And move him for redress.
[She gives the Paper to ALICIA, who opens and seems to read it.
Alicia. [Aside.] Now for a wile,
To sting my thoughtless rival to the heart;
To blast her fatal beauties, and divide her
For ever from my perjur'd Hastings' eyes:
Their fashions are the same; it cannot fail.
[Pulling out the other Paper.
J. Shore. But see, the great Protector comes this
Give me the paper, friend.
Alicia. [Aside.] For love and vengeance!
[She gives her the other Paper.
Enter the DUKE OF GLOSTER, SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF, CATESBY, COURTIERS, and other AT
J. Shore. [Kneeling.] Oh, noble Gloster, turn thy gracious eye,
Incline thy pitying ear to my complaint,
A poor, undone, forsaken, helpless woman,
Intreats a little bread for charity,
To feed her wants, and save her life from perishing.
Glo. Arise, fair dame, and dry your wat'ry eyes.
[Receiving the Paper, and raising her.
Beshrew me, but 'twere pity of his heart,
That could refuse a boon to such a suitress.
Ye've got a noble friend to be your advocate;
A worthy and right gentle lord he is,
And to his trust most true. This present now
Some matters of the state detain our leisure;
Those once despatch'd, we'll call for you anon,
And give your griefs redress. Go to! be comforted.
J. Shore. Good Heavens repay your highness for
this pity,
And show'r down blessings on your princely head.
[Exeunt JANE SHORE and ALICIA.
Glo. Now, by my holidame!
Heavy of heart she seems, and sore afflicted.
But this 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 the paper?
[Seeming to read.
Ha! What is this? Come nearer, Ratcliff! Catesby!
Mark the contents, and then divine the meaning.
[He reads.
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.
Rat. 'Tis wonderful!
Cat. The means by which it came
Yet stranger too!
Glo. You saw it given, but now.
Rat. She could not know the purport.
Glo. 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 should she abide it.
Cat. 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,
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,
And worn to urge desire-I must possess her.
The groom, who lifts his saucy hand against me,
Ere this, is humbled, and repents his daring,
Perhaps, ev'n she may profit by th' example,
And teach her beauty not to scorn my pow'r.
Glo. This do, and wait me ere the council sits.
[Exeunt RATCLIFF and CATESBY.
My lord, you're well encountered; 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.
Glo. 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 therefore curse 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.
Glo. Beshrew my heart! but you have well divin'd The source of these disorders.
If riot and misrule o'erturn the realm,
When the crown sits upon a baby brow?
Plainly to speak: hence comes the genʼral cry,
And sum of all complaint: 'twill ne'er be well
With England (thus they talk) while children govern.
Hast. '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 to his throne.
Glo. The council (much I'm bound to thank them
for't)
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.
O, worthy lord! were mine the rule indeed,
I think I should not suffer rank offence
At large to lord it in the commonweal;
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
Glo. Ay, marry, but there is
And that of much concern. Have you not heard
How, on a late occasion, Doctor 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
To Lady Elizabeth Lucy, long before
His jolly match with that same buxom widow,
The queen, he left behind him.
Such meddling priests, who kindle up confusion,
And vex the quiet world with their vain scruples!
By Heav'n 'tis done in perfect spite to peace.
Did not the King,
Our royal master, Edward, in concurrence
With his estates assembled, well determine
What course the sovʼreign rule should take henceforward?
When shall the deadly hate of faction cease,
When shall our long-divided land have rest,
If ev'ry 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!
Glo. What if some patriot, for the public good,
Should vary from your scheme, new-mould the state?
Hast. Curse on the innovating hand, attempts it!
Remember him, the villain, righteous Heav'n,
In thy great day of vengeance! Blast the traitor
And his pernicious councils; who for wealth,
For pow'r, the pride of greatness, or revenge,
Would plunge his native land in civil wars !
Glo. 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,
Our groaning country bled at ev'ry 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;
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