| [Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK] |
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| ARCHBISHOP 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. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | 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 York Hath almost overta'en him in his growth. |
| YORK | Ay, mother; but I would not have it so. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. |
| YORK | 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. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | 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. |
| ARCHBISHOP OF YORK | Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt. |
| YORK | 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. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it. |
| YORK | 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. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this? |
| YORK | Grandam, his nurse. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born. |
| YORK | If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd. |
| ARCHBISHOP OF YORK | Good madam, be not angry with the child. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | Pitchers have ears. |
| [Enter a Messenger] | |
| ARCHBISHOP OF YORK | Here comes a messenger. What news? |
| Messenger | Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | How fares the prince? |
| Messenger | Well, madam, and in health. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | What is thy news then? |
| Messenger | Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret, With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | Who hath committed them? |
| Messenger | The mighty dukes Gloucester and Buckingham. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | For what offence? |
| Messenger | 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. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | 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. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | 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! |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary. Madam, farewell. |
| DUCHESS OF YORK | I'll go along with you. |
| QUEEN ELIZABETH | You have no cause. |
| ARCHBISHOP OF YORK | 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. |
| [Exeunt] |