Richard III

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  • Richard
    Duke of Gloucester, later King Richard III
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    Lord Chamberlain
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    mother of Richard, Edward, and Clarence
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  • Sir Robert Brakenbury
    Lieutenant of the Tower in London
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    Edward’s wife, formerly the Lady Grey
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    Henry Tudor, later King Henry VII
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    brother to Queen Elizabeth
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ACT 1

Scene 1

Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester, alone.

RICHARD


Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of York,
And all the clouds that loured upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
55Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths,
Our bruisèd arms hung up for monuments,
Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Grim-visaged war hath smoothed his wrinkled front;
1010And now, instead of mounting barbèd steeds
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,
He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks,
1515Nor made to court an amorous looking glass;
I, that am rudely stamped and want love’s majesty
To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
2020Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time
Into this breathing world scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable
That dogs bark at me as I halt by them—
Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,
2525Have no delight to pass away the time,
Unless to see my shadow in the sun
And descant on mine own deformity.
And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
3030I am determinèd to prove a villain
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the King
3535In deadly hate, the one against the other;
And if King Edward be as true and just
As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mewed up
About a prophecy which says that “G”
4040Of Edward’s heirs the murderer shall be.
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul. Here Clarence
comes.

Enter Clarence, guarded, and Brakenbury.

Brother, good day. What means this armèd guard
That waits upon your Grace?

CLARENCE

4545His Majesty,
Tend’ring my person’s safety, hath appointed
This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

RICHARD


Upon what cause?

CLARENCE

Because my name is
5050George.

RICHARD


Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours.
He should, for that, commit your godfathers.
O, belike his Majesty hath some intent
That you should be new christened in the Tower.
5555But what’s the matter, Clarence? May I know?

CLARENCE


Yea, Richard, when I know, for I protest
As yet I do not. But, as I can learn,
He hearkens after prophecies and dreams,
And from the crossrow plucks the letter ,
6060And says a wizard told him that by “G”
His issue disinherited should be.
And for my name of George begins with ,
It follows in his thought that I am he.
These, as I learn, and such like toys as these
6565Hath moved his Highness to commit me now.

RICHARD


Why, this it is when men are ruled by women.
’Tis not the King that sends you to the Tower.
My Lady Grey his wife, Clarence, ’tis she
That tempers him to this extremity.
7070Was it not she and that good man of worship,
Anthony Woodeville, her brother there,
That made him send Lord Hastings to the Tower,
From whence this present day he is delivered?
We are not safe, Clarence; we are not safe.

CLARENCE


7575By heaven, I think there is no man secure
But the Queen’s kindred and night-walking heralds
That trudge betwixt the King and Mistress Shore.
Heard you not what an humble suppliant
Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery?

RICHARD


8080Humbly complaining to her Deity
Got my Lord Chamberlain his liberty.
I’ll tell you what: I think it is our way,
If we will keep in favor with the King,
To be her men and wear her livery.
8585The jealous o’erworn widow and herself,
Since that our brother dubbed them gentlewomen,
Are mighty gossips in our monarchy.

BRAKENBURY


I beseech your Graces both to pardon me.
His Majesty hath straitly given in charge
9090That no man shall have private conference,
Of what degree soever, with your brother.

RICHARD


Even so. An please your Worship, Brakenbury,
You may partake of anything we say.
We speak no treason, man. We say the King
9595Is wise and virtuous, and his noble queen
Well struck in years, fair, and not jealous.
We say that Shore’s wife hath a pretty foot,
A cherry lip, a bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue,
And that the Queen’s kindred are made gentlefolks.
100100How say you, sir? Can you deny all this?

BRAKENBURY


With this, my lord, myself have naught to do.

RICHARD


Naught to do with Mistress Shore? I tell thee,
fellow,
He that doth naught with her, excepting one,
105105Were best to do it secretly, alone.

BRAKENBURY


I do beseech your Grace to pardon me, and withal
Forbear your conference with the noble duke.

CLARENCE


We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey.

RICHARD


We are the Queen’s abjects and must obey.—
110110Brother, farewell. I will unto the King,
And whatsoe’er you will employ me in,
Were it to call King Edward’s widow “sister,”
I will perform it to enfranchise you.
Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood
115115Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

CLARENCE


I know it pleaseth neither of us well.

RICHARD


Well, your imprisonment shall not be long.
I will deliver you or else lie for you.
Meantime, have patience.

CLARENCE

120120I must, perforce. Farewell.

Exit Clarence, Brakenbury, and guard.

RICHARD


Go tread the path that thou shalt ne’er return.
Simple, plain Clarence, I do love thee so
That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,
If heaven will take the present at our hands.
125125But who comes here? The new-delivered Hastings?

Enter Lord Hastings.

HASTINGS


Good time of day unto my gracious lord.

RICHARD


As much unto my good Lord Chamberlain.
Well are you welcome to the open air.
How hath your Lordship brooked imprisonment?

HASTINGS


130130With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must.
But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks
That were the cause of my imprisonment.

RICHARD


No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too,
For they that were your enemies are his
135135And have prevailed as much on him as you.

HASTINGS


More pity that the eagles should be mewed,
Whiles kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

RICHARD

What news abroad?

HASTINGS


No news so bad abroad as this at home:
140140The King is sickly, weak, and melancholy,
And his physicians fear him mightily.

RICHARD


Now, by Saint John, that news is bad indeed.
O, he hath kept an evil diet long,
And overmuch consumed his royal person.
145145’Tis very grievous to be thought upon.
Where is he, in his bed?

HASTINGS

He is.

RICHARD


Go you before, and I will follow you.
Exit Hastings.
He cannot live, I hope, and must not die
150150Till George be packed with post-horse up to heaven.
I’ll in to urge his hatred more to Clarence
With lies well steeled with weighty arguments,
And, if I fail not in my deep intent,
Clarence hath not another day to live;
155155Which done, God take King Edward to His mercy,
And leave the world for me to bustle in.
For then I’ll marry Warwick’s youngest daughter.
What though I killed her husband and her father?
The readiest way to make the wench amends
160160Is to become her husband and her father;
The which will I, not all so much for love
As for another secret close intent
By marrying her which I must reach unto.
But yet I run before my horse to market.
165165Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns.
When they are gone, then must I count my gains.

He exits.

Scene 2

Enter the corse of Henry the Sixth on a bier, with
Halberds to guard it, Lady Anne being the mourner,
accompanied by Gentlemen.

ANNE


Set down, set down your honorable load,
If honor may be shrouded in a hearse,
Whilst I awhile obsequiously lament
170Th’ untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster.
They set down the bier.
5Poor key-cold figure of a holy king,
Pale ashes of the house of Lancaster,
Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood,
Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost
175To hear the lamentations of poor Anne,
10Wife to thy Edward, to thy slaughtered son,
Stabbed by the selfsame hand that made these
wounds.
Lo, in these windows that let forth thy life
180I pour the helpless balm of my poor eyes.
15O, cursèd be the hand that made these holes;
Cursèd the heart that had the heart to do it;
Cursèd the blood that let this blood from hence.
More direful hap betide that hated wretch
185That makes us wretched by the death of thee
20Than I can wish to wolves, to spiders, toads,
Or any creeping venomed thing that lives.
If ever he have child, abortive be it,
Prodigious, and untimely brought to light,
190Whose ugly and unnatural aspect
25May fright the hopeful mother at the view,
And that be heir to his unhappiness.
If ever he have wife, let her be made
More miserable by the death of him
195Than I am made by my young lord and thee.—
30Come now towards Chertsey with your holy load,
Taken from Paul’s to be interrèd there.
They take up the bier.
And still, as you are weary of this weight,
Rest you, whiles I lament King Henry’s corse.

Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

RICHARD


200Stay, you that bear the corse, and set it down.

ANNE


35What black magician conjures up this fiend
To stop devoted charitable deeds?

RICHARD


Villains, set down the corse or, by Saint Paul,
I’ll make a corse of him that disobeys.

GENTLEMAN


205My lord, stand back and let the coffin pass.

RICHARD


40Unmannered dog, stand thou when I command!—
Advance thy halberd higher than my breast,
Or by Saint Paul I’ll strike thee to my foot
And spurn upon thee, beggar, for thy boldness.

They set down the bier.

ANNE , to the Gentlemen and Halberds


210What, do you tremble? Are you all afraid?
45Alas, I blame you not, for you are mortal,
And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.—
Avaunt, thou dreadful minister of hell.
Thou hadst but power over his mortal body;
215His soul thou canst not have. Therefore begone.

RICHARD


50Sweet saint, for charity, be not so curst.

ANNE


Foul devil, for God’s sake, hence, and trouble us
not,
For thou hast made the happy Earth thy hell,
220Filled it with cursing cries and deep exclaims.
55If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,
Behold this pattern of thy butcheries.
She points to the corpse.
O, gentlemen, see, see dead Henry’s wounds
Open their congealed mouths and bleed afresh!—
225Blush, blush, thou lump of foul deformity,
60For ’tis thy presence that exhales this blood
From cold and empty veins where no blood dwells.
Thy deeds, inhuman and unnatural,
Provokes this deluge most unnatural.—
230O God, which this blood mad’st, revenge his death!
65O Earth, which this blood drink’st, revenge his
death!
Either heaven with lightning strike the murderer
dead,
235Or Earth gape open wide and eat him quick,
70As thou dost swallow up this good king’s blood,
Which his hell-governed arm hath butcherèd.

RICHARD


Lady, you know no rules of charity,
Which renders good for bad, blessings for curses.

ANNE


240Villain, thou know’st nor law of God nor man.
75No beast so fierce but knows some touch of pity.

RICHARD


But I know none, and therefore am no beast.

ANNE


O, wonderful, when devils tell the truth!

RICHARD


More wonderful, when angels are so angry.
245Vouchsafe, divine perfection of a woman,
80Of these supposèd crimes to give me leave
By circumstance but to acquit myself.

ANNE


Vouchsafe, defused infection of a man,
Of these known evils but to give me leave
250By circumstance to curse thy cursèd self.

RICHARD


85Fairer than tongue can name thee, let me have
Some patient leisure to excuse myself.

ANNE


Fouler than heart can think thee, thou canst make
No excuse current but to hang thyself.

RICHARD


255By such despair I should accuse myself.

ANNE


90And by despairing shalt thou stand excused
For doing worthy vengeance on thyself
That didst unworthy slaughter upon others.

RICHARD

Say that I slew them not.

ANNE

260Then say they were not slain.
95But dead they are, and, devilish slave, by thee.

RICHARD

I did not kill your husband.

ANNE

Why then, he is alive.

RICHARD


Nay, he is dead, and slain by Edward’s hands.

ANNE


265In thy foul throat thou liest. Queen Margaret saw
100Thy murd’rous falchion smoking in his blood,
The which thou once didst bend against her breast,
But that thy brothers beat aside the point.

RICHARD


I was provokèd by her sland’rous tongue,
270That laid their guilt upon my guiltless shoulders.

ANNE


105Thou wast provokèd by thy bloody mind,
That never dream’st on aught but butcheries.
Didst thou not kill this king?

RICHARD

I grant you.

ANNE


275Dost grant me, hedgehog? Then, God grant me too
110Thou mayst be damnèd for that wicked deed.
O, he was gentle, mild, and virtuous.

RICHARD


The better for the King of heaven that hath him.

ANNE


He is in heaven, where thou shalt never come.

RICHARD


280Let him thank me, that holp to send him thither,
115For he was fitter for that place than Earth.

ANNE


And thou unfit for any place but hell.

RICHARD


Yes, one place else, if you will hear me name it.

ANNE

Some dungeon.

RICHARD

285Your bedchamber.

ANNE


120Ill rest betide the chamber where thou liest!

RICHARD


So will it, madam, till I lie with you.

ANNE


I hope so.

RICHARD

I know so. But, gentle Lady Anne,
290To leave this keen encounter of our wits
125And fall something into a slower method:
Is not the causer of the timeless deaths
Of these Plantagenets, Henry and Edward,
As blameful as the executioner?

ANNE


295Thou wast the cause and most accursed effect.

RICHARD


130Your beauty was the cause of that effect—
Your beauty, that did haunt me in my sleep
To undertake the death of all the world,
So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom.

ANNE


300If I thought that, I tell thee, homicide,
135These nails should rend that beauty from my
cheeks.

RICHARD


These eyes could not endure that beauty’s wrack.
You should not blemish it, if I stood by.
305As all the world is cheerèd by the sun,
140So I by that. It is my day, my life.

ANNE


Black night o’ershade thy day, and death thy life.

RICHARD


Curse not thyself, fair creature; thou art both.

ANNE


I would I were, to be revenged on thee.

RICHARD


310It is a quarrel most unnatural
145To be revenged on him that loveth thee.

ANNE


It is a quarrel just and reasonable
To be revenged on him that killed my husband.

RICHARD


He that bereft thee, lady, of thy husband
315Did it to help thee to a better husband.

ANNE


150His better doth not breathe upon the earth.

RICHARD


He lives that loves thee better than he could.

ANNE


Name him.

RICHARD

Plantagenet.

ANNE

320Why, that was he.

RICHARD


155The selfsame name, but one of better nature.

ANNE


Where is he?

RICHARD

Here. (She spits at him.) Why dost
thou spit at me?

ANNE


325Would it were mortal poison for thy sake.

RICHARD


160Never came poison from so sweet a place.

ANNE


Never hung poison on a fouler toad.
Out of my sight! Thou dost infect mine eyes.

RICHARD


Thine eyes, sweet lady, have infected mine.

ANNE


330Would they were basilisks’ to strike thee dead.

RICHARD


165I would they were, that I might die at once,
For now they kill me with a living death.
Those eyes of thine from mine have drawn salt
tears,
335Shamed their aspects with store of childish drops.
170These eyes, which never shed remorseful tear—
No, when my father York and Edward wept
To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made
When black-faced Clifford shook his sword at him;
340Nor when thy warlike father, like a child,
175Told the sad story of my father’s death
And twenty times made pause to sob and weep,
That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks
Like trees bedashed with rain—in that sad time,
345My manly eyes did scorn an humble tear;
180And what these sorrows could not thence exhale
Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with
weeping.
I never sued to friend nor enemy;
350My tongue could never learn sweet smoothing word.
185But now thy beauty is proposed my fee,
My proud heart sues and prompts my tongue to
speak.She looks scornfully at him.
Teach not thy lip such scorn, for it was made
355For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.
190If thy revengeful heart cannot forgive,
Lo, here I lend thee this sharp-pointed sword,
Which if thou please to hide in this true breast
And let the soul forth that adoreth thee,
360I lay it naked to the deadly stroke
195And humbly beg the death upon my knee.
He kneels and lays his breast open;
she offers at it with his sword.
Nay, do not pause, for I did kill King Henry—
But ’twas thy beauty that provokèd me.
Nay, now dispatch; ’twas I that stabbed young
365Edward—
200But ’twas thy heavenly face that set me on.
She falls the sword.
Take up the sword again, or take up me.

ANNE


Arise, dissembler. Though I wish thy death,
I will not be thy executioner.

RICHARD , rising


370Then bid me kill myself, and I will do it.

ANNE


205I have already.

RICHARD

That was in thy rage.
Speak it again and, even with the word,
This hand, which for thy love did kill thy love,
375Shall for thy love kill a far truer love.
210To both their deaths shalt thou be accessory.

ANNE

I would I knew thy heart.

RICHARD

’Tis figured in my tongue.

ANNE

I fear me both are false.

RICHARD

380Then never was man true.

ANNE

215Well, well, put up your sword.

RICHARD

Say then my peace is made.

ANNE

That shalt thou know hereafter.

RICHARD

But shall I live in hope?

ANNE

385All men I hope live so.

RICHARD

220Vouchsafe to wear this ring.

ANNE

To take is not to give.

He places the ring on her hand.

RICHARD


Look how my ring encompasseth thy finger;
Even so thy breast encloseth my poor heart.
390Wear both of them, for both of them are thine.
225And if thy poor devoted servant may
But beg one favor at thy gracious hand,
Thou dost confirm his happiness forever.

ANNE

What is it?

RICHARD


395That it may please you leave these sad designs
230To him that hath most cause to be a mourner,
And presently repair to Crosby House,
Where, after I have solemnly interred
At Chertsey monast’ry this noble king
400And wet his grave with my repentant tears,
235I will with all expedient duty see you.
For divers unknown reasons, I beseech you,
Grant me this boon.

ANNE


With all my heart, and much it joys me too
405To see you are become so penitent.—
240Tressel and Berkeley, go along with me.

RICHARD


Bid me farewell.

ANNE

’Tis more than you deserve;
But since you teach me how to flatter you,
410Imagine I have said “farewell” already.

Two exit with Anne. The bier is taken up.

GENTLEMAN

245Towards Chertsey, noble lord?

RICHARD


No, to Whitefriars. There attend my coming.
Halberds and gentlemen exit with corse.
Was ever woman in this humor wooed?
Was ever woman in this humor won?
415I’ll have her, but I will not keep her long.
250What, I that killed her husband and his father,
To take her in her heart’s extremest hate,
With curses in her mouth, tears in her eyes,
The bleeding witness of my hatred by,
420Having God, her conscience, and these bars against
255me,
And I no friends to back my suit at all
But the plain devil and dissembling looks?
And yet to win her, all the world to nothing!
425Ha!
260Hath she forgot already that brave prince,
Edward, her lord, whom I some three months since
Stabbed in my angry mood at Tewkesbury?
A sweeter and a lovelier gentleman,
430Framed in the prodigality of nature,
265Young, valiant, wise, and, no doubt, right royal,
The spacious world cannot again afford.
And will she yet abase her eyes on me,
That cropped the golden prime of this sweet prince
435And made her widow to a woeful bed?
270On me, whose all not equals Edward’s moiety?
On me, that halts and am misshapen thus?
My dukedom to a beggarly denier,
I do mistake my person all this while!
440Upon my life, she finds, although I cannot,
275Myself to be a marv’lous proper man.
I’ll be at charges for a looking glass
And entertain a score or two of tailors
To study fashions to adorn my body.
445Since I am crept in favor with myself,
280I will maintain it with some little cost.
But first I’ll turn yon fellow in his grave
And then return lamenting to my love.
Shine out, fair sun, till I have bought a glass,
450That I may see my shadow as I pass.

He exits.

Scene 3

Enter Queen Elizabeth, the Lord Marquess of Dorset,
Lord Rivers, and Lord Grey.

RIVERS


Have patience, madam. There’s no doubt his
Majesty
Will soon recover his accustomed health.

GREY


In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse.
5455Therefore, for God’s sake, entertain good comfort
And cheer his Grace with quick and merry eyes.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


If he were dead, what would betide on me?

GREY


No other harm but loss of such a lord.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


The loss of such a lord includes all harms.

GREY


10460The heavens have blessed you with a goodly son
To be your comforter when he is gone.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Ah, he is young, and his minority
Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloucester,
A man that loves not me nor none of you.

RIVERS


15465Is it concluded he shall be Protector?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


It is determined, not concluded yet;
But so it must be if the King miscarry.

Enter Buckingham and Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby.

GREY


Here comes the lord of Buckingham, and Derby.

