KING RICHARD III. William Shakespeare

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: