Act IIScene III
London. A street
Enter one Citizen at one door, and Another at the other.
First Citizen
Good morrow, neighbour, whither away so fast?
Second Citizen
I promise you, I scarcely know myself.Hear you the news abroad?
First Citizen
Yes, that the King is dead.
Second Citizen
Ill news, by’r Lady; seldom comes the better.I fear, I fear ’twill prove a giddy world.
Enter another Citizen.
Third Citizen
Neighbours, God speed.
First Citizen
Give you good morrow, sir.
Third Citizen
Doth the news hold of good King Edward’s death?
Second Citizen
Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while.
Third Citizen
Then, masters, look to see a troublous world.
First Citizen
No, no; by God’s good grace, his son shall reign.
Third Citizen
Woe to that land that’s governed by a child.
Second Citizen
In him there is a hope of government,Which, in his nonage, council under him,And, in his full and ripened years, himself,No doubt shall then, and till then, govern well.
First Citizen
So stood the state when Henry the SixthWas crowned in Paris but at nine months old.
Third Citizen
Stood the state so? No, no, good friends, God wot.For then this land was famously enrichedWith politic grave counsel; then the KingHad virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.
First Citizen
Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.
Third Citizen
Better it were they all came by his father,Or by his father there were none at all,For emulation who shall now be nearestWill touch us all too near, if God prevent not.O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,And the Queen’s sons and brothers haught and proud;And were they to be ruled, and not to rule,This sickly land might solace as before.
First Citizen
Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be well.
Third Citizen
When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks;When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?Untimely storms make men expect a dearth.All may be well; but, if God sort it so,’Tis more than we deserve or I expect.
Second Citizen
Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.You cannot reason almost with a manThat looks not heavily and full of dread.
Third Citizen
Before the days of change, still is it so.By a divine instinct men’s minds mistrustEnsuing danger, as by proof we seeThe water swell before a boist’rous storm.But leave it all to God. Whither away?
Second Citizen
Marry, we were sent for to the Justices.
Third Citizen
And so was I. I’ll bear you company.
Exeunt.