To-morrow, or next day, they will be here. Duch. I long with all my heart to see the prince:

I hope he is much grown since last I saw him. Q. Eliz. But I hear, no; they say my son of York Hath almost overta'en him in his growth.

York. Aye, mother; but I would not have it so. Duch. Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. York. Grandam, one night, as we did sit at sup

per,

My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow

10

More than my brother: 'Aye,' quoth my uncle
Gloucester,

'Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow
apace:'

And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,
Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make

haste.

Duch. Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold

In him that did object the same to thee:

He was the wretched'st thing when he was young,

So long a-growing and so leisurely,

That, if this rule were true, he should be gra

cious.

20

a sharp controversy, which reading ought to be kept. The matter is stated thus in More's History: "Now came there one not long after midnight from the lord chamberlaine to doctor Rotheram the archbishop of Yorke, then chancellor of England; and for that he showed his servants that he had tidings of so great importance, they letted not to wake him, nor he to admit this messenger in to his bed side. Of whome he heard that these dukes were gone backe with the kings grace from Stonie Stratford unto Northampton.”— H. N. H.

20. "if this rule were true"; so the Cambridge Editors; Qq. 1, 2,

Arch. Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is.

Duch. I hope so too; but yet let mothers doubt. York. Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd,

I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,

To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.

Duch. How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.

York. Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast

That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old: 'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth. Grandam, this would have been a biting jest. 30 Duch. I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this? York. Grandam, his nurse.

Duch. His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.

York. If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
Q. Eliz. A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd.
Arch. Good madam, be not angry with the child.
Q. Eliz. Pitchers have ears.

Enter a Messenger.

Arch. Here comes a messenger. What news? Mess. Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold. Q. Eliz. How fares the prince?

Well, madam, and in health.

41

Mess.
Duch. What is thy news then?
Mess. Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pom-

fret,

"if this were a true rule”; Qq. 3-8, "if this were a rule"; Ff., “if his rule were true."-I. G.

With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners. Duch. Who hath committed them?

Mess.

The mighty dukes,

For what offense?

Gloucester and Buckingham.

Q. Eliz.

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. Aye 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.

50

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;

60

51. "Jet." The folio has jut, which, says Mr. Dyce, "is certainly wrong." And he adds that "to jet upon means here boldly to encroach upon." Thus in Titus Andronicus, Act ii. sc. 1: "And think you not how dangerous it is to jet upon a prince's right?" And in an old manuscript play of Sir Thomas More, quoted by Mr. Dyce: "It is hard when Englishmens pacience must be thus jetted on by straungers."-H. N. H.

62, 63. "blood against blood, Self," etc.; so Qq.; Ff., "Brother to Brother; Blood to blood, selfe," etc.-I. G.

64. "Frantic outrage," so in all the old copies, quarto and folio. Modern editions generally read courage, following Malone.-In the

Or let me die, to look on death no more!

Q. Eliz. Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.

70

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.

next line all the quartos have "look on death," the folio “on earth.” Of course the duchess refers to the slaughters that have so long filled the land.-H. N. H.

67. “Madam, farewell"; omitted in Qq.-I. G.

71. "The seal I keep"; More's account of this is highly pathetic: "The queene hir selfe sate alone alow on the rushes, all desolate and dismaid; whome the archbishop comforted in the best manner he could, shewing hir that he trusted the matter was nothing so sore as she tooke it for. 'Madam,' quoth he, ‘be yee of good cheere; for I assure you, if they crowne anie other king than your sonne, whome they now have with them, we shall on the morrow crowne his brother, whome you have here with you. And here is the great seale, which in like wise as that noble prince your husband delivyred it unto me, so here I deliver it unto you, to the use and behoofe of your sonne.' And therewith he betooke hir the great seale, and departed home againe, yet in the dawning of the daie."H. N. H.

ACT THIRD

SCENE I

London. A street.

The trumpets sound. Enter the young Prince, the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham, Cardinal Bourchier, Catesby, and others.

Buck. Welcome, 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:

"Cardinal Bourchier." Thomas Bourchier was made a cardinal, and elected archbishop of Canterbury in 1464. He died in 1486.— H. N. H.

1. "Chamber"; London was anciently called camera regis, that is, the king's chamber. Thus in Buckingham's speech to the citizens as given by More: "And yet be ye the people, whome he had as singular cause well and kindlie to intreat, as anie part of his realme; for that the prince, by this noble citie as his speciall chamber, and the speciall well renowned citie of this realme, much honourable fame received among all other nations.”-H. N. H.