Richard III

 
Buc. My haire doth stand an end to heare her curses
 
 
Riu. And so doth mine, I muse why she's at libertie
 
 
   Rich. I cannot blame her, by Gods holy mother,
She hath had too much wrong, and I repent
My part thereof, that I haue done to her
 
 
Mar. I neuer did her any to my knowledge
 
 
   Rich. Yet you haue all the vantage of her wrong:
I was too hot, to do somebody good,
That is too cold in thinking of it now:
Marry as for Clarence, he is well repayed:
He is frank'd vp to fatting for his paines,
God pardon them, that are the cause thereof
 
 
   Riu. A vertuous, and a Christian-like conclusion
To pray for them that haue done scath to vs
 
 
Rich. So do I euer, being well aduis'd.
 
 
Speakes to himselfe.
 
 
For had I curst now, I had curst my selfe.
 

Enter Catesby.

 
  Cates. Madam, his Maiesty doth call for you,
And for your Grace, and yours my gracious Lord
 
 
Qu. Catesby I come, Lords will you go with mee
 
 
Riu. We wait vpon your Grace.
 

Exeunt. all but Gloster.

 
  Rich. I do the wrong, and first begin to brawle.
The secret Mischeefes that I set abroach,
I lay vnto the greeuous charge of others.
Clarence, who I indeede haue cast in darknesse,
I do beweepe to many simple Gulles,
Namely to Derby, Hastings, Buckingham,
And tell them 'tis the Queene, and her Allies,
That stirre the King against the Duke my Brother.
Now they beleeue it, and withall whet me
To be reueng'd on Riuers, Dorset, Grey.
But then I sigh, and with a peece of Scripture,
Tell them that God bids vs do good for euill:
And thus I cloath my naked Villanie
With odde old ends, stolne forth of holy Writ,
And seeme a Saint, when most I play the deuill.
 

Enter two murtherers.

 
But soft, heere come my Executioners,
How now my hardy stout resolued Mates,
Are you now going to dispatch this thing?
  Vil. We are my Lord, and come to haue the Warrant,
That we may be admitted where he is
 
 
   Ric. Well thought vpon, I haue it heare about me:
When you haue done, repayre to Crosby place;
But sirs be sodaine in the execution,
Withall obdurate, do not heare him pleade;
For Clarence is well spoken, and perhappes
May moue your hearts to pitty, if you marke him
 
 
   Vil. Tut, tut, my Lord, we will not stand to prate,
Talkers are no good dooers, be assur'd:
We go to vse our hands, and not our tongues
 
 
   Rich. Your eyes drop Mill-stones, when Fooles eyes
fall Teares:
I like you Lads, about your businesse straight.
Go, go, dispatch
 
 
Vil. We will my Noble Lord.
 

Scena Quarta

Enter Clarence and Keeper.

 
Keep. Why lookes your Grace so heauily to day
 
 
   Cla. O, I haue past a miserable night,
So full of fearefull Dreames, of vgly sights,
That as I am a Christian faithfull man,
I would not spend another such a night
Though 'twere to buy a world of happy daies:
So full of dismall terror was the time
 
 
   Keep. What was your dream my Lord, I pray you tel me
  Cla. Me thoughts that I had broken from the Tower,
And was embark'd to crosse to Burgundy,
And in my company my Brother Glouster,
Who from my Cabin tempted me to walke,
Vpon the Hatches: There we look'd toward England,
And cited vp a thousand heauy times,
During the warres of Yorke and Lancaster
That had befalne vs. As we pac'd along
Vpon the giddy footing of the Hatches,
Me thought that Glouster stumbled, and in falling
Strooke me (that thought to stay him) ouer-boord,
Into the tumbling billowes of the maine.
O Lord, me thought what paine it was to drowne,
What dreadfull noise of water in mine eares,
What sights of vgly death within mine eyes.
Me thoughts, I saw a thousand fearfull wrackes:
A thousand men that Fishes gnaw'd vpon:
Wedges of Gold, great Anchors, heapes of Pearle,
Inestimable Stones, vnvalewed Iewels,
All scattred in the bottome of the Sea,
Some lay in dead-mens Sculles, and in the holes
Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept
(As 'twere in scorne of eyes) reflecting Gemmes,
That woo'd the slimy bottome of the deepe,
And mock'd the dead bones that lay scattred by
 
 
   Keep. Had you such leysure in the time of death
To gaze vpon these secrets of the deepe?
  Cla. Me thought I had, and often did I striue
To yeeld the Ghost: but still the enuious Flood
Stop'd in my soule, and would not let it forth
To find the empty, vast, and wand'ring ayre:
But smother'd it within my panting bulke,
Who almost burst, to belch it in the Sea
 
