To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight;
And to give order that no manner person
Have any time recourse unto the princes. 108
Exeunt [Richard and Ratcliff].
Scene Six
[The Same. A Street]
Enter a Scrivener.
Scriv. Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings;
Which in a set hand fairly is engross'd,
That it may be to-day read o'er in Paul's:
And mark how well the sequel hangs together. 4
Eleven hours I have spent to write it over,
For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me.
The precedent was full as long a-doing;
And yet within these five hours Hastings liv'd, 8
Untainted, unexamin'd, free, at liberty.
Here's a good world the while! Who is so gross
That cannot see this palpable device?
Yet who so bold but says he sees it not? 12
Bad is the world; and all will come to naught,
When such ill dealing must be seen in thought.
Exit.
107 manner: manner of
108 recourse: access
Scene Six S. d. Scrivener: professional scribe
2 engross'd: written out in a legal hand
7 precedent: original rough copy
9 Untainted: without suspicion of guilt
10 gross: stupid
14 seen in thought: i.e. observed but not referred to