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LIFE AND DEATH

OF

KING RICHARD III.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

IN this very popular tragedy, there is another specimen of historical jumble, and poetical license. The secund scene commences with the funeral of Henry VI. who is said to have been murdered in May, 1471, whilst the imprisonment of Clarence, which did not take place till 1478, is represented in the first. Thus the real length of time comprised in this drama, (dating from the former event) is fourteen years; as it concludes with the death of Richard, at Bosworth Field, in August, 1485. With respect to Richard's character, though greetly blackened by Lancasterian historians, he was certainly one of the most odious tyrants that ever obtained possession of a throne. Yet it appears from some accounts still preserved in the Exchequer, that King Henry lived twenty-two days after the time assigned for his pretended assassination; that his body lay in state at St. Paul's, and that it was afterwards interred at Chertsey, with much solemnity. Shakspeare has made the usurper deformed in figure, as well as in mind; though popular detestation had probably aggravated the traditionary story of his bodily defects. In this drama, the events appear admirably connected with, and consequential to, each other: the characters and incidents are natural; the sentiment and language free from bombast. But Malone and Dr. Johnson consider it as popular beyond its merits; with "some parts trifling, others shocking, and some improbable:" whilst Stevens maintains, that above all others the tragedy of Richard must command approbation, as it is indefinitely variegated, and comprehends every species of character" the hero, the lover, the statesman, the buffoon, the hypocrite, and the hardened or repentant sinner." Its present success in representation, is, however, chiefly attributable to the admirable alterations of Colly Cibber, which evince a very extensive and settled knowledge of stage effect, and by which reformations the more valuable parts of the piece, could alone have attained their present effect and consequence. Shakepeare probably formed the play in 1591; though he is not supposed to have been indebted to any of the nume‐ rous existing compositions on the same subject.

KING EDWARD THE FOURTH.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN.-SIR RICHARD RAT-
CLIFF.

EDWARD, Prince of Wales, after-Sons to the SIR WILLIAM CATESBY.-SIR JAMES TYREL

wards King Edward V.

RICHARD, Duke of York.

GEORGE, Duke of Clarence,

RICHARD, Duke of Gloster, af

terwards King Richard III.

King.

Brothers to
the King.

A young Son of Clarence.
HENRY, Earl of Richmond, afterwards King
Henry VII.

CARDINAL BOUCHIER, Archbishop of Canter-
bury.

THOMAS ROTHERAM, Archbishop of York.
JOHN MONTON, 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 JAMES BLOUNT.-SIR WALTER HERBERT.
SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the
Tower.

CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Priest.-Another

Priest.

LORD MAYOR OF LONDON. SHERIFF OP
WILTSHIRE.

ELIZABETH, Queen of King Edward IV.
MARGARET, Queen of King Henry VI.
DUCHESS OF YORK, Mother to King Ed-
ward IV., CLARENCE, and GLOSTER.
LADY ANNE, Widow of Edward, Prince of
Wales, Son to King Henry VI.; after
wards married to the Duke of Gloster.
A young DAUGHTER of Clarence.

Lords and other Attendants; two Gentlemen,
a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Mur-
derers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c.

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C LIBRARY

APUR, LENOX

FOUNDATIONS

Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.⚫
Grim visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled
front:

And now,-instead of mounting barbed + steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,-
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
But I, that am not shap'd for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;
I that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's ma-
jesty,

To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
1, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, seut before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable,
That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them;
Why I, in this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time;
Unless to spy my shadow in the sun,
And descant on mine own deformity:
And therefore,-since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,-
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots bave I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
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;
About a prophecy, which says-that G
Of Edward's heirs the murderers shall be.
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence

comes.

Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKEN

BURY.

Brother, good day: What means this armed guard,

That waits upon your grace?

Clar. His majesty,

Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed
This conduct to convey me to the Tower.
Glo. Upon what cause?

Clar. Because my name is-George.

Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of your's;

That trudge betwixt the king and mistress
Shore.

Heard you not, what an humble suppliant
Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery?
Glo. Humbly complaining to her deity
Got my lord chamberlain his liberty.
I'll tell you what I think it is our way,
If we will keep in favour with the king,
To be her men, and wear her livery;
The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself,
Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewo-
meu,

Are mighty gossips in this monarchy.

Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon

me;

His majesty hath straitly given in charge,
That no man shall have private conference,
Of what degree soever, with his brother.

Glo. Even so? an please your worship, Bra
kenbury,

You may partake of any thing we say :
We speak no treason, man;-We say, the king
Is wise, and virtuous; and his noble queen
Well struck in years; fair, and not jealous:
We say, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot,
A cherry lip,

A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue;
And the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks :
How say you, Sir? can you deny all this?
Brak. With this, my lord, myself have naught

to do.

