THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

KING RICHARD THE THIRD.

Glos.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-The Entrance to the Tower.

Enter Gloster.

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by the sun of York;
And all the clouds that lower'd on our house,
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

;

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,-
He capers, nimbly, in a lady's chamber,
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

But I—that am not shaped for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;
I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty,
To strut, before a wanton, ambling nymph;
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
B

And that so lamely, and unfashionable,
That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;
Why I, in this weak,, piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time;
Unless to spy my shadow in the sun,
And descant on mine own deformity.
Then, since this earth affords no joy to me,
But to command, to check, to o'erbear such
As are of better person than myself,

I'll make my heaven to dream upon the crown;
And, whiles I live, to account this world but hell,
Until my mis-shaped trunk, that bears this head,
Be round impaled with a glorious crown.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the king.
In deadly hatred one against the other:
And if king Edward be as true and just,
As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,

This day should Clarence closely be mewed up;
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence comes.

Enter Brakenbury with Clarence, guarded.

Brother, good day: What means this armed guard,
That waits upon your grace?

Clar. His majesty,

Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed

This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

Glos. Upon what cause, dear Clarence? May I know? Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I protest,

As yet I do not: but, as I can learn,

He hearkens after prophecies and dreams.

These, I am told, and such like toys as these,

Have moved his highness to commit me now.

Glos. Why, this it is, when men are ruled by women :--

"Tis not the king, that sends you to the Tower;

My lady Grey, his wife, Clarence, 'tis she,

That tempers him to this extremity.

Was it not she, and that good man of worship,
Antony Woodeville, her brother there,

That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower;

From whence this present day he is delivered?
We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe.

Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man secure,
But the queen's kindred, and night-walking heralds
That trudge between the king and mistress Shore.
Heard you not, what an humble suppliant
Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery?

Glos. I'll tell you what :-I think, it is our way,
If we will keep in favour with the king,
To be her men, and wear her livery:
The jealous o'erworn widow, and herself,

Since that our brother dubbed them gentlewomen,
Are mighty gossips in this monarchy.

Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me;

His majesty hath straitly given in charge,

That no man shall have conference with his brother.
Glos. Even so! An' please your worship, Brakenbury,

You may partake of any thing we say :

We speak no treason, man: -We say, the king
Is wise and virtuous; and his noble queen
Well struck in years, fair, and not jealous :-
We say, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot,
A cherry lip,-

A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue;
And the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks;
How say you, sir? Can you deny all this?

Brak. With this, my lord, myself hath nought to do.
Glos. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell thee,

fellow,

He that doth naught with her, excepting one,

Were best to do it secretly, alone.

Brak. What one, my lord?

Glos. Her husband, knave:-Would'st thou betray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear such conference with the noble duke.

Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glos. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey.Brother, farewell :--I will unto the king; And, whatsoever you will employ me in,Were it to call king Edward's widow,—sister,I will perform it to enfranchise you.

Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood
Touches me deeper than you can imagine.
Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well.
Glos. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long:
I will deliver you, or else lie for

Meantime, have patience.

you.

Clar. I must perforce. Farewell.

(Exeunt Clarence, Brakenbury, and guards.

Glos. Go, tread the path thou never shalt return,
Simple, plain Clarence! I do love thee so,
That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,
If heaven will take the present at our hands.
I have no brother, I am like no brother-
And this word, love, which greybeards call divine,
Be resident in men like one another,

And not in me-I am myself alone.

King Henry, and the prince, his son, are gone:
Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest;
Counting myself but bad, till I be best;

But who comes here? the new-delivered Hastings!

Enter Lord Hastings.

Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glos. As much unto my good Lord Chamberlain ! Well are you welcome to this open air.

How hath your lordship brooked imprisonment.

Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must : But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks,

That were the cause of my imprisonment ?

Glost. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too,

For they, that were your enemies, are his.

What news abroad?

Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home;— The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy,

And his physicians fear him mightily.

Glost. Now, by St. Paul, this news is bad indeed !—

What! is he in his bed!

Hast. He is.

Glost. Go you before, and I will follow you.

(Erit Hastings.)

He cannot live, I hope, and must not die,
Till George be packed with post-horse up to heaven.
I'll in and urge his hatred more against him;
And if I fail not in my deep intent,

Clarence hath not another day to live;

Which done, heaven take king Edward to its mercy,
And leave the world for me to bustle in!

But hold-I run before horse to market :-
my

Clarence still breathes ;-Edward still lives, and reigns:
When they are gone, then shall I count my gains.-(Erit.)
SCENE II.-A Room in the Palace.

Enter Queen Elizabeth, Lords Rivers and Grey.

Riv. Have patience, madam; there is no doubt his majesty

Will soon recover his accustomed health.

Queen E. If he were dead, what would betide of me? Riv. The heavens have blest you with a goodly son, To be your comforter, when he is gone.

Queen E. Ah, he is young, and his minority

Is put into the trust of Richard Gloster;

A man that loves not me, nor none of you.

Riv. Is it concluded he shall be protector?

Queen E. Aye, so it must be, if the king shall die.

Enter the Duke of Buckingham.

Riv. Here comes the duke of Buckingham.

Queen E. How did you leave the king, my gentle lord? Buck. Madam, good hope: his grace speaks cheerfully; And piously desires to make atonement

Between the duke of Gloster and your brothers,

And between them and my lord Chamberlain;
And sent to warn them to his royal presence.

Queen E. Would all were well! but that will never be;

I fear our happiness is at the height.

Enter Marquis of Dorset, Gloster, and Hastings. Glos. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it; Who are they, that complain unto the King,