Act IIScene IV
London. A Room in the Palace
Enter the Archbishop of York, the young Duke of York, Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of York.
Archbishop
Last night, I hear, they lay at Stony Stratford,And at Northampton they do rest tonight.Tomorrow or next day they will be here.
Duchess
I long with all my heart to see the Prince.I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
Queen Elizabeth
But I hear no; they say my son of YorkHas almost overta’en him in his growth.
York
Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.
Duchess
Why, my good cousin? It is good to grow.
York
Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,My uncle Rivers talked how I did growMore 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.
Duchess
Good faith, good faith, the saying did not holdIn 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 his rule were true, he should be gracious.
Archbishop
And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.
Duchess
I hope he is, but yet let mothers doubt.
York
Now, by my troth, if I had been remembered,I could have given my uncle’s Grace a floutTo touch his growth nearer than he touched mine.
Duchess
How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.
York
Marry, they say my uncle grew so fastThat 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.
Duchess
I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?
York
Grandam, his nurse.
Duchess
His nurse? Why she was dead ere thou wast born.
York
If ’twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
Queen Elizabeth
A parlous boy! Go to, you are too shrewd.
Duchess
Good madam, be not angry with the child.
Queen Elizabeth
Pitchers have ears.
Enter a Messenger.
Archbishop
Here comes a messenger. What news?
Messenger
Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.
Queen Elizabeth
How doth the Prince?
Messenger
Well, madam, and in health.
Duchess
What is thy news?
Messenger
Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,And, with them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
Duchess
Who hath committed them?
Messenger
The mighty Dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.
Archbishop
For what offence?
Messenger
The sum of all I can, I have disclosed.Why or for what the nobles were committedIs all unknown to me, my gracious lord.
Queen Elizabeth
Ah me! I see the ruin of my house.The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind;Insulting tyranny begins to jutUpon the innocent and aweless throne.Welcome, destruction, blood, and massacre;I see, as in a map, the end of all.
Duchess
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 tossedFor me to joy and weep their gain and loss.And being seated, and domestic broilsClean over-blown, themselves, the conquerorsMake war upon themselves, brother to brother,Blood to blood, self against self. O, preposterousAnd frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen,Or let me die, to look on earth no more.
Queen Elizabeth
Come, come, my boy. We will to sanctuary.Madam, farewell.
Duchess
Stay, I will go with you.
Queen Elizabeth
You have no cause.
Archbishop
To the Queen.
My gracious lady, go,And thither bear your treasure and your goods.For my part, I’ll resign unto your GraceThe seal I keep; and so betide to meAs well I tender you and all of yours.Go, I’ll conduct you to the sanctuary.
Exeunt.