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Brother, farewell: I will unto the king;
And whatsoever you will employ me in,
Were it, to call king Edward's widow-sister,
I will perform it to enfranchise you.
Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood,
:-Touches me deeper than you can imagine.
Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well.
Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be
long;

He should, for that, commit your godfathers
Oh! belike his majesty hath some intent,
That you shall be new christen'd in the Tower.
But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know?
Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for I pro-I
test,

As yet I do not: but, as I can learn,
He hearkens after prophecies and dreams;
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G,
And says a wizard told him, that by G
His issue disinherited should be;
And, for my name of George begins with G,
It follows in his thought, that I am be:
These, as I learn, and such like toys as these,
Have mov'd his highness to commit me now.
Glo. 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 she,
That tempers him to this extremity.

Was it not she, and that good man of wor-
ship,

Anthony Woodeville, her brother there,

That made him send lord Hastings to the
Tower;

From whence this present day he is deliver'd?
We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe.
Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man

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will deliver you, or else lie for you: Mean time, have patience.

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 deliver'd Hast-
ings?

Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord!

Glo. As much anto my good lord chamber-
lain !

Well are you welcome to this open air.
How hath your lordship brook'd 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 Cla

rence too;

For they, that were your enemies, are his,
And have prevail'd as much on him as you.

The Queen and Shore.
Lowest of subjects.

Hast. More pity that the eagle should be | Taken from Paul's to be interred there; mew'd

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.

Oh! he hath kept an evil diet long,
And over-much consum'd his royal person;
'Tis very grievous to be thought upon.
What, is he in his bed?

Hast. He is.

Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. [Exit HASTINGS. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die, Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven.

I'll in, to urge his hatred more to Clarence,
With lies well steel'd with weighty arguments;
And, if I fail not in my deep intent,
Clarence hath not another day to live:
Which done, God take king Edward to his
mercy,

And leave the world for me to bustle in!
For then I'll marry
Warwick's youngest
daughter:

What! though I kill'd her husband and her fa

ther,

The readiest way to make the wench amends,
Is to become her husband, and her father:
The which will I; not all so much for love,
As for another secret close intent,
By marrying her, which I must reach unto.
But yet I run before my horse to market:
Clarence still breathes: Edward still lives
reigns;

and When they are gone, then must I count my gains. [Exit. SCENE II.-The same.- Another Street. Enter the corpse of King HENRY the Sixth, borne in an open coffin, Gentlemen bearing halberts to guard it; and Lady ANNE as

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More direful bap betide that hated wretch,
That makes us wretched by the death of thee,
Than I can wish to adders, spiders, toads,
Or any creeping venom'd thing that lives !
If ever he have child, abortive be it,
Prodigious, and untimely brought to light,
Whose ugly and unnatural aspect
May fright the hopeful mother at the view;
And that be heir to his unhappiness!
If ever he bave wife, let her be made
More miserable by the death of bin,
Than I am made by my young lord
thee!-

Come, now, toward Chertsey with your
load,

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and

holy

And, still as you are weary of the weight,
Rest you, whiles I lament king Henry's

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[The_bearers set down the cofin, Anne. What, do you tremble? are you all afraid?

Alas, I blame you not for you are mortal,
And mortal eyes cannot endure the devil.-
Avaunt thou dreadful minister of hell!
Thou hadst but power over his mortal body,
His soul thou canst not have; therefore, be
gone.

Glo. Sweet saint, for charity be not so earst. Anne. Foul devil, for God's sake, hence, and trouble us not;

For thou hast made the happy earth thy hell, Fill'd it with cursing cries, and deep exclaims.

bleed

If thou delight to view thy heinous deeds,
Behold this pattern of thy butcheries:
O gentlemen, see, see! dead Henry's wounds
Open their congeal'd mouths, and
afresh! -
Blush, blush, thou lump of foul deformity;
For 'tis thy presence that exhales this blood
From cold and empty veins, where no blood
dwells;

Thy deed, inhuman and unnatural,
Provokes this deluge most unnatural-

O God, which this blood madest, revenge his death!

O earth, which this blood drink'st, revenge his death!

Either, heaven, with lightning strike the mar

derer dead,

Or, earth, gape open wide, and eat him quick; As thou dost swallow up this good king's blood,

Which his hell-govern'd arm bath butchered!
Glo. Lady, you know no rules of charity,
Which

renders good for bad, blessings for

curses.

Anne. Villain, thou know'st no law of God

nor man:

No beast so fierce, but knows some touch of pity. Glo. But I know none, and therefore am no

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