‘Edward’ and ‘York’, then haply278 will she weep:
Therefore present to her — as sometime279 Margaret
Did to thy father, steeped in Rutland’s blood —
A handkerchief, which, say to her, did drain
The purple282 sap from her sweet brother’s body,
And bid her wipe her weeping eyes withal.283
If this inducement move her not to love,
Send her a letter of thy noble deeds:
Tell her thou mad’st away286 her uncle Clarence,
Her uncle Rivers, ay, and, for her sake,
Mad’st quick conveyance288 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,
Unless thou couldst put on some other shape292,
And 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.296
RICHARD Look what297 is done cannot be now amended:
Men shall deal298 unadvisedly sometimes,
Which after-hours299 give leisure to repent.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
To make amends, I’ll give it to your daughter.
If I have killed the issue302 of your womb,
To quicken your increase, I will beget303
Mine issue of your blood upon304 your daughter.
A grandam’s name is little less in love
Than is the doting title of a mother;
They are as children but one step below,
Even of your mettle308, of your very blood,
Of all one309 pain, save for a night of groans
Endured of her, for whom you bid like sorrow.310
Your children were vexation to your youth,
But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
The 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 would315:
Therefore accept such kindness as I can.316
Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul
Leads 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
Familiarly322 shall call thy Dorset brother.
Again 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.
The liquid drops of tears that you have shed
Shall come again, transformed to orient328 pearl,
Advantaging their love329 with interest
Of ten times double gain of happiness.
Go then, my mother331, to thy daughter go:
Make bold332 her bashful years with your experience,
Prepare 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.
And when this arm of mine hath chastisèd
The 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 retail341 my conquest won,
And she shall be sole victoress, Caesar’s Caesar.342
QUEEN ELIZABETH What were I best to say? Her father’s brother
Would be her lord?344 Or shall I say her uncle?
Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
Under what title shall I woo for thee,
That God, the law, my honour and her love,
Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?
RICHARD Infer349 fair England’s peace by this alliance.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Which she shall purchase with still lasting war.350
RICHARD Tell her the king, that may command, entreats.
QUEEN ELIZABETH That at her hands which the king’s king352 forbids.
RICHARD Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.
QUEEN ELIZABETH To vail354 the title, as her mother doth.
RICHARD Say I will love her everlastingly.
QUEEN ELIZABETH But how long shall that title356 ‘ever’ last?
RICHARD Sweetly in force357 unto her fair life’s end.
QUEEN ELIZABETH But how long fairly358 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 But she, your subject, loathes362 such sovereignty.
RICHARD Be eloquent in363 my behalf to her.
QUEEN ELIZABETH An honest tale speeds best being plainly364 told.
RICHARD Then plainly to her tell my loving tale.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.
RICHARD Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.367
QUEEN ELIZABETH O no, my reasons are too deep368 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-strings371 break.
RICHARD Now, by my George, my garter372 and my crown—
QUEEN ELIZABETH Profaned, dishonoured and the third usurped.
RICHARD I swear—
QUEEN ELIZABETH By nothing, for this is no oath:
Thy George, profaned, hath lost his376 lordly honour;
Thy garter, blemished, pawned his knightly virtue;
Thy crown, usurped, disgraced his kingly glory.
If something thou wouldst swear to be believed,
Swear then by something that thou hast not wronged.
RICHARD Then, by myself—
QUEEN ELIZABETH Thyself is self-misused.382
RICHARD Now, by the world—
QUEEN ELIZABETH ’Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
RICHARD My father’s death—
QUEEN ELIZABETH Thy life hath it dishonoured.
RICHARD Why then, by heaven—
QUEEN ELIZABETH Heaven’s wrong is most of all.
If thou didst fear to break an oath with him389,
The unity390 the king my husband made
Thou hadst391 not broken, nor my brothers died.
If 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,
Which now, two tender bedfellows for dust,
Thy 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’erpast400,
For I myself have many tears to wash
Hereafter time402, for time past wronged by thee.
The children live whose fathers thou hast slaughtered,
Ungoverned youth, to wail it with their age404:
The parents live whose children thou hast butchered,
Old barren plants, to wail it with406 their age.
Swear not by time to come, for that thou hast
Misused ere used, by time’s ill-used repast.
RICHARD As I intend to prosper and repent,
So thrive410 I in my dangerous affairs
Of hostile arms. Myself myself confound.411
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours!
Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest.
Be opposite414 all planets of good luck
To my proceeding415 if, with dear heart’s love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely417 daughter.
In her consists my happiness and thine:
Without her, follows to myself and thee,
Herself, 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.
Therefore, dear mother — I must call you so —
Be the attorney425 of my love to her:
Plead426 what I will be, not what I have been:
Not my deserts427, but what I will deserve.
