No more fhall be the neighbour to my counfels, Enter Stanley. How now, Lord Stanley, what's the news? The Marquis Dorfet, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides. K. Rich. Come hither, Catesby; rumour it abroad, That Anne my wife is fick, and like to die. I will take order for her keeping close. Inquire me out fome mean-born gentleman, Whom I will marry ftrait to Clarence' daughter.(The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.) Look, how thou dream'ft I fay again, give out, To ftop all hopes, whofe growth may damage me. Is thy name Tirrel? Enter Tirrel. Tir. James Tirrel, and your moft obedient fubject. K. Rich. Art thou, indeed ? [He takes him afide. Tir. Prove me, my gracious Lord. K. Rich. Dar'ft thou refolve to kill a friend of mine? Tir. Pleafe you, I'd rather kill two enemies. K. Rich. Why, then thou haft it; two deep enemies, Foes to my reft, and my fweet fleep's difturbers, Are they, that I would have thee deal upon; Tirrel, I mean those baftards in the Tower. Tir. Let me have open means to come to them, Hark, come Go, by this token-rife, and lend thine ear-[Whispers. And I will love thee and prefer thee for it. Re-enter Buckingham. Buck. My Lord, I have confider'd in my mind That late demand, that you did found me in.' [Exit. K. Rich. Well, let that reft; Dorfet is fled to Richmond. Buck. I hear the news, my Lord. K. Rich. Stanley, he is your wife's fon; well, look to it. Buck. My Lord, I claim the gift, my due by promife, For which your honour, and your faith, is pawn'd; Th' Earldom of Hereford, and the moveables, Which you have promised I fhall poffefs. K. Rich. Stanley, look to your wife; if the convey Letters to Richmond, you fhall answer it. Buck. What fays your Highnefs to my juft request? K. Rich. I do remember me- Henry the fixth Did prophefy, that Richmond should be King, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. A King, perhaps Buck. My Lord, K.Rich. How chance, the Prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by, that I fhould kill him? Buck. My Lord, your promife for the EarldomK. Rich. Richmond! when i was laft at Exeter, The Mayor in curt'fy fhewed me the castle, And call'd it Rouge-mont, at which name I started; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I faw Richmond. Buck. My Lord, K. Rich. Ay, what's o' clock ? Buck. I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind Of what you promis'd me? M 4 K. Rich. K. Rich. But what's o'clock. K.Rich. Becaufe, that, like a Jack, thou keep'ft the stroke Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. I am not in the giving vein to-day. Buck. Why, then refolve me whe'er you will, or no. K. Rich. Thou troubleft me, I am not in the vein. [Exit. Buck. Is it ev'n fo? repays he my deep fervice. With fuch contempt ? made I him King for this? O, let me think on Haftings, and be gone To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on. Enter Tirrel. [Exit. Tir. The tyrannous and bloody act is done; Their lips were four red roses on a stalk, Which once, (quoth Forrest,) almost chang'd my mind: Enter Enter King Richard. And here he comes. All health, my fovereign Lord! K. Rich. Kind Tirrel-am I happy in thy news ? Tir. If to have done the thing you gave in charge Beget your happiness, be happy then; For it is done. K. Rich. But didft thou fee them dead? K. Rich. And buried, gentle Tirrel? Tir. The Chaplain of the Tower hath buried them, But where, to fay the truth, I do not know. K. Rich. Come to me, Tirrel, foon, foon after fupper, When thou shalt tell the procefs of their death. Mean time but think, how I may do thee good, And be inheritor of thy defire. Farewel, till then. Tir. I humbly take my leave. [Exit. K. Rich. The fon of Clarence have I pent up clofe His daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage: The fons of Edward fleep in Abraham's bofom : And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night. Now, for I know the Briton Richmond aims At young Elizabeth, my brother's daughter; And by that knot looks proudly on the crown; To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer. Catf. My Lord, Enter Catesby. R. Rich. Good or bad news, that thou com'ft in fo bluntly? Catef. Bad news, my Lord; Morton is fled to Richmond.. And Buckingham, back'd with the hardy Welshmen, Is in the field, and still his power encreaseth. K. Rich. Ely with Richmond troubles me more near, Than Buckingham and his rafh-levied army. Come, I have learn'd, that fearful commenting Is leaden fervitor to dull delay; M 3 Delay Delay leads impotent and fnail-pac'd beggary, Jove's Mercury, and herald for a King! We must be brief, when traitors brave the field. [Exit. Q. Mar. So now Profperity begins to mellow, And will to France, hoping, the confequence Withdraw thee, wretched Margʼret! who comes here ? Queen. Ah, my poor Princes! ah, my tender babes! My unblown flowers, new-appearing fweets! If yet your gentle fouls fly in the air, And be not fixt in doom perpetual, Q. Mar. Hover about her; fay, that right for right Q. Mar. Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet, Edward for Edward pays a dying debt. Queen. Wilt, thou, O God, fly from fuch gentle lambs, And throw them in the intrails of the wolf? Why didft thou fleep, when fuch a deed was done? Queen |