K. Rich. How chance, the prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by,that I should kill him? Buck. My lord, your promise for the earldom, K. Rich. Richmond !-When last I was at Exeter, The mayor in courtesy show'd me the castle, And call'd it-Rouge-mont: at which name, I started; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I saw Richmond. Buck. My lord, K. Rich. Buck. Ay, what's o'clock? I am thus bold To put your grace in mind of what you promis'd K. Rich. Well, but what is't o'clock? [me. Buck. Upon the stroke Of ten. K. Rich. Well, let it strike. Why, let it strike? K. Rich. Because that, like a Jack, thou keep'st the stroke Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. vice Tyr. The tyrannous and bloody act is done; The most arch deed of piteous massacre, That ever yet this land was guilty of. Dighton, and Forrest, whom I did suborn To do this piece of ruthless butchery, Albeit they were flesh'd villains, bloody dogs, Melting with tenderness and mild compassion, Wept like two children, in their death's sad story. O thus, quoth Dighton, lay the gentle babes,Thus, thus, quoth Forrest, girding one another Within their alabaster innocent arms: Their lips were four red roses on a stalk, Which, in their summer beauty, kiss'd each other. A book of prayers on their pillow lay; Which once, quoth Forrest, almost chang'd my mind; But, 0, the devil-there the villain stopp'd: When thou shalt tell the process of their death. Now, for I know the Bretagne Richmond aims Cate. My lord, K. Rich. Good news or bad, that thou com'st in so bluntly? Cate. Bad news, my lord; Morton is fled to Richmond; [Welshmen, And Buckingham, back'd with the hardy Is in the field, and still his power increaseth. K. Rich. Ely with Richmond troubles me more near, Than Buckingham and his rash levied strength. SCENE IV. The same. Before the Palace. Enter QUEEN MARGARET. Q. Mar. So, now prosperity begins to mellow, And drop into the rotten mouth of death. Here in these confines slily have I lurk'd, To watch the waning of mine enemies. A dire induction am I witness to, And will to France; hoping, the consequence Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical. Withdraw thee,wretched Margaret! who comes here? Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and the DUCHESS OF YORK. Q. Eliz. Ah, my poor princes! ah, my tender babes! My unblown flowers, new appearing sweets! [right. Q. Mar. Hover about her; say, that right for Hath dimm'd your infant morn to aged night. Duch. So many miseries have craz'd my voice, That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute,Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead? Q. Mar. Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet, Edward for Edward pays a dying debt. Q. Eliz. Wilt thou, O God, fly from such gentle lambs, And throw them in the entrails of the wolf? [Sitting down with them. I had a Rutland too, thou holp'st to kill him. Q. Mar. Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard kill'd him; From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept A dream of what thou wast; a garish flag, Where be the bending peers that flatter'd thee? From which even here I slip my wearied head, while, And teach me how to curse mine enemies. Q. Mar. Forbear to sleep the night, and fast the day; Compare dead happiness with living woe: Thy womb let loose, to chase us to our graves.-Think that thy babes were fairer than they were, O upright, just, and true disposing God, woes; God witness with me, I have wept for thine. Q. Mar. Bear with me, I am hungry for reAnd now I cloy me with beholding it. [venge, Thy Edward he is dead, that kill'd my Edward; Thy other Edward dead, to quit my Edward; Young York he is but boot, because both they Match not the high perfection of my loss. ThyClarence he is dead, that stabb'd my Edward; And the beholders of this tragic play, [Grey, The adulterate Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, Untimely smother'd in their dusky graves. Richard yet lives, hell's black intelligencer; Only reserv'd their factor, to buy souls, And send them hither: But at hand, at hand, Ensues his piteous and unpitied end: Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray, To have him suddenly convey'd from hence:Cancel his bond of life, dear God, I pray, That I may live to say, The dog is dead! Q. Eliz. O, thou didst prophesy, the time would come, That I should wish for thee to help me curse I call'd thee then, poor shadow, painted queen; And he, that slew them, fouler than he is: Q. Mar. Thy woes will make them sharp, and me, [part And in the breath of bitter words let's smother I hear his drum,→be copious in exclaims. Q. Eliz. Hid'st thou that forehead with a brother Claarence? And little Ned Plantagenet, his son? [Grey? K. Rich. Ay; I thank God, my father, and Duch. Then patiently hear my impatience. K. Rich. Madam, I have a touch of your condition, That cannot brook the accent of reproof. Duch. O, let me speak. K. Rich. Do, then; but I'll not hear. Duch. I will be mild and gentle in my words. K. Rich. And brief, good mother; for I am in haste. Duch. Art thou so hasty? I have staid for thee, God