KING RICHARD III. William Shakespeare
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CATESBY
He for his father’s sake so loves the prince
That he will not be won to aught against him.
BUCKINGHAM
What think’st thou then of Stanley? will not he?
CATESBY
He will do all in all as Hastings doth.
BUCKINGHAM
Well then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby,
And, as it were far off, sound thou Lord Hastings
How he doth stand affected to our purpose;
And summon him tomorrow to the Tower,
To sit about the coronation.
If thou dost find him tractable to us,
Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons:
If he be leaden, icy, cold, unwilling,
Be thou so too; and so break off the talk,
And give us notice of his inclination:
For we tomorrow hold divided councils,
Wherein thyself shalt highly be employ’d.
GLOSTER
Commend me to Lord William: tell him, Catesby,
His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries
Tomorrow are let blood at Pomfret Castle;
And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,
Give Mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more.
BUCKINGHAM
Good Catesby, go, effect this business soundly.
CATESBY
My good lords both, with all the heed I can.
GLOSTER
Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?
CATESBY
You shall, my lord.
GLOSTER
At Crosby Place, there shall you find us both.
[Exit CATESBY.]
BUCKINGHAM
Now, my lord, what shall we do if we perceive
Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?
GLOSTER
Chop off his head. man;—somewhat we will do:—
And, look when I am king, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables
Whereof the king my brother was possess’d.
BUCKINGHAM
I’ll claim that promise at your grace’s hand.
GLOSTER
And look to have it yielded with all kindness.
Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards
We may digest our complots in some form.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. Before Lord Hasting’s house
[Enter a MESSENGER.]
MESSENGER
My lord, my lord!—
[Knocking]
HASTINGS
[Within] Who knocks?
MESSENGER
One from the Lord Stanley.
HASTINGS
[Within] What is’t o’clock?
MESSENGER
Upon the stroke of four.
[Enter HASTINGS.]
HASTINGS
Cannot my Lord Stanley sleep these tedious nights?
MESSENGER
So it appears by that I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble self.
HASTINGS
What then?
MESSENGER
Then certifies your lordship that this night
He dreamt the boar had razed off his helm:
Besides, he says there are two councils held;
And that may be determin’d at the one
Which may make you and him to rue at the other.
Therefore he sends to know your lordship’s pleasure,—
If you will presently take horse with him,
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,
And at the other is my good friend Catesby;
Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance:
And for his dreams, I wonder he’s so simple
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;
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly.
MESSENGER
I’ll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
[Exit.]
[Enter CATESBY.]
CATESBY
Many good morrows to my noble lord!
HASTINGS
Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring:
What news, what news, in this our tottering state?
CATESBY
It is a reeling world indeed, my lord;
And I believe will never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.
HASTINGS
How! wear the garland! dost thou mean the crown?
CATESBY
Ay, my good lord.
HASTINGS
I’ll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders
Before I’ll see the crown so foul misplac’d.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
CATESBY
Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you forward
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,
Because they have been still my adversaries: