To the Queen
Your widow-dolour likewise be65 unwept.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Give me no help in lamentation,
I am not barren to bring forth complaints.67
All springs reduce68 their currents to mine eyes,
That I, being governed by the watery moon69,
May 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 OF YORK Alas for both, both mine, Edward and Clarence!
QUEEN ELIZABETH What stay74 had I but Edward? And he's gone.
CHILDREN What stay had we but Clarence? And he's gone.
DUCHESS OF YORK What stays had I but they? And they are gone.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Was never widow had so dear77 a loss.
CHILDREN Were never orphans had so dear a loss!
DUCHESS OF YORK Was never mother had so dear a loss.
Alas, I am the mother of these griefs!
Their woes are parcelled, mine is general.81
She for an Edward weeps, and so do I:
I for a Clarence weep, so doth not she:
These babes for Clarence weep, and so do I:
I for an Edward weep, so do not they.
Alas, you three, on me, threefold distressed,
Pour all your tears! I am your sorrow's nurse87,
And I will pamper88 it with lamentation.
To the Queen
DORSET Comfort, dear mother. God is much displeased
That you take with unthankfulness, his doing.
In common worldly things, 'tis called ungrateful,
With dull92 unwillingness to repay a debt
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent,
Much more to be thus opposite94 with heaven,
For it requires95 the royal debt it lent you.
RIVERS Madam, bethink you, like a careful96 mother
Of the young prince your son: send straight for him
Let him be crowned. In him your comfort lives.
Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward's grave
And plant your joys in living Edward's throne.
Enter Richard, Buckingham, [Stanley, Earl of] Derby, Hastings and Ratcliffe
To the Queen
RICHARD Sister, have comfort. All of us have cause
To wail the dimming of our shining star,
But none can help our harms by wailing them.--
Madam, my mother, I do cry you mercy104:
I did not see your grace. Humbly on my knee
Kneels
I crave your blessing.
DUCHESS OF YORK God bless thee, and put meekness107 in thy breast,
Love, charity, obedience and true duty.
|Richard rises|
Aside
RICHARD Amen.--And make me die a good old man.
That is the butt-end110 of a mother's blessing;
I marvel that her grace111 did leave it out.
BUCKINGHAM You cloudy112 princes and heart-sorrowing peers,
That bear this heavy mutual load of moan113,
Now 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.
The broken rancour117 of your high-swoll'n hates,
But lately splintered118, knit, and joined together,
Must gently be preserved, cherished, and kept.119
Meseemeth good, that, with some little train120,
Forthwith121 from Ludlow the young prince be fet
Hither to London, to be crowned our king.
RIVERS Why with some little train, my lord of Buckingham?
BUCKINGHAM Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude124,
The new-healed wound of malice should break out,
Which would be so much the more dangerous
By how much the estate127 is green and yet ungoverned.
Where every horse bears his commanding rein128,
And may direct his course as please himself,
As well the fear of harm, as harm apparent130,
In my opinion, ought to be prevented.
RICHARD I hope the king made peace with132 all of us,
And the compact133 is firm and true in me.
RIVERS And so in me, and so, I think, in all.
Yet since it is but green135, it should be put
To no apparent136 likelihood of breach,
Which haply137 by much company might be urged:
Therefore I say with noble Buckingham,
That it is meet139 so few should fetch the prince.
HASTINGS And so say I.
RICHARD Then be it so, and go we to determine
Who they shall be that straight shall post142 to Ludlow.
Madam, and you my sister, will you go
To give your censures144 in this business?
Exeunt. Buckingham and Richard remain
BUCKINGHAM My lord, whoever journeys to the prince,
For God's sake, let not us two stay at home.
For by147 the way I'll sort occasion,
As index148 to the story we late talked of,
To part the queen's proud kindred from the prince.
RICHARD My other self, my counsel's150 consistory,
My oracle, my prophet, my dear cousin,
I, as a child, will go by thy direction.152
Towards Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.
Exeunt
Act 2 Scene 3
running scene 5
Enter one Citizen at one door, and another at the other
FIRST CITIZEN Good morrow, neighbour. Whither away so fast?
SECOND CITIZEN I promise you, I scarcely know myself.
Hear you the news abroad?3
FIRST CITIZEN Yes, that the king is dead.
SECOND CITIZEN Ill news, by'r lady5, seldom comes the better:
I fear, I fear 'twill prove a giddy6 world.
Enter another Citizen
THIRD CITIZEN Neighbours, God speed.7
FIRST CITIZEN Give you good morrow8, sir.