BUCKINGHAM , to Queen Elizabeth


Good time of day unto your royal Grace.

STANLEY


20470God make your Majesty joyful, as you have been.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


The Countess Richmond, good my lord of Derby,
To your good prayer will scarcely say amen.
Yet, Derby, notwithstanding she’s your wife
And loves not me, be you, good lord, assured
25475I hate not you for her proud arrogance.

STANLEY


I do beseech you either not believe
The envious slanders of her false accusers,
Or if she be accused on true report,
Bear with her weakness, which I think proceeds
30480From wayward sickness and no grounded malice.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Saw you the King today, my lord of Derby?

STANLEY


But now the Duke of Buckingham and I
Are come from visiting his Majesty.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


What likelihood of his amendment, lords?

BUCKINGHAM


35485Madam, good hope. His Grace speaks cheerfully.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


God grant him health. Did you confer with him?

BUCKINGHAM


Ay, madam. He desires to make atonement
Between the Duke of Gloucester and your brothers,
And between them and my Lord Chamberlain,
40490And sent to warn them to his royal presence.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Would all were well—but that will never be.
I fear our happiness is at the height.

Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and Hastings.

RICHARD


They do me wrong, and I will not endure it!
Who is it that complains unto the King
45495That I, forsooth, am stern and love them not?
By holy Paul, they love his Grace but lightly
That fill his ears with such dissentious rumors.
Because I cannot flatter and look fair,
Smile in men’s faces, smooth, deceive, and cog,
50500Duck with French nods and apish courtesy,
I must be held a rancorous enemy.
Cannot a plain man live and think no harm,
But thus his simple truth must be abused
With silken, sly, insinuating Jacks?

GREY


55505To who in all this presence speaks your Grace?

RICHARD


To thee, that hast nor honesty nor grace.
When have I injured thee? When done thee
wrong?—
Or thee?—Or thee? Or any of your faction?
60510A plague upon you all! His royal Grace,
Whom God preserve better than you would wish,
Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing while
But you must trouble him with lewd complaints.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Brother of Gloucester, you mistake the matter.
65515The King, on his own royal disposition,
And not provoked by any suitor else,
Aiming belike at your interior hatred
That in your outward action shows itself
Against my children, brothers, and myself,
70520Makes him to send, that he may learn the ground.

RICHARD


I cannot tell. The world is grown so bad
That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch.
Since every Jack became a gentleman,
There’s many a gentle person made a Jack.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


75525Come, come, we know your meaning, brother
Gloucester.
You envy my advancement, and my friends’.
God grant we never may have need of you.

RICHARD


Meantime God grants that we have need of
80530you.
Our brother is imprisoned by your means,
Myself disgraced, and the nobility
Held in contempt, while great promotions
Are daily given to ennoble those
85535That scarce some two days since were worth a
noble.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


By Him that raised me to this careful height
From that contented hap which I enjoyed,
I never did incense his Majesty
90540Against the Duke of Clarence, but have been
An earnest advocate to plead for him.
My lord, you do me shameful injury
Falsely to draw me in these vile suspects.

RICHARD


You may deny that you were not the mean
95545Of my Lord Hastings’ late imprisonment.

RIVERS

She may, my lord, for—

RICHARD


She may, Lord Rivers. Why, who knows not so?
She may do more, sir, than denying that.
She may help you to many fair preferments
100550And then deny her aiding hand therein,
And lay those honors on your high desert.
What may she not? She may, ay, marry, may she—

RIVERS

What, marry, may she?

RICHARD


What, marry, may she? Marry with a king,
105555A bachelor, and a handsome stripling too.
Iwis, your grandam had a worser match.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


My lord of Gloucester, I have too long borne
Your blunt upbraidings and your bitter scoffs.
By heaven, I will acquaint his Majesty
110560Of those gross taunts that oft I have endured.
I had rather be a country servant-maid
Than a great queen with this condition,
To be so baited, scorned, and stormèd at.

Enter old Queen Margaret, apart from the others.

Small joy have I in being England’s queen.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


115565And lessened be that small, God I beseech Him!
Thy honor, state, and seat is due to me.

RICHARD , to Queen Elizabeth


What, threat you me with telling of the King?
Tell him and spare not. Look, what I have said,
I will avouch ’t in presence of the King;
120570I dare adventure to be sent to th’ Tower.
’Tis time to speak. My pains are quite forgot.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


Out, devil! I do remember them too well:
Thou killed’st my husband Henry in the Tower,
And Edward, my poor son, at Tewkesbury.

RICHARD , to Queen Elizabeth


125575Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king,
I was a packhorse in his great affairs,
A weeder-out of his proud adversaries,
A liberal rewarder of his friends.
To royalize his blood, I spent mine own.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


130580Ay, and much better blood than his or thine.

RICHARD , to Queen Elizabeth


In all which time, you and your husband Grey
Were factious for the House of Lancaster.—
And, Rivers, so were you.—Was not your husband
In Margaret’s battle at Saint Albans slain?
135585Let me put in your minds, if you forget,
What you have been ere this, and what you are;
Withal, what I have been, and what I am.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


A murd’rous villain, and so still thou art.

RICHARD , to Queen Elizabeth


Poor Clarence did forsake his father Warwick,
140590Ay, and forswore himself—which Jesu pardon!—

QUEEN MARGARET , aside

Which God revenge!

RICHARD


To fight on Edward’s party for the crown;
And for his meed, poor lord, he is mewed up.
I would to God my heart were flint, like Edward’s,
145595Or Edward’s soft and pitiful, like mine.
I am too childish-foolish for this world.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


Hie thee to hell for shame, and leave this world,
Thou cacodemon! There thy kingdom is.

RIVERS


My lord of Gloucester, in those busy days
150600Which here you urge to prove us enemies,
We followed then our lord, our sovereign king.
So should we you, if you should be our king.

RICHARD


If I should be? I had rather be a peddler.
Far be it from my heart, the thought thereof.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


155605As little joy, my lord, as you suppose
You should enjoy were you this country’s king,
As little joy you may suppose in me
That I enjoy, being the queen thereof.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


As little joy enjoys the queen thereof,
160610For I am she, and altogether joyless.
I can no longer hold me patient.
She steps forward.
Hear me, you wrangling pirates, that fall out
In sharing that which you have pilled from me!
Which of you trembles not that looks on me?
165615If not, that I am queen, you bow like subjects,
Yet that, by you deposed, you quake like rebels.—
Ah, gentle villain, do not turn away.

RICHARD


Foul, wrinkled witch, what mak’st thou in my
sight?

QUEEN MARGARET


170620But repetition of what thou hast marred.
That will I make before I let thee go.

RICHARD


Wert thou not banishèd on pain of death?

QUEEN MARGARET


I was, but I do find more pain in banishment
Than death can yield me here by my abode.
175625A husband and a son thou ow’st to me;
To Queen Elizabeth. And thou a kingdom;—all
of you, allegiance.
This sorrow that I have by right is yours,
And all the pleasures you usurp are mine.

RICHARD


180630The curse my noble father laid on thee
When thou didst crown his warlike brows with
paper,
And with thy scorns drew’st rivers from his eyes,
And then, to dry them, gav’st the Duke a clout
185635Steeped in the faultless blood of pretty Rutland—
His curses then, from bitterness of soul
Denounced against thee, are all fall’n upon thee,
And God, not we, hath plagued thy bloody deed.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


So just is God to right the innocent.

HASTINGS


190640O, ’twas the foulest deed to slay that babe,
And the most merciless that e’er was heard of!

RIVERS


Tyrants themselves wept when it was reported.

DORSET


No man but prophesied revenge for it.

BUCKINGHAM


Northumberland, then present, wept to see it.

QUEEN MARGARET


195645What, were you snarling all before I came,
Ready to catch each other by the throat,
And turn you all your hatred now on me?
Did York’s dread curse prevail so much with
heaven
200650That Henry’s death, my lovely Edward’s death,
Their kingdom’s loss, my woeful banishment,
Should all but answer for that peevish brat?
Can curses pierce the clouds and enter heaven?
Why then, give way, dull clouds, to my quick
205655curses!
Though not by war, by surfeit die your king,
As ours by murder to make him a king.
To Queen Elizabeth. Edward thy son, that now is
Prince of Wales,
210660For Edward our son, that was Prince of Wales,
Die in his youth by like untimely violence.
Thyself a queen, for me that was a queen,
Outlive thy glory, like my wretched self.
Long mayst thou live to wail thy children’s death
215665And see another, as I see thee now,
Decked in thy rights, as thou art stalled in mine.
Long die thy happy days before thy death,
And, after many lengthened hours of grief,
Die neither mother, wife, nor England’s queen.—
220670Rivers and Dorset, you were standers-by,
And so wast thou, Lord Hastings, when my son
Was stabbed with bloody daggers. God I pray Him
That none of you may live his natural age,
But by some unlooked accident cut off.

RICHARD


225675Have done thy charm, thou hateful, withered hag.

QUEEN MARGARET


And leave out thee? Stay, dog, for thou shalt hear
me.
If heaven have any grievous plague in store
Exceeding those that I can wish upon thee,
230680O, let them keep it till thy sins be ripe
And then hurl down their indignation
On thee, the troubler of the poor world’s peace.
The worm of conscience still begnaw thy soul.
Thy friends suspect for traitors while thou liv’st,
235685And take deep traitors for thy dearest friends.
No sleep close up that deadly eye of thine,
Unless it be while some tormenting dream
Affrights thee with a hell of ugly devils.
Thou elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog,
240690Thou that wast sealed in thy nativity
The slave of nature and the son of hell,
Thou slander of thy heavy mother’s womb,
Thou loathèd issue of thy father’s loins,
Thou rag of honor, thou detested—

RICHARD

245695Margaret.

QUEEN MARGARET

Richard!

RICHARD

Ha?

QUEEN MARGARET

I call thee not.

RICHARD


I cry thee mercy, then, for I did think
250700That thou hadst called me all these bitter names.

QUEEN MARGARET


Why, so I did, but looked for no reply.
O, let me make the period to my curse!

RICHARD


’Tis done by me and ends in “Margaret.”

QUEEN ELIZABETH , to Queen Margaret


Thus have you breathed your curse against yourself.

QUEEN MARGARET


255705Poor painted queen, vain flourish of my fortune,
Why strew’st thou sugar on that bottled spider,
Whose deadly web ensnareth thee about?
Fool, fool, thou whet’st a knife to kill thyself.
The day will come that thou shalt wish for me
260710To help thee curse this poisonous bunch-backed
toad.

HASTINGS


False-boding woman, end thy frantic curse,
Lest to thy harm thou move our patience.

QUEEN MARGARET


Foul shame upon you, you have all moved mine.

RIVERS


265715Were you well served, you would be taught your
duty.

QUEEN MARGARET


To serve me well, you all should do me duty:
Teach me to be your queen, and you my subjects.
O, serve me well, and teach yourselves that duty!

DORSET , to Rivers


270720Dispute not with her; she is lunatic.

QUEEN MARGARET


Peace, Master Marquess, you are malapert.
Your fire-new stamp of honor is scarce current.
O, that your young nobility could judge
What ’twere to lose it and be miserable!
275725They that stand high have many blasts to shake
them,
And if they fall, they dash themselves to pieces.

RICHARD


Good counsel, marry.—Learn it, learn it, marquess.

DORSET


It touches you, my lord, as much as me.

RICHARD


280730Ay, and much more; but I was born so high.
Our aerie buildeth in the cedar’s top,
And dallies with the wind and scorns the sun.

QUEEN MARGARET


And turns the sun to shade. Alas, alas,
Witness my son, now in the shade of death,
285735Whose bright out-shining beams thy cloudy wrath
Hath in eternal darkness folded up.
Your aerie buildeth in our aerie’s nest.
O God, that seest it, do not suffer it!
As it is won with blood, lost be it so.

BUCKINGHAM


290740Peace, peace, for shame, if not for charity.

QUEEN MARGARET


Urge neither charity nor shame to me.
Addressing the others. Uncharitably with me have
you dealt,
And shamefully my hopes by you are butchered.
295745My charity is outrage, life my shame,
And in that shame still live my sorrows’ rage.

BUCKINGHAM

Have done, have done.

QUEEN MARGARET


O princely Buckingham, I’ll kiss thy hand
In sign of league and amity with thee.
300750Now fair befall thee and thy noble house!
Thy garments are not spotted with our blood,
Nor thou within the compass of my curse.

BUCKINGHAM


Nor no one here, for curses never pass
The lips of those that breathe them in the air.

QUEEN MARGARET


305755I will not think but they ascend the sky,
And there awake God’s gentle sleeping peace.
Aside to Buckingham. O Buckingham, take heed of
yonder dog!
Look when he fawns, he bites; and when he bites,
310760His venom tooth will rankle to the death.
Have not to do with him. Beware of him.
Sin, death, and hell have set their marks on him,
And all their ministers attend on him.

RICHARD


What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM


315765Nothing that I respect, my gracious lord.

QUEEN MARGARET


What, dost thou scorn me for my gentle counsel,
And soothe the devil that I warn thee from?
O, but remember this another day,
When he shall split thy very heart with sorrow,
320770And say poor Margaret was a prophetess.—
Live each of you the subjects to his hate,
And he to yours, and all of you to God’s.

She exits.

BUCKINGHAM


My hair doth stand an end to hear her curses.

RIVERS


And so doth mine. I muse why she’s at liberty.

RICHARD


325775I cannot blame her. By God’s holy mother,
She hath had too much wrong, and I repent
My part thereof that I have done to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


I never did her any, to my knowledge.

RICHARD


Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong.
330780I was too hot to do somebody good
That is too cold in thinking of it now.
Marry, as for Clarence, he is well repaid;
He is franked up to fatting for his pains.
God pardon them that are the cause thereof.

RIVERS


335785A virtuous and a Christian-like conclusion
To pray for them that have done scathe to us.

RICHARD


So do I ever—(speaks to himself) being well advised,
For had I cursed now, I had cursed myself.

Enter Catesby.

CATESBY


Madam, his Majesty doth call for you,—
340790And for your Grace,—and yours, my gracious
lords.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Catesby, I come.—Lords, will you go with me?

RIVERS

We wait upon your Grace.

All but Richard, Duke of Gloucester exit.

RICHARD


I do the wrong and first begin to brawl.
345795The secret mischiefs that I set abroach
I lay unto the grievous charge of others.
Clarence, who I indeed have cast in darkness,
I do beweep to many simple gulls,
Namely, to Derby, Hastings, Buckingham,
350800And tell them ’tis the Queen and her allies
That stir the King against the Duke my brother.
Now they believe it and withal whet me
To be revenged on Rivers, Dorset, Grey;
But then I sigh and, with a piece of scripture,
355805Tell them that God bids us do good for evil;
And thus I clothe my naked villainy
With odd old ends stol’n forth of Holy Writ,
And seem a saint when most I play the devil.

Enter two Murderers.

But soft, here come my executioners.—
360810How now, my hardy, stout, resolvèd mates?
Are you now going to dispatch this thing?

MURDERER


We are, my lord, and come to have the warrant
That we may be admitted where he is.

RICHARD


Well thought upon. I have it here about me.
He gives a paper.
365815When you have done, repair to Crosby Place.
But, sirs, be sudden in the execution,
Withal obdurate; do not hear him plead,
For Clarence is well-spoken and perhaps
May move your hearts to pity if you mark him.

MURDERER


370820Tut, tut, my lord, we will not stand to prate.
Talkers are no good doers. Be assured
We go to use our hands and not our tongues.

RICHARD


Your eyes drop millstones when fools’ eyes fall
tears.
375825I like you lads. About your business straight.
Go, go, dispatch.

MURDERERS

We will, my noble lord.

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter Clarence and Keeper.

KEEPER


Why looks your Grace so heavily today?

CLARENCE


O, I have passed a miserable night,
830So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights,
That, as I am a Christian faithful man,
5I would not spend another such a night
Though ’twere to buy a world of happy days,
So full of dismal terror was the time.

KEEPER


835What was your dream, my lord? I pray you tell me.

CLARENCE


Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower
10And was embarked to cross to Burgundy,
And in my company my brother Gloucester,
Who from my cabin tempted me to walk
840Upon the hatches. Thence we looked toward
England
15And cited up a thousand heavy times,
During the wars of York and Lancaster,
That had befall’n us. As we paced along
845Upon the giddy footing of the hatches,
Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling
20Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard
Into the tumbling billows of the main.
O Lord, methought what pain it was to drown,
850What dreadful noise of waters in my ears,
What sights of ugly death within my eyes.
25Methoughts I saw a thousand fearful wracks,
A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon,
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
855Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scattered in the bottom of the sea.
30Some lay in dead men’s skulls, and in the holes
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept—
As ’twere in scorn of eyes—reflecting gems,
860That wooed the slimy bottom of the deep
And mocked the dead bones that lay scattered by.

KEEPER


35Had you such leisure in the time of death
To gaze upon these secrets of the deep?

CLARENCE


Methought I had, and often did I strive
865To yield the ghost, but still the envious flood
Stopped in my soul and would not let it forth
40To find the empty, vast, and wand’ring air,
But smothered it within my panting bulk,
Who almost burst to belch it in the sea.

KEEPER


870Awaked you not in this sore agony?

CLARENCE


No, no, my dream was lengthened after life.
45O, then began the tempest to my soul.
I passed, methought, the melancholy flood,
With that sour ferryman which poets write of,
875Unto the kingdom of perpetual night.
The first that there did greet my stranger-soul
50Was my great father-in-law, renownèd Warwick,
Who spake aloud “What scourge for perjury
Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?”
880And so he vanished. Then came wand’ring by
A shadow like an angel, with bright hair
55Dabbled in blood, and he shrieked out aloud
“Clarence is come—false, fleeting, perjured
Clarence,
885That stabbed me in the field by Tewkesbury.
Seize on him, furies. Take him unto torment.”
60With that, methoughts, a legion of foul fiends
Environed me and howlèd in mine ears
Such hideous cries that with the very noise
890I trembling waked, and for a season after
Could not believe but that I was in hell,
65Such terrible impression made my dream.

KEEPER


No marvel, lord, though it affrighted you.
I am afraid, methinks, to hear you tell it.

CLARENCE


895Ah keeper, keeper, I have done these things,
That now give evidence against my soul,
70For Edward’s sake, and see how he requites me.—
O God, if my deep prayers cannot appease thee,
But thou wilt be avenged on my misdeeds,
900Yet execute thy wrath in me alone!
O, spare my guiltless wife and my poor children!—
75Keeper, I prithee sit by me awhile.
My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.

KEEPER


I will, my lord. God give your Grace good rest.

Clarence sleeps.Enter Brakenbury the Lieutenant.

BRAKENBURY


905Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours,
Makes the night morning, and the noontide night.
80Princes have but their titles for their glories,
An outward honor for an inward toil,
And, for unfelt imaginations,
910They often feel a world of restless cares,
So that between their titles and low name
85There’s nothing differs but the outward fame.

Enter two Murderers.

FIRST MURDERER

Ho, who’s here?

BRAKENBURY


What wouldst thou, fellow? And how cam’st thou
915hither?

SECOND MURDERER

I would speak with Clarence, and I
90came hither on my legs.