 
   Keep. Awak'd you not in this sore Agony?
  Clar. No, no, my Dreame was lengthen'd after life.
O then, began the Tempest to my Soule.
I past (me thought) the Melancholly Flood,
With that sowre Ferry-man which Poets write of,
Vnto the Kingdome of perpetuall Night.
The first that there did greet my Stranger-soule,
Was my great Father-in-Law, renowned Warwicke,
Who spake alowd: What scourge for Periurie,
Can this darke Monarchy affoord false Clarence?
And so he vanish'd. Then came wand'ring by,
A Shadow like an Angell, with bright hayre
Dabbel'd in blood, and he shriek'd out alowd
Clarence is come, false, fleeting, periur'd Clarence,
That stabb'd me in the field by Tewkesbury:
Seize on him Furies, take him vnto Torment.
With that (me thought) a Legion of foule Fiends
Inuiron'd me, and howled in mine eares
Such hiddeous cries, that with the very Noise,
I (trembling) wak'd, and for a season after,
Could not beleeue, but that I was in Hell,
Such terrible Impression made my Dreame
 
 
   Keep. No maruell Lord, though it affrighted you,
I am affraid (me thinkes) to heare you tell it
 
 
   Cla. Ah Keeper, Keeper, I haue done these things
(That now giue euidence against my Soule)
For Edwards sake, and see how he requits mee.
O God! if my deepe prayres cannot appease thee,
But thou wilt be aueng'd on my misdeeds,
Yet execute thy wrath in me alone:
O spare my guiltlesse Wife, and my poore children.
Keeper, I prythee sit by me a-while,
My Soule is heauy, and I faine would sleepe
 
 
   Keep. I will my Lord, God giue your Grace good rest.
 

Enter Brakenbury the Lieutenant.

 
  Bra. Sorrow breakes Seasons, and reposing houres,
Makes the Night Morning, and the Noon-tide night:
Princes haue but their Titles for their Glories,
An outward Honor, for an inward Toyle,
And for vnfelt Imaginations
They often feele a world of restlesse Cares:
So that betweene their Titles, and low Name,
There's nothing differs, but the outward fame.
 

Enter two Murtherers.

 
  1.Mur. Ho, who's heere?
  Bra. What would'st thou Fellow? And how camm'st
thou hither
 
 
   2.Mur. I would speak with Clarence, and I came hither
on my Legges
 
 
   Bra. What so breefe?
  1. 'Tis better (Sir) then to be tedious:
Let him see our Commission, and talke no more.
 
 
Reads
 
 
  Bra. I am in this, commanded to deliuer
The Noble Duke of Clarence to your hands.
I will not reason what is meant heereby,
Because I will be guiltlesse from the meaning.
There lies the Duke asleepe, and there the Keyes.
Ile to the King, and signifie to him,
That thus I haue resign'd to you my charge.
 

Enter.

 
  1 You may sir, 'tis a point of wisedome:
Far you well
 
 
2 What, shall we stab him as he sleepes
 
 
   1 No: hee'l say 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes
  2 Why he shall neuer wake, vntill the great Iudgement
day
 
 
1 Why then hee'l say, we stab'd him sleeping
 
 
2 The vrging of that word Iudgement, hath bred a kinde of remorse in me
 
 
   1 What? art thou affraid?
  2 Not to kill him, hauing a Warrant,
But to be damn'd for killing him, from the which
No Warrant can defend me
 
 
1 I thought thou had'st bin resolute
 
 
2 So I am, to let him liue
 
 
1 Ile backe to the Duke of Glouster, and tell him so
 
 
2 Nay, I prythee stay a little: I hope this passionate humor of mine, will change, It was wont to hold me but while one tels twenty
 
 
   1 How do'st thou feele thy selfe now?
  2 Some certaine dregges of conscience are yet within
mee
 
 
1 Remember our Reward, when the deed's done
 
 
2 Come, he dies: I had forgot the Reward
 
 
1 Where's thy conscience now
 
 
2 O, in the Duke of Glousters purse
 
 
   1 When hee opens his purse to giue vs our Reward,
thy Conscience flyes out
 
 
   2 'Tis no matter, let it goe: There's few or none will
entertaine it
 

1 What if it come to thee againe? 2 Ile not meddle with it, it makes a man a Coward: A man cannot steale, but it accuseth him: A man cannot Sweare, but it Checkes him: A man cannot lye with his Neighbours Wife, but it detects him. 'Tis a blushing shamefac'd spirit, that mutinies in a mans bosome: It filles a man full of Obstacles. It made me once restore a Pursse of Gold that (by chance) I found: It beggars any man that keepes it: It is turn'd out of Townes and Citties for a dangerous thing, and euery man that means to liue well, endeuours to trust to himselfe, and liue without it

