Aside
RICHARD Short summers lightly94 have a forward spring.
Enter young York. Hastings and Cardinal
BUCKINGHAM Now, in good time, here comes the Duke of York.
PRINCE EDWARD Richard of York, how fares our noble brother?
YORK Well, my dear lord, so must I call you now.
PRINCE EDWARD Ay, brother, to our grief98, as it is yours:
Too late99 he died that might have kept that title,
Which by his death hath lost much majesty.
RICHARD How fares our cousin, noble lord of York?
YORK I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,
You said that idle103 weeds are fast in growth:
The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.
RICHARD He hath, my lord.
YORK And therefore is he idle?
RICHARD O, my fair cousin. I must not say so.
YORK Then he is more beholding108 to you than I.
RICHARD He may command me as my sovereign,
But you have power in me as110 in a kinsman.
YORK I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.111
RICHARD My dagger, little cousin? With all my heart.112
PRINCE EDWARD A beggar, brother?
YORK Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,
And being but a toy115, which is no grief to give.
RICHARD A greater gift than that I'll give my cousin.
YORK A greater gift? O, that's the sword to it.117
RICHARD Ay, gentle cousin, were it light118 enough.
YORK O, then, I see, you will part but with light gifts.
In weightier things you'll say a beggar nay.120
RICHARD It is too weighty for your grace to wear.
YORK I weigh it lightly, were it122 heavier.
RICHARD What, would you have123 my weapon, little lord?
YORK I would, that I might thank you as you call me.
RICHARD How?
YORK Little.
PRINCE EDWARD My lord of York will still127 be cross in talk.
Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.
YORK You mean to bear me, not to bear with me.--
Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me,
Because that I am little, like an ape131,
He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.
Aside
BUCKINGHAM With what a sharp-provided133 wit he reasons!
To mit gate134 the scorn he gives his uncle,
He prettily135 and aptly taunts himself.
So cunning136 and so young is wonderful.
RICHARD My lord, will't please you pass along?
Myself and my good cousin Buckingham
Will to your mother, to entreat of her
To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.
YORK What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?
PRINCE EDWARD My Lord Protector will have it so.
YORK I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.
RICHARD Why, what should you fear?
YORK Marry, my uncle Clarence' angry ghost.
My grandam told me he was murdered there.
PRINCE EDWARD I fear no uncles dead.
RICHARD Nor none that live, I hope.
PRINCE EDWARD An if they live, I hope I need not fear.
But come, my lord and with a heavy heart,
Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.
A sennet.
Exeunt Prince, York, Hastings and Dorset.
Richard, Buckingham and Catesby remain
BUCKINGHAM Think you, my lord, this little prating152 York
Was not incensed153 by his subtle mother
To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?154
RICHARD No doubt, no doubt. O, 'tis a perilous155 boy:
Bold, quick, ingenious, forward156, capable.
He is all the mother's157, from the top to toe.
BUCKINGHAM Well, let them rest.158--Come hither, Catesby.
Thou art sworn as deeply159 to effect what we intend
As closely160 to conceal what we impart.
Thou know'st our reasons urged161 upon the way,
What think'st thou? Is it not an easy matter
To make William Lord Hastings of our mind163,
For the instalment of this noble duke
In the seat royal of this famous isle?
CATESBY He for his father's166 sake so loves the prince,
That he will not be won to aught167 against him.
BUCKINGHAM What think'st thou, then, of Stanley? Will not he?
CATESBY He will do all in all as Hastings doth.
BUCKINGHAM Well, then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby.
And, as it were far off171 sound thou Lord Hastings,
How he doth stand affected to172 our purpose,
And summon him tomorrow to the Tower,
To sit174 about the coronation.
If thou dost find him tractable to us,
Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons.
If he be leaden, icy-cold, unwilling,
Be thou so too, and so break off the talk,
And give us notice of his inclination,
For we tomorrow hold divided councils180,
Wherein thyself shalt highly181 be employed.
RICHARD Commend me to Lord William.182 Tell him, Catesby.
His ancient knot183 of dangerous adversaries
Tomorrow are let blood184 at Pomfret Castle,
And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,
Give Mistress Shore186 one gentle kiss the more.
BUCKINGHAM Good Catesby, go effect this business soundly.
CATESBY My good lords both, with all the heed188 I can.
RICHARD Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?
CATESBY You shall, my lord.
RICHARD At Crosby House, there shall you find us both.