BRAKENBURY

What, so brief?

FIRST MURDERER

’Tis better, sir, than to be tedious.—
920Let him see our commission, and talk no more.

Brakenbury reads the commission.

BRAKENBURY


I am in this commanded to deliver
95The noble Duke of Clarence to your hands.
I will not reason what is meant hereby
Because I will be guiltless from the meaning.
925There lies the Duke asleep, and there the keys.
He hands them keys.
I’ll to the King and signify to him
100That thus I have resigned to you my charge.

FIRST MURDERER

You may, sir. ’Tis a point of wisdom.
Fare you well.

Brakenbury and the Keeper exit.

SECOND MURDERER

930What, shall I stab him as he
sleeps?

FIRST MURDERER

105No. He’ll say ’twas done cowardly,
when he wakes.

SECOND MURDERER

Why, he shall never wake until the
935great Judgment Day.

FIRST MURDERER

Why, then he’ll say we stabbed him
110sleeping.

SECOND MURDERER

The urging of that word “judgment”
hath bred a kind of remorse in me.

FIRST MURDERER

940What, art thou afraid?

SECOND MURDERER

Not to kill him, having a warrant,
115but to be damned for killing him, from the which
no warrant can defend me.

FIRST MURDERER

I thought thou hadst been resolute.

SECOND MURDERER

945So I am—to let him live.

FIRST MURDERER

I’ll back to the Duke of Gloucester
120and tell him so.

SECOND MURDERER

Nay, I prithee stay a little. I hope
this passionate humor of mine will change. It was
950wont to hold me but while one tells twenty.

FIRST MURDERER

How dost thou feel thyself now?

SECOND MURDERER

125Faith, some certain dregs of conscience
are yet within me.

FIRST MURDERER

Remember our reward when the
955deed’s done.

SECOND MURDERER

Zounds, he dies! I had forgot the
130reward.

FIRST MURDERER

Where’s thy conscience now?

SECOND MURDERER

O, in the Duke of Gloucester’s
960purse.

FIRST MURDERER

When he opens his purse to give us
135our reward, thy conscience flies out.

SECOND MURDERER

’Tis no matter. Let it go. There’s
few or none will entertain it.

FIRST MURDERER

965What if it come to thee again?

SECOND MURDERER

I’ll not meddle with it. It makes a
140man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth
him; a man cannot swear but it checks him; a man
cannot lie with his neighbor’s wife but it detects
970him. ’Tis a blushing, shamefaced spirit that mutinies
in a man’s bosom. It fills a man full of
145obstacles. It made me once restore a purse of gold
that by chance I found. It beggars any man that
keeps it. It is turned out of towns and cities for a
975dangerous thing, and every man that means to live
well endeavors to trust to himself and live without it.

FIRST MURDERER

150Zounds, ’tis even now at my elbow,
persuading me not to kill the Duke.

SECOND MURDERER

Take the devil in thy mind, and
980believe him not. He would insinuate with thee but
to make thee sigh.

FIRST MURDERER

155I am strong-framed. He cannot prevail
with me.

SECOND MURDERER

Spoke like a tall man that respects
985thy reputation. Come, shall we fall to work?

FIRST MURDERER

Take him on the costard with the
160hilts of thy sword, and then throw him into the
malmsey butt in the next room.

SECOND MURDERER

O, excellent device—and make a
990sop of him!

FIRST MURDERER

Soft, he wakes.

SECOND MURDERER

165Strike!

FIRST MURDERER

No, we’ll reason with him.

Clarence wakes.

CLARENCE


Where art thou, keeper? Give me a cup of wine.

SECOND MURDERER


995You shall have wine enough, my lord, anon.

CLARENCE


In God’s name, what art thou?

FIRST MURDERER

170A man, as you are.

CLARENCE

But not, as I am, royal.

FIRST MURDERER

Nor you, as we are, loyal.

CLARENCE


1000Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble.

FIRST MURDERER


My voice is now the King’s, my looks mine own.

CLARENCE


175How darkly and how deadly dost thou speak!
Your eyes do menace me. Why look you pale?
Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?

SECOND MURDERER

1005To, to, to—

CLARENCE

To murder me?

BOTH

180Ay, ay.

CLARENCE


You scarcely have the hearts to tell me so
And therefore cannot have the hearts to do it.
1010Wherein, my friends, have I offended you?

FIRST MURDERER


Offended us you have not, but the King.

CLARENCE


185I shall be reconciled to him again.

SECOND MURDERER


Never, my lord. Therefore prepare to die.

CLARENCE


Are you drawn forth among a world of men
1015To slay the innocent? What is my offense?
Where is the evidence that doth accuse me?
190What lawful quest have given their verdict up
Unto the frowning judge? Or who pronounced
The bitter sentence of poor Clarence’ death
1020Before I be convict by course of law?
To threaten me with death is most unlawful.
195I charge you, as you hope to have redemption,
By Christ’s dear blood shed for our grievous sins,
That you depart, and lay no hands on me.
1025The deed you undertake is damnable.

FIRST MURDERER


What we will do, we do upon command.

SECOND MURDERER


200And he that hath commanded is our king.

CLARENCE


Erroneous vassals, the great King of kings
Hath in the table of His law commanded
1030That thou shalt do no murder. Will you then
Spurn at His edict and fulfill a man’s?
205Take heed, for He holds vengeance in His hand
To hurl upon their heads that break His law.

SECOND MURDERER


And that same vengeance doth He hurl on thee
1035For false forswearing and for murder too.
Thou didst receive the sacrament to fight
210In quarrel of the House of Lancaster.

FIRST MURDERER


And, like a traitor to the name of God,
Didst break that vow, and with thy treacherous
1040blade
Unrippedst the bowels of thy sovereign’s son.

SECOND MURDERER


215Whom thou wast sworn to cherish and defend.

FIRST MURDERER


How canst thou urge God’s dreadful law to us
When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?

CLARENCE


1045Alas! For whose sake did I that ill deed?
For Edward, for my brother, for his sake.
220He sends you not to murder me for this,
For in that sin he is as deep as I.
If God will be avengèd for the deed,
1050O, know you yet He doth it publicly!
Take not the quarrel from His powerful arm;
225He needs no indirect or lawless course
To cut off those that have offended Him.

FIRST MURDERER


Who made thee then a bloody minister
1055When gallant-springing, brave Plantagenet,
That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?

CLARENCE


230My brother’s love, the devil, and my rage.

FIRST MURDERER


Thy brother’s love, our duty, and thy faults
Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.

CLARENCE


1060If you do love my brother, hate not me.
I am his brother, and I love him well.
235If you are hired for meed, go back again,
And I will send you to my brother Gloucester,
Who shall reward you better for my life
1065Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

SECOND MURDERER


You are deceived. Your brother Gloucester hates
240you.

CLARENCE


O no, he loves me, and he holds me dear.
Go you to him from me.

FIRST MURDERER

1070Ay, so we will.

CLARENCE


Tell him, when that our princely father York
245Blessed his three sons with his victorious arm,
He little thought of this divided friendship.
Bid Gloucester think of this, and he will weep.

FIRST MURDERER


1075Ay, millstones, as he lessoned us to weep.

CLARENCE


O, do not slander him, for he is kind.

FIRST MURDERER


250Right, as snow in harvest. Come, you deceive
yourself.
’Tis he that sends us to destroy you here.

CLARENCE


1080It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune,
And hugged me in his arms, and swore with sobs
255That he would labor my delivery.

FIRST MURDERER


Why, so he doth, when he delivers you
From this Earth’s thralldom to the joys of heaven.

SECOND MURDERER


1085Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.

CLARENCE


Have you that holy feeling in your souls
260To counsel me to make my peace with God,
And are you yet to your own souls so blind
That you will war with God by murd’ring me?
1090O sirs, consider: they that set you on
To do this deed will hate you for the deed.

SECOND MURDERER , to First Murderer


265What shall we do?

CLARENCE

Relent, and save your souls.
Which of you—if you were a prince’s son
1095Being pent from liberty, as I am now—
If two such murderers as yourselves came to you,
270Would not entreat for life? Ay, you would beg,
Were you in my distress.

FIRST MURDERER


Relent? No. ’Tis cowardly and womanish.

CLARENCE


1100Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish.
To Second Murderer. My friend, I spy some pity
275in thy looks.
O, if thine eye be not a flatterer,
Come thou on my side and entreat for me.
1105A begging prince what beggar pities not?

SECOND MURDERER

Look behind you, my lord.

FIRST MURDERER


280Take that, and that. (Stabs him.) If all this will not
do,
I’ll drown you in the malmsey butt within.

He exits with the body.

SECOND MURDERER


1110A bloody deed, and desperately dispatched.
How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands
285Of this most grievous murder.

Enter First Murderer.

FIRST MURDERER


How now? What mean’st thou that thou help’st me
not?
1115By heavens, the Duke shall know how slack you
have been.

SECOND MURDERER


290I would he knew that I had saved his brother.
Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say,
For I repent me that the Duke is slain.

He exits.

FIRST MURDERER


1120So do not I. Go, coward as thou art.
Well, I’ll go hide the body in some hole
295Till that the Duke give order for his burial.
And when I have my meed, I will away,
For this will out, and then I must not stay.

He exits.

ACT 2

Scene 1

Flourish. Enter King Edward, sick, Queen Elizabeth,
Lord Marquess Dorset, Rivers, Hastings, Buckingham,
Woodeville, Grey, and Scales.

KING EDWARD


1125Why, so. Now have I done a good day’s work.
You peers, continue this united league.
I every day expect an embassage
From my Redeemer to redeem me hence,
5And more in peace my soul shall part to heaven
1130Since I have made my friends at peace on Earth.
Rivers and Hastings, take each other’s hand.
Dissemble not your hatred. Swear your love.

RIVERS , taking Hastings’ hand


By heaven, my soul is purged from grudging hate,
10And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love.

HASTINGS


1135So thrive I as I truly swear the like.

KING EDWARD


Take heed you dally not before your king,
Lest He that is the supreme King of kings
Confound your hidden falsehood and award
15Either of you to be the other’s end.

HASTINGS


1140So prosper I as I swear perfect love.

RIVERS


And I as I love Hastings with my heart.

KING EDWARD , to Queen Elizabeth


Madam, yourself is not exempt from this,—
Nor you, son Dorset,—Buckingham, nor you.
20You have been factious one against the other.—
1145Wife, love Lord Hastings. Let him kiss your hand,
And what you do, do it unfeignedly.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


There, Hastings, I will never more remember
Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine.

Hastings kisses her hand.

KING EDWARD


25Dorset, embrace him.—Hastings, love Lord
1150Marquess.

DORSET


This interchange of love, I here protest,
Upon my part shall be inviolable.

HASTINGS

And so swear I.

They embrace.

KING EDWARD


30Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league
1155With thy embracements to my wife’s allies
And make me happy in your unity.

BUCKINGHAM , to Queen Elizabeth


Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate
Upon your Grace, but with all duteous love
35Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me
1160With hate in those where I expect most love.
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assurèd that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile
40Be he unto me: this do I beg of God,
1165When I am cold in love to you or yours.

Queen Elizabeth and Buckingham embrace.

KING EDWARD


A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,
Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.
There wanteth now our brother Gloucester here
45To make the blessèd period of this peace.

BUCKINGHAM

1170And in good time
Here comes Sir Richard Ratcliffe and the Duke.

Enter Ratcliffe, and Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

RICHARD


Good morrow to my sovereign king and queen,
And, princely peers, a happy time of day.

KING EDWARD


50Happy indeed, as we have spent the day.
1175Gloucester, we have done deeds of charity,
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling, wrong-incensèd peers.

RICHARD


A blessèd labor, my most sovereign lord.
55Among this princely heap, if any here
1180By false intelligence or wrong surmise
Hold me a foe,
If I unwittingly, or in my rage,
Have aught committed that is hardly borne
60By any in this presence, I desire
1185To reconcile me to his friendly peace.
’Tis death to me to be at enmity;
I hate it, and desire all good men’s love.
First, madam, I entreat true peace of you,
65Which I will purchase with my duteous service;—
1190Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham,
If ever any grudge were lodged between us;—
Of you and you, Lord Rivers and of Dorset,
That all without desert have frowned on me;—
70Of you, Lord Woodeville and Lord Scales;—of you,
1195Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, of all.
I do not know that Englishman alive
With whom my soul is any jot at odds
More than the infant that is born tonight.
75I thank my God for my humility.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


1200A holy day shall this be kept hereafter.
I would to God all strifes were well compounded.
My sovereign lord, I do beseech your Highness
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.

RICHARD


80Why, madam, have I offered love for this,
1205To be so flouted in this royal presence?
Who knows not that the gentle duke is dead?
They all start.
You do him injury to scorn his corse.

KING EDWARD


Who knows not he is dead! Who knows he is?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


85All-seeing heaven, what a world is this!

BUCKINGHAM


1210Look I so pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?

DORSET


Ay, my good lord, and no man in the presence
But his red color hath forsook his cheeks.

KING EDWARD


Is Clarence dead? The order was reversed.

RICHARD


90But he, poor man, by your first order died,
1215And that a wingèd Mercury did bear.
Some tardy cripple bare the countermand,
That came too lag to see him burièd.
God grant that some, less noble and less loyal,
95Nearer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood,
1220Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,
And yet go current from suspicion.

Enter Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby.

STANLEY , kneeling


A boon, my sovereign, for my service done.

KING EDWARD


I prithee, peace. My soul is full of sorrow.

STANLEY


100I will not rise unless your Highness hear me.

KING EDWARD


1225Then say at once what is it thou requests.

STANLEY


The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant’s life,
Who slew today a riotous gentleman
Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk.

KING EDWARD


105Have I a tongue to doom my brother’s death,
1230And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave?
My brother killed no man; his fault was thought,
And yet his punishment was bitter death.
Who sued to me for him? Who, in my wrath,
110Kneeled at my feet, and bade me be advised?
1235Who spoke of brotherhood? Who spoke of love?
Who told me how the poor soul did forsake
The mighty Warwick and did fight for me?
Who told me, in the field at Tewkesbury,
115When Oxford had me down, he rescued me,
1240And said “Dear brother, live, and be a king”?
Who told me, when we both lay in the field
Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me
Even in his garments and did give himself,
120All thin and naked, to the numb-cold night?
1245All this from my remembrance brutish wrath
Sinfully plucked, and not a man of you
Had so much grace to put it in my mind.
But when your carters or your waiting vassals
125Have done a drunken slaughter and defaced
1250The precious image of our dear Redeemer,
You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon,
And I, unjustly too, must grant it you.
Stanley rises.
But for my brother, not a man would speak,
130Nor I, ungracious, speak unto myself
1255For him, poor soul. The proudest of you all
Have been beholding to him in his life,
Yet none of you would once beg for his life.
O God, I fear Thy justice will take hold
135On me and you, and mine and yours for this!—
1260Come, Hastings, help me to my closet.—
Ah, poor Clarence.

Some exit with King and Queen.

RICHARD


This is the fruits of rashness. Marked you not
How that the guilty kindred of the Queen
140Looked pale when they did hear of Clarence’ death?
1265O, they did urge it still unto the King.
God will revenge it. Come, lords, will you go
To comfort Edward with our company?

BUCKINGHAM

We wait upon your Grace.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter the old Duchess of York with the two
children of Clarence.

BOY


Good grandam, tell us, is our father dead?

DUCHESS

1270No, boy.

DAUGHTER


Why do you weep so oft, and beat your breast,
And cry “O Clarence, my unhappy son”?

BOY


5Why do you look on us and shake your head,
And call us orphans, wretches, castaways,
1275If that our noble father were alive?

DUCHESS


My pretty cousins, you mistake me both.
I do lament the sickness of the King,
10As loath to lose him, not your father’s death.
It were lost sorrow to wail one that’s lost.

BOY


1280Then, you conclude, my grandam, he is dead.
The King mine uncle is to blame for it.
God will revenge it, whom I will importune
15With earnest prayers, all to that effect.

DAUGHTER

And so will I.

DUCHESS


1285Peace, children, peace. The King doth love you
well.
Incapable and shallow innocents,
20You cannot guess who caused your father’s death.

BOY


Grandam, we can, for my good uncle Gloucester
1290Told me the King, provoked to it by the Queen,
Devised impeachments to imprison him;
And when my uncle told me so, he wept,
25And pitied me, and kindly kissed my cheek,
Bade me rely on him as on my father,
1295And he would love me dearly as a child.

DUCHESS


Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle shape,
And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice.
30He is my son, ay, and therein my shame,
Yet from my dugs he drew not this deceit.

BOY


1300Think you my uncle did dissemble, grandam?

DUCHESS

Ay, boy.

BOY


I cannot think it. Hark, what noise is this?

Enter Queen Elizabeth with her hair about her ears,
Rivers and Dorset after her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


35Ah, who shall hinder me to wail and weep,
To chide my fortune and torment myself?
1305I’ll join with black despair against my soul
And to myself become an enemy.

DUCHESS


What means this scene of rude impatience?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


40To make an act of tragic violence.
Edward, my lord, thy son, our king, is dead.
1310Why grow the branches when the root is gone?
Why wither not the leaves that want their sap?
If you will live, lament. If die, be brief,
45That our swift-wingèd souls may catch the King’s,
Or, like obedient subjects, follow him
1315To his new kingdom of ne’er-changing night.

DUCHESS


Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow
As I had title in thy noble husband.
50I have bewept a worthy husband’s death
And lived with looking on his images;
1320But now two mirrors of his princely semblance
Are cracked in pieces by malignant death,
And I, for comfort, have but one false glass
55That grieves me when I see my shame in him.
Thou art a widow, yet thou art a mother,
1325And hast the comfort of thy children left,
But death hath snatched my husband from mine
arms
60And plucked two crutches from my feeble hands,
Clarence and Edward. O, what cause have I,
1330Thine being but a moiety of my moan,
To overgo thy woes and drown thy cries!

BOY , to Queen Elizabeth


Ah, aunt, you wept not for our father’s death.
65How can we aid you with our kindred tears?

DAUGHTER , to Queen Elizabeth


Our fatherless distress was left unmoaned.
1335Your widow-dolor likewise be unwept!

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Give me no help in lamentation.
I am not barren to bring forth complaints.
70All springs reduce their currents to mine eyes,
That I, being governed by the watery moon,
1340May send forth plenteous tears to drown the world.
Ah, for my husband, for my dear lord Edward!

CHILDREN


Ah, for our father, for our dear lord Clarence!

DUCHESS


75Alas for both, both mine, Edward and Clarence!

QUEEN ELIZABETH


What stay had I but Edward? And he’s gone.

CHILDREN


1345What stay had we but Clarence? And he’s gone.

DUCHESS


What stays had I but they? And they are gone.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Was never widow had so dear a loss.

CHILDREN


80Were never orphans had so dear a loss.

DUCHESS


Was never mother had so dear a loss.
1350Alas, I am the mother of these griefs.
Their woes are parceled; mine is general.
She for an Edward weeps, and so do I;
85I for a Clarence weep; so doth not she.
These babes for Clarence weep, and so do I;
1355I for an Edward weep; so do not they.
Alas, you three, on me, threefold distressed,
Pour all your tears. I am your sorrow’s nurse,
90And I will pamper it with lamentation.

