PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING EDWARD THE FOURTH. EDWARD, Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward V. RICHARD, Duke of York. GEORGE, Duke of Clarence. Sons to the King. RICHARD, Duke of Gloster, afterwards Brothers to the King. King Richard III. A young Son of Clarence. HENRY, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. CARDINAL BOUCHIER, Archbishop of Canterbury. THOMAS ROTHERAM, Archbishop of York. JOHN MORTON, Bishop of Ely. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Norfolk: Earl of Surrey, his Son. EARL RIVERS, Brother to King Edward's Queen. Marquis of Dorset, and LORD GREY, her Sons. Earl of Oxford. LORD HASTINGS. LORD STANLEY. LORD LOVEL SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN. SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF. SIR WILLIAM CATESBY. SIR JAMES TYRREL. SIR JAMES BLOUNT. SIR WALTER HERBERT. SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of The Tower. Lord Mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire. ELIZABETH, Queen of King Edward IV. MARGARET, Widow of King Henry VI. Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV., Clarence, and Gloster. LADY ANNE, Widow of Edward, Prince of Wales, Son to King Henry VI.; afterwards married to the Duke of Gloster. A young Daughter of Clarence. Lords, and other Attendants, two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c. SCENE. England. KING RICHARD THE THIRD. ACT I. SCENE I. London. A Street. Enter GLOSTER. Gloster. Now is the winter of our discontent Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths; To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. But I,- that am not shaped for sportive tricks, And, therefore, since I cannot prove a lover, To entertain these fair, well-spoken days,- Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be. Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence comes. Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day. What means this armed guard, That waits upon your grace? Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed Clar. Because my name is-George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He should, for that, commit your godfathers. O, belike, his majesty hath some intent, That you shall be new christened in the Tower. And, for my name of George begins with G, These, as I learn, and such like toys as these, Have moved his highness to commit me now. Glo. 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, That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower; Clar. By Heaven, I think there is no man secure, Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me; Glo. Even so? An please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say. We speak no treason, man.-We say, the king Well struck in years; fair, and not jealous. A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue; And that the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks. Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. Brak. What one, my lord? Glo. Her husband, knave.-Would'st thou betray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. I will deliver you, or else lie for you. Clar. I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er 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. But who comes here? the new-delivered Hastings? Enter HASTINGS. Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glo. 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. Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too; For they, that were your enemies, are his, And have prevailed as much on him, as you. Hast. More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Glo. 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. Glo. Now, by saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O, he hath kept an evil diet long, And over-much consumed his royal person; 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed? Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [Exit HASTINGS. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die Till George be packed with post-horse up to heaven. Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy, |