Exit Catesby
BUCKINGHAM Now my lord, what shall we do if we perceive
Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?193
RICHARD Chop off his head: something we will determine:
And look when I am king, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford, and all the movables196
Whereof the king my brother was possessed.
BUCKINGHAM I'll claim that promise at your grace's hand.
RICHARD And look to have it yielded with all kindness.
Come, let us sup betimes200, that afterwards
We may digest201 our complots in some form.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 2
running scene 8
Enter a Messenger to the door of Hastings
MESSENGER My lord, my lord!
Within
HASTINGS Who knocks?
MESSENGER One from the lord Stanley.
Within
HASTINGS What is't o'clock?
MESSENGER Upon the stroke of four.
Enter Lord Hastings
HASTINGS Cannot my lord Stanley sleep these tedious6 nights?
MESSENGER So it appears by that I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble self.
HASTINGS What then?
MESSENGER Then certifies your lordship that this night
He dreamt the boar11 had razed off his helm.
Besides, he says there are two councils kept,
And that may be determined13 at the one
Which may make you and him to rue14 at th'other:
Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure15,
If you will presently16 take horse with him,
And with all speed post17 with him toward the north,
To shun the danger that his soul divines.
HASTINGS Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord,
Bid him not fear the separated council:
His honour21 and myself are at the one,
And at the other is my good friend Catesby,
Where nothing can proc
eed that toucheth23 us
Where of I shall not have intelligence.24
Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance.25
And for his dreams, I wonder he's so simple
To trust the mock'ry27 of unquiet slumbers.
To fly28 the boar before the boar pursues,
Were29 to incense the boar to follow us
And make pursuit where he did mean30 no chase.
Go, bicithy master rise and come to me
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where he shall see the boar will use33 us kindly.
MESSENGER I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
Exit
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 It is a reeling world, indeed, my lord,
And I believe will never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland40 of the realm.
HASTINGS How? Wear the garland? Dost thou mean the crown?
CATESBY Ay, my good lord.
HASTINGS I'll have this crown43 of mine cut from my shoulders
Before I'll see the crown so foul44 misplaced.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
CATESBY Ay, on my life, and hopes to find you forward46
Upon his party for the gain thereof:
And 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,
Because they have been still my adversaries.
But that I'll give my voice on Richard's side
To bar my master's54 heirs in true descent,
God knows I will not do it, to the death.
CATESBY God keep your lordship in that gracious mind.
HASTINGS But I shall laugh at this a twelvemonth hence,
That they58 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 'T'is a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepared and look not for it.
HASTINGS O, monstrous64, monstrous! And so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey: and so 'twill do
With some men else, that think themselves as safe
As thou and I -- who, as thou know'st, are dear
To princely Richard and to Buckingham.
CATESBY The princes both make high account69 of you.--
Aside
For they account70 his head upon the bridge.
HASTINGS I know they do, and I have well deserved it.
Enter Lord Stanley [Earl of Derby]
To Derby
Come on, come on, where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?73
DERBY My lord, good morrow.--Good morrow, Catesby.
You may jest on, but, by the holy rood75,
I do not like these several76 councils, I.
HASTINGS My lord, I hold my life as dear as yours,
And never in my days, I do protest78,
Was it so precious to me as 'tis now.
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant81 as I am?
DERBY The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from London,
Were jocund83 and supposed their states were sure,
And they indeed had no cause to mistrust84:
But yet you see how soon the day o'ercast.
This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt86:
Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward.
What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.88
HASTINGS Come, come, have with you.89 Wot you what, my lord?
Today the lords you talk of are beheaded.
LORD DERBY They, for their truth91, might better wear their heads
Than some that have accused them wear their hats.92
But come, my lord, let's away.
Enter a Pursuivant
HASTINGS Go on before94: I'll talk with this good fellow.--
Exeunt Derby and Catesby
How now, sirrah?95 How goes the world with thee?
PURSUIVANT The better that your lordship please to ask.
HASTINGS I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now
Than when thou met'st me last where now we meet:
Then was I going prisoner to the Tower,
By the suggestion100 of the queen's allies.
But now, I tell thee -- keep it to thyself --
This day those enemies are put to death,
And I in better state103 than e'er I was.
PURSUIVANT God hold104 it to your honour's good content.
HASTINGS Gramercy105, fellow. There, drink that for me.
