Q. Eliz. Kind sister, thanks: we 'll enter all together:-

And, in good time, here the lieutenant comes.

Enter BRAKENBURY, from the Tower. Master lieutenant, pray you, by your leave, How doth the prince, and my young son of York?

Brak. Right well, dear madam. By your patience, 2

I may not suffer you to visit them;
The king hath strictly charg'd the contrary.
Q. Eliz. The king! who's that?
Brak.

I mean the lord protector. Q. Eliz. The Lord protect him from that kingly title!

20

Anne. Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother:

241

Then bring me to their sights; I'll bear thy blame,

And take thy office from thee, on my peril. Brak. No, madam, no,-I may not leave it so: I'm bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. [Exit. Enter STANLEY.

Stan. Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour

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.
Q. Eliz. Ah, cut my lace asunder,
That my pent heart may have some scope to
beat,

Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news!
Anne. Despiteful tidings! Ounpleasing news!
Dor. Be of good cheer:- mother, how fares,
your grace?

Q. Eliz. O Dorset, speak not to me, get thee hence!

39

Death and destruction dog thee at the heels;
Thy mother's name is ominous to children.
If thou wilt outstrip death, go, cross the seas,
And live with Richmond, from3 the reach of
hell:

Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughter-house,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead;
And make me die the thrall of Margaret's

curse,

Nor mother, wife, nor England's counted queen. Stan. 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 son5 50
In your behalf, to meet you on the way:
Be not ta'en tardy by unwise delay.

Duch. O ill-dispersing wind of misery!—

3 From, out of. 4 Thrall, victim (literally, “slave") 5 Son, stepson (i.e. Richmond).

Ill-dispersing wind, i.e. wind that scatters evil abroad.

That Edward still should live! "True, noble prince!"

Cousin, thou wert not wont to be so dull:Shall I be plain?-I wish the bastards dead; And I would have it suddenly perform'd. 19 What say'st thou now? speak suddenly, be brief.

Buck. Your grace may do your pleasure.

K. Rich. Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes:

Say, have I thy consent that they shall die? Buck. Give me some breath, some little pause, my lord,

Before I positively speak herein:

I will resolve1 your grace immediately. [Exit. Cate. [Aside to another] The king is angry; see, he gnaws his lip.

K. Rich. I will converse with iron-witted fools [Descends from his throne. And unrespective boys: none are for me That look into me with considerate eyes:- 30 High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.

Boy!

Page. My lord?

K. Rich. Know'st thou not any whom corrupting gold

Would tempt unto a close exploit of death? Page. I know a discontented gentleman,

3 The touch, i.e. the touchstone.

+ Resolve, satisfy, answer.

5 Unrespective, careless, unthinking. Close exploit, secret deed.

Whose humble means match not his haughty

mind:

Gold were as good as twenty orators,

And will, no doubt, tempt him to any thing.
K. Rich. What is his name?
Page.

His name, my lord, is Tyrrel. 40 K. Rich. I partly know the man: go call him hither. [Exit Page.

The deep-revolving witty1 Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels:
Hath he so long held out with me untir'd,
And stops he now for breath?—well, be it so.
Enter STANLEY.

How now! what news with you?
Stan.
My lord, I hear
The Marquess Dorset 's fled beyond the seas
To Richmond, in those parts where he abides.
K. Rich. Come hither, Catesby. [Stanley
retires.-Rumour it abroad

49

K. Rich. 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 upon:-Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.

Tyr. Let me have open means to come to them,

And soon I'll rid you from the fear of them. K. Rich. Thou sing'st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel:

Go, by this token:-rise, and lend thine ear: [Whispers.

There is no more but so:-say it is done, And I will love thee, and prefer thee for it. Tyr. I will dispatch it straight.

Re-enter BUCKINGHAM.

79

[Exit.

K. Rich. Because that, like a Jack, thou keep'st the stroke

Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.
I am not in the giving vein to-day.

Buck. Why, then resolve1 me whether you will or no.

K. Rich. Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein. [Exeunt all except Buckingham. Buck. Is it even so? rewards he my true service

With such contempt? made I him king for this? O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone 120 To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!

[Exit.

SCENE III. Another room in the palace.

Enter TYRREL.

Tyr. The tyrannous and bloody act is done,

The most arch2 deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn
To do this ruthless piece of butchery,
Albeit they were flesh'd villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their death's sad
story.

1 Resolve, answer, satisfy. 2 Arch, chief, out-and-out. 3 Melted, i.e. overcome.