To whom I will retail my conquest won,
And she shall be sole victress, Caesar’s Caesar.
Queen Elizabeth
What were I best to say? her father’s brother
Would be her lord? 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?
King Richard III
Infer fair England’s peace by this alliance.
Queen Elizabeth
Which she shall purchase with still lasting war.
King Richard III
Say that the king, which may command, entreats.
Queen Elizabeth
That at her hands which the king’s King forbids.
King Richard III
Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen.
Queen Elizabeth
To wail the tide, as her mother doth.
King Richard III
Say, I will love her everlastingly.
Queen Elizabeth
But how long shall that title ‘ever’ last?
King Richard III
Sweetly in force unto her fair life’s end.
Queen Elizabeth
But how long fairly shall her sweet lie last?
King Richard III
So long as heaven and nature lengthens it.
Queen Elizabeth
So long as hell and Richard likes of it.
King Richard III
Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject love.
Queen Elizabeth
But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.
King Richard III
Be eloquent in my behalf to her.
Queen Elizabeth
An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.
King Richard III
Then in plain terms tell her my loving tale.
Queen Elizabeth
Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.
King Richard III
Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.
Queen Elizabeth
O no, my reasons are too deep and dead;
Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their grave.
King Richard III
Harp not on that string, madam; that is past.
Queen Elizabeth
Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break.
King Richard III
Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,—
Queen Elizabeth
Profaned, dishonour’d, and the third usurp’d.
King Richard III
I swear —
Queen Elizabeth
By nothing; for this is no oath:
The George, profaned, hath lost his holy honour;
The garter, blemish’d, pawn’d his knightly virtue;
The crown, usurp’d, disgraced his kingly glory.
If something thou wilt swear to be believed,
Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong’d.
King Richard III
Now, by the world —
Queen Elizabeth
’Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
King Richard III
My father’s death —
Queen Elizabeth
Thy life hath that dishonour’d.
King Richard III
Then, by myself —
Queen Elizabeth
Thyself thyself misusest.
King Richard III
Why then, by God —
Queen Elizabeth
God’s wrong is most of all.
If thou hadst fear’d to break an oath by Him,
The unity the king thy brother made
Had not been broken, nor my brother slain:
If thou hadst fear’d to break an oath by Him,
The imperial metal, circling now thy brow,
Had graced the tender temples of my child,
And both the princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender playfellows to dust,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?
King Richard III
The time to come.
Queen Elizabeth
That thou hast wronged in the time o’erpast;
For I myself have many tears to wash
Hereafter time, for time past wrong’d by thee.
The children live, whose parents thou hast slaughter’d,
Ungovern’d youth, to wail it in their age;
The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher’d,
Old wither’d plants, to wail it with their age.
Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast
Misused ere used, by time misused o’erpast.
King Richard III
As I intend to prosper and repent,
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt
Of hostile arms! myself myself confound!
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours!
Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest!
Be opposite all planets of good luck
To my proceedings, if, with pure heart’s love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter!
In her consists my happiness and thine;
Without her, follows to this land and me,
To thee, herself, 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, good mother,— I must can you so —
Be the attorney of my love to her:
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve:
Urge the necessity and state of times,
And be not peevish-fond in great designs.
Queen Elizabeth
Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
King Richard III
Ay, if the devil tempt thee to do good.
Queen Elizabeth
Shall I forget myself to be myself?
King Richard III
Ay, if yourself’s remembrance wrong yourself.
Queen Elizabeth
But thou didst kill my children.
King Richard III
But in your daughter’s womb I bury them:
Where in that nest of spicery they shall breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.
Queen Elizabeth
Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
King Richard III
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.
King Richard III
Bear her my true love’s kiss; and so, farewell.
Exit Queen Elizabeth
Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!
Enter Ratcliff; Catesby following
How now! what news?
Ratcliff
My gracious sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm’d, and unresolved to beat them back:
’Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
King Richard III
Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of Norfolk:
Ratcliff, thyself, or Catesby; where is he?
Catesby
Here, my lord.
King Richard III
Fly to the duke:
To Ratcliff
Post thou to Salisbury
When thou comest thither —
To Catesby
>
Dull, unmindful villain,
Why stand’st thou still, and go’st not to the duke?
Catesby
First, mighty sovereign, let me know your mind,
What from your grace I shall deliver to him.
King Richard III
O, true, good Catesby: bid him levy straight
The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me presently at Salisbury.
Catesby
I go.
Exit
Ratcliff
What is’t your highness’ pleasure I shall do at
Salisbury?
King Richard III
Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?
Ratcliff
Your highness told me I should post before.
King Richard III
My mind is changed, sir, my mind is changed.
Enter Stanley
How now, what news with you?
Stanley
None good, my lord, to please you with the hearing;
Nor none so bad, but it may well be told.
King Richard III
Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!
Why dost thou run so many mile about,
When thou mayst tell thy tale a nearer way?
Once more, what news?
Stanley
Richmond is on the seas.
King Richard III
There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver’d runagate, what doth he there?