DORSET , to Queen Elizabeth


Comfort, dear mother. God is much displeased
1360That you take with unthankfulness His doing.
In common worldly things, ’tis called ungrateful
With dull unwillingness to repay a debt
95Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more to be thus opposite with heaven,
1365For it requires the royal debt it lent you.

RIVERS


Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother,
Of the young prince your son. Send straight for
100him.
Let him be crowned. In him your comfort lives.
1370Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward’s grave
And plant your joys in living Edward’s throne.

Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Buckingham, Lord
Stanley, Earl of Derby, Hastings, and Ratcliffe.

RICHARD , to Queen Elizabeth


Sister, have comfort. All of us have cause
105To wail the dimming of our shining star,
But none can help our harms by wailing them.—
1375Madam my mother, I do cry you mercy;
I did not see your Grace. Humbly on my knee
I crave your blessing.

He kneels.

DUCHESS


110God bless thee, and put meekness in thy breast,
Love, charity, obedience, and true duty.

RICHARD , standing


1380Amen. Aside. And make me die a good old man!
That is the butt end of a mother’s blessing;
I marvel that her Grace did leave it out.

BUCKINGHAM


115You cloudy princes and heart-sorrowing peers
That bear this heavy mutual load of moan,
1385Now cheer each other in each other’s love.
Though we have spent our harvest of this king,
We are to reap the harvest of his son.
120The broken rancor of your high-swoll’n hates,
But lately splintered, knit, and joined together,
1390Must gently be preserved, cherished, and kept.
Meseemeth good that with some little train
Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be fet
125Hither to London, to be crowned our king.

RIVERS


Why “with some little train,” my lord of
1395Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM


Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude
The new-healed wound of malice should break out,
130Which would be so much the more dangerous
By how much the estate is green and yet
1400ungoverned.
Where every horse bears his commanding rein
And may direct his course as please himself,
135As well the fear of harm as harm apparent,
In my opinion, ought to be prevented.

RICHARD


1405I hope the King made peace with all of us;
And the compact is firm and true in me.

RIVERS


And so in me, and so, I think, in all.
140Yet since it is but green, it should be put
To no apparent likelihood of breach,
1410Which haply by much company might be urged.
Therefore I say with noble Buckingham
That it is meet so few should fetch the Prince.

HASTINGS

145And so say I.

RICHARD


Then be it so, and go we to determine
1415Who they shall be that straight shall post to
Ludlow.—
Madam, and you, my sister, will you go
150To give your censures in this business?

All but Buckingham and Richard exit.

BUCKINGHAM


My lord, whoever journeys to the Prince,
1420For God’s sake let not us two stay at home.
For by the way I’ll sort occasion,
As index to the story we late talked of,
155To part the Queen’s proud kindred from the Prince.

RICHARD


My other self, my council’s consistory,
1425My oracle, my prophet, my dear cousin,
I, as a child, will go by thy direction.
Toward Ludlow then, for we’ll not stay behind.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter one Citizen at one door, and another at the other.

FIRST CITIZEN


Good morrow, neighbor, whither away so fast?

SECOND CITIZEN


I promise you I scarcely know myself.
1430Hear you the news abroad?

FIRST CITIZEN

Yes, that the King is dead.

SECOND CITIZEN


5Ill news, by ’r Lady. Seldom comes the better.
I fear, I fear, ’twill prove a giddy world.

Enter another Citizen.

THIRD CITIZEN


Neighbors, God speed.

FIRST CITIZEN

1435Give you good morrow, sir.

THIRD CITIZEN


Doth the news hold of good King Edward’s death?

SECOND CITIZEN


10Ay, 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


1440Woe to that land that’s governed by a child.

SECOND CITIZEN


In him there is a hope of government,
15Which, 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


1445So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
Was crowned in Paris but at nine months old.

THIRD CITIZEN


20Stood the state so? No, no, good friends, God wot,
For then this land was famously enriched
With politic grave counsel; then the King
1450Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.

FIRST CITIZEN


Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.

THIRD CITIZEN


25Better it were they all came by his father,
Or by his father there were none at all,
For emulation who shall now be nearest
1455Will touch us all too near if God prevent not.
O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,
30And the Queen’s sons and brothers haught and
proud,
And were they to be ruled, and not to rule,
1460This sickly land might solace as before.

FIRST CITIZEN


Come, come, we fear the worst. All will be well.

THIRD CITIZEN


35When clouds are seen, wise men put on their
cloaks;
When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
1465When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?
Untimely storms makes men expect a dearth.
40All 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 full of fear.
1470You cannot reason almost with a man
That looks not heavily and full of dread.

THIRD CITIZEN


45Before the days of change, still is it so.
By a divine instinct, men’s minds mistrust
Ensuing danger, as by proof we see
1475The water swell before a boist’rous storm.
But leave it all to God. Whither away?

SECOND CITIZEN


50Marry, we were sent for to the Justices.

THIRD CITIZEN


And so was I. I’ll bear you company.

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter Archbishop, the young Duke of York,
Queen Elizabeth, and the Duchess of York.

ARCHBISHOP


Last night, I hear, they lay at Stony Stratford,
1480And at Northampton they do rest tonight.
Tomorrow or next day they will be here.

DUCHESS


I long with all my heart to see the Prince.
5I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


But I hear no; they say my son of York
1485Has almost overta’en him in his growth.

YORK


Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.

DUCHESS


Why, my good cousin? It is good to grow.

YORK


10Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talked how I did grow
1490More than my brother. “Ay,” quoth my uncle
Gloucester,
“Small herbs have grace; great weeds do grow
15apace.”
And since, methinks I would not grow so fast
1495Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make
haste.

DUCHESS


Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold
20In him that did object the same to thee!
He was the wretched’st thing when he was young,
1500So long a-growing and so leisurely,
That if his rule were true, he should be gracious.

YORK


And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.

DUCHESS


25I hope he is, but yet let mothers doubt.

YORK


Now, by my troth, if I had been remembered,
1505I could have given my uncle’s Grace a flout
To touch his growth nearer than he touched mine.

DUCHESS


How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.

YORK


30Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast
That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old.
1510’Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.

DUCHESS


I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?

YORK

35Grandam, his nurse.

DUCHESS


His nurse? Why, she was dead ere thou wast born.

YORK


1515If ’twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


A parlous boy! Go to, you are too shrewd.

DUCHESS


Good madam, be not angry with the child.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

40Pitchers have ears.

Enter a Messenger.

ARCHBISHOP

Here comes a messenger.—What news?

MESSENGER


1520Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

How doth the Prince?

MESSENGER

Well, madam, and in health.

DUCHESS

45What is thy news?

MESSENGER


Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,
1525And, with them, Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.

DUCHESS

Who hath committed them?

MESSENGER


The mighty dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.

ARCHBISHOP

50For what offense?

MESSENGER


The sum of all I can, I have disclosed.
1530Why, or for what, the nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lord.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Ay me! I see the ruin of my house.
55The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind.
Insulting tyranny begins to jut
1535Upon the innocent and aweless throne.
Welcome, destruction, blood, and massacre.
I see, as in a map, the end of all.

DUCHESS


60Accursèd and unquiet wrangling days,
How many of you have mine eyes beheld?
1540My husband lost his life to get the crown,
And often up and down my sons were tossed
For me to joy, and weep, their gain and loss.
65And being seated, and domestic broils
Clean overblown, themselves the conquerors
1545Make war upon themselves, brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self. O, preposterous
And frantic outrage, end thy damnèd spleen,
70Or let me die, to look on Earth no more.

QUEEN ELIZABETH , to York


Come, come, my boy. We will to sanctuary.—
1550Madam, farewell.

DUCHESS

Stay, I will go with you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


You have no cause.

ARCHBISHOP , to Queen Elizabeth

75My gracious lady, go,
And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
1555For 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.
80Go. I’ll conduct you to the sanctuary.

They exit.

ACT 3

Scene 1

The trumpets sound. Enter young Prince Edward,
Richard Duke of Gloucester, Buckingham,
the Cardinal, Catesby, and others.

BUCKINGHAM


Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.

RICHARD , to Prince


1560Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts’ sovereign.
The weary way hath made you melancholy.

PRINCE


No, uncle, but our crosses on the way
5Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy.
I want more uncles here to welcome me.

RICHARD


1565Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years
Hath not yet dived into the world’s deceit;
Nor more can you distinguish of a man
10Than of his outward show, which, God He knows,
Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart.
1570Those uncles which you want were dangerous.
Your Grace attended to their sugared words
But looked not on the poison of their hearts.
15God keep you from them, and from such false
friends.

PRINCE


1575God keep me from false friends, but they were none.

RICHARD


My lord, the Mayor of London comes to greet you.

Enter Lord Mayor with others.

MAYOR


God bless your Grace with health and happy days.

PRINCE


20I thank you, good my lord, and thank you all.—
I thought my mother and my brother York
1580Would long ere this have met us on the way.
Fie, what a slug is Hastings that he comes not
To tell us whether they will come or no!

Enter Lord Hastings.

BUCKINGHAM


25And in good time here comes the sweating lord.

PRINCE


Welcome, my lord. What, will our mother come?

HASTINGS


1585On what occasion God He knows, not I,
The Queen your mother and your brother York
Have taken sanctuary. The tender prince
30Would fain have come with me to meet your Grace,
But by his mother was perforce withheld.

BUCKINGHAM


1590Fie, what an indirect and peevish course
Is this of hers!—Lord Cardinal, will your Grace
Persuade the Queen to send the Duke of York
35Unto his princely brother presently?—
If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him,
1595And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.

CARDINAL


My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory
Can from his mother win the Duke of York,
40Anon expect him here; but if she be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid
1600We should infringe the holy privilege
Of blessèd sanctuary! Not for all this land
Would I be guilty of so deep a sin.

BUCKINGHAM


45You are too senseless obstinate, my lord,
Too ceremonious and traditional.
1605Weigh it but with the grossness of this age,
You break not sanctuary in seizing him.
The benefit thereof is always granted
50To those whose dealings have deserved the place
And those who have the wit to claim the place.
1610This prince hath neither claimed it nor deserved it
And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it.
Then taking him from thence that is not there,
55You break no privilege nor charter there.
Oft have I heard of sanctuary men,
1615But sanctuary children, never till now.

CARDINAL


My lord, you shall o’errule my mind for once.—
Come on, Lord Hastings, will you go with me?

HASTINGS

60I go, my lord.

PRINCE


Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may.
The Cardinal and Hastings exit.
1620Say, uncle Gloucester, if our brother come,
Where shall we sojourn till our coronation?

RICHARD


Where it seems best unto your royal self.
65If I may counsel you, some day or two
Your Highness shall repose you at the Tower;
1625Then where you please and shall be thought most fit
For your best health and recreation.

PRINCE


I do not like the Tower, of any place.—
70Did Julius Caesar build that place, my lord?

BUCKINGHAM


He did, my gracious lord, begin that place,
1630Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified.

PRINCE


Is it upon record, or else reported
Successively from age to age, he built it?

BUCKINGHAM

75Upon record, my gracious lord.

PRINCE


But say, my lord, it were not registered,
1635Methinks the truth should live from age to age,
As ’twere retailed to all posterity,
Even to the general all-ending day.

RICHARD , aside


80So wise so young, they say, do never live long.

PRINCE

What say you, uncle?

RICHARD


1640I say, without characters fame lives long.
Aside. Thus, like the formal Vice, Iniquity,
I moralize two meanings in one word.

PRINCE


85That Julius Caesar was a famous man.
With what his valor did enrich his wit,
1645His wit set down to make his valor live.
Death makes no conquest of this conqueror,
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.
90I’ll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham—

BUCKINGHAM

What, my gracious lord?

PRINCE


1650An if I live until I be a man,
I’ll win our ancient right in France again
Or die a soldier, as I lived a king.

RICHARD , aside


95Short summers lightly have a forward spring.

Enter young Duke of York, Hastings, and the
Cardinal.

BUCKINGHAM


Now in good time here comes the Duke of York.

PRINCE


1655Richard of York, how fares our loving brother?

YORK


Well, my dread lord—so must I call you now.

PRINCE


Ay, brother, to our grief, as it is yours.
100Too late he died that might have kept that title,
Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

RICHARD


1660How fares our cousin, noble lord of York?

YORK


I thank you, gentle uncle. O my lord,
You said that idle weeds are fast in growth.
105The Prince my brother hath outgrown me far.

RICHARD


He hath, my lord.

YORK

1665And therefore is he idle?

RICHARD


O my fair cousin, I must not say so.

YORK


Then he is more beholding to you than I.

RICHARD


110He may command me as my sovereign,
But you have power in me as in a kinsman.

YORK


1670I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.

RICHARD


My dagger, little cousin? With all my heart.

PRINCE

A beggar, brother?

YORK


115Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,
And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.

RICHARD


1675A greater gift than that I’ll give my cousin.

YORK


A greater gift? O, that’s the sword to it.

RICHARD


Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough.

YORK


120O, then I see you will part but with light gifts.
In weightier things you’ll say a beggar nay.

RICHARD


1680It is too heavy for your Grace to wear.

YORK


I weigh it lightly, were it heavier.

RICHARD


What, would you have my weapon, little lord?

YORK


125I would, that I might thank you as you call me.

RICHARD

How?

YORK

1685Little.

PRINCE


My lord of York will still be cross in talk.
Uncle, your Grace knows how to bear with him.

YORK


130You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me.—
Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me.
1690Because that I am little, like an ape,
He thinks that you should bear me on your
shoulders.

BUCKINGHAM , aside


135With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons!
To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,
1695He prettily and aptly taunts himself.
So cunning and so young is wonderful.

RICHARD , to Prince


My lord, will ’t please you pass along?
140Myself and my good cousin Buckingham
Will to your mother, to entreat of her
1700To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.

YORK , to Prince


What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?

PRINCE


My Lord Protector needs will have it so.

YORK


145I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.

RICHARD

Why, what should you fear?

YORK


1705Marry, my uncle Clarence’ angry ghost.
My grandam told me he was murdered there.

PRINCE

I fear no uncles dead.

RICHARD

150Nor none that live, I hope.

PRINCE


An if they live, I hope I need not fear.
1710To York. But come, my lord. With a heavy heart,
Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

A sennet. Prince Edward, the Duke of York,
and Hastings exit. Richard, Buckingham,
and Catesby remain.

BUCKINGHAM , to Richard


Think you, my lord, this little prating York
155Was not incensèd by his subtle mother
To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

RICHARD


1715No doubt, no doubt. O, ’tis a parlous boy,
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable.
He is all the mother’s, from the top to toe.

BUCKINGHAM


160Well, let them rest.—Come hither, Catesby.
Thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend
1720As closely to conceal what we impart.
Thou knowest our reasons, urged upon the way.
What thinkest thou? Is it not an easy matter
165To make William Lord Hastings of our mind
For the installment of this noble duke
1725In the seat royal of this famous isle?

CATESBY


He, for his father’s sake, so loves the Prince
That he will not be won to aught against him.

BUCKINGHAM


170What think’st thou then of Stanley? Will not he?

CATESBY


He will do all in all as Hastings doth.

BUCKINGHAM


1730Well then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby,
And, as it were far off, sound thou Lord Hastings
How he doth stand affected to our purpose
175And summon him tomorrow to the Tower
To sit about the coronation.
1735If thou dost find him tractable to us,
Encourage him and tell him all our reasons.
If he be leaden, icy, cold, unwilling,
180Be thou so too, and so break off the talk,
And give us notice of his inclination;
1740For we tomorrow hold divided councils,
Wherein thyself shalt highly be employed.

RICHARD


Commend me to Lord William. Tell him, Catesby,
185His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries
Tomorrow are let blood at Pomfret Castle,
1745And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,
Give Mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more.

BUCKINGHAM


Good Catesby, go effect this business soundly.

CATESBY


190My good lords both, with all the heed I can.

RICHARD


Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?

CATESBY

1750You shall, my lord.

RICHARD


At Crosby House, there shall you find us both.

Catesby exits.

BUCKINGHAM


Now, my lord, what shall we do if we perceive
195Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?

RICHARD


Chop off his head. Something we will determine.
1755And look when I am king, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables
Whereof the King my brother was possessed.

BUCKINGHAM


200I’ll claim that promise at your Grace’s hand.

RICHARD


And look to have it yielded with all kindness.
1760Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards
We may digest our complots in some form.

They exit.

Scene 2

Enter a Messenger to the door of Hastings.

MESSENGER , knocking

My lord, my lord.

HASTINGS , within

Who knocks?

MESSENGER

One from the Lord Stanley.

HASTINGS , within

1765What is ’t o’clock?

MESSENGER

5Upon the stroke of four.

Enter Lord Hastings.

HASTINGS


Cannot my Lord Stanley sleep these tedious nights?

MESSENGER


So it appears by that I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble self.

HASTINGS

1770What then?

MESSENGER


10Then certifies your Lordship that this night
He dreamt the boar had razèd off his helm.
Besides, he says there are two councils kept,
And that may be determined at the one
1775Which may make you and him to rue at th’ other.
15Therefore he sends to know your Lordship’s
pleasure,
If you will presently take horse with him
And with all speed post with him toward the north
1780To shun the danger that his soul divines.

HASTINGS


20Go, fellow, go. Return unto thy lord.
Bid him not fear the separated council.
His Honor and myself are at the one,
And at the other is my good friend Catesby,
1785Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
25Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance.
And for his dreams, I wonder he’s so simple
To trust the mock’ry of unquiet slumbers.
1790To fly the boar before the boar pursues
30Were to incense the boar to follow us
And make pursuit where he did mean no chase.
Go, bid thy master rise and come to me,
And we will both together to the Tower,
1795Where he shall see the boar will use us kindly.

MESSENGER


35I’ll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.

He exits.Enter Catesby.

CATESBY


Many good morrows to my noble lord.

HASTINGS


Good morrow, Catesby. You are early stirring.
What news, what news in this our tott’ring state?

CATESBY


1800It is a reeling world indeed, my lord,
40And I believe will never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.

HASTINGS


How “wear the garland”? Dost thou mean the
crown?

CATESBY

1805Ay, my good lord.

HASTINGS


45I’ll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders
Before I’ll see the crown so foul misplaced.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?

CATESBY


Ay, on my life, and hopes to find you forward
1810Upon his party for the gain thereof;
50And thereupon he sends you this good news,
That this same very day your enemies,
The kindred of the Queen, must die at Pomfret.

HASTINGS


Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
1815Because they have been still my adversaries.
55But that I’ll give my voice on Richard’s side
To bar my master’s heirs in true descent,
God knows I will not do it, to the death.

CATESBY


God keep your Lordship in that gracious mind.

HASTINGS


1820But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence,
60That they which brought me in my master’s hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.
Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older
I’ll send some packing that yet think not on ’t.

CATESBY


1825’Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
65When men are unprepared and look not for it.

HASTINGS


O monstrous, monstrous! And so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey; and so ’twill do
With some men else that think themselves as safe
1830As thou and I, who, as thou know’st, are dear
70To princely Richard and to Buckingham.

CATESBY


The Princes both make high account of you—
Aside. For they account his head upon the Bridge.

