THE TRAGEDY OF RICHARD THE THIRD:
with the Landing of Earle Richmond, and the Battell at Bosworth Field.
[London. A street.]
Enter Richard Duke of Gloster, solus.
OW is the Winter of our Discontent,
Made glorious Summer by this Son of Yorke:
And all the clouds that lowr'd upon our house
In the deepe bosome of the Ocean buried.
Now are our browes bound with Victorious Wreathes,
Our bruised armes hung up for Monuments;
Our sterne Alarums chang'd to merry Meetings;
Our dreadfull Marches, to delightfull Measures.
Grim-visag'd Warre, hath smooth'd his wrinkled Front:
And now, in stead of mounting Barbed Steeds,
To fright the Soules of fearfull Adversaries,
He capers nimbly in a Ladies Chamber,
To the lascivious pleasing of a Lute.
But I, that am not shap'd for sportive trickes,
Nor made to court an amorous Looking-glasse:
I, that am Rudely stampt, and want loves Majesty,
To strut before a wonton ambling Nymph:
I, that am curtail'd of this faire Proportion,
Cheated of Feature by dissembling Nature,
Deform'd, un-finish'd, sent before my time
Into this breathing World, scarse halfe made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable,
That dogges barke at me, as I halt by them.
Why I (in this weake piping time of Peace)
Have no delight to passe away the time,
Unlesse to see my Shadow in the Sunne,
And descant on mine owne Deformity.
And therefore, since I cannot prove a Lover,
To entertaine these faire well spoken dayes,
I am determined to prove a Villaine,
And hate the idle pleasures of these dayes.
Plots have I laide, Inductions dangerous,
By drunken Prophesies, Libels, and Dreames,
To set my Brother Clarence and the King
In deadly hate, the 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 mew'd up: 40 About a Prophesie, which sayes that G,
Of Edwards heyres the murtherer shall be.
Dive thoughts downe to my soule, here Clarence comes.
Enter Clarence, and Brakenbury, guarded.
Brother, good day: What meanes this armed guard
That waites upon your Grace?
Cla. His Majesty tendring my persons safety,
Hath appointed this Conduct, to convey me to th' Tower Rich. Upon what cause?
Cla. Because my name is George.
Rich. Alacke my Lord, that fault is none of yours: He should for that commit your Godfathers.
O belike, his Majesty hath some intent,
That you should be new Christned in the Tower.
But what's the matter Clarence, may I know?
Cla. Yea Richard, when I know: but I protest
As
yet I do not: But as I can learne,
He hearkens after Prophesies and Dreames,
And from the Crosse-row pluckes the letter G:
And sayes, a Wizard told him, that by G,
His issue disinherited should be.
And for my name of George begins with G,
It followes in his thought, that I am he.
These (as I learne) and such like toyes as these,
Hath moov'd his Highnesse to commit me now.
Rich. Why this it is, when men are rul'd by Women: 'Tis not the King that sends you to the Tower, My Lady Grey his Wife, Clarence 'tis shee. That tempts him to this harsh Extremity.
Was it not shee, and that good man of Worship, 70 Anthony Woodeulle 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.
Cla. By heaven, I thinke there is no man secure
46-8. 3 11. ending Majesty, appointed, Tower-POPE:
54. should: shall-29. 56. but: for-Q2. 65. Hath: Have-Q0.4F. 69. tempts.. barsh: tempers, barsh out-1Q.
71. Woodeulle: Woodville-2-4F.Q2.
75. there is no man secure: there's no man is secure-CAPELL.
But the Queenes Kindred, and night-walking Heralds,
That trudge betwixt the King, and Mistris Shore.
Heard you not what an humble Suppliant
Lord Hastings was, for her delivery?
Rich. Humbly complaining to her Deitie,
Got my Lord Chamberlaine his libertie.
Ile tell you what, I thinke it is our way,
If we will keepe in favour with the King,
To be her men, and weare her Livery.
The jealous ore-worne Widdow, and her selfe,
Since that our Brother dub'd them Gentlewomen,
Are mighty Gossips in our Monarchy.
Bra. I beseech your Graces both to pardon me,
His Majesty hath straightly given in charge,
That no man shall have private Conference
(Of what degree soever) with your Brother.
Rich. Even so, and please your Worship Brakenbury,
You may partake of any thing we say:
We speake no Treason man; We say the King
Is wise and vertuous, and his Noble Queene
Well strooke in yeares, faire, and not jealious.
We say, that Shores Wife hath a pretty Foot,
A cherry Lip, a bonny Eye, a passing pleasing tongue:
And that the Queenes Kindred are made gentle Folkes.
How say you sir? can you deny all this?
Bra. With this (my Lord) my selfe have nought to doo.
Rich. Naught to do with Mistris Shore?
I tell thee Fellow, he that doth naught with her
(Excepting one) were best to do it secretly alone.
78. you: ye-1-6Q.
87. our: this-Q2.
79. for ber delivery: to her for his-Qq. 91. your: his-Qe.
92. and: an't-POPE. 103-6. 3 11. ending fellow, one, lord-Qg. 105. to do: he do-1-6Q.
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