ARKCODEX
Act II, Scene 4
1London. The palace.
2Enter the Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth, and the Duchess of York.
3ArchbishopLast night, I hear, they lay at Northampton;
At Stony-Stratford will they be to-night:
To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.
4DuchessI long with all my heart to see the prince:
I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
5Queen ElizabethBut I hear, no; they say my son of York
Hath almost overta’en him in his growth.
6YorkAy, mother; but I would not have it so.
7DuchessWhy, my young cousin, it is good to grow.
8YorkGrandam, one night, as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talk’d how I did grow
More than my brother: “Ay,” 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.
9DuchessGood 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 gracious.
10ArchbishopWhy, madam, so, no doubt, he is.
11DuchessI hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
12YorkNow, 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.
13DuchessHow, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.
14YorkMarry, 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.
15DuchessI pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this?
16YorkGrandam, his nurse.
17DuchessHis nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.
18YorkIf ’twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
19Queen ElizabethA parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd.
20ArchbishopGood madam, be not angry with the child.
21Queen ElizabethPitchers have ears.
22Enter a Messenger.
23ArchbishopHere comes a messenger. What news?
24MessengerSuch news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold.
25Queen ElizabethHow fares the prince?
26MessengerWell, madam, and in health.
27DuchessWhat is thy news then?
28MessengerLord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,
With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
29DuchessWho hath committed them?
30MessengerThe mighty dukes
Gloucester and Buckingham.
31Queen ElizabethFor what offence?
32MessengerThe sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
Why or for what these nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.
33Queen ElizabethAy 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.
34DuchessAccursed 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;
Or let me die, to look on death no more!
35Queen ElizabethCome, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.
Madam, farewell.
36DuchessI’ll go along with you.
37Queen ElizabethYou have no cause.
38ArchbishopMy gracious lady, go;
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.