William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (109 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Cousin of Buckingham, and sage, grave men,
Since you will buckle fortune on my back,
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 sequel of your imposition,
Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me
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.
Since you will buckle fortune on my back,
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 sequel of your imposition,
Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me
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 GLOUCESTER
In saying so, you shall but say the truth.
BUCKINGHAM
Then I salute you with this royal title:
Long live kind Richard, England’s worthy king!
Long live kind Richard, England’s worthy king!
⌈ALL BUT RICHARD⌉ Amen.
BUCKINGHAM
Tomorrow may it please you to be crowned?
RICHARD GLOUCESTER
Even 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.
And so, most joyfully, we take our leave.
RICHARD GLOUCESTER (
to the bishops
)
to the bishops
)
Come, let us to our holy work again.—
Farewell, my cousin. Farewell, gentle friends.
Farewell, my cousin. Farewell, gentle friends.
Exeunt Richard and bishops above, the rest below
4.1Enter Queen Elizabeth, the old Duchess of York, and Marquis Dorset at one door; Lady Anne (Duchess of Gloucester) with Clarence’s daughter at another door
DUCHESS OF YORK
Who meets us here? My niece 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 tender Prince.—
Daughter, well met.
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 tender Prince.—
Daughter, well met.
LADY ANNE
God give your graces both 5
A happy and a joyful time of day.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
As much to you, good sister. Whither away?
LADY ANNE
No farther than the Tower, and—as I guess—
Upon the like devotion as yourselves:
To gratulate the gentle princes there.
Upon the like devotion as yourselves:
To gratulate the gentle princes there.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Kind sister, thanks. We’ll enter all together—
And in good time, here the Lieutenant comes.
Master Lieutenant, pray you by your leave,
How doth the Prince, and my young son of York?
Enter from the Tower ⌈Brackenbury⌉ the Lieutenant
Master Lieutenant, pray you by your leave,
How doth the Prince, and my young son of York?
BRACKENBURY
Right well, dear madam. By your patience,
I may not suffer you to visit them.
The King hath strictly charged the contrary.
I may not suffer 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 bounds between their love and me?
I am their mother; who shall bar me from them?
Hath he set bounds 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.
LADY ANNE
Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother;
Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame,
And take thy office from thee on my peril.
Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame,
And take thy office 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
I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. Exit
Enter Lord Stanley Earl of Derby
STANLEY
Let me but meet you ladies one hour hence,
And I’ll salute your grace of York as mother
And reverend looker-on of two fair queens.
(
To Anne
) Come, madam, you must straight to
Westminster,
There to be crowned Richard’s royal queen.
And I’ll salute your grace of York as mother
And reverend looker-on of two fair queens.
(
To Anne
) Come, madam, you must straight to
Westminster,
There to be crowned Richard’s royal queen.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Ah, cut my lace asunder, that my pent heart
May have some scope to beat, or else I swoon
With this dead-killing news.
May have some scope to beat, or else I swoon
With this dead-killing news.
LADY ANNE
Despiteful tidings! O unpleasing news!
DORSET (
to Anne
)
to Anne
)
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 from the reach of hell.
Go, hie thee! Hie thee from this slaughterhouse,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead,
And make me die the thrall of Margaret’s curses:
‘Nor mother, wife, nor counted England’s Queen’.
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 from the reach of hell.
Go, hie thee! Hie thee from this slaughterhouse,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead,
And make me die the thrall of Margaret’s curses:
‘Nor mother, wife, nor counted England’s Queen’.
STANLEY
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 son
In your behalf, to meet you on the way.
Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay.
(To Dorset) Take all the swift advantage of the hours.
You shall have letters from me to my son
In your behalf, to meet you on the way.
Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay.
DUCHESS OF YORK
O ill-dispersing wind of misery!
O my accursed womb, the bed of death!
A cockatrice hast thou hatched to the world,
Whose unavoided eye is murderous.
O my accursed womb, the bed of death!
A cockatrice hast thou hatched to the world,
Whose unavoided eye is murderous.
STANLEY (
to Anne)
to Anne)
Come, madam, come. I in all haste was sent.
LADY ANNE
And I in all unwillingness will go.
O would to God that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal that must round my brow
Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brains.
Anointed let me be with deadly venom,
And die ere men can say ‘God save the Queen’.
O would to God that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal that must round my brow
Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brains.
Anointed 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.
To feed my humour, wish thyself no harm.
LADY 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 husband
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 old a widow,
And when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;
And be thy wife—if any be so mad—
More miserable made 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
Grossly 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 timorous dreams was still awaked.
Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick,
And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.
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 husband
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 old a widow,
And when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;
And be thy wife—if any be so mad—
More miserable made 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
Grossly 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 timorous dreams was still awaked.
Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick,
And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Poor heart, adieu. I pity thy complaining.
LADY ANNE
No more than with my soul I mourn for yours.
DORSET
Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory.
