A grandam's name is little less in love, 3 The loss, you have, is but a son being king, The king, that calls your beauteous daughter, — wife, 3 bid like sorrow.] Bid is in the past tense from bide. To whom I will retail my conquest won," 4 And she shall be sole victress, Cæsar's Cæsar. Q. Eliz. What were I best to say? her father's brother Would be her lord? Or shall I say, her uncle? That God, the law, my honour, and her love, K. Rich. Infer fair England's peace by this alliance. war. K. Rich. Tell her, the king, that may command, en treats. Q. Eliz. That at her hands, which the king's King forbids. 5 K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. Q. Eliz. But how long shall that title, ever, last? Q. Eliz. An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told. K. Rich. Then, in plain terms tell her my loving tale. Q. Eliz. Plain, and not honest, is too harsh a style. K. Rich. Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. Q. Eliz. O, no, my reasons are too deep and dead;Too deep, and dead, poor infants, in their graves. + To whom I will retail my conquest won,] To retail is to hand down from one to another. Richard, in the present instance, means to say he will transmit the benefit of his victories to Elizabeth. 5 —which the king's King forbids.] Alluding to the prohibition in the Levitical law. K. Rich. Harp not on that string, madam; that is past. Q. Eliz. Harp on it still shall I, till heart-strings break. K. Rich. Now, by my George, my garter, and my Q. Eliz. Profan'd, dishonour'd, and the third usurp❜d. K. Rich. I swear. Q. Eliz. By nothing for this is no oath. Thy George, profan'd, hath lost his holy honour; Thy garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue; Thy crown, usurp'd, disgrac'd his kingly glory: If something thou would'st swear to be believ'd, Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong'd. K. Rich. Now by the world, Q. Eliz. 'Tis full of thy foul wrongs. K. Rich. My father's death, — Thy life hath that dishonour'd. K. Rich. Then, by myself, Thyself is self-mis-us'd. K. Rich. Why then, by God, † Had not been broken, nor my brother slain. K. Rich. By the time to come. Q. Eliz. 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, The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher'd, K. Rich. As I intend to prosper, and repent! To my proceeding, if, with pure heart's love, I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! It cannot be avoided, but by this; Plead what I will be, not what I have been; Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? K. Rich. Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong yourself. Q. Eliz. But thou didst kill my children. K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them: Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will ? Q. Eliz. I go.-Write to me very shortly, And K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so farewell. [Kissing her. Exit. Q. ELIZABETH. Relenting fool, and shallow, changing — woman! " Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following. Rat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, K. Rich. Some light-foot friend post to the duke of Ratcliff, thyself, -or Catesby; where is he? Cate. Here, my good lord. K. Rich. Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. I will, my lord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither: Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither, - Dull, unmindful villain, [TO CATESBY. Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke? Cate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, What from your grace I shall deliver to him. 6 K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby;- Bid him levy straight changing - woman Such was the real character of this queen dowager, who would have married her daughter to king Richard, and did all in her power to alienate the marquis of Dorset, her son, from the earl of Richmond. 7 Some light-foot friend, &c.] Richard's precipitation and confusion is in this scene very happily represented by inconsistent orders, and sudden variations of opinion. JOHNSON. |