 
   1 'Tis euen now at my elbow, perswading me not to
kill the Duke
 
 
   2 Take the diuell in thy minde, and beleeue him not:
He would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh
 
 
1 I am strong fram'd, he cannot preuaile with me
 

2 Spoke like a tall man, that respects thy reputation. Come, shall we fall to worke? 1 Take him on the Costard, with the hiltes of thy Sword, and then throw him into the Malmesey-Butte in the next roome

 
2 O excellent deuice; and make a sop of him
 
 
1 Soft, he wakes
 
 
2 Strike
 
 
1 No, wee'l reason with him
 
 
Cla. Where art thou Keeper? Giue me a cup of wine
 
 
2 You shall haue Wine enough my Lord anon
 
 
Cla. In Gods name, what art thou? 1 A man, as you are
 
 
Cla. But not as I am Royall
 
 
1 Nor you as we are, Loyall
 
 
Cla. Thy voice is Thunder, but thy looks are humble
 
 
1 My voice is now the Kings, my lookes mine owne
 
 
   Cla. How darkly, and how deadly dost thou speake?
Your eyes do menace me: why looke you pale?
Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?
  2 To, to, to-
  Cla. To murther me?
  Both. I, I
 
 
   Cla. You scarsely haue the hearts to tell me so,
And therefore cannot haue the hearts to do it.
Wherein my Friends haue I offended you?
  1 Offended vs you haue not, but the King
 
 
Cla. I shall be reconcil'd to him againe
 
 
2 Neuer my Lord, therefore prepare to dye
 
 
   Cla. Are you drawne forth among a world of men
To slay the innocent? What is my offence?
Where is the Euidence that doth accuse me?
What lawfull Quest haue giuen their Verdict vp
Vnto the frowning Iudge? Or who pronounc'd
The bitter sentence of poore Clarence death,
Before I be conuict by course of Law?
To threaten me with death, is most vnlawfull.
I charge you, as you hope for any goodnesse,
That you depart, and lay no hands on me:
The deed you vndertake is damnable
 
 
1 What we will do, we do vpon command
 
 
2 And he that hath commanded, is our King
 
 
   Cla. Erroneous Vassals, the great King of Kings
Hath in the Table of his Law commanded
That thou shalt do no murther. Will you then
Spurne at his Edict, and fulfill a Mans?
Take heed: for he holds Vengeance in his hand,
To hurle vpon their heads that breake his Law
 
 
   2 And that same Vengeance doth he hurle on thee,
For false Forswearing, and for murther too:
Thou did'st receiue the Sacrament, to fight
In quarrell of the House of Lancaster
 

1 And like a Traitor to the name of God, Did'st breake that Vow, and with thy treacherous blade, Vnrip'st the Bowels of thy Sou'raignes Sonne

 
2 Whom thou was't sworne to cherish and defend
 
 
   1 How canst thou vrge Gods dreadfull Law to vs,
When thou hast broke it in such deere degree?
  Cla. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deede?
For Edward, for my Brother, for his sake.
He sends you not to murther me for this:
For in that sinne, he is as deepe as I.
If God will be auenged for the deed,
O know you yet, he doth it publiquely,
Take not the quarrell from his powrefull arme:
He needs no indirect, or lawlesse course,
To cut off those that haue offended him
 
 
   1 Who made thee then a bloudy minister,
When gallant springing braue Plantagenet,
That Princely Nouice was strucke dead by thee?
  Cla. My Brothers loue, the Diuell, and my Rage
 
 
   1 Thy Brothers Loue, our Duty, and thy Faults,
Prouoke vs hither now, to slaughter thee
 
 
   Cla. If you do loue my Brother, hate not me:
I am his Brother, and I loue him well.
If you are hyr'd for meed, go backe againe,
And I will send you to my Brother Glouster:
Who shall reward you better for my life,
Then Edward will for tydings of my death
 
 
   2 You are deceiu'd,
Your Brother Glouster hates you
 
 
   Cla. Oh no, he loues me, and he holds me deere:
Go you to him from me
 
 
1 I so we will
 
 
   Cla. Tell him, when that our Princely Father Yorke,
Blest his three Sonnes with his victorious Arme,
He little thought of this diuided Friendship:
Bid Glouster thinke on this, and he will weepe
 