Urge the necessity and state of times.428
And be not peevish found in great designs.429
QUEEN ELIZABETH Shall I be tempted of430 the devil thus?
RICHARD Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Shall I forget myself to be myself?432
RICHARD Ay, if yourself’s remembrance wrong yourself.433
QUEEN ELIZABETH Yet thou didst kill my children.
RICHARD But in your daughter’s womb I bury them,
Where in that nest of spicery436 they will breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.437
QUEEN ELIZABETH Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
RICHARD And be a happy mother by the deed.
QUEEN ELIZABETH I go. Write to me very shortly,
And you shall understand from me her mind.441
RICHARD Bear her my true love’s kiss, and so, farewell.
Kisses her
Exit [Queen Elizabeth]
Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!—
How now, what news?
Enter Ratcliffe [with Catesby following]
RATCLIFFE Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant446 navy: to our shores
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted447 friends,
Unarmed, and unresolved to beat them back.
’Tis thought that Richmond is their449 admiral,
And there they hull450, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
RICHARD Some light-foot friend post452 to the Duke of Norfolk:
Ratcliffe, thyself, or Catesby. Where is he?
CATESBY Here, 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.
To Catesby
When thou com’st thither— Dull, unmindful458 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 O, true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight
The greatest strength and power463 that he can make,
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.464
CATESBY I go.
Exit
RATCLIFFE What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?
RICHARD Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?
RATCLIFFE Your highness told me I should post before.
RICHARD My mind is changed.—
Enter Lord Stanley [Earl of Derby]
Stanley, what news with you?
DERBY None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing,
Nor none so bad, but well472 may be reported.
RICHARD Hoyday473, a riddle: neither good nor bad.
Why need’st thou run so many miles about,
When thou mayst tell thy tale the nearest475 way?
Once more, what news?
DERBY Richmond is on the seas.
RICHARD There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-livered runagate479, what doth he there?
DERBY I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
RICHARD Well, as you guess?
DERBY Stirred up by Dorset, Buckingham and Morton,
He makes for England, here to claim the crown.
RICHARD Is the chair empty? Is the sword unswayed?484
Is the king dead? The empire unpossessed?485
What heir of York is there alive but we?
And who is England’s king but great York’s heir?
Then tell me, what makes he488 upon the seas?
DERBY Unless for that489, my liege, I cannot guess.
RICHARD Unless for that490 he comes to be your liege,
You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman491 comes.
Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear.
DERBY No, my good lord: therefore mistrust me not.
RICHARD Where is thy power494, then, to beat him back?
Where be thy tenants495 and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?
DERBY No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
RICHARD Cold499 friends to me: what do they in the north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?
DERBY They have not been commanded, mighty king.
Pleaseth502 your majesty to give me leave.
I’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.
DERBY Most mighty sovereign,
You have no cause to hold508 my friendship doubtful:
I never was nor never will be false.
RICHARD Go then and muster men, but, leave behind
Your son, George Stanley. Look511 your heart be firm,
Or else his head’s assurance512 is but frail.
DERBY So deal with him as I prove true to you.
Exit Stanley [Earl of Derby]
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertisèd515,
Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
With many more confederates, are in arms.
Enter another Messenger
SECOND MESSENGER In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are in arms,
And every hour more competitors520
Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.
Enter another Messenger
THIRD MESSENGER My lord, the army of great Buckingham—
RICHARD Out on ye, owls!523 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 waters526
Buckingham’s army is dispersed and scattered,
And he himself wandered away alone,
No man knows whither.
RICHARD I cry thee
mercy530:
Gives money
There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.
Hath any well-advisèd532 friend proclaimed
Reward 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 Marquis Dorset,
’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
But this good comfort bring I to your highness:
The 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 assistants541, yea or no,
Who answered him they came from Buckingham
Upon his party543: he, mistrusting them,
Hoised544 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.
Yet to beat down these rebels here at home
Enter Catesby
CATESBY My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken548:
That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond
Is with a mighty power landed at Milford550
Is colder551 news, but yet they must be told.
RUCGARD Away towards Salisbury! While we reason552 here,
A royal battle might be won and lost.
Someone take order Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury. The rest march on with me.
Flourish. Exeunt
[Act 4 Scene 5]
running scene 17
Enter [Stanley, Earl of] Derby and Sir Christopher
DERBY Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
That in the sty of the most deadly boar2
My son George Stanley is franked up in hold.3
If I revolt, off goes young George’s head
The 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
He should espouse8 Elizabeth her daughter.
But tell me, where is princely Richmond now?
CHRISTOPHER At Pembroke, or at Ha’rfordwest10, in Wales.
DERBY What men of name resort11 to him?
CHRISTOPHER Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier,
Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley,
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke14, Sir James Blunt,
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