Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals; How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd! The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse: Look in his youth to have him so cut off, As, deathsmen! you have rid this sweet young prince! Clar. By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease. What! wilt thou not? where is that devil's butcher, K. Edw. Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence. [Exit, led out forcibly. K. Edw. Where's Richard gone? To make a bloody supper in the Tower. K. Edw. He's sudden, if a thing comes in his head. By this, I hope, she hath a son for me. SCENE VI.-London. A Room in the Tower. [Exeunt. KING HENRY is discovered sitting with a book in his hand, the Lieutenant attending. Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Good day, my lord! What, at your book so hard? K. Hen. Ay, my good lord: my lord I should say rather; "Tis sin to flatter, good was little better: Good Gloster, and good devil, were alike, And both preposterous; therefore, not good lord. [Exit Lieutenant. K. Hen. So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf: K. Hen. The bird that hath been limed in a bush, *She alludes to the desertion of Clarence. With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush: Have now the fatal object in my eye, Where my poor young was limed, was caught, and kill'd. And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drown'd. Why, then thou art an executioner. Glo. Thy son I kill'd for his presumption. K. Hen. Hadst thou been kill'd, when first thou didst presume, Thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine. And thus I prophesy,-that many a thousand, And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's, Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down trees; And chattering pies in dismal discords sung. And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope; Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree. Teeth hadst thou in thy head, when thou wast born, Thou cam'st. Glo. I'll hear no more; Die, prophet, in thy speech; For this, amongst the rest, was I ordain'd. [Stabs him. K. Hen. Ay, and for much more slaughter after this. O God! forgive my sins, and pardon thee! Glo. What, will the aspiring blood of Lancaster [Dies. *I.e. male parent. + Childish. Squatted down. O, may such purple tears be always shed Down, down to hell; and say-I sent thee thither. [Stabs him again. 1, that have neither pity, love, nor fear.- And this word-love, which greybeards call divine, And not in me; I am myself alone.— Clarence, beware; thou keep'st me from the light; * For I will buz abroad such prophecies, SCENE VII-The same. A Room in the Palace. [Exit. KING EDWARD is discovered sitting on his Throne; QUEEN ELIZABETH with the infant Prince, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and others, near him. K. Edw. Once more we sit in England's royal throne. Re-purchased with the blood of enemies. What valiant foe-men, like to autumn's corn, Have we mow'd down, in tops of all their pride? Three dukes of Somerset, threefold renown'd For hardy and undoubted champions: Two Cliffords, as the father and the son, And two Northumberlands; two braver men Ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's sound: With them, the two brave bears, Warwick and Montague, That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion, And made the forest tremble when they roar'd. Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat, * Select. And made our footstool of security. Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy:- Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were laid; This shoulder was ordain'd so thick, to heave; K. Edw. Clarence, and Gloster, love my lovely queen; And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. I seal upon the lips of this sweet babe. [Aside. K. Edw. Thanks, noble Clarence; worthy brother, thanks. Glo. And, that I love the tree from whence thou sprang'st, Witness the loving kiss I give the fruit : To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his master; l'harm.} Aside. K. Edw. Now am I seated as my soul delights, Having my country's peace, and brothers' loves. Clar. What will your grace have done with Margaret? Reignier, her father, to the king of France Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem, And hither have they sent it for her ransom. K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence to France. Sound, drums and trumpets!-farewell sour annoy! * I. e. his head. + Remains. † I. e. his hand. § Public shows. [Exeunt. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD III. PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING EDWARD THE FOURTH. SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF. Brothers to the King. RICHARD, Duke of JOHN MORTON, Bishop of Ely. DUKE OF NORFOLK: EARL OF EARL RIVERS, Brother to King MARQUIS OF DORSET, and LORD LORD STANLEY. LORD LOVEL. SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN. SIR WILLIAM CATESBY. SIR JAMES BLOUNT. SIR WALTER HERBERT. LORD MAYOR OF LONDON. ELIZABETH, Queen of King Edward IV. MARGARET, Queen 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. ACT I. SCENE I-London. A Street. Enter GLOSTER. Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun* of York; And all the clouds, that lowr'd upon our house, * The cognizance of Edward IV. |