Richard III

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Richard III Page 11

by William Shakespeare


  Since you will buckle fortune on my back226,

  To bear her burden, whe’er I will or no,

  I must have patience to endure the load:

  But if black scandal or foul-faced reproach

  Attend the sequel230 of your imposition,

  Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me231

  From all the impure blots and stains thereof;

  For God doth know, and you may partly see,

  How far I am from the desire of this.

  MAYOR    God bless your grace! We see it and will say it.

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

  BUCKINGHAM    Then I salute you with this royal title:

  Long live King Richard, England’s worthy king!

  ALL    Amen.

  BUCKINGHAM    Tomorrow may it please you to be crowned?

  RICHARD    Even241 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.

  To the Bishops

  RICHARD    Come, let us to our holy work again.—

  Farewell, my cousins: farewell, gentle friends.

  Exeunt

  Act 4 Scene 1

  running scene 14

  Enter the Queen, Anne Duchess of Gloucester [leading a girl], the Duchess of York and Marquis Dorset

  DUCHESS OF YORK    Who meets us here? My niece1 Plantagenet

  Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloucester?

  Now, for my life, she’s wand’ring to the Tower,

  On pure heart’s love to greet the tender4 prince.

  Daughter, 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    No further than the Tower, and, as I guess,

  Upon the like devotion10 as yourselves,

  To gratulate11 the gentle princes there.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    Kind sister, thanks: we’ll enter all together.

  Enter the Lieutenant [Brackenbury]

  And, in good time, here the lieutenant comes.

  Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,

  How cloth the prince, and my young son of York?

  BRACKENBURY    Right well, dear madam. By your patience,

  I may not suffer17 you to visit them:

  The king hath strictly charged the contrary.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    The king? Who’s that?

  BRACKENBURY    I mean the Lord Protector.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    The lord protect him from that kingly title!

  Hath he set bounds22 between their love and me?

  I am their mother: who shall bar me from them?

  DUCHESS OF YORK    I am their father’s mother: I will see them.

  ANNE    Their aunt I am in law25, in love their mother:

  Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame

  And take thy office27 from thee, on my peril.

  BRACKENBURY    No, madam, no; I may not leave it so:

  I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

  Exit

  Enter Stanley [Earl of Derby]

  DERBY    Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour hence,

  And I’ll salute your grace of York as mother31,

  And reverend looker-on32, of two fair queens.—

  To Anne

  Come, madam, you must straight33 to Westminster,

  There to be crownèd Richard’s royal queen.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    Ah, cut my lace35 asunder,

  That my pent36 heart may have some scope to beat,

  Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news!

  ANNE    Despiteful38 tidings! O, unpleasing news!

  DORSET    Be 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.

  If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas,

  And live with Richmond, from44 the reach of hell.

  Go, hie45 thee, hie thee from this slaughter-house,

  Lest thou increase the number of the dead

  And make me die the thrall47 of Margaret’s curse,

  Nor mother, wife, nor England’s counted48 queen.

  DERBY    Full 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 son51

  In your behalf, to meet you on the way.

  Be not ta’en tardy53 by unwise delay.

  DUCHESS OF YORK    O ill-dispersing54 wind of misery!

  O my accursèd womb, the bed of death!

  A cockatrice56 hast thou hatched to the world,

  Whose unavoided57 eye is murderous.

  To Anne

  DERBY    Come, madam, come: I in all haste was sent.

  ANNE    And I with all unwillingness will go.

  O, would to God that the inclusive verge60

  Of golden metal that must round my brow

  Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brains!

  Anointed63 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 humour wish thyself no harm.66

  ANNE    No? Why? When he that is my husband now

  Came to me, as I followed Henry’s corpse,

  When scarce the blood was well washed from his hands

  Which issued from my other angel husband70

  And that dear saint which then I weeping followed —

  O, when I say I looked on Richard’s face,

  This was my wish: ‘Be thou’, quoth I, ‘accursed

  For making me, so young, so old74 a widow!