HASTINGS


I know they do, and I have well deserved it.

Enter Lord Stanley.

1835Come on, come on. Where is your boar-spear, man?
75Fear you the boar and go so unprovided?

STANLEY


My lord, good morrow.—Good morrow, Catesby.—
You may jest on, but, by the Holy Rood,
I do not like these several councils, I.

HASTINGS


1840My lord, I hold my life as dear as you do yours,
80And never in my days, I do protest,
Was it so precious to me as ’tis now.
Think you but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?

STANLEY


1845The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London,
85Were jocund and supposed their states were sure,
And they indeed had no cause to mistrust;
But yet you see how soon the day o’ercast.
This sudden stab of rancor I misdoubt.
1850Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward!
90What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.

HASTINGS


Come, come. Have with you. Wot you what, my lord?
Today the lords you talked of are beheaded.

STANLEY


They, for their truth, might better wear their heads
1855Than some that have accused them wear their hats.
95But come, my lord, let’s away.

Enter a Pursuivant.

HASTINGS


Go on before. I’ll talk with this good fellow.
Lord Stanley and Catesby exit.
How now, sirrah? How goes the world with thee?

PURSUIVANT


The better that your Lordship please to ask.

HASTINGS


1860I tell thee, man, ’tis better with me now
100Than when thou met’st me last where now we meet.
Then was I going prisoner to the Tower
By the suggestion of the Queen’s allies.
But now, I tell thee—keep it to thyself—
1865This day those enemies are put to death,
105And I in better state than e’er I was.

PURSUIVANT


God hold it, to your Honor’s good content!

HASTINGS


Gramercy, fellow. There, drink that for me.

Throws him his purse.

PURSUIVANT

I thank your Honor.

Pursuivant exits.Enter a Priest.

PRIEST


1870Well met, my lord. I am glad to see your Honor.

HASTINGS


110I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart.
I am in your debt for your last exercise.
Come the next sabbath, and I will content you.

PRIEST

I’ll wait upon your Lordship.

Priest exits.Enter Buckingham.

BUCKINGHAM


1875What, talking with a priest, Lord Chamberlain?
115Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest;
Your Honor hath no shriving work in hand.

HASTINGS


Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
The men you talk of came into my mind.
1880What, go you toward the Tower?

BUCKINGHAM


120I do, my lord, but long I cannot stay there.
I shall return before your Lordship thence.

HASTINGS


Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there.

BUCKINGHAM , aside


And supper too, although thou know’st it not.—
1885Come, will you go?

HASTINGS

125I’ll wait upon your Lordship.

They exit.

Scene 3

Enter Sir Richard Ratcliffe, with Halberds, carrying the
nobles Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan to death at Pomfret.

RIVERS


Sir Richard Ratcliffe, let me tell thee this:
Today shalt thou behold a subject die
For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.

GREY , to Ratcliffe


1890God bless the Prince from all the pack of you!
5A knot you are of damnèd bloodsuckers.

VAUGHAN , to Ratcliffe


You live that shall cry woe for this hereafter.

RATCLIFFE


Dispatch. The limit of your lives is out.

RIVERS


O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,
1895Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
10Within the guilty closure of thy walls,
Richard the Second here was hacked to death,
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.

GREY


1900Now Margaret’s curse is fall’n upon our heads,
15When she exclaimed on Hastings, you, and I,
For standing by when Richard stabbed her son.

RIVERS


Then cursed she Richard. Then cursed she
Buckingham.
1905Then cursed she Hastings. O, remember, God,
20To hear her prayer for them as now for us!
And for my sister and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know’st, unjustly must be spilt.

RATCLIFFE


1910Make haste. The hour of death is expiate.

RIVERS


25Come, Grey. Come, Vaughan. Let us here embrace.
They embrace.
Farewell until we meet again in heaven.

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter Buckingham, Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby,
Hastings, Bishop of Ely, Norfolk, Ratcliffe, Lovell, with
others, at a table.

HASTINGS


Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met
Is to determine of the coronation.
1915In God’s name, speak. When is the royal day?

BUCKINGHAM


Is all things ready for the royal time?

STANLEY


5It is, and wants but nomination.

ELY


Tomorrow, then, I judge a happy day.

BUCKINGHAM


Who knows the Lord Protector’s mind herein?
1920Who is most inward with the noble duke?

ELY


Your Grace, we think, should soonest know his
10mind.

BUCKINGHAM


We know each other’s faces; for our hearts,
He knows no more of mine than I of yours,
1925Or I of his, my lord, than you of mine.—
Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.

HASTINGS


15I thank his Grace, I know he loves me well.
But for his purpose in the coronation,
I have not sounded him, nor he delivered
1930His gracious pleasure any way therein.
But you, my honorable lords, may name the time,
20And in the Duke’s behalf I’ll give my voice,
Which I presume he’ll take in gentle part.

Enter Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

ELY


In happy time here comes the Duke himself.

RICHARD


1935My noble lords and cousins all, good morrow.
I have been long a sleeper; but I trust
25My absence doth neglect no great design
Which by my presence might have been concluded.

BUCKINGHAM


Had you not come upon your cue, my lord,
1940William Lord Hastings had pronounced your part—
I mean your voice for crowning of the King.

RICHARD


30Than my Lord Hastings no man might be bolder.
His Lordship knows me well and loves me well.—
My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn
1945I saw good strawberries in your garden there;
I do beseech you, send for some of them.

ELY


35Marry and will, my lord, with all my heart.

Exit Bishop of Ely.

RICHARD


Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
They move aside.
Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business
1950And finds the testy gentleman so hot
That he will lose his head ere give consent
40His master’s child, as worshipfully he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England’s throne.

BUCKINGHAM


Withdraw yourself awhile. I’ll go with you.

Richard and Buckingham exit.

STANLEY


1955We have not yet set down this day of triumph.
Tomorrow, in my judgment, is too sudden,
45For I myself am not so well provided
As else I would be, were the day prolonged.

Enter the Bishop of Ely.

ELY


Where is my lord the Duke of Gloucester?
1960I have sent for these strawberries.

HASTINGS


His Grace looks cheerfully and smooth this
50morning.
There’s some conceit or other likes him well
When that he bids good morrow with such spirit.
1965I think there’s never a man in Christendom
Can lesser hide his love or hate than he,
55For by his face straight shall you know his heart.

STANLEY


What of his heart perceive you in his face
By any livelihood he showed today?

HASTINGS


1970Marry, that with no man here he is offended,
For were he, he had shown it in his looks.

Enter Richard and Buckingham.

RICHARD


60I pray you all, tell me what they deserve
That do conspire my death with devilish plots
Of damnèd witchcraft, and that have prevailed
1975Upon my body with their hellish charms?

HASTINGS


The tender love I bear your Grace, my lord,
65Makes me most forward in this princely presence
To doom th’ offenders, whosoe’er they be.
I say, my lord, they have deservèd death.

RICHARD


1980Then be your eyes the witness of their evil.
He shows his arm.
Look how I am bewitched! Behold mine arm
70Is like a blasted sapling withered up;
And this is Edward’s wife, that monstrous witch,
Consorted with that harlot, strumpet Shore,
1985That by their witchcraft thus have markèd me.

HASTINGS


If they have done this deed, my noble lord—

RICHARD


75If? Thou protector of this damnèd strumpet,
Talk’st thou to me of “ifs”? Thou art a traitor.—
Off with his head. Now by Saint Paul I swear
1990I will not dine until I see the same.—
Lovell and Ratcliffe, look that it be done.—
80The rest that love me, rise and follow me.

They exit. Lovell and Ratcliffe remain,
with the Lord Hastings.

HASTINGS


Woe, woe for England! Not a whit for me,
For I, too fond, might have prevented this.
1995Stanley did dream the boar did raze his helm,
And I did scorn it and disdain to fly.
85Three times today my foot-cloth horse did stumble,
And started when he looked upon the Tower,
As loath to bear me to the slaughterhouse.
2000O, now I need the priest that spake to me!
I now repent I told the pursuivant,
90As too triumphing, how mine enemies
Today at Pomfret bloodily were butchered,
And I myself secure in grace and favor.
2005O Margaret, Margaret, now thy heavy curse
Is lighted on poor Hastings’ wretched head.

RATCLIFFE


95Come, come, dispatch. The Duke would be at
dinner.
Make a short shrift. He longs to see your head.

HASTINGS


2010O momentary grace of mortal men,
Which we more hunt for than the grace of God!
100Who builds his hope in air of your good looks
Lives like a drunken sailor on a mast,
Ready with every nod to tumble down
2015Into the fatal bowels of the deep.

LOVELL


Come, come, dispatch. ’Tis bootless to exclaim.

HASTINGS


105O bloody Richard! Miserable England,
I prophesy the fearfull’st time to thee
That ever wretched age hath looked upon.—
2020Come, lead me to the block. Bear him my head.
They smile at me who shortly shall be dead.

They exit.

Scene 5

Enter Richard and Buckingham, in rotten armor,
marvelous ill-favored.

RICHARD


Come, cousin, canst thou quake and change thy
color,
Murder thy breath in middle of a word,
2025And then again begin, and stop again,
5As if thou were distraught and mad with terror?

BUCKINGHAM


Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian,
Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,
Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
2030Intending deep suspicion. Ghastly looks
10Are at my service, like enforcèd smiles,
And both are ready, in their offices,
At any time to grace my stratagems.
But what, is Catesby gone?

RICHARD


2035He is; and see he brings the Mayor along.

Enter the Mayor and Catesby.

BUCKINGHAM

15Lord Mayor—

RICHARD

Look to the drawbridge there!

BUCKINGHAM

Hark, a drum!

RICHARD

Catesby, o’erlook the walls.

Catesby exits.

BUCKINGHAM

2040Lord Mayor, the reason we have sent—

RICHARD


20Look back! Defend thee! Here are enemies.

BUCKINGHAM


God and our innocence defend and guard us!

Enter Lovell and Ratcliffe, with Hastings’ head.

RICHARD


Be patient. They are friends, Ratcliffe and Lovell.

LOVELL


Here is the head of that ignoble traitor,
2045The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.

RICHARD


25So dear I loved the man that I must weep.
I took him for the plainest harmless creature
That breathed upon the Earth a Christian;
Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded
2050The history of all her secret thoughts.
30So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue
That, his apparent open guilt omitted—
I mean his conversation with Shore’s wife—
He lived from all attainder of suspects.

BUCKINGHAM


2055Well, well, he was the covert’st sheltered traitor
35That ever lived.—
Would you imagine, or almost believe,
Were ’t not that by great preservation
We live to tell it, that the subtle traitor
2060This day had plotted, in the council house,
40To murder me and my good lord of Gloucester?

MAYOR

Had he done so?

RICHARD


What, think you we are Turks or infidels?
Or that we would, against the form of law,
2065Proceed thus rashly in the villain’s death,
45But that the extreme peril of the case,
The peace of England, and our persons’ safety
Enforced us to this execution?

MAYOR


Now fair befall you! He deserved his death,
2070And your good Graces both have well proceeded
50To warn false traitors from the like attempts.

BUCKINGHAM


I never looked for better at his hands
After he once fell in with Mistress Shore.
Yet had we not determined he should die
2075Until your Lordship came to see his end
55(Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
Something against our meanings, have prevented),
Because, my lord, I would have had you heard
The traitor speak and timorously confess
2080The manner and the purpose of his treasons,
60That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who haply may
Misconster us in him, and wail his death.

MAYOR


But, my good lord, your Graces’ words shall serve
2085As well as I had seen and heard him speak;
65And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I’ll acquaint our duteous citizens
With all your just proceedings in this case.

RICHARD


And to that end we wished your Lordship here,
2090T’ avoid the censures of the carping world.

BUCKINGHAM


70Which since you come too late of our intent,
Yet witness what you hear we did intend.
And so, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.

Mayor exits.

RICHARD


Go after, after, cousin Buckingham.
2095The Mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post.
75There, at your meetest vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward’s children.
Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen
Only for saying he would make his son
2100Heir to the Crown—meaning indeed his house,
80Which, by the sign thereof, was termèd so.
Moreover, urge his hateful luxury
And bestial appetite in change of lust,
Which stretched unto their servants, daughters,
2105wives,
85Even where his raging eye or savage heart,
Without control, lusted to make a prey.
Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:
Tell them when that my mother went with child
2110Of that insatiate Edward, noble York
90My princely father then had wars in France,
And, by true computation of the time,
Found that the issue was not his begot,
Which well appearèd in his lineaments,
2115Being nothing like the noble duke my father.
95Yet touch this sparingly, as ’twere far off,
Because, my lord, you know my mother lives.

BUCKINGHAM


Doubt not, my lord. I’ll play the orator
As if the golden fee for which I plead
2120Were for myself. And so, my lord, adieu.

RICHARD


100If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard’s Castle,
Where you shall find me well accompanied
With reverend fathers and well-learnèd bishops.

BUCKINGHAM


I go; and towards three or four o’clock
2125Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.

Buckingham exits.

RICHARD


105Go, Lovell, with all speed to Doctor Shaa.
To Ratcliffe. Go thou to Friar Penker. Bid them
both
Meet me within this hour at Baynard’s Castle.
Ratcliffe and Lovell exit.
2130Now will I go to take some privy order
110To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight,
And to give order that no manner person
Have any time recourse unto the Princes.

He exits.

Scene 6

Enter a Scrivener.

SCRIVENER


Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings,
2135Which in a set hand fairly is engrossed,
That it may be today read o’er in Paul’s.
And mark how well the sequel hangs together:
5Eleven hours I have spent to write it over,
For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me;
2140The precedent was full as long a-doing,
And yet within these five hours Hastings lived,
Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty.
10Here’s a good world the while! Who is so gross
That cannot see this palpable device?
2145Yet who so bold but says he sees it not?
Bad is the world, and all will come to naught
When such ill dealing must be seen in thought.

He exits.

Scene 7

Enter Richard and Buckingham at several doors.

RICHARD


How now, how now? What say the citizens?

BUCKINGHAM


Now, by the holy mother of our Lord,
2150The citizens are mum, say not a word.

RICHARD


Touched you the bastardy of Edward’s children?

BUCKINGHAM


5I did; with his contract with Lady Lucy
And his contract by deputy in France;
Th’ unsatiate greediness of his desire
2155And his enforcement of the city wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own bastardy,
10As being got, your father then in France,
And his resemblance being not like the Duke.
Withal, I did infer your lineaments,
2160Being the right idea of your father,
Both in your form and nobleness of mind;
15Laid open all your victories in Scotland,
Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;
2165Indeed, left nothing fitting for your purpose
Untouched or slightly handled in discourse.
20And when mine oratory drew toward end,
I bid them that did love their country’s good
Cry “God save Richard, England’s royal king!”

RICHARD

2170And did they so?

BUCKINGHAM


No. So God help me, they spake not a word
25But, like dumb statues or breathing stones,
Stared each on other and looked deadly pale;
Which when I saw, I reprehended them
2175And asked the Mayor what meant this willful silence.
His answer was, the people were not used
30To be spoke to but by the Recorder.
Then he was urged to tell my tale again:
“Thus saith the Duke. Thus hath the Duke
2180inferred”—
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
35When he had done, some followers of mine own,
At lower end of the hall, hurled up their caps,
And some ten voices cried “God save King Richard!”
2185And thus I took the vantage of those few.
“Thanks, gentle citizens and friends,” quoth I.
40“This general applause and cheerful shout
Argues your wisdoms and your love to Richard”—
And even here brake off and came away.

RICHARD


2190What tongueless blocks were they! Would they not
speak?
45Will not the Mayor then and his brethren come?

BUCKINGHAM


The Mayor is here at hand. Intend some fear;
Be not you spoke with but by mighty suit.
2195And look you get a prayer book in your hand
And stand between two churchmen, good my lord,
50For on that ground I’ll make a holy descant.
And be not easily won to our requests.
Play the maid’s part: still answer “nay,” and take it.

RICHARD


2200I go. An if you plead as well for them
As I can say “nay” to thee for myself,
55No doubt we bring it to a happy issue.

Knocking within.

BUCKINGHAM


Go, go, up to the leads. The Lord Mayor knocks.
Richard exits.

Enter the Mayor and Citizens.

Welcome, my lord. I dance attendance here.
2205I think the Duke will not be spoke withal.

Enter Catesby.

Now, Catesby, what says your lord to my request?

CATESBY


60He doth entreat your Grace, my noble lord,
To visit him tomorrow or next day.
He is within, with two right reverend fathers,
2210Divinely bent to meditation,
And in no worldly suits would he be moved
65To draw him from his holy exercise.

BUCKINGHAM


Return, good Catesby, to the gracious duke.
Tell him myself, the Mayor, and aldermen,
2215In deep designs, in matter of great moment
No less importing than our general good,
70Are come to have some conference with his Grace.

CATESBY


I’ll signify so much unto him straight.

He exits.

BUCKINGHAM


Ah ha, my lord, this prince is not an Edward!
2220He is not lolling on a lewd love-bed,
But on his knees at meditation;
75Not dallying with a brace of courtesans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body,
2225But praying, to enrich his watchful soul.
Happy were England would this virtuous prince
80Take on his Grace the sovereignty thereof.
But sure I fear we shall not win him to it.

MAYOR


Marry, God defend his Grace should say us nay.

BUCKINGHAM


2230I fear he will. Here Catesby comes again.

Enter Catesby.

Now, Catesby, what says his Grace?

CATESBY


85He wonders to what end you have assembled
Such troops of citizens to come to him,
His Grace not being warned thereof before.
2235He fears, my lord, you mean no good to him.

BUCKINGHAM


Sorry I am my noble cousin should
90Suspect me that I mean no good to him.
By heaven, we come to him in perfect love,
And so once more return and tell his Grace.
Catesby exits.
2240When holy and devout religious men
Are at their beads, ’tis much to draw them thence,
95So sweet is zealous contemplation.

Enter Richard aloft, between two Bishops.Catesby reenters.

MAYOR


See where his Grace stands, ’tween two clergymen.

BUCKINGHAM


Two props of virtue for a Christian prince,
2245To stay him from the fall of vanity;
And, see, a book of prayer in his hand,
100True ornaments to know a holy man.—
Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince,
Lend favorable ear to our requests,
2250And pardon us the interruption
Of thy devotion and right Christian zeal.

RICHARD


105My lord, there needs no such apology.
I do beseech your Grace to pardon me,
Who, earnest in the service of my God,
2255Deferred the visitation of my friends.
But, leaving this, what is your Grace’s pleasure?

BUCKINGHAM


110Even that, I hope, which pleaseth God above
And all good men of this ungoverned isle.

RICHARD


I do suspect I have done some offense
2260That seems disgracious in the city’s eye,
And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.

BUCKINGHAM


115You have, my lord. Would it might please your
Grace,
On our entreaties, to amend your fault.

RICHARD


2265Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land?

