Or bitterly to speak in your reproof
Best firteth my degree or your condition.142
If not to answer, you might haply143 think
Tongue-tied ambition, not replying, yielded144
To bear the golden yoke of sovereignty,
Which fondly146 you would here impose on me.
If to reprove you for this suit of yours,
So seasoned with your faithful love to me,
Then on the other side I checked149 my friends.
Therefore, to speak, and to avoid the first,
And then, in speaking, not to incur the last,
Definitively thus I answer you:
Your love deserves my thanks, but my desert153
Unmeritable shuns your high request.
First, if all obstacles were cut away155,
And that my path were even156 to the crown,
As the ripe revenue157 and due of birth,
Yet so much is my poverty of spirit,
So mighty and so many my defects,
That I would rather hide me from my greatness160 --
Being a bark to brook161 no mighty sea --
Than in my greatness covet to be hid162,
And in the vapour163 of my glory smothered.
But, God be thanked, there is no need of me,
And much I need165 to help you, were there need.
The royal tree166 hath left us royal fruit,
Which, mellowed by the stealing167 hours of time,
Will well become the seat168 of majesty,
And make, no doubt, us happy by his reign.
On him I lay that170 you would lay on me,
The right and fortune of his happy171 stars,
Which God defend that I should wring172 from him!
BUCKINGHAM My lord, this argues173 conscience in your grace,
But the respects thereof are nice174 and trivial,
All circumstances well considered.
You say that Edward is your brother's son:
So say we too, but not by Edward's wife,
For first was he contract to Lady Lucy --178
Your mother lives a witness to his vow --
And afterward by substitute180 betrothed
To Bona, sister181 to the King of France.
These both put off, a poor petitioner182,
A care-crazed183 mother to a many sons,
A beauty-waning and distressed widow,
Even in the afternoon of her best days,
Made prize and purchase of his wanton186 eye,
Seduced the pitch187 and height of his degree
To base declension and loathed bigamy.188
By her, in his unlawful bed, he got
This Edward, whom our manners190 call the prince.
More bitterly could I expostulate191,
Save that, for reverence to some alive192,
I give a sparing193 limit to my tongue.
Then, good my lord, take to your royal self
This proffered benefit of dignity195:
If not to bless us and the land withal,
Yet to draw forth your noble ancestry
From the corruption of abusing times,
Unto a lineal true-derived199 course.
To Richard
MAYOR Do, good my lord: your citizens entreat you.
BUCKINGHAM Refuse not, mighty lord, this proffered love.
CATESBY O, make them joyful, grant their lawful suit!
RICHARD Alas, why would you heap this care203 on me?
I am unfit for state and majesty.
I do beseech you, take it not amiss:
I cannot nor I will not yield to you.
BUCKINGHAM If you refuse it -- as, in love and zeal207,
Loath to depose the child, your brother's son,
As well we know your tenderness of heart
And gentle, kind, effeminate210 remorse,
Which we have noted in you to your kindred
And equally indeed to all estates212 --
Yet know, whe'er you accept our suit or no,
Your brother's son shall never reign our king,
But we will plant some other in the throne
To the disgrace and downfall of your house:
And in this resolution here we leave you.--
Come citizens, we will entreat no more.
Exeunt [Buckingham with Citizens]
CATESBY Call him again, sweet prince. Accept their suit.
If you deny them all the land will rue it.
RICHARD Will you enforce me to a world of cares?
Call them again. I am not made of stones,
But penetrable to your kind entreaties,
Albeit against my conscience and my soul.
Enter Buckingham and the rest
Cousin of Buckingham, and sage, grave men,
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]
r />
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 crowned 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 accursed 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,
Rough 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-renowned 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 promised 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