London. A street
Enter one CITIZEN at one door, and another at the other FIRST CITIZEN Good morrow, neighbour. Whither away so
fast?
SECOND CITIZEN I promise you, I scarcely know myself.
Hear you the news abroad?
FIRST CITIZEN Yes, that the King is dead.
SECOND CITIZEN Ill news, by'r lady; seldom comes the
better.
I fear, I fear 'twill prove a giddy world.
Enter another CITIZEN THIRD CITIZEN Neighbours, God speed!
FIRST CITIZEN Give you good morrow, sir.
THIRD CITIZEN Doth the news hold of good King Edward's
death?
SECOND CITIZEN Ay, sir, it is too true; God help the while!
THIRD CITIZEN Then, masters, look to see a troublous
world.
FIRST CITIZEN No, no; by God's good grace, his son shall
reign.
THIRD CITIZEN Woe to that land that's govern'd by a child.
SECOND CITIZEN In him there is a hope of government,
Which, in his nonage, council under him,
And, in his full and ripened years, himself,
No doubt, shall then, and till then, govern well.
FIRST CITIZEN So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
Was crown'd in Paris but at nine months old.
THIRD CITIZEN Stood the state so? No, no, good friends,
God wot;
For then this land was famously enrich'd
With politic grave counsel; then the King
Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.
FIRST CITIZEN Why, so hath this, both by his father and
mother.
THIRD CITIZEN Better it were they all came by his father,
Or by his father there were none at all;
For emulation who shall now be nearest
Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not.
O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester!
And the Queen's sons and brothers haught and proud;
And were they to be rul'd, and not to rule,
This sickly land might solace as before.
FIRST CITIZEN Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be
well.
THIRD CITIZEN When clouds are seen, wise men put on
their cloaks;
When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?
Untimely storms make men expect a dearth.
All may be well; but, if God sort it so,
'Tis more than we deserve or I expect.
SECOND CITIZEN Truly, the hearts of men are fun of fear.
You cannot reason almost with a man
That looks not heavily and fun of dread.
THIRD CITIZEN Before the days of change, still is it so;
By a divine instinct men's minds mistrust
Ensuing danger; as by proof we see
The water swell before a boist'rous storm.
But leave it all to God. Whither away?
SECOND CITIZEN Marry, we were sent for to the justices.
THIRD CITIZEN And so was I; I'll bear you company.
Exeunt