| ACT II SCENE IV | London. The palace. | |
| | Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK. | |
| 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. | | 5 |
| 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, | | 10 |
| | 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, | | 15 |
| | 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, | | 20 |
| | 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, | | 25 |
| | 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. | | 30 |
| | 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. | | 35 |
| 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. | | 40 |
| 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. | | 45 |
| 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; | | 50 |
| | 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 | | 55 |
| | 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! | | 60 |
| | 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. | | 65 |
| | 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. | | 70 |
| | 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. | | 75 |
| | 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 | |
