ACT II. SCENE 4.
London. 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 to-night;
To-morrow or next day they will be here.
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DUCHESS. | 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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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | But I hear no; they say my son of York
Has almost overta'en him in his growth.
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YORK. | Ay, mother; but I would not have it so.
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DUCHESS. | Why, my good cousin, it is good to grow.
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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 flow'rs are slow and weeds make haste.
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DUCHESS. | 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 his rule were true, he should be gracious.
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ARCHBISHOP. | And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.
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DUCHESS. | I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
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YORK. | Now, by my troth, if I had been rememb'red,
I could have given my uncle's Grace a flout
To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.
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DUCHESS. | How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.
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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.
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DUCHESS. | I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?
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YORK. | Grandam, his nurse.
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DUCHESS. | His nurse! Why she was dead ere thou wast
born.
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YORK. | If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | A parlous boy! Go to, you are too
shrewd.
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ARCHBISHOP. | Good madam, be not angry with the child.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | Pitchers have ears.
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Enter a MESSENGER
ARCHBISHOP. | Here comes a messenger. What news?
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MESSENGER. | Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | How doth the Prince?
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MESSENGER. | Well, madam, and in health.
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DUCHESS. | What is thy news?
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MESSENGER. | Lord Rivers and Lord Grey
Are sent to Pomfret, and with them
Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
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DUCHESS. | Who hath committed them?
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MESSENGER. | The mighty Dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.
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ARCHBISHOP. | For what offence?
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MESSENGER. | The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd.
Why or for what the nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lord.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | Ay me, I see the ruin of my house!
The tiger now hath seiz'd the gentle hind;
Insulting tyranny begins to jet
Upon the innocent and aweless throne.
Welcome, destruction, blood, and massacre!
I see, as in a map, the end of all.
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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 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-brother to brother,
Blood to 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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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | Come, come, my boy; we will to
sanctuary.
Madam, farewell.
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DUCHESS. | Stay, I will go with you.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH. | You have no cause.
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ARCHBISHOP. | [To the QUEEN] 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!
Go, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary
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Exeunt
Next
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