THIRD CITIZEN Doth the news hold9 of good King Edward's death?
SECOND CITIZEN Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while.10
THIRD CITIZEN Then, masters11, look to see a troublous world.
FIRST CITIZEN No, no. By God's good grace his son shall reign.
THIRD CITIZEN Woe to that land that's governed by a child.
SECOND CITIZEN In him there is a hope of government,
Which in his nonage15, council under him,
And in his full and ripened years, himself,
No doubt shall then, and till then govern well.
FIRST CITIZEN So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
Was crowned in Paris but at nine months old.
THIRD CITIZEN Stood the state so?20 No, no, good friends, God wot,
For then this land was famously enriched
With politic grave counsel22; then the king
Had virtuous uncles to protect23 his grace.
FIRST CITIZEN Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.
THIRD CITIZEN Better it were they all came by his father,
Or by his father there were none at all.
For emulation27, who shall now be nearest,
Will touch us all too near28, if God prevent not.
O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,
And the queen's sons and brothers haught30 and proud:
And were they to be ruled, and not to rule,
This sickly land might solace32 as before.
FIRST CITIZEN Come, come, we fear the worst. All will be well.
THIRD CITIZEN When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks;
When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
When the sun sets, who doth not look for36 night?
Untimely storms makes men expect a dearth.37
Al
l may be well; but, if God sort38 it so,
'Tis more than we deserve or I expect.
SECOND CITIZEN Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.
You cannot reason almost41 with a man
That looks not heavily42 and full of dread.
THIRD CITIZEN Before the days of change, still43 is it so.
By a divine instinct men's minds mistrust44
Pursuing danger. As by proof45, we see
The water swell before a boist'rous46 storm.
But leave it all to God. Whither away?47
SECOND CITIZEN Marry, we were sent for to the justices.48
THIRD CITIZEN And so was I. I'll bear you company.
Exeunt
Act 2 Scene 4
running scene 6
Enter [the] Archbishop, young York, the Queen and the Duchess
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Last night, I heard, they lay at Stony Stratford1
And as Northampton2 they do rest tonight.
Tomorrow, or next day, they will be here.
DUCHESS OF WORK I long with all my heart to see the prince.
I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear, no. They say my son of York
Has almost overta'en him in his growth.
YORK Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.
DUCHESS OF YORK Why, my good cousin9, it is good to grow.
YORK Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talked how I did grow
More than my brother. 'Ay', quoth my uncle Gloucester,
'Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace.13'
And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,
Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.
DUCHESS OF YORK Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold16
In him that did object the same17 to thee.
He was the wretched'st thing when he was young,
So long a-growing and so leisurely,
That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.
DUCHESS OF YORK I hope he is, but yet let mothers doubt.
YORK Now, by my troth23, if I had been remembered,
I could have given my uncle's grace a flout24,
To touch his growth nearer than he touched mine.25
DUCHESS OF YORK How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.
YORK Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast
That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old.28
'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
Grandam, this would have been a biting30 jest.
DUCHESS OF YORK I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?
YORK Grandam, his nurse.
DUCHESS OF YORK His nurse? Why, she was dead ere thou wast born.
YORK If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
QUEEN ELIZABETH A parlous35 boy. Go to, you are too shrewd.
DUCHESS OF YORK Good madam, be not angry with the child.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Pitchers have ears.37
Enter a Messenger
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK Here comes a messenger. What news?
MESSENGER Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.
QUEEN ELIZABETH How doth the prince?
MESSENGER Well, madam, and in health.
DUCHESS OF YORK What is thy news?
MESSENGER Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret43,
And with them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
DUCHESS OF YORK Who hath committed them?
MESSENGER The mighty dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK For what offence?
MESSENGER The sum of all I can48, I have disclosed.
Why 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.51
The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind52,
Insulting53 tyranny begins to jut
Upon the innocent and aweless throne.54
Welcome, destruction, blood and massacre.
I see, as in a map56, the end of all.
DUCHESS OF YORK Accursed and unquiet wrangling day?,
How many of you have mine eyes beheld?
My 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.
And being seated62, and domestic broils
Clean overblown63, themselves the conquerors,
Make war upon themselves, brother to brother,
Blood to blood, self against self. O, preposterous65
And frantic outrage66, end thy damned spleen,
Or let me die, to look on earth no more!
To young York
QUEEN ELIZABETH Come, come, my boy, we will to sanctuary.68--
To the Duchess
Madam, farewell.