BUCKINGHAM


Know, then, it is your fault that you resign
120The supreme seat, the throne majestical,
The sceptered office of your ancestors,
Your state of fortune, and your due of birth,
2270The lineal glory of your royal house,
To the corruption of a blemished stock,
125Whiles in the mildness of your sleepy thoughts,
Which here we waken to our country’s good,
The noble isle doth want her proper limbs—
2275Her face defaced with scars of infamy,
Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants,
130And almost shouldered in the swallowing gulf
Of dark forgetfulness and deep oblivion;
Which to recure, we heartily solicit
2280Your gracious self to take on you the charge
And kingly government of this your land,
135Not as Protector, steward, substitute,
Or lowly factor for another’s gain,
But as successively, from blood to blood,
2285Your right of birth, your empery, your own.
For this, consorted with the citizens,
140Your very worshipful and loving friends,
And by their vehement instigation,
In this just cause come I to move your Grace.

RICHARD


2290I cannot tell if to depart in silence
Or bitterly to speak in your reproof
145Best fitteth my degree or your condition.
If not to answer, you might haply think
Tongue-tied ambition, not replying, yielded
2295To bear the golden yoke of sovereignty,
Which fondly you would here impose on me.
150If to reprove you for this suit of yours,
So seasoned with your faithful love to me,
Then on the other side I checked my friends.
2300Therefore, to speak, and to avoid the first,
And then, in speaking, not to incur the last,
155Definitively thus I answer you:
Your love deserves my thanks, but my desert
Unmeritable shuns your high request.
2305First, if all obstacles were cut away
And that my path were even to the crown
160As the ripe revenue and due of birth,
Yet so much is my poverty of spirit,
So mighty and so many my defects,
2310That I would rather hide me from my greatness,
Being a bark to brook no mighty sea,
165Than in my greatness covet to be hid
And in the vapor of my glory smothered.
But, God be thanked, there is no need of me,
2315And much I need to help you, were there need.
The royal tree hath left us royal fruit,
170Which, mellowed by the stealing hours of time,
Will well become the seat of majesty,
And make, no doubt, us happy by his reign.
2320On him I lay that you would lay on me,
The right and fortune of his happy stars,
175Which God defend that I should wring from him.

BUCKINGHAM


My lord, this argues conscience in your Grace,
But the respects thereof are nice and trivial,
2325All circumstances well considerèd.
You say that Edward is your brother’s son;
180So say we too, but not by Edward’s wife.
For first was he contract to Lady Lucy—
Your mother lives a witness to his vow—
2330And afterward by substitute betrothed
To Bona, sister to the King of France.
185These both put off, a poor petitioner,
A care-crazed mother to a many sons,
A beauty-waning and distressèd widow,
2335Even in the afternoon of her best days,
Made prize and purchase of his wanton eye,
190Seduced the pitch and height of his degree
To base declension and loathed bigamy.
By her in his unlawful bed he got
2340This Edward, whom our manners call “the Prince.”
More bitterly could I expostulate,
195Save that, for reverence to some alive,
I give a sparing limit to my tongue.
Then, good my lord, take to your royal self
2345This proffered benefit of dignity,
If not to bless us and the land withal,
200Yet to draw forth your noble ancestry
From the corruption of abusing times
Unto a lineal, true-derivèd course.

MAYOR


2350Do, good my lord. Your citizens entreat you.

BUCKINGHAM


Refuse not, mighty lord, this proffered love.

CATESBY


205O, make them joyful. Grant their lawful suit.

RICHARD


Alas, why would you heap this care on me?
I am unfit for state and majesty.
2355I do beseech you, take it not amiss;
I cannot, nor I will not, yield to you.

BUCKINGHAM


210If you refuse it, as in love and zeal
Loath to depose the child, your brother’s son—
As well we know your tenderness of heart
2360And gentle, kind, effeminate remorse,
Which we have noted in you to your kindred
215And equally indeed to all estates—
Yet know, whe’er you accept our suit or no,
Your brother’s son shall never reign our king,
2365But we will plant some other in the throne,
To the disgrace and downfall of your house.
220And in this resolution here we leave you.—
Come, citizens. Zounds, I’ll entreat no more.

RICHARD


O, do not swear, my lord of Buckingham!

Buckingham and some others exit.

CATESBY


2370Call him again, sweet prince. Accept their suit.
If you deny them, all the land will rue it.

RICHARD


225Will you enforce me to a world of cares?
Call them again. I am not made of stones,
But penetrable to your kind entreaties,
2375Albeit against my conscience and my soul.

Enter Buckingham and the rest.

Cousin of Buckingham and sage, grave men,
230Since you will buckle Fortune on my back,
To bear her burden, whe’er I will or no,
I must have patience to endure the load;
2380But if black scandal or foul-faced reproach
Attend the sequel of your imposition,
235Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me
From all the impure blots and stains thereof,
For God doth know, and you may partly see,
2385How far I am from the desire of this.

MAYOR


God bless your Grace! We see it and will say it.

RICHARD


240In saying so, you shall but say the truth.

BUCKINGHAM


Then I salute you with this royal title:
Long live Richard, England’s worthy king!

ALL

2390Amen.

BUCKINGHAM


Tomorrow may it please you to be crowned?

RICHARD


245Even when you please, for you will have it so.

BUCKINGHAM


Tomorrow, then, we will attend your Grace,
And so most joyfully we take our leave.

RICHARD , to the Bishops


2395Come, let us to our holy work again.—
Farewell, my cousin. Farewell, gentle friends.

They exit.

ACT 4

Scene 1

Enter Queen Elizabeth, with the Duchess of York, and
the Lord Marquess of Dorset, at one door; Anne,
Duchess of Gloucester with Clarence’s daughter, at
another door.

DUCHESS


Who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet
Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloucester?
Now, for my life, she’s wandering to the Tower,
2400On pure heart’s love, to greet the tender prince.—
5Daughter, well met.

ANNE

God give your Graces both
A happy and a joyful time of day.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


As much to you, good sister. Whither away?

ANNE


2405No farther than the Tower, and, as I guess,
10Upon the like devotion as yourselves,
To gratulate the gentle princes there.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Kind sister, thanks. We’ll enter all together.

Enter Brakenbury, the Lieutenant.

And in good time here the Lieutenant comes.—
2410Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,
15How doth the Prince and my young son of York?

BRAKENBURY


Right well, dear madam. By your patience,
I may not suffer you to visit them.
The King hath strictly charged the contrary.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2415The King? Who’s that?

BRAKENBURY

20I mean, the Lord Protector.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


The Lord protect him from that kingly title!
Hath he set bounds between their love and me?
I am their mother. Who shall bar me from them?

DUCHESS


2420I am their father’s mother. I will see them.

ANNE


25Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother.
Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame
And take thy office from thee, on my peril.

BRAKENBURY


No, madam, no. I may not leave it so.
2425I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

Brakenbury the Lieutenant exits.Enter Stanley.

STANLEY


30Let me but meet you ladies one hour hence,
And I’ll salute your Grace of York as mother
And reverend looker-on of two fair queens.
To Anne. Come, madam, you must straight to
2430Westminster,
35There to be crownèd Richard’s royal queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Ah, cut my lace asunder
That my pent heart may have some scope to beat,
Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news!

ANNE


2435Despiteful tidings! O, unpleasing news!

DORSET , to Queen Elizabeth


40Be of good cheer, mother. How fares your Grace?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


O Dorset, speak not to me. Get thee gone.
Death and destruction dogs thee at thy heels.
Thy mother’s name is ominous to children.
2440If thou wilt outstrip death, go, cross the seas,
45And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell.
Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughterhouse,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead
And make me die the thrall of Margaret’s curse,
2445Nor mother, wife, nor England’s counted queen.

STANLEY


50Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam.
To Dorset. Take all the swift advantage of the
hours.
You shall have letters from me to my son
2450In your behalf, to meet you on the way.
55Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay.

DUCHESS


O ill-dispersing wind of misery!
O my accursèd womb, the bed of death!
A cockatrice hast thou hatched to the world,
2455Whose unavoided eye is murderous.

STANLEY , to Anne


60Come, madam, come. I in all haste was sent.

ANNE


And I with all unwillingness will go.
O, would to God that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal that must round my brow
2460Were red-hot steel to sear me to the brains!
65Anointed let me be with deadly venom,
And die ere men can say “God save the Queen.”

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy glory.
To feed my humor, wish thyself no harm.

ANNE


2465No? Why? When he that is my husband now
70Came to me as I followed Henry’s corse,
When scarce the blood was well washed from his
hands
Which issued from my other angel husband
2470And that dear saint which then I weeping followed—
75O, when, I say, I looked on Richard’s face,
This was my wish: be thou, quoth I, accursed
For making me, so young, so old a widow;
And, when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;
2475And be thy wife, if any be so mad,
80More miserable by the life of thee
Than thou hast made me by my dear lord’s death.
Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again,
Within so small a time my woman’s heart
2480Grossly grew captive to his honey words
85And proved the subject of mine own soul’s curse,
Which hitherto hath held my eyes from rest,
For never yet one hour in his bed
Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep,
2485But with his timorous dreams was still awaked.
90Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick,
And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Poor heart, adieu. I pity thy complaining.

ANNE


No more than with my soul I mourn for yours.

DORSET


2490Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory.

ANNE


95Adieu, poor soul that tak’st thy leave of it.

DUCHESS , to Dorset


Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee.
To Anne. Go thou to Richard, and good angels
tend thee.
2495To Queen Elizabeth. Go thou to sanctuary, and
100good thoughts possess thee.
I to my grave, where peace and rest lie with me.
Eighty-odd years of sorrow have I seen,
And each hour’s joy wracked with a week of teen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2500Stay, yet look back with me unto the Tower.—
105Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes
Whom envy hath immured within your walls—
Rough cradle for such little pretty ones.
Rude ragged nurse, old sullen playfellow
2505For tender princes, use my babies well.
110So foolish sorrows bids your stones farewell.

They exit.

Scene 2

Sound a sennet. Enter Richard in pomp; Buckingham,
Catesby, Ratcliffe, Lovell, and others, including a Page.

RICHARD


Stand all apart.—Cousin of Buckingham.

The others move aside.

BUCKINGHAM

My gracious sovereign.

RICHARD


Give me thy hand.
Here he ascendeth the throne. Sound trumpets.
2510Thus high, by thy advice
5And thy assistance is King Richard seated.
But shall we wear these glories for a day,
Or shall they last and we rejoice in them?

BUCKINGHAM


Still live they, and forever let them last.

RICHARD


2515Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch,
10To try if thou be current gold indeed:
Young Edward lives; think now what I would speak.

BUCKINGHAM

Say on, my loving lord.

RICHARD


Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king.

BUCKINGHAM


2520Why so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.

RICHARD


15Ha! Am I king? ’Tis so—but Edward lives.

BUCKINGHAM


True, noble prince.

RICHARD

O bitter consequence
That Edward still should live “true noble prince”!
2525Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.
20Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead,
And I would have it suddenly performed.
What sayst thou now? Speak suddenly. Be brief.

BUCKINGHAM

Your Grace may do your pleasure.

RICHARD


2530Tut, tut, thou art all ice; thy kindness freezes.
25Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?

BUCKINGHAM


Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord,
Before I positively speak in this.
I will resolve you herein presently.

Buckingham exits.

CATESBY , aside to the other Attendants


2535The King is angry. See, he gnaws his lip.

RICHARD , aside


30I will converse with iron-witted fools
And unrespective boys. None are for me
That look into me with considerate eyes.
High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.—
2540Boy!

PAGE , coming forward

35My lord?

RICHARD


Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold
Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?

PAGE


I know a discontented gentleman
2545Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit.
40Gold were as good as twenty orators,
And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.

RICHARD


What is his name?

PAGE

His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.

RICHARD


2550I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy.
Page exits.
45Aside. The deep-revolving witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbor to my counsels.
Hath he so long held out with me, untired,
And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.

Enter Stanley.

2555How now, Lord Stanley, what’s the news?

STANLEY

50Know, my loving lord,
The Marquess Dorset, as I hear, is fled
To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.

He walks aside.

RICHARD


Come hither, Catesby. Rumor it abroad
2560That Anne my wife is very grievous sick.
55I will take order for her keeping close.
Inquire me out some mean poor gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter.
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.
2565Look how thou dream’st! I say again, give out
60That Anne my queen is sick and like to die.
About it, for it stands me much upon
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
Catesby exits.
Aside. I must be married to my brother’s daughter,
2570Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass.
65Murder her brothers, and then marry her—
Uncertain way of gain. But I am in
So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin.
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.

Enter Tyrrel.

2575Is thy name Tyrrel?

TYRREL


70James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.

RICHARD


Art thou indeed?

TYRREL

Prove me, my gracious lord.

RICHARD


Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?

TYRREL


2580Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.

RICHARD


75Why then, thou hast it. Two deep enemies,
Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers,
Are they that I would have thee deal upon.
Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.

TYRREL


2585Let me have open means to come to them,
80And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.

RICHARD


Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel.
Tyrrel approaches Richard and kneels.
Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear.
Tyrrel rises, and Richard whispers
to him. Then Tyrrel steps back.
There is no more but so. Say it is done,
2590And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.

TYRREL

85I will dispatch it straight.He exits.

Enter Buckingham.

BUCKINGHAM


My lord, I have considered in my mind
The late request that you did sound me in.

RICHARD


Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.

BUCKINGHAM

2595I hear the news, my lord.

RICHARD


90Stanley, he is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.

BUCKINGHAM


My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise,
For which your honor and your faith is pawned—
Th’ earldom of Hereford and the movables
2600Which you have promisèd I shall possess.

RICHARD


95Stanley, look to your wife. If she convey
Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.

BUCKINGHAM


What says your Highness to my just request?

RICHARD


I do remember me, Henry the Sixth
2605Did prophesy that Richmond should be king,
100When Richmond was a little peevish boy.
A king perhaps—

BUCKINGHAM

My lord—

RICHARD


How chance the prophet could not at that time
2610Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?

BUCKINGHAM


105My lord, your promise for the earldom—

RICHARD


Richmond! When last I was at Exeter,
The Mayor in courtesy showed me the castle
And called it Rougemont, at which name I started,
2615Because a bard of Ireland told me once
110I should not live long after I saw Richmond.

BUCKINGHAM

My lord—

RICHARD

Ay, what’s o’clock?

BUCKINGHAM


I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind
2620Of what you promised me.

RICHARD

115Well, but what’s o’clock?

BUCKINGHAM

Upon the stroke of ten.

RICHARD

Well, let it strike.

BUCKINGHAM

Why let it strike?

RICHARD


2625Because that, like a jack, thou keep’st the stroke
120Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.
I am not in the giving vein today.

BUCKINGHAM


Why then, resolve me whether you will or no.

RICHARD


Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.

He exits, and is followed by all but Buckingham.

BUCKINGHAM


2630And is it thus? Repays he my deep service
125With such contempt? Made I him king for this?
O, let me think on Hastings and be gone
To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!

He exits.

Scene 3

Enter Tyrrel.

TYRREL


The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
2635The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborn
5To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
2640Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths’ sad story.
“O thus,” quoth Dighton, “lay the gentle babes.”
10“Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
2645Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
15Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my
mind,
2650But, O, the devil—” There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smotherèd
The most replenishèd sweet work of nature
20That from the prime creation e’er she framed.”
Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse;
2655They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody king.

Enter Richard.

And here he comes.—All health, my sovereign lord.

RICHARD


25Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

TYRREL


If to have done the thing you gave in charge
2660Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.

RICHARD

But did’st thou see them dead?

TYRREL


30I did, my lord.

RICHARD

And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

TYRREL


2665The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

RICHARD


Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after-supper,
35When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
2670And be inheritor of thy desire.
Farewell till then.

TYRREL

I humbly take my leave.

Tyrrel exits.

RICHARD


40The son of Clarence have I pent up close,
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage,
2675The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid this world goodnight.
Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
45At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
2680To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

Enter Ratcliffe.

RATCLIFFE

My lord.

RICHARD


Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?

RATCLIFFE


50Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
2685Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

RICHARD


Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
55Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
2690Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king.
60Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter old Queen Margaret.

QUEEN MARGARET


2695So now prosperity begins to mellow
And drop into the rotten mouth of death.
Here in these confines slyly have I lurked
To watch the waning of mine enemies.
5A dire induction am I witness to,
2700And will to France, hoping the consequence
Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical.
Withdraw thee, wretched Margaret. Who comes
here?

She steps aside.Enter Duchess of York and Queen Elizabeth.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


10Ah, my poor princes! Ah, my tender babes,
2705My unblown flowers, new-appearing sweets,
If yet your gentle souls fly in the air
And be not fixed in doom perpetual,
Hover about me with your airy wings
15And hear your mother’s lamentation.

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


2710Hover about her; say that right for right
Hath dimmed your infant morn to agèd night.

DUCHESS


So many miseries have crazed my voice
That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute.
20Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead?

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


2715Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet;
Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Wilt thou, O God, fly from such gentle lambs
And throw them in the entrails of the wolf?
25When didst thou sleep when such a deed was done?

QUEEN MARGARET , aside


2720When holy Harry died, and my sweet son.

DUCHESS ,


Dead life, blind sight, poor mortal living ghost,
Woe’s scene, world’s shame, grave’s due by life
usurped,
30Brief abstract and record of tedious days,
2725Rest thy unrest on England’s lawful earth,
Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood.

QUEEN ELIZABETH ,


Ah, that thou wouldst as soon afford a grave
As thou canst yield a melancholy seat,
35Then would I hide my bones, not rest them here.
2730Ah, who hath any cause to mourn but we?

QUEEN MARGARET ,


If ancient sorrow be most reverend,
Give mine the benefit of seigniory,
And let my griefs frown on the upper hand.
40If sorrow can admit society,
2735Tell over your woes again by viewing mine.
I had an Edward till a Richard killed him;
I had a husband till a Richard killed him.
Thou hadst an Edward till a Richard killed him;
45Thou hadst a Richard till a Richard killed him.

DUCHESS


2740I had a Richard too, and thou did’st kill him;
I had a Rutland too; thou holp’st to kill him.

QUEEN MARGARET


Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard killed him.
From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept
50A hellhound that doth hunt us all to death—
2745That dog, that had his teeth before his eyes,
To worry lambs and lap their gentle blood;
That excellent grand tyrant of the Earth,
That reigns in gallèd eyes of weeping souls;
55That foul defacer of God’s handiwork
2750Thy womb let loose to chase us to our graves.
O upright, just, and true-disposing God,
How do I thank thee that this carnal cur
Preys on the issue of his mother’s body
60And makes her pew-fellow with others’ moan!

DUCHESS


2755O Harry’s wife, triumph not in my woes!
God witness with me, I have wept for thine.

QUEEN MARGARET


Bear with me. I am hungry for revenge,
And now I cloy me with beholding it.
65Thy Edward he is dead, that killed my Edward,
2760Thy other Edward dead, to quit my Edward;
Young York, he is but boot, because both they
Matched not the high perfection of my loss.
Thy Clarence he is dead that stabbed my Edward,
70And the beholders of this frantic play,
2765Th’ adulterate Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, Grey,
Untimely smothered in their dusky graves.
Richard yet lives, hell’s black intelligencer,
Only reserved their factor to buy souls
75And send them thither. But at hand, at hand
2770Ensues his piteous and unpitied end.
Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray,
To have him suddenly conveyed from hence.
Cancel his bond of life, dear God I pray,
80That I may live and say “The dog is dead.”