knows, in torment and in agony. K. Rich. And came I not at last to comfort you? Duch. No, by the holy rood, thou know'st it well, Thou cam'st on earth to make the earth my hell. K. Rich. Faith, none, but Humphrey Hour, that call'd your grace To breakfast once, forth of my company. Duch. [ordinance, Duch. Either thou wilt die, by God's just Ere from this war thou turn a conqueror; Or I with grief and extreme age shall perish, And never look upon thy face again. Therefore take with thee my most heavy curse; Which, in the day of battle, tire thee more, Than all the complete armour that thou wear'st! My prayers on the adverse party fight; And 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; Shame serves thy life, and doth thy death attend. [Exit. Q. Eliz. Though far more cause, yet much less spirit to curse Abides in me; I say amen to her. [Going K. Rich. Stay, madam, I must speak a word with you. Slander myself, as false to Edward's bed; Q. Eliz. To save her life, I'll say-she is not so. K. Rich. Lo, at their births, good stars were Q. Eliz. No, to their lives bad friends were contrary. K.Rich. All unavoided is the doom of destiny. Q. Eliz. True, when avoided grace make desMy babes were destin'd to a fairer death, [tiny: If grace had bless'd thee with a fairer life. K. Rich. You speak, as if that I had slain my cousins. [cozen'd Q. Eliz. Cousins, indeed; and by their uncle Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life. Whose hands soever lanc'd their tender hearts, Thy head, all indirectly, gave direction: [blunt, No doubt the murderous knife was dull and Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart, To revel in the entrails of my lambs. But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame, My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys, Till that my nails were anchor'd in thine eyes: And I, in such a desperate bay of death, Like a poor bark, of sails and tackling reft, Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom. K. Rich. Madam, 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 harm'd! Q. Eliz. What good is cover'd with the face of heaven, To be discover'd, that can do me good? K. Rich. The advancement of your children, gentle lady. [their heads? Q. Eliz. Up to some scaffold, there to lose K. Rich. No, to the dignity and height of fortune, The high imperial type of this earth's glory. Q. Eliz. Flatter my sorrows with report of it; Tell me, what state, what dignity, what honour, Canst thou demise to any child of mine? K. Rich. Even all I have; ay, and myself and Will I withal endow a child of thine; [all, So in the Lethe of thy angry soul [wrongs, Thou drown the sad remembrance of those Which, thou supposest, I have done to thee. Q. Eliz. Be brief, lest that the process of thy kindness QEliz. I have no more sons of the royal blood, For thee to murder: for my daughters, Rich-I ard, They shall be praying nuns, not weeping queens; And therefore level not to hit their lives. K. Rich. You have a daughter call'd-ElizaVirtuous and fair, royal and gracious. [beth, Q. Eliz. And must she die for this? O, let ner live, And I'll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty; Last longer telling than thy kindness' date. K. Rich. Then know that from my soul, I love thy daughter [her soul. Q. Eliz. My daughter's mother thinks it with K. Rich. What do you think? [thy soul: Q. Eliz. That thou dost love my daughter, from So, from thy soul's love, didst thou love her brothers: And, from my heart's love, I do thank thee for it. K. Rich. Be not so hasty to confound my meaning; mean, that with my soul I love thy daughter, And do intend to make her queen of England. Q. Eliz. Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king? [else should be? K. Rich. Even he. that makes her queen: Who Q. Eliz. What, sou? [of it, madam? K. Rich. Even so: What think you Q. L'iz. How canst thon woo her? K. Rich. That I would learn of you, Q. Eliz. What were I best to say? her father's brother As one being best acquainted with her humour. A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave, K.Rich. Say, that I did all this for love of her? Q. Eliz. Nay, then indeed, she cannot choose but hate thee, Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. K. Rich. Look, what is done cannot be now amended; Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale; Would be her lord? Or shall I say, her uncle? alliance. Q. Eliz. Which she shall purchase with still K. Rich. Tell her, the king, that may command, entreats. Q. Eliz. That at her hands, which the king's King forbids. [queen. K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty Q. Eliz. To wail the title, as her mother doth. K. Rich. Say, I will love her everlastingly. Q. Eliz. But how long shall that title, ever, last? K. Rich. Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end. [life last? Q. Eliz. But how long fairly shall her sweet K. Rich. As long as heaven, and nature, lengthens it. Q. Eliz. As long as hell, and Richard, likes of it. K. Rich. Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject low. [sov'reignty. Q. Eliz. But she, your subject, loaths such K. Rich. Be eloquent in my behalf to her. Q. Eliz. An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told. [loving tale. K. Rich. Then in plain terms tell her my Q. Eliz. Plain, and not honest, is too harsh a style. K. Rich. Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. [dead; Q. Eliz. O, no, my reasons are too deep and Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves. K. Rich. Harp not on that string, madam; [break. that is past. Q.Eliz. Harpon it still shall I, till heartstrings K. Rich. Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,— [usurp'd. Q. Eliz. Profan'd, dishonour'd, and the third K. Rich. I swear. Q. Eliz. By nothing; for this is no oath. Thy George, profan'd, hath lost his holy honour; Thy garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue; Thy crown, usurp'd, disgrac'd his kingly glory: K. Rich. Now by the world.- 'Tis full of thy foul wrongs. K. Rich. My father's death,Q. Eliz. Thy life hath that dishonour'd. K. Rich. Then, by myself,-Q. Eliz. Thyself is self misus'd. K. Rich. Why then, by God,- God's wrong is most of all. By the time to come. Q. Elia. That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast; For I myself have many tears to wash Hereafter time, for time past, wrong'd by thee. The children live, whose parents thou hast slaughter'd, Ingovern'd youth, to wail it in their age: The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher'd! Old barren plants, to wail it with their age. Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast Misus'd ere used, by times ill us'd o'erpast. K. Kich. As I intend to prosper, and repent! I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? Q. Eliz. But thou didst kill my children. K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them; Where, in that nest of spicery, they shall breed Selves of themselves, to your recomfortare. Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will? K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed. Q. Eliz. I go.-Write to me very shortly, And you shall understand from me her mind. K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so farewell. [Kissing her. Exit Q. ELIZABETH. Relenting fool, and shallow changing-woman! How now? what news? Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following. Bat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore [coast Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, Unarm'd, and unresolv'd to beat them back: Tis thought, that Richmond is their admiral; And there they hull, expecting but the aid Of Buckingham, to welcome them ashore. K. Rich. Some lightfoot friend post to the duke of Norfolk: Ratcliff, thyself,- -or Catesby; where is he? K. Rich. Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. I will,my lord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither: Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither,-Dull, unmindful villain, [To CATESBY. Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke? Cate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, What from your grace I shall deliver to him. K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby;-Bid him levy straight Rat, What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury? K. Rich. Why, what would'st thou do there, before I go? [before. Rat. Your highness told me, I should post Enter STANLEY. K. Rich. My mind is chang'd,-Stanley, what news with you? [the hearing; Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with Nor none so bad, but well may be reported. K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad! What need'st thou run so many miles about, Stan. K. Rich. There let him sink, and be the seas on him! White liver'd runagate, what doth he there? Stin. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by K. Rich. Well, as you guess? [guess. Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton, He makes for England, here to claim the crown. K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway'd? Is the king dead, the empire unpossess'd? Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me K. Rich. Where is thy power then, to beat him back? Where be thy tenants, and thy followers? Are they not now upon the western shore, Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships? Stan. No, my good lord, my friends are in the [in the north, K. Rich. Cold friends to me: what do they When they should serve their sovereign in the west? [king: north. Stan. They have not been commanded,mighty Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave, I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace, Where, and what time, your majesty shall please. Stan. K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou would'st be gone to join Your son, George Stanley: look, your heart be Enter a Messenger. Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in Devon- 2 Mess. In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are And every hour more competitors [in arms: Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong. Enter another Messenger. [ham[Exit. 3 Mess. My lord, the army of great Bucking The greatest strength and power he can make, And meet me suddenly at Salisbury. Cute. I go. |