DUCHESS OF YORK Stay, I will go with you.
QUEEN ELIZABETH You have no cause.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK My gracious lady, go,
And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
The seal75 I keep: and so betide to me
As well I tender you and all of yours!
Go, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 1
running scene 7
The trumpets sound. Enter young Prince [Edward], the Dukes of Gloucester [Richard] and Buckingham, Lord Cardinal with others
BUCKINGHAM Welcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.1
RICHARD Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts' sovereign.2
The weary way hath made you melancholy.
PRINCE EDWARD No, uncle, but our crosses4 on the way
Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy.5
I want6 more uncles here to welcome me.
RICHARD Sweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years
Hath not yet dived into the world's deceit.
No more can you distinguish of a man
Than of his outward show, which -- God he knows --
Seldom or never jumpeth11 with the heart.
Those uncles which you want were dangerous:
Your grace attended13 to their sugared words,
But looked not on the poison of their hearts.
God keep you from them, and from such false friends.
PRINCE EDWARD God keep me from false friends, but they were none.
RICHARD My lord, the Mayor of London comes to greet you.
Enter Lord Mayor
LORD MAYOR God bless your grace with health and happy days.
PRINCE EDWARD I thank you, good my lord, and thank you all.--
I thought my mother, and my brother York,
Would long ere21 this have met us on the way.
Fie, what a slug22 is Hastings, that he comes not
To tell us whether they will come or no.
Enter Lord Hastings
BUCKINGHAM And, in good time, here comes the sweating lord.
PRINCE EDWARD Welcome, my lord. What, will our mother come?
HASTINGS On what occasion26, God he knows, not I,
The queen your mother, and your brother York,
Have taken sanctuary. The tender28 prince
Would fain29 have come with me to meet your grace,
But by his mother was perforce30 withheld.
BUCKINGHAM Fie, what an indirect31 and peevish course
Is this of hers?-- Lord Cardinal, will your grace
Persuade the queen to send the Duke of York
Unto his princely brother presently?34--
If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him,
And from her jealous36 arms pluck him perforce.
CARDINAL My lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory37
Can from his mother win the D
uke of York,
Anon39 expect him here. But if she be obdurate
To mild entreaties, God forbid
We should infringe the holy privilege
Of blessed sanctuary. Not for all this land
Would I be guilty of so great a sin.
BUCKINGHAM You are too senseless44 obstinate, my lord,
Too ceremonious and traditional.
Weigh it but with46 the grossness of this age,
You break not sanctuary in seizing him.
The benefit48 thereof is always granted
To those whose dealings49 have deserved the place,
And those who have the wit50 to claim the place:
This prince hath neither claimed it nor deserved it,
And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it.
Then, taking him from thence that is not there53,
You break no privilege nor charter54 there.
Oft have I heard of sanctuary men,
But sanctuary children ne'er till now.
CARDINAL My lord, you shall o'er-rule my mind for once.--
Come on, Lord Hastings, will you go with me?
HASTINGS I go, my lord.
Exeunt Cardinal and Hastings
PRINCE EDWARD Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may.--
Say, uncle Gloucester, if our brother come,
Where shall we sojourn62 till our coronation?
RICHARD Where it think'st best unto your royal self.
If I may counsel you, some day or two
Your highness shall repose you at the Tower65:
Then where you please, and shall be thought most fit
For your best health and recreation.
PRINCE EDWARD I do not like the Tower, of any place.68--
To Buckingham
Did Julius Caesar build that place, my lord?
BUCKINGHAM He did, my gracious lord, begin that place,
Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified.71
PRINCE EDWARD Is it upon record?72 Or else reported
Successively from age to age, he built it?
BUCKINGHAM Upon record, my gracious lord.
PRINCE EDWARD But say, my lord, it were not registered75,
Methinks the truth should live from age to age,
As 'twere retailed77 to all posterity,
Even to the general ending day.78
Aside
RICHARD So wise so young, they say, do never live long.79
PRINCE EDWARD What say you, uncle?
RICHARD I say, without characters81, fame lives long.--
Aside
Thus, like the formal Vice82, Iniquity,
I moralize83 two meanings in one word.
PRINCE EDWARD That Julius Caesar was a famous man.
With what his valour did enrich his wit85,
His wit set down to make his valour live.
Death makes no conquest of his conqueror87,
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.
I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham--
BUCKINGHAM What, my gracious lord?
PRINCE EDWARD An if91 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 III (Modern Library Classics) Page 7
