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THE

TRAGEDIE

of King Richard

the third.

Conteining his treacherous Plots against his
brother Clarence:the pitiful murther of his innocent
Nephewes: his tyrannicall vfurpation: with
the whole courfe of his detefted life,and most
deferued death.

As it hath beene lately Acted by the Right honourable
the Lord Chamberlaine his feruants.

8

LONDON

Printed by Thomas Creede,for Andrew Wife,
dwelling in Paules Church-yard,at the figne
of the Angell. 1598.

REPRODUCED FROM THE COPY IN THE

HENRY E. HUNTINGTON LIBRARY

N

Enter Richard Duke of Glofter,
folus.

Ow is the winter of our difcontent,

Made glorious fummer by this sonne of Yorke:
And all the cloudes that lowrd vpon our house,
In the deepe bofome of the Ocean buried.
Now are our browes bound with victorious wreathes,
Our bruised armes hung vp for monuments,
Our fterne alarums changd to merrie meetings,
Our dreadfull marches to delightfull measures.
Grim-vifagde warre,hath fmoothde his wrinkled front,
And now in ftead of mounting barbed steedes,
Tofright the foules of fearefull aduerfaries.
He capers Nimblie in a Ladies chamber,
To the lafciuious pleafing of a loue.
But I that am not hapte for sportiue trickes.
Not made to court an amorous looking glaffe,
I that am rudely stampt & want loues maiefty,
Toftrut before a wanton ambling Nymph:
I that am curtaild of this faire proportion,
Cheated of feature by diffembling nature,
Deformd,vnfinifht,fent before my time
Into this breathing world fcarce half made vp.
And that fo lamely and vnfafhionable,
That dogs barke at me as I halt by them:
Why I in this weake piping time of peace
Haue no delight to pafle away the time,
Vnleffe to fpie my fhadow in the funne,
And defcant on mine owne deformitie:
And therefore fince I cannot prooue a louer
To entertaine thele faire well spoken daies,
A 2

I am

I am determined to prooue a villaine,
And hate the idle pleafures ofthefe daies:
Plots haue I laid,inductious dangerous,
By drunken Prophefies, libels and dreames,
To let my brother Clarence and the King
In deadly hate the one against the other.
And if King Edward be as true and iuft,
As I am fubtile,falfe,and trecherous:

This day fhould Clarence clofely be mewed vp,
About a Prophecy which faies that G.

Of Edwards heires the murtherers shall be.

Diue thoughts downe to my foule,

Heere Clarence comes,

Enter Clarence wish

agard of men.

(pointed

Brother,good dayes,what meanes this armed gard

That waites vpon your grace?

Cla. His Maieftie tendering my perfons fafety hath ap

This conduct to conuey me to the tower.

Glo. Vpon what cause?

Cla. Because my name is Georget

Glo. Alacke my Lord,that fault is none of yours,
He should for that commit your Godfathers:

O belike his maieftie hath fome intent-
That you fhall be new chriftned in the tower.
But whats the matter Clarence may I know!
Cla. Yea Richard when I know; for I proteft
As yet I do not,but as I can learne,

He harkens after prophecies and dreammes,
And from the croffe-rowe pluckes the letter G:
And faies a wizard told him that by G,
His iffue difinherited fhould be.

And for my name of George begins with G,
It followes in his thought that I am he.

These as I learne and fuch like toies as these,
Haue mooued his highneffe to commit me now.

Glo. Why this it is when men are rulde by women,
Tis not the King that fends you to the tower,
My Lady Gray his wife, Clarence tis fhe,
That tempts him to this extremitie:

Was it not the and that good man of worship

Anthony

Anthony Wooduile her brother there,kwon! W
That made him fend Lord Haflings to the tower,
From whence this prefent day he is deliuered?
We are not fafe Clarence,we are not fafe.

Gla. By heauen I thinke there is no man is fecurde,
But the Queenes kindred and night walling Heralds,
That trudge betwixt the King and Mistelle Shore,
Heard ye not what an humble fappliant
Lord Haftings was to her for his deliuerie.
Glo. Humbly complaining to her deitie
Got my Lord Chamberlaine his libertic.
Ile tell you what, I thinke it is our way,
If we will keepe in fauour with the king,
To be her men and weare her liuery.
The icalous oreworne widow and her felfe,
Since that our brother dubd them gentlewomen,
Are mightie gossips in this monarchy.

Bro. I beseech your Graces both to pardon me:
His Maieftie hath straightlie given in charge,
That no man shall haue priuate conference,
Of what degree foeuer with his brother.

Glo. Euen fo and please your worship Brokenbury,
You may partake of any thing wefay:
We fpeake no treafon man,we fay the king
Is wife and vertuous,and his noble Queene
Well ftrooke in yeares,faire and not iealous.
We lay that Shores wife hath a pretie foote,

A cherry lippe,a bonny eye, a paffing pleafing tongue:
And that the Queenes kindred are made gentle folkes.
How fay you fir,can you denie all this?

Bro. With this (my Lord) my felfe haue naught to do.. Glo.Naught to do with Miftreffe Shore,I tell thee fellow, He that doth naught with her,excepting one.

Were beft he do it fecretly alone.

Bro. What one my Lord?

Glo. Her husband knaue,wouldst thou betray met

Bro. I befeech your Grace to pardon me,and withall for

Your conference with the noble Duke.

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