MESS. The sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
Why or for what these nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.

Q. ELIZ. Ay me, I see the downfall of our house!
The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind;
Insulting tyranny begins to jet

Upon the innocent and aweless throne:
Welcome, destruction, death, and massacre!
I see, as in a map, the end of all.

DUCH. Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,
How many of you have mine eyes beheld!
My husband lost his life to get the crown;
And often up and down my sons were toss'd,
For me to joy and weep their gain and loss:

And being seated, and domestic broils

Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors,
Make war upon themselves; blood against blood,
Self against self: O, preposterous

And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen;
Or let me die, to look on death no more!

Q. ELIZ. Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary. Madam, farewell.

DUCH.

51-52 to jet.

.

I'll go along with you.

throne] to encroach upon a throne filled by an innocent child, and one inspiring no fear.

66 sanctuary] the precincts of Westminster Abbey, where no arrests of suspected persons were permitted.

60

My gracious lady, go;

70

Q. ELIZ. You have no cause.
ARCH.

And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I'll resign unto your grace

The seal I keep: and so betide to me

As well I tender you and all of yours! Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.

[Exeunt.

The trumpets sound.

SCENE I-LONDON

A STREET

Enter the young PRINCE, the Dukes of

GLOUCESTER and BUCKINGHAM, CARDINAL BOURCHIER,

BUCKINGHAM

CATESBY, and others

ELCOME, SWEET PRINCE,
to London, to your chamber.
GLOU. Welcome, dear cousin,
my thoughts' sovereign:
The weary way hath made you
melancholy,

PRINCE. No, uncle; but our crosses on the way

Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy:

I want more uncles here to welcome me.

GLOU. Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years

Hath not yet dived into the world's deceit :

Nor more can you distinguish of a man

1 chamber] London, the capital city of the kingdom, was formally called "camera regis."

Than of his outward show; which, God he knows,
Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart.
Those uncles which you want were dangerous;
Your grace attended to their sugar'd words,
But look'd not on the poison of their hearts:
God keep you from them, and from such false friends!
PRINCE. God keep me from false friends! but they

were none.

GLOU. My lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.

Enter the Lord Mayor, and his train

MAY. God bless your grace with health and happy

days!

PRINCE. I thank you, good my lord; and thank you all.

I thought my mother and my brother York
Would long ere this have met us on the way:
Fie, what a slug is Hastings, that he comes not
To tell us whether they will come or no!

Enter LORD HASTINGS

BUCK. And, in good time here comes the sweating lord. PRINCE. Welcome, my lord: what, will our mother

come?

HAST. On what occasion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother and your brother York Have taken sanctuary: the tender prince

22 slug] sluggard.

10

20

Would fain have come with me to meet your grace,
But by his mother was perforce withheld.

BUCK. Fie, what an indirect and peevish course
Is this of hers! Lord cardinal, will your grace
Persuade the queen to send the Duke of York
Unto his princely brother presently?

If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him,
And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.
CARD. My Lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory
Can from his mother win the Duke of York,
Anon expect him here; but if she be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid
We should infringe the holy privilege

Of blessed sanctuary! not for all this land.
Would I be guilty of so deep a sin.

BUCK. You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord,

Too ceremonious and traditional:

Weigh it but with the grossness of this age,
You break not sanctuary in seizing him.
The benefit thereof is always granted

To those whose dealings have deserved the place,
And those who have the wit to claim the place:
This prince hath neither claim'd it nor deserved it;
And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it:
Then, taking him from thence that is not there,
You break no privilege nor charter there.

44 senseless-obstinate] unreasonable in obstinacy.

45 Too . . . traditional] Too much attached to ceremonies and traditions. 46 Weigh... age] Consider it in the light of the unlicensed temper of the times (which calls for high-handed action).

80

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