 
1 I Milstones, as he lessoned vs to weepe
 
 
Cla. O do not slander him, for he is kinde
 

1 Right, as Snow in Haruest: Come, you deceiue your selfe, 'Tis he that sends vs to destroy you heere

 
   Cla. It cannot be, for he bewept my Fortune,
And hugg'd me in his armes, and swore with sobs,
That he would labour my deliuery
 
 
   1 Why so he doth, when he deliuers you
From this earths thraldome, to the ioyes of heauen
 
 
2 Make peace with God, for you must die my Lord
 
 
   Cla. Haue you that holy feeling in your soules,
To counsaile me to make my peace with God,
And are you yet to your owne soules so blinde,
That you will warre with God, by murd'ring me.
O sirs consider, they that set you on
To do this deede will hate you for the deede
 
 
   2 What shall we do?
  Clar. Relent, and saue your soules:
Which of you, if you were a Princes Sonne,
Being pent from Liberty, as I am now,
If two such murtherers as your selues came to you,
Would not intreat for life, as you would begge
Were you in my distresse
 
 
1 Relent? no: 'Tis cowardly and womanish
 
 
   Cla. Not to relent, is beastly, sauage, diuellish:
My Friend, I spy some pitty in thy lookes:
O, if thine eye be not a Flatterer,
Come thou on my side, and intreate for mee,
A begging Prince, what begger pitties not
 
 
2 Looke behinde you, my Lord
 
 
1 Take that, and that, if all this will not do,
 
 
Stabs him.
 
 
Ile drowne you in the MalmeseyBut within.
 

Enter.

2 A bloody deed, and desperately dispatcht: How faine (like Pilate) would I wash my hands Of this most greeuous murther.

Enter 1.Murtherer]

1 How now? what mean'st thou that thou help'st me not? By Heauen the Duke shall know how slacke you haue beene

 
   2.Mur. I would he knew that I had sau'd his brother,
Take thou the Fee, and tell him what I say,
For I repent me that the Duke is slaine.
 

Enter.

 
  1.Mur. So do not I: go Coward as thou art.
Well, Ile go hide the body in some hole,
Till that the Duke giue order for his buriall:
And when I haue my meede, I will away,
For this will out, and then I must not stay.
 

Exit

Actus Secundus. Scoena Prima

Flourish.

Enter the King sicke, the Queene, Lord Marquesse Dorset, Riuers, Hastings, Catesby, Buckingham, Wooduill.

 
  King. Why so: now haue I done a good daies work.
You Peeres, continue this vnited League:
I, euery day expect an Embassage
From my Redeemer, to redeeme me hence.
And more to peace my soule shall part to heauen,
Since I haue made my Friends at peace on earth.
Dorset and Riuers, take each others hand,
Dissemble not your hatred, Sweare your loue
 
 
   Riu. By heauen, my soule is purg'd from grudging hate
And with my hand I seale my true hearts Loue
 
 
Hast. So thriue I, as I truly sweare the like
 
 
   King. Take heed you dally not before your King,
Lest he that is the supreme King of Kings
Confound your hidden falshood, and award
Either of you to be the others end
 
 
Hast. So prosper I, as I sweare perfect loue
 
 
   Ri. And I, as I loue Hastings with my heart,
  King. Madam, your selfe is not exempt from this:
Nor you Sonne Dorset, Buckingham nor you;
You haue bene factious one against the other.
Wife, loue Lord Hastings, let him kisse your hand,
And what you do, do it vnfeignedly
 
 
   Qu. There Hastings, I will neuer more remember
Our former hatred, so thriue I, and mine
 
 
   King. Dorset, imbrace him:
Hastings, loue Lord Marquesse
 
 
   Dor. This interchange of loue, I heere protest
Vpon my part, shall be inuiolable
 
 
Hast. And so sweare I
 
 
   King. Now Princely Buckingham, seale y this league
With thy embracements to my wiues Allies,
And make me happy in your vnity
 
 
   Buc. When euer Buckingham doth turne his hate
Vpon your Grace, but with all dutious loue,
Doth cherish you, and yours, God punish me
With hate in those where I expect most loue,
When I haue most need to imploy a Friend,
And most assured that he is a Friend,
Deepe, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he vnto me: This do I begge of heauen,
When I am cold in loue, to you, or yours.
 
 
Embrace
 
 
  King. A pleasing Cordiall, Princely Buckingham
Is this thy Vow, vnto my sickely heart:
There wanteth now our Brother Gloster heere,
To make the blessed period of this peace
 
 
   Buc. And in good time,
Heere comes Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and the Duke.
 