LADY ANNE
Adieu, poor soul, that tak’st thy leave of it.
DUCHESS OF YORK
Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee.
⌈
Exit Dorset
⌉
Exit Dorset
⌉
Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee.
⌈
Exeunt Anne, Stanley,
and Clarence’s
daughter
⌉
Go thou to sanctuary, and good thoughts possess thee.
⌈
Exit Elizabeth
⌉
Exit Elizabeth
⌉
I to my grave, where peace and rest lie with me.
Eighty odd years of sorrow have I seen,
And each hour’s joy racked with a week of teen.
Eighty odd years of sorrow have I seen,
And each hour’s joy racked with a week of teen.
⌈Exit⌉
4.2Sound a sennet. Enter King Richard in pomp, the Duke of Buckingham, Sir William Catesby, ⌈other nobles⌉, and a Page
KING RICHARD
Stand all apart.—Cousin of Buckingham.
BUCKINGHAM My gracious sovereign?
KING RICHARD Give me thy hand.
Sound ⌈a sennet⌉. Here Richard ascendeth the throne
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?
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 for ever let them last.
KING RICHARD
Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch,
To try if thou be current gold indeed.
Young Edward lives. Think now what I would speak.
To try if thou be current gold indeed.
Young Edward lives. Think now what I would speak.
BUCKINGHAM Say on, my loving lord.
KING RICHARD
Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king.
BUCKINGHAM
Why, so you are, my thrice-renownèd liege.
KING RICHARD
Ha? Am I king? ‘Tis so. But Edward lives.
BUCKINGHAM
True, noble prince.
KING RICHARD
O bitter consequence,
That Edward still should live ‘true noble prince’.
Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.
Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead,
And I would have it immediately performed.
What sayst thou now? Speak suddenly, be brief.
Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull.
Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead,
And I would have it immediately performed.
What sayst thou now? Speak suddenly, be brief.
BUCKINGHAM Your grace may do your pleasure.
KING RICHARD
Tut, tut, thou art all ice. Thy kindness freezes.
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
BUCKINGHAM
Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord,
Before I positively speak in this.
I will resolve you herein presently.
Exit
Before I positively speak in this.
I will resolve you herein presently.
Exit
CATESBY (
to another, aside
)
to another, aside
)
The King is angry. See, he gnaws his lip.
KING RICHARD
(aside)
(aside)
I will converse with iron-witted fools
And unrespective boys. None are for me
That look into me with considerate eyes.
High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.—
Boy.
And unrespective boys. None are for me
That look into me with considerate eyes.
High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.—
Boy.
PAGE My lord?
KING RICHARD
Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold
Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?
Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?
PAGE
I know a discontented gentleman
Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit.
Gold were as good as twenty orators,
And will no doubt tempt him to anything.
Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit.
Gold were as good as twenty orators,
And will no doubt tempt him to anything.
KING RICHARD
What is his name?
PAGE
His name, my lord, is Tyrrell.
KING RICHARD
I partly know the man. Go call him hither, boy.
Exit Page
⌈
Aside
⌉ The deep-revolving, witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels.
Hath he so long held out with me untired,
And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.
How now, Lord Stanley? What’s the news?
Aside
⌉ The deep-revolving, witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels.
Hath he so long held out with me untired,
And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.
Enter Lord Stanley Earl of Derby
STANLEY Know, my loving lord,
The Marquis Dorset, as I hear, is fled
To Richmond, in those parts beyond the seas
Where he abides.
To Richmond, in those parts beyond the seas
Where he abides.
KING RICHARD
Come hither, Catesby.
(Aside to Catesby)
Rumour it abroad
That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick.
I will take order for her keeping close.
Enquire me out some mean-born gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter.
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.
Look how thou dream’st. I say again, give out
That Anne, my queen, is sick, and like to die.
About it, for it stands me much upon
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
(Aside to Catesby)
Rumour it abroad
That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick.
I will take order for her keeping close.
Enquire me out some mean-born gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter.
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.
Look how thou dream’st. I say again, give out
That Anne, my queen, is sick, and like to die.
About it, for it stands me much upon
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
⌈
Exit Catesby
⌉
Exit Catesby
⌉
(
Aside
) I must be married to my brother’s daughter,
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 on sin.
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.—
Is thy name Tyrrell?
Aside
) I must be married to my brother’s daughter,
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 on sin.
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.—
Enter Sir James Tyrrell;
⌈
he kneels
⌉
TYRRELL
James Tyrrell, and your most obedient subject.
KING RICHARD
Art thou indeed?
TYRRELL
Prove me, my gracious lord.
KING RICHARD
Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
TYRRELL
Please you, but I had rather kill two enemies.
KING RICHARD
Why there thou hast it: two deep enemies,
Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers,
Are they that I would have thee deal upon.
Tyrrell, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers,
Are they that I would have thee deal upon.
Tyrrell, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
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