  And, when thou wed’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;

  And be thy wife — if any be so mad —

  More 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

  Grossly81 grew captive to his honey words

  And proved the subject of mine own soul’s curse,

  Which hitherto hath held mine eyes from rest,

  For never yet one hour in his bed

  Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep,

  But with his timorous86 dreams was still awaked.

  Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick87,

  And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    Poor heart, adieu! I pity thy complaining.89

  ANNE    No more than with my soul I mourn for yours.

  DORSET    Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory.

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

  To Dorset

  DUCHESS OF YORK    Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee.—

  To Anne

  Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee.—

  To Queen Elizabeth

  Go thou to sanctuary, and good 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 wrecked with a week of teen.98

  She starts to leave

  QUEEN ELIZABETH    Stay, yet look back with me unto the Tower.

  Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes

  Whom envy hath immured101 within your walls,

  Rou
gh cradle for such little pretty ones,

  Rude ragged nurse, old sullen103 playfellow

  For tender princes: use my babies well.

  So105 foolish sorrows bids your stones farewell.

  Exeunt

  Act 4 Scene 2

  running scene 15

  Sound a sennet. Enter Richard in pomp, Buckingham, Catesby, Ratcliffe, Lovell, [a Page and others. A throne is brought forth]

  RICHARD    Stand all apart.1—Cousin of Buckingham.

  BUCKINGHAM    My gracious sovereign?

  RICHARD    Give me thy hand.

  Sound [trumpets]

  He ascends the throne

  Richard and Buckingham speak aside

  Thus high, by thy advice and 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    Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch9,

  To try if thou be current10 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    Why, so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.

  RICHARD    Ha? Am I king? ’Tis so: but Edward lives.

  BUCKINGHAM    True, noble prince.

  RICHARD    O, bitter consequence17,

  That Edward still should live — true noble prince.18

  Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.19

  Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead,

  And I would have it suddenly21 performed.

  What say’st thou now? Speak suddenly, be brief.

  BUCKINGHAM    Your grace may do your pleasure.

  RICHARD    Tut, tut, thou art all ice: thy kindness freezes.

  Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?

  BUCKINGHAM    Give me some little breath26, some pause, dear lord,

  Before I positively27 speak in this:

  I will resolve28 you herein presently.

  Exit

  Aside

  CATESBY    The king is angry: see, he gnaws his lip.

  RICHARD    I will converse with iron-witted30 fools

  And unrespective31 boys: none are for me

  That look into me with considerate32 eyes.

  High-reaching33 Buckingham grows circumspect.—

  Boy!

  Comes forward

  PAGE    My lord?

  RICHARD    Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold

  Will tempt unto a close37 exploit of death?

  PAGE    I know a discontented gentleman,

  Whose humble means match not his haughty39 spirit:

  Gold were as good as twenty orators40,

  And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.

  RICHARD    What is his name?

  PAGE    His name, my lord, is Tyrrell.

  RICHARD    I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy.

  Exit [Page]

  The deep-revolving witty45 Buckingham

  No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels.46

  Hath he so long held out47 with me untired,

  And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.

  Enter Stanley

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

  DERBY    Know, my loving lord, the marquis Dorset

  As I hear, is fled to Richmond,

  In the parts where he abides.

  Stands apart

  RICHARD    Come hither, Catesby. Rumour it abroad

  That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick:

  I will take order for her keeping close.55

  Inquire me out some mean56 poor gentleman,

  Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter:

  The boy58 is foolish, and I fear not him.

  Look, how thou dream’st! I say again, give out59

  That Anne my queen is sick and like to die:

  About it, for it stands me much upon61,

  To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.

  [Exit Catesby]

  I must be married to my brother’s daughter63,

  Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass.

  Murder her brothers, and then marry her:

  Uncertain way of gain! But I am in

  So far in blood that sin will pluck on67 sin:

  Tear-falling pity68 dwells not in this eye.

  Enter [Page, with] Tyrrell

  Is thy name Tyrrell?

  TYRRELL    James Tyrrell, and your most obedient subject.