Stanley
I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
King Richard III
Well, sir, as you guess, as you guess?
Stanley
Stirr’d up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Ely,
He makes for England, there to claim the crown.
King Richard III
Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway’d?
Is the king dead? the empire unpossess’d?
What heir of York is there alive but we?
And who is England’s king but great York’s heir?
Then, tell me, what doth he upon the sea?
Stanley
Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.
King Richard III
Unless for that he comes to be your liege,
You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.
Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear.
Stanley
No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not.
King Richard III
Where is thy power, then, to beat him back?
Where are thy tenants and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore.
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships!
Stanley
No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
King Richard III
Cold friends to Richard: what do they in the north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?
Stanley
They have not been commanded, mighty sovereign:
Please it your majesty to give me leave,
I’ll muster up my friends, and meet your grace
Where and what time your majesty shall please.
King Richard III
Ay, ay. thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond:
I will not trust you, sir.
Stanley
Most mighty sovereign,
You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful:
I never was nor never will be false.
King Richard III
Well,
Go muster men; but, hear you, leave behind
Your son, George Stanley: look your faith be firm.
Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.
Stanley
So deal with him as I prove true to you.
Exit
Enter a Messenger
Messenger
My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertised,
Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate
Bishop of Exeter, his brother there,
With many more confederates, are in arms.
Enter another Messenger
Second Messenger
My liege, in Kent the Guildfords are in arms;
And every hour more competitors
Flock to their aid, and still their power increaseth.
Enter another Messenger
Third Messenger
My lord, the army of the Duke of Buckingham —
King Richard III
Out on you, owls! nothing but songs of death?
He striketh him
Take that, until thou bring me better news.
Third Messenger
The news I have to tell your majesty
Is, that by sudden floods and fall of waters,
Buckingham’s army is dispersed and scatter’d;
And he himself wander’d away alone,
No man knows whither.
King Richard III
I cry thee mercy:
There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.
Hath any well-advised friend proclaim’d
Reward to him that brings the traitor in?
Third Messenger
Such proclamation hath been made, my liege.
Enter another Messenger
Fourth Messenger
Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis Dorset,
’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
Yet this good comfort bring I to your grace,
The Breton navy is dispersed by tempest:
Richmond, in Yorkshire, sent out a boat
Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks
If they were his assistants, yea or no;
Who answer’d him, they came from Buckingham.
Upon his party: he, mistrusting them,
Hoisted sail and made away for Brittany.
King Richard III
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.
Re-enter Catesby
Catesby
My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken;
That is the best news: that the Earl of Richmond
Is with a mighty power landed at Milford,
Is colder tidings, yet they must be told.
King Richard III
Away towards Salisbury! while we reason here,
A royal battle might be won and lost
Some one take order Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury; the rest march on with me.
Flourish. Exeunt
SCENE V. LORD DERBY’S HOUSE.
Enter Derby and Sir Christopher Urswick
Derby
Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
That in the sty of this most bloody boar
My son George Stanley is frank’d up in hold:
If I revolt, off goes young George’s head;
The fear of that withholds my present aid.
But, tell me, where is princely Richmond now?
Christopher
At Pembroke, or at Harford-west, in Wales.
Derby
What men of name resort to him?
Christopher
Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier;
Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley;
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,
And Rice ap Thomas with a valiant crew;
And many more of noble fame and worth:
And towards London they do bend their course,
If by the way they be not fought withal.
Derby
Return unto thy lord; commend me to him:
Tell him the queen hath heartily consented
He shall espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
These letters will resolve him of my mind. Farewell.
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Exeunt
ACT V
SCENE I. SALISBURY. AN OPEN PLACE.
Enter the Sheriff, and Buckingham, with halberds, led to execution
Buckingham
Will not King Richard let me speak with him?
Sheriff
No, my good lord; therefore be patient.
Buckingham
Hastings, and Edward’s children, Rivers, Grey,
Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward,
Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
By underhand corrupted foul injustice,
If that your moody discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
This is All-Souls’ day, fellows, is it not?
Sheriff
It is, my lord.
Buckingham
Why, then All-Souls’ day is my body’s doomsday.
This is the day that, in King Edward’s time,
I wish’t might fall on me, when I was found
False to his children or his wife’s allies
This is the day wherein I wish’d to fall
By the false faith of him I trusted most;
This, this All-Souls’ day to my fearful soul
Is the determined respite of my wrongs:
That high All-Seer that I dallied with
Hath turn’d my feigned prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I begg’d in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points on their masters’ bosoms:
Now Margaret’s curse is fallen upon my head;
‘When he,’ quoth she, ‘shall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.’
Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame;
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.
Exeunt
SCENE II. THE CAMP NEAR TAMWORTH.
Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert, and others, with drum and colours
Richmond
Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we march’d on without impediment;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoil’d your summer fields and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough
In your embowell’d bosoms, this foul swine
Lies now even in the centre of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn
From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march.
In God’s name, cheerly on, courageous friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
Oxford
Every man’s conscience is a thousand swords,
To fight against that bloody homicide.
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