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2775O, thou didst prophesy the time would come
That I should wish for thee to help me curse
That bottled spider, that foul bunch-backed toad!

QUEEN MARGARET


I called thee then “vain flourish of my fortune.”
85I called thee then poor shadow, “painted queen,”
2780The presentation of but what I was,
The flattering index of a direful pageant,
One heaved a-high to be hurled down below,
A mother only mocked with two fair babes,
90A dream of what thou wast, a garish flag
2785To be the aim of every dangerous shot,
A sign of dignity, a breath, a bubble,
A queen in jest, only to fill the scene.
Where is thy husband now? Where be thy brothers?
95Where are thy two sons? Wherein dost thou joy?
2790Who sues and kneels and says “God save the
Queen?”
Where be the bending peers that flattered thee?
Where be the thronging troops that followed thee?
100Decline all this, and see what now thou art:
2795For happy wife, a most distressèd widow;
For joyful mother, one that wails the name;
For one being sued to, one that humbly sues;
For queen, a very caitiff crowned with care;
105For she that scorned at me, now scorned of me;
2800For she being feared of all, now fearing one;
For she commanding all, obeyed of none.
Thus hath the course of justice whirled about
And left thee but a very prey to time,
110Having no more but thought of what thou wast
2805To torture thee the more, being what thou art.
Thou didst usurp my place, and dost thou not
Usurp the just proportion of my sorrow?
Now thy proud neck bears half my burdened yoke,
115From which even here I slip my weary head
2810And leave the burden of it all on thee.
Farewell, York’s wife, and queen of sad mischance.
These English woes shall make me smile in France.

She begins to exit.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


O, thou well-skilled in curses, stay awhile,
120And teach me how to curse mine enemies.

QUEEN MARGARET


2815Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days;
Compare dead happiness with living woe;
Think that thy babes were sweeter than they were,
And he that slew them fouler than he is.
125Bettering thy loss makes the bad causer worse.
2820Revolving this will teach thee how to curse.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


My words are dull. O, quicken them with thine!

QUEEN MARGARET


Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like
mine.

Margaret exits.

DUCHESS


130Why should calamity be full of words?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2825Windy attorneys to their clients’ woes,
Airy succeeders of intestate joys,
Poor breathing orators of miseries,
Let them have scope; though what they will impart
135Help nothing else, yet do they ease the heart.

DUCHESS


2830If so, then be not tongue-tied. Go with me,
And in the breath of bitter words let’s smother
My damnèd son that thy two sweet sons smothered.
A trumpet sounds.
The trumpet sounds. Be copious in exclaims.

Enter King Richard and his train, including Catesby.

RICHARD


140Who intercepts me in my expedition?

DUCHESS


2835O, she that might have intercepted thee,
By strangling thee in her accursèd womb,
From all the slaughters, wretch, that thou hast done.

QUEEN ELIZABETH , to Richard


Hid’st thou that forehead with a golden crown
145Where should be branded, if that right were right,
2840The slaughter of the prince that owed that crown
And the dire death of my poor sons and brothers?
Tell me, thou villain-slave, where are my children?

DUCHESS , to Richard


Thou toad, thou toad, where is thy brother Clarence,
150And little Ned Plantagenet his son?

QUEEN ELIZABETH , to Richard


2845Where is the gentle Rivers, Vaughan, Grey?

DUCHESS , to Richard

Where is kind Hastings?

RICHARD


A flourish, trumpets! Strike alarum, drums!
Let not the heavens hear these telltale women
155Rail on the Lord’s anointed. Strike, I say!
Flourish. Alarums.
2850Either be patient and entreat me fair,
Or with the clamorous report of war
Thus will I drown your exclamations.

DUCHESS

Art thou my son?

RICHARD


160Ay, I thank God, my father, and yourself.

DUCHESS


2855Then patiently hear my impatience.

RICHARD


Madam, I have a touch of your condition,
That cannot brook the accent of reproof.

DUCHESS


O, let me speak!

RICHARD

165Do then, but I’ll not hear.

DUCHESS


2860I will be mild and gentle in my words.

RICHARD


And brief, good mother, for I am in haste.

DUCHESS


Art thou so hasty? I have stayed for thee,
God knows, in torment and in agony.

RICHARD


170And came I not at last to comfort you?

DUCHESS


2865No, by the Holy Rood, thou know’st it well.
Thou cam’st on Earth to make the Earth my hell.
A grievous burden was thy birth to me;
Tetchy and wayward was thy infancy;
175Thy school days frightful, desp’rate, wild, and
2870furious;
Thy prime of manhood daring, bold, and venturous;
Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle, sly, and bloody,
More mild, but yet more harmful, kind in hatred.
180What comfortable hour canst thou name,
2875That ever graced me with thy company?

RICHARD


Faith, none but Humfrey Hower, that called your
Grace
To breakfast once, forth of my company.
185If I be so disgracious in your eye,
2880Let me march on and not offend you, madam.—
Strike up the drum.

DUCHESS

I prithee, hear me speak.

RICHARD


You speak too bitterly.

DUCHESS

190Hear me a word,
2885For I shall never speak to thee again.

RICHARD

So.

DUCHESS


Either thou wilt die by God’s just ordinance
Ere from this war thou turn a conqueror,
195Or I with grief and extreme age shall perish
2890And nevermore behold thy face again.
Therefore take with thee my most grievous curse,
Which in the day of battle tire thee more
Than all the complete armor that thou wear’st.
200My prayers on the adverse party fight,
2895And there the little souls of Edward’s children
Whisper the spirits of thine enemies
And promise them success and victory.
Bloody thou art; bloody will be thy end.
205Shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend.

She exits.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2900Though far more cause, yet much less spirit to
curse
Abides in me. I say amen to her.

RICHARD


Stay, madam. I must talk a word with you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


210I have no more sons of the royal blood
2905For thee to slaughter. For my daughters, Richard,
They shall be praying nuns, not weeping queens,
And therefore level not to hit their lives.

RICHARD


You have a daughter called Elizabeth,
215Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2910And must she die for this? O, let her live,
And I’ll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty,
Slander myself as false to Edward’s bed,
Throw over her the veil of infamy.
220So she may live unscarred of bleeding slaughter,
2915I will confess she was not Edward’s daughter.

RICHARD


Wrong not her birth. She is a royal princess.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


To save her life, I’ll say she is not so.

RICHARD


Her life is safest only in her birth.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


225And only in that safety died her brothers.

RICHARD


2920Lo, at their birth good stars were opposite.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


No, to their lives ill friends were contrary.

RICHARD


All unavoided is the doom of destiny.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


True, when avoided grace makes destiny.
230My babes were destined to a fairer death
2925If grace had blessed thee with a fairer life.

RICHARD


You speak as if that I had slain my cousins.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Cousins, indeed, and by their uncle cozened
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
235Whose hand soever launched their tender hearts,
2930Thy head, all indirectly, gave direction.
No doubt the murd’rous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart,
To revel in the entrails of my lambs.
240But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,
2935My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys
Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes,
And I, in such a desp’rate bay of death,
Like a poor bark of sails and tackling reft,
245Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.

RICHARD


2940Madam, so thrive I in my enterprise
And dangerous success of bloody wars
As I intend more good to you and yours
Than ever you or yours by me were harmed!

QUEEN ELIZABETH


250What good is covered with the face of heaven,
2945To be discovered, that can do me good?

RICHARD


Th’ advancement of your children, gentle lady.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads.

RICHARD


Unto the dignity and height of fortune,
255The high imperial type of this Earth’s glory.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


2950Flatter my sorrow with report of it.
Tell me what state, what dignity, what honor,
Canst thou demise to any child of mine?

RICHARD


Even all I have—ay, and myself and all—
260Will I withal endow a child of thine;
2955So in the Lethe of thy angry soul
Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs
Which thou supposest I have done to thee.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Be brief, lest that the process of thy kindness
265Last longer telling than thy kindness’ date.

RICHARD


2960Then know that from my soul I love thy daughter.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


My daughter’s mother thinks it with her soul.

RICHARD

What do you think?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul.
270So from thy soul’s love didst thou love her brothers,
2965And from my heart’s love I do thank thee for it.

RICHARD


Be not so hasty to confound my meaning.
I mean that with my soul I love thy daughter
And do intend to make her Queen of England.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


275Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king?

RICHARD


2970Even he that makes her queen. Who else should be?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


What, thou?

RICHARD

Even so. How think you of it?

QUEEN ELIZABETH


How canst thou woo her?

RICHARD

280That would I learn of you,
2975As one being best acquainted with her humor.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

And wilt thou learn of me?

RICHARD

Madam, with all my heart.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers,
285A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave
2980“Edward” and “York.” Then haply will she weep.
Therefore present to her—as sometime Margaret
Did to thy father, steeped in Rutland’s blood—
A handkerchief, which say to her did drain
290The purple sap from her sweet brother’s body,
2985And bid her wipe her weeping eyes withal.
If this inducement move her not to love,
Send her a letter of thy noble deeds;
Tell her thou mad’st away her uncle Clarence,
295Her uncle Rivers, ay, and for her sake
2990Mad’st quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.

RICHARD


You mock me, madam. This is not the way
To win your daughter.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

There is no other way,
300Unless thou couldst put on some other shape
2995And not be Richard, that hath done all this.

RICHARD


Say that I did all this for love of her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.

RICHARD


305Look what is done cannot be now amended.
3000Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
Which after-hours gives leisure to repent.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
To make amends I’ll give it to your daughter.
310If I have killed the issue of your womb,
3005To quicken your increase I will beget
Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter.
A grandam’s name is little less in love
Than is the doting title of a mother.
315They are as children but one step below,
3010Even of your metal, of your very blood,
Of all one pain, save for a night of groans
Endured of her for whom you bid like sorrow.
Your children were vexation to your youth,
320But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
3015The loss you have is but a son being king,
And by that loss your daughter is made queen.
I cannot make you what amends I would;
Therefore accept such kindness as I can.
325Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul
3020Leads discontented steps in foreign soil,
This fair alliance quickly shall call home
To high promotions and great dignity.
The king that calls your beauteous daughter wife
330Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother.
3025Again shall you be mother to a king,
And all the ruins of distressful times
Repaired with double riches of content.
What, we have many goodly days to see!
335The liquid drops of tears that you have shed
3030Shall come again, transformed to orient pearl,
Advantaging their love with interest
Of ten times double gain of happiness.
Go then, my mother; to thy daughter go.
340Make bold her bashful years with your experience;
3035Prepare her ears to hear a wooer’s tale;
Put in her tender heart th’ aspiring flame
Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the Princess
With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys;
345And when this arm of mine hath chastisèd
3040The petty rebel, dull-brained Buckingham,
Bound with triumphant garlands will I come
And lead thy daughter to a conqueror’s bed,
To whom I will retail my conquest won,
350And she shall be sole victoress, Caesar’s Caesar.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


3045What were I best to say? Her father’s brother
Would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle?
Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
Under what title shall I woo for thee,
355That God, the law, my honor, and her love
3050Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?

RICHARD


Infer fair England’s peace by this alliance.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Which she shall purchase with still-lasting war.

RICHARD


Tell her the King, that may command, entreats—

QUEEN ELIZABETH


360That, at her hands, which the King’s King forbids.

RICHARD


3055Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


To vail the title, as her mother doth.

RICHARD


Say I will love her everlastingly.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


But how long shall that title “ever” last?

RICHARD


365Sweetly in force unto her fair life’s end.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


3060But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?

RICHARD


As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


As long as hell and Richard likes of it.

RICHARD


Say I, her sovereign, am her subject low.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


370But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.

RICHARD


3065Be eloquent in my behalf to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.

RICHARD


Then plainly to her tell my loving tale.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.

RICHARD


375Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


3070O no, my reasons are too deep and dead—
Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves.

RICHARD


Harp not on that string, madam; that is past.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break.

RICHARD


380Now by my George, my Garter, and my crown—

QUEEN ELIZABETH


3075Profaned, dishonored, and the third usurped.

RICHARD


I swear—

QUEEN ELIZABETH

By nothing, for this is no oath.
Thy George, profaned, hath lost his lordly honor;
385Thy Garter, blemished, pawned his knightly virtue;
3080Thy crown, usurped, disgraced his kingly glory.
If something thou wouldst swear to be believed,
Swear then by something that thou hast not
wronged.

RICHARD


390Then, by myself—

QUEEN ELIZABETH

3085Thyself is self-misused.

RICHARD


Now, by the world—

QUEEN ELIZABETH

’Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

RICHARD


My father’s death—

QUEEN ELIZABETH

395Thy life hath it dishonored.

RICHARD


3090Why then, by God.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

God’s wrong is most of all.
If thou didst fear to break an oath with Him,
The unity the King my husband made
400Thou hadst not broken, nor my brothers died.
3095If thou hadst feared to break an oath by Him,
Th’ imperial metal circling now thy head
Had graced the tender temples of my child,
And both the Princes had been breathing here,
405Which now, two tender bedfellows for dust,
3100Thy broken faith hath made the prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?

RICHARD

The time to come.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


That thou hast wrongèd in the time o’erpast;
410For I myself have many tears to wash
3105Hereafter time, for time past wronged by thee.
The children live whose fathers thou hast
slaughtered,
Ungoverned youth, to wail it in their age;
415The parents live whose children thou hast
3110butchered,
Old barren plants, to wail it with their age.
Swear not by time to come, for that thou hast
Misused ere used, by times ill-used o’erpast.

RICHARD


420As I intend to prosper and repent,
3115So thrive I in my dangerous affairs
Of hostile arms! Myself myself confound,
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours,
Day, yield me not thy light, nor night thy rest,
425Be opposite all planets of good luck
3120To my proceeding if, with dear heart’s love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter.
In her consists my happiness and thine.
430Without her follows to myself and thee,
3125Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul,
Death, desolation, ruin, and decay.
It cannot be avoided but by this;
It will not be avoided but by this.
435Therefore, dear mother—I must call you so—
3130Be the attorney of my love to her;
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve.
Urge the necessity and state of times,
440And be not peevish found in great designs.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


3135Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?

RICHARD


Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Shall I forget myself to be myself?

RICHARD


Ay, if your self’s remembrance wrong yourself.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

445Yet thou didst kill my children.

RICHARD


3140But in your daughter’s womb I bury them,
Where, in that nest of spicery, they will breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.

QUEEN ELIZABETH


Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?

RICHARD


450And be a happy mother by the deed.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

3145I go. Write to me very shortly,
And you shall understand from me her mind.

RICHARD


Bear her my true love’s kiss; and so, farewell.
Queen exits.
Relenting fool and shallow, changing woman!

Enter Ratcliffe.

455How now, what news?

RATCLIFFE


3150Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant navy. To our shores
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarmed and unresolved to beat them back.
460’Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;
3155And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

RICHARD


Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of
Norfolk—
465Ratcliffe thyself, or Catesby. Where is he?

CATESBY


3160Here, my good lord.

RICHARD

Catesby, fly to the Duke.

CATESBY


I will, my lord, with all convenient haste.

RICHARD


Ratcliffe, come hither. Post to Salisbury.470When thou com’st thither—To Catesby. Dull,
3165unmindful villain,
Why stay’st thou here and go’st not to the Duke?

CATESBY


First, mighty liege, tell me your Highness’ pleasure,
What from your Grace I shall deliver to him.

RICHARD


475O true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight
3170The greatest strength and power that he can make
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.

CATESBY

I go.

He exits.

RATCLIFFE


What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?

RICHARD


480Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?

RATCLIFFE


3175Your Highness told me I should post before.

RICHARD


My mind is changed.

Enter Lord Stanley.

Stanley, what news with you?

STANLEY


None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing,
485Nor none so bad but well may be reported.

RICHARD


3180Hoyday, a riddle! Neither good nor bad.
What need’st thou run so many miles about
When thou mayst tell thy tale the nearest way?
Once more, what news?

STANLEY

490Richmond is on the seas.

RICHARD


3185There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-livered runagate, what doth he there?

STANLEY


I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.

RICHARD

Well, as you guess?

STANLEY


495Stirred up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton,
3190He makes for England, here to claim the crown.

RICHARD


Is the chair empty? Is the sword unswayed?
Is the King dead, the empire unpossessed?
What heir of York is there alive but we?
500And who is England’s king but great York’s heir?
3195Then tell me, what makes he upon the seas?

STANLEY


Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

RICHARD


Unless for that he comes to be your liege,
You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.
505Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.

STANLEY


3200No, my good lord. Therefore mistrust me not.

RICHARD


Where is thy power, then, to beat him back?
Where be thy tenants and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
510Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

STANLEY


3205No, my good lord. My friends are in the north.

RICHARD


Cold friends to me. What do they in the north
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

STANLEY


They have not been commanded, mighty king.
515Pleaseth your Majesty to give me leave,
3210I’ll muster up my friends and meet your Grace
Where and what time your Majesty shall please.

RICHARD


Ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond,
But I’ll not trust thee.

STANLEY

520Most mighty sovereign,
3215You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful.
I never was nor never will be false.

RICHARD


Go then and muster men, but leave behind
Your son George Stanley. Look your heart be firm,
525Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.

STANLEY


3220So deal with him as I prove true to you.

Stanley exits.Enter a Messenger.

FIRST MESSENGER


My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertisèd,
Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate,
530Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
3225With many more confederates are in arms.

Enter another Messenger.

SECOND MESSENGER


In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in arms,
And every hour more competitors
Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Enter another Messenger.

THIRD MESSENGER


535My lord, the army of great Buckingham—

RICHARD


3230Out on you, owls! Nothing but songs of death.
He striketh him.
There, take thou that till thou bring better news.

THIRD MESSENGER


The news I have to tell your Majesty
Is that by sudden floods and fall of waters
540Buckingham’s army is dispersed and scattered,
3235And he himself wandered away alone,
No man knows whither.

RICHARD

I cry thee mercy.
There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.
He gives money.
545Hath any well-advisèd friend proclaimed
3240Reward to him that brings the traitor in?

THIRD MESSENGER


Such proclamation hath been made, my lord.

Enter another Messenger.

FOURTH MESSENGER


Sir Thomas Lovell and Lord Marquess Dorset,
’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
550But this good comfort bring I to your Highness:
3245The Breton navy is dispersed by tempest.
Richmond, in Dorsetshire, sent out a boat
Unto the shore to ask those on the banks
If they were his assistants, yea, or no—
555Who answered him they came from Buckingham
3250Upon his party. He, mistrusting them,
Hoised sail and made his course again for Brittany.

RICHARD


March on, march on, since we are up in arms,
If not to fight with foreign enemies,
560Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.

Enter Catesby.

CATESBY


3255My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken.
That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond
Is with a mighty power landed at Milford
Is colder tidings, yet they must be told.

RICHARD


565Away towards Salisbury! While we reason here,
3260A royal battle might be won and lost.
Someone take order Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury. The rest march on with me.

Flourish. They exit.

Scene 5

Enter Stanley, Earl of Derby, and Sir Christopher.

STANLEY


Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
That in the sty of the most deadly boar
3265My son George Stanley is franked up in hold;
If I revolt, off goes young George’s head;
5The fear of that holds off my present aid.
So get thee gone. Commend me to thy lord.
Withal, say that the Queen hath heartily consented
3270He should espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
But tell me, where is princely Richmond now?

