prove him to the quick; then, if he flinch,
No more but this, away with him at once,
This phrase is from Milton, in Satan's speech to the Sun:
Ay me. they little know
How dearly I abide that boast so vain.
He must be mine, or nothing-But he comes!
Draw nearer this way and observe me well.
Hast. This foolish woman hangs about my heart,
Lingers and wanders in my fancy still;
This coyness is put on, 'tis art and cunning.
The groom, who lift his saucy hand against me,
Ere this, is humbled, and repents his daring.
Perhaps e'en she may profit by th' example,
And teach her beauty not to scorn my power.
Glos. This do, and wait me ere the council sits.
[Exeunt Ratcliffe and Catesby.
My Lord, you're well encounter'd; here has been
A fair petitioner this morning with us;
Believe me, she has won me much to pity her:
Alas! her gentle nature was not made
To buffet with adversity. I told her
How worthily her cause you had befriended;
How much for your good sake we meant to do,
That you had spoke, and all things should be well.
Hast. Your Highness binds me ever to your service.
Glos. You know your friendship is most potent with
And shares our power. But of this enough,
For we have other matters for your ear.
The state is out of tune, distracting fears
And jealous doubts jar in our public councils;
Amidst the wealthy city, murmurs rise,
Loud railings and reproach on those that rule,
With open scorn of government; hence credit,
And public trust 'twixt man and, man are broke,
The golden streams of commerce are withheld,
Which fed the wants of needy hinds and artizans,
Who clamour 'gainst the great, and threat rebellion.
Hast. The resty knaves are over-run with ease,
As plenty ever is the nurse of faction:
If, in good days, like these, the headstrong herd
Grow madly wanton and repine, it is
Because the reins of power are held too slack,
And reverend authority of late
Has worn a face of mercy more than justice.
Glos. My good Lord Hastings, you have well divin'd The source of these disorders. Who can wonder
If riot and misrule o'erturn the realm,
When the crown sits upon a baby brow?*
Plainly to speak, hence comes the general cry,
Aud sum of all complaint: 'twill ne'er be well
With England (thus they talk) while children govern.
Hust. 'Tis true, the King is young; but what of that?
We feel no want of Edward's riper years,
While Gloster's valour and most princely wisdom
So well supply our infant Sov'reign's place,
His youth's support and guardian of his throne.
Glos. The council (much I'm bound to thank 'em for it)
Have plac'd a pageant sceptre in my hand,
Barren of power, and subject to control,
Scorn'd by my foes, and useless to my friends.
Oh, worthy Lord! were mine the rule indeed,
I think, I should not suffer rank offence
At large to lord it in the common-weal;
Nor would the realm be rent by discord thus,
Thus fear and doubt betwixt disputed titles.
Hast. Of this I am to learn; as not supposing
A doubt like this-
Glos. Ay, but there is, believe me,
And that of much concern. Have you not heard
How on a late occasion, Dr. Shaw
Has mov'd the people much about the lawfulness
Of Edward's issue? By right grave authority
Of learning and religion, plainly proving,
A bastard scion never should be grafted
Upon a royal stock; from thence, at full
Discoursing on my brother's former contract,
That rises like the issue of a king,
And wears upon his baby brow the round
And top of sovereignty?
To Lady Elizabeth Lucy,* long before
His jolly match with that same buxom widow
The Queen he left behind him-
Of meddling priests! who kindle up confusion,
And vex the quiet world with their vain scruples;
My Lord 'tis done in perfect spite to peace.
Our royal master, Edward, in concurrence
With his estates assembled, well determine
What course the sov'reign rule should take henceforward?
When shall the deadly hate of faction cease,
When shall our long-divided land have rest,
If every peevish, moody, malecontent
Shall set the senseless rabble in an uproar?
Fright them with dangers, and perplex their brains,
Each day with some fantastic giddy change?
Glos. What if some patriot for the public good
Should vary from your scheme, new-mould the state?
Hast. Woe to the innovating hand attempts it!
The villain, righteous Heav'n will sure remember
In his great day of vengeance, blast the traitor,
And his pernicious counsels, who, for wealth,
For power, the pride of greatness, or revenge,
Would plunge his native land in civil wars.
This objection to king Edward's marriage with lady Grey, is "said by Sir Thomas More to have been made by the dutches "dowager of York, Edward's mother, who was averse to the "match, before he espoused that lady. But Elizabeth Lucy, the "daughter of one Wyat, and the wife of one Lucy, being sworn to "speak the truth, declared that the king had not been affianced to "her, though she owned she had been his concubine. Philip de "Comines, a contemporary historian, says that Edward, previous "to bis marriage with lady Grey, was married to an English lady "by the bishop of Bath, who revealed the secret; and according "to the Chronicle of Croyland this was lady Eleanor Butler, widow "of Lord Butler, of Sudley, and daughter to the great earl of "Shrewsbury. On this ground the children of Edward were de"clared illegitimate by the only parliament assembled by K. Richard "III.; but no mention was made of Elizabeth Lucy.
"Shakspeare followed Holinshed, who copied Hall, as Hall "transcribed the account given by Sir Thomas More. MALONE." This note is from Malone's Shakspeare, Richard the Ild, A. III. S. VII. Vol. vi. p. 545.
See also Walpole's Historic Doubts, 2nd. Edo. p. 40.
Glos. You go too far, my Lord.
Hast. Your Highness' pardon-
Have we so soon forgot those days of ruin,
When York and Lancaster drew forth the battles;
When, like a matron butcher'd by her sons,
And cast beside some common way a spectacle
( Of horror and affright to passers by,'
Our groaning country bled at every vein;
When murders, rapes, and massacres prevail'd;
When churches, palaces, and cities blaz'd;
When insolence and barbarism triumph'd,
And swept away distinction; peasants trod
Upon the necks of nobles; low were laid
The reverend crosier and the holy mitre,
And desolation cover'd all the land;
Who can remember this, and not, like me,
Here vow to bring the faithless wretch to justice,
Whose dire ambition would renew those horrors,
And set, once more, that scene of blood before us?
Glos. How now! so hot!
Hast. So brave, and so resolv'd.
Glos. Is then our friendship of so little moment, That you could arm yourself against my life?
Hast. I hope your Highness does not think I meant it. No, Heaven forefend that e'er your princely person Should come within the scope of my resentment. Glos. Oh noble Hastings! nay, I must embrace you. [Embraces him. see, in truth, you're a right honest man! The time is full of danger and distrust, And warns us to be wary. Hold me not Too apt for jealousy and light surmise,
If, when I meant to lodge you next my heart,
I put your truth to trial. Keep your loyalty,
And live your King and country's best support:
For me, I ask no more than honour gives,
To think me yours, and rank me with your friends.
Hast. Accept what thanks a grateful heart should
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