K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. Q. Eliz, To wail the title, as her mother doth, K. Rich. Say, I will love her everlastingly. Q. Eliz. But how long shall that title, ever, last? K. Rich, Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end. 2. Eliz. But how long fairly shall her sweet life last? K.Rich. As long as heaven, and nature, lengthens it. Q. Eliz. As long as hell, and Richard, likes of it. K. Rich. Say, I, her sov❜reign, am her subject low. 2. Eliz. But, she, your subject, loaths such sov'reignty. K. Rich. Be eloquent in my behalf to her. 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. K. Rick. Harp not on that string, madam; that is past. Q. Elix. Harp on it still shall I, till heart-strings break. K. Rick. Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown, Q. Elix, 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 wouldst swear to be believ'd, Swear then by something, that thou hast not wrong'd. K. Rich. Now by the world, Q. Elix. Thy life hath that dishonour'd. K. Rich. Then, by myself,- Thyself is self-misus'd. K. Rich. Why then, by God, Q. Eliz. God's wrong is most of all. If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him, 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'er past; For I myself have many tears to wash Hereafter time, for time past, wrong'd by thee. Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their age: 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! Plead what I will be, not what I have been ; 2. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? Q. Eliz. But thou didst kill my children. K.Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them: Where, in that nest of spicery, they shall breed Selves of themselves, to your recomforture. Q.Elix. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will? K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed. Q. Eliz. I go.-Write to me very shortly, And you shall understand from me her mind. K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so farewell. [Kissing her. Exit Q. Elizabeth. Relenting fool, and shallow, changing-woman! How now? what news? Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following. Rat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, Ratcliff, thyself,-or Catesby; where is he? 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's pleasure, What from your grace I shall deliver to him. The greatest strength and power he can make, Cate. I go. [Exit. Rat. What, may it please you, shall I do at K. Rich. Why, what wouldst thou do there, be- Rat. Your highness told me, I should post before. Enter STANLEY. K. Rich. My mind is chang'd.-Stanley, what news with you? Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing; Nor none so bad, but well may be reported. K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad! What need'st thou run so many miles about, When thou mayst tell thy tale the nearest way? Once more, what news? Stan. Richmond is on the seas. K. Rich. There let him sink, and be the seas on him! White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there? Stan. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess. K. Rich. Well, as you guess? Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton, He makes for England, here to claim the crown. K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway'd? Is the king dead? the empire unpossess❜d? Stan. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess. K. Rich. Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes. Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear. Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not. K. Rich. Where is thy power then, to beat him back? Where be thy tenants, and thy followers? K. Rich. Cold friends to me: What do they in When they should serve their sovereign in the west ? Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty king: Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave, I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace, Where, and what time, your majesty shall please. K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond: I will not trust you, sir. Stan. Most mighty sovereign, You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; I never was, nor never will be false. K. Rich. Well, go, muster men. But, hear you, leave behind Your son, George Stanley: look your heart be firm, Or else his head's assurance is but frail. Stan. So deal with him, as I prove true to you. [Exit Stanley. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire, As I by friends am well advertised, Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate, With many more confederates, are in arms. Enter another Messenger. 2 Mess. In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are in arms; And every hour more competitors Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong. Enter another Messenger. 3 Mess. My lord, the army of great BuckinghamK. Rich. Out on ye, owls! nothing but songs of death? [He strikes him. There, take thou that, till thou bring better news. 3 Mess. The news I have to tell your majesty, Is, that, by sudden floods and fall of waters, Buckingham's army is dispers'd and scatter'd; And he himself wander'd away alone, No man knows whither. K. Rich. O, I cry you mercy: There is my purse, to cure that blow of thine. Hath any well-advised friend proclaim'd Reward to him, that brings the traitor in? 3 Mess. Such proclamation hath been made, my liege. Enter another Messenger. 4 Mess. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord Marquis Dorset, 'Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms. Who answer'd him, they came from Buckingham |