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Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN
ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK -
Last night, I hear, they lay at Northampton;
At Stony-Stratford will they be to-night:
To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.
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I long with all my heart to see the prince:
I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
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But I hear, no; they say my son of York
Hath almost overta'en him in his growth.
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Ay, mother; but I would not have it so.
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Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow.
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Grandam, 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.
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Good 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.
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Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is.
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I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
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Now, 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.
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How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.
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Marry, 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.
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I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this?
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Grandam, his nurse.
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His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.
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If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
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A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd.
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Good madam, be not angry with the child.
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Pitchers have ears.
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Enter a Messenger
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Here comes a messenger. What news?
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Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold.
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How fares the prince?
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Well, madam, and in health.
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What is thy news then?
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Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,
With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
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Who hath committed them?
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The mighty dukes
Gloucester and Buckingham.
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For what offence?
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The sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
Why or for what these nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.
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Ay 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.
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Accursed 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!
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Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.
Madam, farewell.
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I'll go along with you.
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You have no cause.
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My 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.
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Exeunt