Throws him his purse
PURSUIVANT I thank your honour.
Exit
Enter a Priest
PRIEST Well met, my lord. I am glad to see your honour.
HASTINGS I thank thee, good Sir108 John, with all my heart.
I am in your debt for your last exercise109:
Whispers in his ear
Come the next Sabbath, and I will content110 you.
PRIEST I'll wait upon your lordship.
Enter Buckingham
BUCKINGHAM What, talking with a priest, Lord Chamberlain?
Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest:
Your honour hath no shriving work114 in hand.
HASTINGS Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
The men you talk of came into my mind.
What, go you toward the Tower?
BUCKINGHAM I do, my lord, but long I cannot stay there.
I shall return before your lordship thence.119
HASTINGS Nay, like enough, for I stay120 dinner there.
Aside
BUCKINGHAM And supper too, although thou know'st it not.--
Come, will you go?
HASTINGS I'll wait upon your lordship.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 3
running scene 9
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 God bless the prince from all the pack of you.
A knot5 you are of damned blood-suckers!
VAUGHAN You live that shall cry woe for this hereafter.
RATCLIFFE Dispatch.7 The limit of your lives is out.
RIVERS O Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison!
Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
Within the guilty closure10 of thy walls
Richard the Second here was hacked to death.
And, for more slander to thy dismal seat12,
We give to thee our guiltless blood to drink.
GREY Now Margaret's curse is fall'n upon our heads,
When she exclaimed on Hastings, you and I15,
For standing by when Richard stabbed her son.
RIVERS Then cursed she Richard, then cursed she Buckingham,
Then cursed she Hastings. O, remember, God,
To hear her prayer for them, as now for us:
And for20 my sister and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know'st, unjustly must be spilt.
RATCLIFFE Make haste: the hour of death is expiate.23
RIVERS Come, Grey, come, Vaughan, let us here embrace.
Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 4
runnin
g scene 10
Enter Buckingham, Derby, Hastings, Bishop of Ely, Norfolk, Ratcliffe, Lovell, with others. [They take their seats] at a table
HASTINGS Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met
Is to determine of2 the coronation.
In God's name speak: when is the royal day?
BUCKINGHAM Is all things ready for the royal time?
DERBY It is, and wants but nomination.5
BISHOP OF ELY Tomorrow, then, I judge a happy6 day.
BUCKINGHAM Who knows the Lord Protector's mind herein?
Who is most inward8 with the noble duke?
BISHOP OF ELY Your grace, we think, should soonest know his mind.9
BUCKINGHAM We know each other's faces: for10 our hearts,
He knows no more of mine, than I of yours,
Or I of his, my lord, than you of mine.--
Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.13
HASTINGS I thank his grace, I know he loves me well.
But, for his purpose in the coronation,
I have not sounded16 him, nor he delivered
His gracious pleasure any way therein:
But you, my honourable lords, may name the time,
And in19 the duke's behalf I'll give my voice,
Which I presume he'll take in gentle part.20
Enter [Richard of] Gloucester
BISHOP OF ELY In happy time, here comes the duke himself.
RICHARD My noble lords and cousins22 all, good morrow.
I have been long a sleeper: but I trust
My absence doth neglect24 no great design
Which by my presence might have been concluded.
BUCKINGHAM Had you not come upon your cue, my lord,
William Lord Hastings had pronounced your part27 --
I mean your voice -- for crowning of the king.
RICHARD Than my lord Hastings no man might be bolder29:
His lordship knows me well, and loves me well.--
My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn,
I saw good strawberries in your garden there:
I do beseech you send for some of them.
BISHOP OF ELY Marry, and will, my lord, with all my heart.
Exit Bishop
RICHARD Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.
They speak
aside
Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business,
And finds the testy gentleman so hot37 aside
That he will lose his head38 ere give consent
His master's child, as worshipfully39 he terms it,
Shall lose the royalty of England's throne.
BUCKINGHAM Withdraw yourself a while. I'll go with you.
Exeunt [Richard and Buckingham]
DERBY We have not yet set down42 this day of triumph.
Tomorrow, in my judgement, is too sudden,
For I myself am not so well provided44
As else I would be, were the day prolonged.45
Enter the Bishop of Ely
BISHOP OF ELY Where is my lord, the Duke of Gloucester?
I have sent for these strawberries.
HASTINGS His grace looks cheerfully and smooth48 this morning:
Richard III (Modern Library Classics) Page 8