Enter Ratcliffe, and Gloster.

 
  Rich. Good morrow to my Soueraigne King & Queen
And Princely Peeres, a happy time of day
 
 
   King. Happy indeed, as we haue spent the day:
Gloster, we haue done deeds of Charity,
Made peace of enmity, faire loue of hate,
Betweene these swelling wrong incensed Peeres
 
 
   Rich. A blessed labour my most Soueraigne Lord:
Among this Princely heape, if any heere
By false intelligence, or wrong surmize
Hold me a Foe: If I vnwillingly, or in my rage,
Haue ought committed that is hardly borne,
To any in this presence, I desire
To reconcile me to his Friendly peace:
'Tis death to me to be at enmitie:
I hate it, and desire all good mens loue,
First Madam, I intreate true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my dutious seruice.
Of you my Noble Cosin Buckingham,
If euer any grudge were lodg'd betweene vs.
Of you and you, Lord Riuers and of Dorset,
That all without desert haue frown'd on me:
Of you Lord Wooduill, and Lord Scales of you,
Dukes, Earles, Lords, Gentlemen, indeed of all.
I do not know that Englishman aliue,
With whom my soule is any iot at oddes,
More then the Infant that is borne to night:
I thanke my God for my Humility
 
 
   Qu. A holy day shall this be kept heereafter:
I would to God all strifes were well compounded.
My Soueraigne Lord, I do beseech your Highnesse
To take our Brother Clarence to your Grace
 
 
   Rich. Why Madam, haue I offred loue for this,
To be so flowted in this Royall presence?
Who knowes not that the gentle Duke is dead?
 
 
They all start.
 
 
You do him iniurie to scorne his Coarse
 
 
   King. Who knowes not he is dead?
Who knowes he is?
  Qu. All-seeing heauen, what a world is this?
  Buc. Looke I so pale Lord Dorset, as the rest?
  Dor. I my good Lord, and no man in the presence,
But his red colour hath forsooke his cheekes
 
 
King. Is Clarence dead? The Order was reuerst
 
 
   Rich. But he (poore man) by your first order dyed,
And that a winged Mercurie did beare:
Some tardie Cripple bare the Countermand,
That came too lagge to see him buried.
God grant, that some lesse Noble, and lesse Loyall,
Neerer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood,
Deserue not worse then wretched Clarence did,
And yet go currant from Suspition.
 

Enter Earle of Derby.

 
Der. A boone my Soueraigne for my seruice done
 
 
King. I prethee peace, my soule is full of sorrow
 
 
Der. I will not rise, vnlesse your Highnes heare me
 
 
King. Then say at once, what is it thou requests
 
 
   Der. The forfeit (Soueraigne) of my seruants life,
Who slew to day a Riotous Gentleman,
Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolke
 
 
   King. Haue I a tongue to doome my Brothers death?
And shall that tongue giue pardon to a slaue?
My Brother kill'd no man, his fault was Thought,
And yet his punishment was bitter death.
Who sued to me for him? Who (in my wrath)
Kneel'd and my feet, and bid me be aduis'd?
Who spoke of Brother-hood? who spoke of loue?
Who told me how the poore soule did forsake
The mighty Warwicke, and did fight for me?
Who told me in the field at Tewkesbury,
When Oxford had me downe, he rescued me:
And said deare Brother liue, and be a King?
Who told me, when we both lay in the Field,
Frozen (almost) to death, how he did lap me
Euen in his Garments, and did giue himselfe
(All thin and naked) to the numbe cold night?
All this from my Remembrance, brutish wrath
Sinfully pluckt, and not a man of you
Had so much grace to put it in my minde.
But when your Carters, or your wayting Vassalls
Haue done a drunken Slaughter, and defac'd
The precious Image of our deere Redeemer,
You straight are on your knees for Pardon, pardon,
And I (vniustly too) must grant it you.
But for my Brother, not a man would speake,
Nor I (vngracious) speake vnto my selfe
For him poore Soule. The proudest of you all,
Haue bin beholding to him in his life:
Yet none of you, would once begge for his life.
O God! I feare thy iustice will take hold
On me, and you; and mine, and yours for this.
Come Hastings helpe me to my Closset.
Ah poore Clarence.
 

Exeunt. some with K[ing]. & Queen.

 
  Rich. This is the fruits of rashnes: Markt you not,
How that the guilty Kindred of the Queene
Look'd pale, when they did heare of Clarence death.
O! they did vrge it still vnto the King,
God will reuenge it. Come Lords will you go,
To comfort Edward with our company
 
 
Buc. We wait vpon your Grace.
 

Exeunt.