CHRISTOPHER


10At Pembroke, or at Ha’rfordwest in Wales.

STANLEY

What men of name resort to him?

CHRISTOPHER


Sir Walter Herbert, a renownèd soldier;
3275Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley,
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,
15And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant crew,
And many other of great name and worth;
And towards London do they bend their power,
3280If by the way they be not fought withal.

STANLEY , giving Sir Christopher a paper


Well, hie thee to thy lord. I kiss his hand.
20My letter will resolve him of my mind.
Farewell.

They exit.

ACT 5

Scene 1

Enter Buckingham, with Sheriff and Halberds, led to
execution.

BUCKINGHAM


Will not King Richard let me speak with him?

SHERIFF


3285No, my good lord. Therefore be patient.

BUCKINGHAM


Hastings and Edward’s children, Grey and Rivers,
Holy King Henry and thy fair son Edward,
5Vaughan, and all that have miscarrièd
By underhand, corrupted, foul injustice,
3290If that your moody, discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
Even for revenge mock my destruction.—
10This is All Souls’ Day, fellow, is it not?

SHERIFF

It is.

BUCKINGHAM


3295Why, then, All Souls’ Day is my body’s doomsday.
This is the day which, in King Edward’s time,
I wished might fall on me when I was found
15False to his children and his wife’s allies.
This is the day wherein I wished to fall
3300By the false faith of him whom most I trusted.
This, this All Souls’ Day to my fearful soul
Is the determined respite of my wrongs.
20That high All-seer which I dallied with
Hath turned my feignèd prayer on my head
3305And given in earnest what I begged in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points in their masters’ bosoms.
25Thus Margaret’s curse falls heavy on my neck:
“When he,” quoth she, “shall split thy heart with
3310sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.”—
Come, lead me, officers, to the block of shame.
30Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.

Buckingham exits with Officers.

Scene 2

Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert, and others,
with Drum and Colors.

RICHMOND


Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
3315Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we marched on without impediment,
5And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
3320The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his
10trough
In your embowelled bosoms—this foul swine
3325Is now even in the center of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.
From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march.
15In God’s name, cheerly on, courageous friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
3330By this one bloody trial of sharp war.

OXFORD


Every man’s conscience is a thousand men
To fight against this guilty homicide.

HERBERT


20I doubt not but his friends will turn to us.

BLUNT


He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,
3335Which in his dearest need will fly from him.

RICHMOND


All for our vantage. Then, in God’s name, march.
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings;
25Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.

All exit.

Scene 3

Enter King Richard, in arms, with Norfolk, Ratcliffe, and
the Earl of Surrey, with Soldiers.

RICHARD


Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth field.
Soldiers begin to pitch the tent.
3340My lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?

SURREY


My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.

RICHARD


My lord of Norfolk—

NORFOLK

5Here, most gracious liege.

RICHARD


Norfolk, we must have knocks, ha, must we not?

NORFOLK


3345We must both give and take, my loving lord.

RICHARD


Up with my tent!—Here will I lie tonight.
But where tomorrow? Well, all’s one for that.
10Who hath descried the number of the traitors?

NORFOLK


Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.

RICHARD


3350Why, our battalia trebles that account.
Besides, the King’s name is a tower of strength
Which they upon the adverse faction want.—
15Up with the tent!—Come, noble gentlemen,
Let us survey the vantage of the ground.
3355Call for some men of sound direction;
Let’s lack no discipline, make no delay,
For, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.

The tent now in place, they exit.Enter Richmond, Sir William Brandon, Oxford,
Dorset, Herbert, Blunt, and others who set up
Richmond’s tent.

RICHMOND


20The weary sun hath made a golden set,
And by the bright track of his fiery car
3360Gives token of a goodly day tomorrow.—
Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.—
Give me some ink and paper in my tent;
25I’ll draw the form and model of our battle,
Limit each leader to his several charge,
3365And part in just proportion our small power.—
My Lord of Oxford, you, Sir William Brandon,
And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me.
30The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment.—
Good Captain Blunt, bear my goodnight to him,
3370And by the second hour in the morning
Desire the Earl to see me in my tent.
Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me.
35Where is Lord Stanley quartered, do you know?

BLUNT


Unless I have mista’en his colors much,
3375Which well I am assured I have not done,
His regiment lies half a mile, at least,
South from the mighty power of the King.

RICHMOND


40If without peril it be possible,
Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with
3380him,
And give him from me this most needful note.

He gives a paper.

BLUNT


Upon my life, my lord, I’ll undertake it,
45And so God give you quiet rest tonight.

RICHMOND


Good night, good Captain Blunt.Blunt exits.
3385Come, gentlemen,
Let us consult upon tomorrow’s business.
Into my tent. The dew is raw and cold.

Richmond, Brandon, Dorset, Herbert, and Oxford
withdraw into the tent. The others exit.Enter to his tent Richard, Ratcliffe, Norfolk, and
Catesby, with Soldiers.

RICHARD

50What is ’t o’clock?

CATESBY


It’s suppertime, my lord. It’s nine o’clock.

RICHARD


3390I will not sup tonight. Give me some ink and paper.
What, is my beaver easier than it was,
And all my armor laid into my tent?

CATESBY


55It is, my liege, and all things are in readiness.

RICHARD


Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge.
3395Use careful watch. Choose trusty sentinels.

NORFOLK

I go, my lord.

RICHARD


Stir with the lark tomorrow, gentle Norfolk.

NORFOLK

60I warrant you, my lord.

He exits.

RICHARD

Catesby.

CATESBY

3400My lord.

RICHARD

Send out a pursuivant-at-arms
To Stanley’s regiment. Bid him bring his power
65Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.Catesby exits.
3405To Soldiers. Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a
watch.
Saddle white Surrey for the field tomorrow.
70Look that my staves be sound and not too heavy.—
Ratcliffe.

RATCLIFFE

3410My lord.

RICHARD


Sawst thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?

RATCLIFFE


Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
75Much about cockshut time, from troop to troop
Went through the army cheering up the soldiers.

RICHARD


3415So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine.
I have not that alacrity of spirit
Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have.
Wine is brought.
80Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

RATCLIFFE


It is, my lord.

RICHARD

3420Bid my guard watch. Leave me.
Ratcliffe, about the mid of night come to my tent
And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.

Ratcliffe exits. Richard sleeps in his tent,
which is guarded by Soldiers.Enter Stanley, Earl of Derby to Richmond in his tent.

STANLEY


85Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

RICHMOND


All comfort that the dark night can afford
3425Be to thy person, noble father-in-law.
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

STANLEY


I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,
90Who prays continually for Richmond’s good.
So much for that. The silent hours steal on,
3430And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
In brief, for so the season bids us be,
Prepare thy battle early in the morning,
95And put thy fortune to the arbitrament
Of bloody strokes and mortal-staring war.
3435I, as I may—that which I would I cannot—
With best advantage will deceive the time
And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms.
100But on thy side I may not be too forward,
Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George,
3440Be executed in his father’s sight.
Farewell. The leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
105And ample interchange of sweet discourse,
Which so-long-sundered friends should dwell upon.
3445God give us leisure for these rites of love!
Once more, adieu. Be valiant and speed well.

RICHMOND


Good lords, conduct him to his regiment.
110I’ll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap,
Lest leaden slumber peise me down tomorrow
3450When I should mount with wings of victory.
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
All but Richmond leave his tent and exit.
Richmond kneels.
O Thou, whose captain I account myself,
115Look on my forces with a gracious eye.
Put in their hands Thy bruising irons of wrath,
3455That they may crush down with a heavy fall
The usurping helmets of our adversaries.
Make us Thy ministers of chastisement,
120That we may praise Thee in the victory.
To Thee I do commend my watchful soul,
3460Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes.
Sleeping and waking, O, defend me still!

Sleeps.Enter the Ghost of young Prince Edward, son to Harry
the Sixth.

GHOST OF EDWARD , (to Richard)


Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow.
125Think how thou stabbed’st me in my prime of
youth
3465At Tewkesbury. Despair therefore, and die!
(To Richmond.) Be cheerful, Richmond, for the
wrongèd souls
130Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf.
King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee.

He exits.Enter the Ghost of Henry the Sixth.

GHOST OF HENRY , (to Richard)


3470When I was mortal, my anointed body
By thee was punchèd full of deadly holes.
Think on the Tower and me. Despair and die!
135Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.
(To Richmond.) Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror.
3475Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be king,
Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live and flourish.

He exits.Enter the Ghost of Clarence.

GHOST OF CLARENCE , (to Richard)


Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
140I, that was washed to death with fulsome wine,
Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death.
3480Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
(To Richmond.) Thou offspring of the house of
145Lancaster,
The wrongèd heirs of York do pray for thee.
3485Good angels guard thy battle. Live and flourish.

He exits.Enter the Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan.

GHOST OF RIVERS , (to Richard)


Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
Rivers, that died at Pomfret. Despair and die!

GHOST OF GREY , (to Richard)


150Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!

GHOST OF VAUGHAN , (to Richard)


Think upon Vaughan, and with guilty fear
3490Let fall thy lance. Despair and die!

ALL , (to Richmond)


Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard’s bosom
Will conquer him. Awake, and win the day.

They exit.Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes.

GHOSTS OF PRINCES , (to Richard)


155Dream on thy cousins smothered in the Tower.
Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard,
3495And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death.
Thy nephews’ souls bid thee despair and die.
(To Richmond.) Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace
160and wake in joy.
Good angels guard thee from the boar’s annoy.
3500Live, and beget a happy race of kings.
Edward’s unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.

They exit.Enter the Ghost of Hastings.

GHOST OF HASTINGS , (to Richard)


Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake,
165And in a bloody battle end thy days.
Think on Lord Hastings. Despair and die!
3505(To Richmond.) Quiet, untroubled soul, awake, awake.
Arm, fight, and conquer for fair England’s sake.

He exits.Enter the Ghost of Lady Anne his wife.

GHOST OF ANNE , (to Richard)


Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
170That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
3510Tomorrow, in the battle, think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
(To Richmond.) Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet
175sleep.
Dream of success and happy victory.
3515Thy adversary’s wife doth pray for thee.

She exits.Enter the Ghost of Buckingham.

GHOST OF BUCKINGHAM , (to Richard)


The first was I that helped thee to the crown;
The last was I that felt thy tyranny.
180O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
And die in terror of thy guiltiness.
3520Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and death.
Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath.
(To Richmond.) I died for hope ere I could lend
185thee aid,
But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismayed.
3525God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side,
And Richard fall in height of all his pride.

He exits.Richard starteth up out of a dream.

RICHARD


Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
190Have mercy, Jesu!—Soft, I did but dream.
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
3530The lights burn blue; it is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by.
195Richard loves Richard, that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.
3535Then fly! What, from myself? Great reason why:
Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself?
Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
200That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no. Alas, I rather hate myself
3540For hateful deeds committed by myself.
I am a villain. Yet I lie; I am not.
Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.
205My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
3545And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Perjury, perjury, in the highest degree;
Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree;
210All several sins, all used in each degree,
Throng to the bar, crying all “Guilty, guilty!”
3550I shall despair. There is no creature loves me,
And if I die no soul will pity me.
And wherefore should they, since that I myself
215Find in myself no pity to myself?
Methought the souls of all that I had murdered
3555Came to my tent, and every one did threat
Tomorrow’s vengeance on the head of Richard.

Enter Ratcliffe.

RATCLIFFE

My lord.

RICHARD

220Zounds, who is there?

RATCLIFFE


Ratcliffe, my lord, ’tis I. The early village cock
3560Hath twice done salutation to the morn.
Your friends are up and buckle on their armor.

RICHARD


O Ratcliffe, I have dreamed a fearful dream!
225What think’st thou, will our friends prove all true?

RATCLIFFE


No doubt, my lord.

RICHARD

3565O Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear.

RATCLIFFE


Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

RICHARD


By the apostle Paul, shadows tonight
230Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard
Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
3570Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.
’Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me.
Under our tents I’ll play the eavesdropper
235To see if any mean to shrink from me.

Richard and Ratcliffe exit.Enter the Lords to Richmond, in his tent.

LORDS

Good morrow, Richmond.

RICHMOND


3575Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
That you have ta’en a tardy sluggard here.

A LORD

How have you slept, my lord?

RICHMOND


240The sweetest sleep and fairest-boding dreams
That ever entered in a drowsy head
3580Have I since your departure had, my lords.
Methought their souls whose bodies Richard
murdered
245Came to my tent and cried on victory.
I promise you, my soul is very jocund
3585In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
How far into the morning is it, lords?

A LORD

Upon the stroke of four.

RICHMOND , leaving the tent


250Why, then ’tis time to arm and give direction.



More than I have said, loving countrymen,
3590The leisure and enforcement of the time
Forbids to dwell upon. Yet remember this:
God, and our good cause, fight upon our side.
255The prayers of holy saints and wrongèd souls,
Like high-reared bulwarks, stand before our faces.
3595Richard except, those whom we fight against
Had rather have us win than him they follow.
For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,
260A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
One raised in blood, and one in blood established;
3600One that made means to come by what he hath,
And slaughtered those that were the means to help
him;
265A base foul stone, made precious by the foil
Of England’s chair, where he is falsely set;
3605One that hath ever been God’s enemy.
Then if you fight against God’s enemy,
God will, in justice, ward you as his soldiers.
270If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,
You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain.
3610If you do fight against your country’s foes,
Your country’s fat shall pay your pains the hire.
If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,
275Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors.
If you do free your children from the sword,
3615Your children’s children quits it in your age.
Then, in the name of God and all these rights,
Advance your standards; draw your willing swords.
280For me, the ransom of my bold attempt
Shall be this cold corpse on the Earth’s cold face,
3620But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt
The least of you shall share his part thereof.
Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully.
285God, and Saint George, Richmond, and victory!

They exit.Enter King Richard, Ratcliffe, and Soldiers.

RICHARD


What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

RATCLIFFE


3625That he was never trainèd up in arms.

RICHARD


He said the truth. And what said Surrey then?

RATCLIFFE


He smiled and said “The better for our purpose.”

RICHARD


290He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
The clock striketh.
Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar.
He looks in an almanac.
3630Who saw the sun today?

RATCLIFFE

Not I, my lord.

RICHARD


Then he disdains to shine, for by the book
295He should have braved the east an hour ago.
A black day will it be to somebody.
3635Ratcliffe!

RATCLIFFE


My lord.

RICHARD

The sun will not be seen today.
300The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.
I would these dewy tears were from the ground.
3640Not shine today? Why, what is that to me
More than to Richmond, for the selfsame heaven
That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.

Enter Norfolk.

NORFOLK


305Arm, arm, my lord. The foe vaunts in the field.

RICHARD


Come, bustle, bustle. Caparison my horse.—
3645Call up Lord Stanley; bid him bring his power.—
I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,
And thus my battle shall be orderèd:
310My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
Consisting equally of horse and foot;
3650Our archers shall be placèd in the midst.
John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,
Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.
315They thus directed, we will follow
In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
3655Shall be well wingèd with our chiefest horse.
This, and Saint George to boot!—What think’st
thou, Norfolk?

NORFOLK


320A good direction, warlike sovereign.
He sheweth him a paper.
This found I on my tent this morning.

RICHARD reads


3660Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold.
For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.
A thing devisèd by the enemy.—
325Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge.
Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls.
3665Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe.
Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.
330March on. Join bravely. Let us to it pell mell,
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.



3670What shall I say more than I have inferred?
Remember whom you are to cope withal,
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
335A scum of Bretons and base lackey peasants,
Whom their o’ercloyèd country vomits forth
3675To desperate adventures and assured destruction.
You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
You having lands and blessed with beauteous wives,
340They would restrain the one, distain the other.
And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
3680Long kept in Brittany at our mother’s cost,
A milksop, one that never in his life
Felt so much cold as overshoes in snow?
345Let’s whip these stragglers o’er the seas again,
Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
3685These famished beggars weary of their lives,
Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
For want of means, poor rats, had hanged
350themselves.
If we be conquered, let men conquer us,
3690And not these bastard Bretons, whom our fathers
Have in their own land beaten, bobbed, and
thumped,
355And in record left them the heirs of shame.
Shall these enjoy our lands, lie with our wives,
3695Ravish our daughters?Drum afar off.
Hark, I hear their drum.
Fight, gentlemen of England.—Fight, bold
360yeomen.—
Draw, archers; draw your arrows to the head.—
3700Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood.
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves.—

Enter a Messenger.

What says Lord Stanley? Will he bring his power?

MESSENGER

365My lord, he doth deny to come.

RICHARD

Off with his son George’s head!

NORFOLK


3705My lord, the enemy is past the marsh.
After the battle let George Stanley die.

RICHARD


A thousand hearts are great within my bosom.
370Advance our standards. Set upon our foes.
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
3710Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons.
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.

They exit.

Scene 4

Alarum. Excursions. Enter Norfolk, with Soldiers, and
Catesby.

CATESBY


Rescue, my lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue!
The King enacts more wonders than a man,
Daring an opposite to every danger.
3715His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights,
5Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.
Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost.

Norfolk exits with Soldiers.Alarums. Enter Richard.

RICHARD


A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!

CATESBY


Withdraw, my lord. I’ll help you to a horse.

RICHARD


3720Slave, I have set my life upon a cast,
10And I will stand the hazard of the die.
I think there be six Richmonds in the field;
Five have I slain today instead of him.
A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!

They exit.

Scene 5

Alarum. Enter Richard and Richmond. They fight.
Richard is slain. Then retreat being sounded, Richmond
exits, and Richard’s body is removed. Flourish. Enter
Richmond, Stanley, Earl of Derby, bearing the crown,
with other Lords, and Soldiers.

RICHMOND


3725God and your arms be praised, victorious friends!
The day is ours; the bloody dog is dead.

STANLEY , offering him the crown


Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee.
Lo, here this long-usurpèd royalty
5From the dead temples of this bloody wretch
3730Have I plucked off, to grace thy brows withal.
Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.

RICHMOND


Great God of heaven, say amen to all!
But tell me, is young George Stanley living?

STANLEY


10He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town,
3735Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us.

RICHMOND


What men of name are slain on either side?

STANLEY


John, Duke of Norfolk, Walter, Lord Ferrers,
Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon.

RICHMOND


15Inter their bodies as becomes their births.
3740Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled
That in submission will return to us.
And then, as we have ta’en the sacrament,
We will unite the white rose and the red;
20Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction,
3745That long have frowned upon their enmity.
What traitor hears me and says not “Amen”?
England hath long been mad and scarred herself:
The brother blindly shed the brother’s blood;
25The father rashly slaughtered his own son;
3750The son, compelled, been butcher to the sire.
All this divided York and Lancaster,
Divided in their dire division.
O, now let Richmond and Elizabeth,
30The true succeeders of each royal house,
3755By God’s fair ordinance conjoin together,
And let their heirs, God, if Thy will be so,
Enrich the time to come with smooth-faced peace,
With smiling plenty and fair prosperous days.
35Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord,
3760That would reduce these bloody days again
And make poor England weep in streams of blood.
Let them not live to taste this land’s increase,
That would with treason wound this fair land’s peace.
40Now civil wounds are stopped, peace lives again.
3765That she may long live here, God say amen.

They exit.