The Complete Works of William Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE II. Before Lord Hastings’ house
Enter a Messenger to the door of Hastings. 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 kept, And that may be determined at the one Which may make you and him to rue at th’ 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 council. 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 tott’ring 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 misplaced. 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. 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. HASTINGS. But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence, That they which brought me in my master’s hate, I live to look upon their tragedy. Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older I’ll send some packing that yet think not on’t.
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 that think themselves as safe 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. Enter Stanley Earl of Derby. 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. HASTINGS. My lord, I hold my life as dear as you do yours, And never in my days, I do protest, Was it so precious to me as ’tis now. Think you, but that I know our state secure, I would be so triumphant as I am? STANLEY. The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London, Were jocund and supposed their states were sure, And they indeed had no cause to mistrust; But yet you see how soon the day o’ercast. This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt; Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward. What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.
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