  RICHARD    Art thou, indeed?

  King Richard and Tyrrell speak aside

  TYRRELL    Prove72 me, my gracious lord.

  RICHARD    Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend73 of mine?

  TYRRELL    Please you:

  But had rather kill two enemies.

  RICHARD    Why, 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 upon78 —

  Tyrrell, I mean those bastards in the Tower.

  TYRRELL    Let me have open80 means to come to them,

  And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.

  RICHARD    Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrell

  Go, by this token83: rise, and lend thine ear.

  Gives a token

  There is no more but so84: say it is done,

  Whispers

  And I will love thee, and prefer85 thee for it.

  TYRRELL    I will dispatch it straight.

  Exit [Tyrrell, with the Page]

  Enter Buckingham

  BUCKINGHAM    My lord, I have considered in my mind

  The late request that you did sound me in.88

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

  BUCKINGHAM    I hear the news, my lord.

  RICHARD    Stanley, he91 is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.

  BUCKINGHAM    My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise,

  For which your honour and your faith is pawned93:

  Th’earldom of Hereford and the movables94

  Which you have promisèd I shall possess.

  RICHARD    Stanley, look to96 your wife: if she convey

  Letters to Richmond, you shall answer97 it.

  BUCKINGHAM    What says your highness to my just request?

  RICHARD    I do remember me, Henry the Sixth

  Did prophesy that Richmond should be king,

  When Richmond was a little peevish101 boy.

  A king, perhaps—

  BUCKINGHAM    May it please you to resolve103 me in my suit.

  RICHARD    Thou troublest me: I am not in the vein.104

  Exit

  BUCKINGHAM    And is it thus? Repays he my deep service

  With such contempt? Made I him king for this?

  O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone

  To Brecknock108, while my fearful head is on!

  Exit

  [Act 4 Scene 3]

  running scene 15 continues

  Enter Tyrrell

  TYRRELL    The tyrannous and bloody act is done,

  The most arch2 deed of piteous massacre

  That ever yet this land was guilty of.

  Dighton and Forrest, who I did suborn4

  To do this piece of ruthful5 butchery,

  Albeit they were fleshed6 villains, bloody dogs,

  Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,

  Wept like to children in their deaths’ sad story.8
/>
  ‘O, thus’, quoth Dighton, ‘lay the gentle babes.’

  ‘Thus, thus’, quoth Forrest, ‘girdling10 one another

  Within their alabaster11 innocent arms.

  Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,

  And in their summer beauty kissed each other.

  A book of prayers on their pillow lay,

  Which one15’, quoth Forrest, ‘almost changed my mind.

  But O! The devil’—there the villain stopped.

  When Dighton thus told on: ‘We smotherèd

  The most replenishèd18 sweet work of nature,

  That from the prime creation e’er she framed.19’

  Hence both are gone20 with conscience and remorse:

  They could not speak, and so I left them both,

  To bear this tidings to the bloody22 king.

  Enter Richard

  And here he comes:—

  All health, my sovereign lord!

  RICHARD    Kind Tyrrell, am I happy in thy news?

  TYRRELL    If to have done the thing you gave in charge26

  Beget your happiness, be happy then,

  For it is done.

  RICHARD    But didst thou see them dead?

  TYRRELL    I did, my lord.

  RICHARD    And buried, gentle Tyrrell?

  TYRRELL    The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,

  But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

  RICHARD    Come to me, Tyrrell, soon and34 after supper,

  When thou shalt tell the process35 of their death.

  Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,

  And be37 inheritor of thy desire.

  Farewell till then.

  TYRRELL    I humbly take my leave.

  [Exit]

  RICHARD    The son of Clarence have I pent up close40,

  His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage41,

  The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom42,

  And Anne my wife hath bid the world good night.

  Now, for44 I know the Breton Richmond aims

  At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,

  And by that knot46 looks proudly on the crown,

  To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

  Enter Ratcliffe

  RATCLIFFE    My lord!

  RICHARD    Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?49

 

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