Part 47
_Q. Eliz._ Though far more cause, yet much less spirit to curse Abides in me; I say amen to all. [fdd197]
_K. Rich._ Stay, madam; I must speak a word with you. [fdd198]
_Q. Eliz._ I have no moe sons of the royal blood [fdd199] For thee to murder: for my daughters, Richard, [fdd200] They shall be praying nuns, not weeping queens; And therefore level not to hit their lives.
_K. Rich._ You have a daughter call’d Elizabeth, Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious.
_Q. Eliz._ And must she die for this? O, let her live, ·fdd205· And I’ll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty; Slander myself as false to Edward’s bed; Throw over her the veil of infamy: [fdd208] So she may live unscarr’d of bleeding slaughter, [fdd209] I will confess she was not Edward’s daughter. ·fdd210·
_K. Rich._ Wrong not her birth, she is of royal blood. [fdd211]
_Q. Eliz._ To save her life, I’ll say she is not so.
_K. Rich._ Her life is only safest in her birth. [fdd213]
_Q. Eliz._ And only in that safety died her brothers.
_K. Rich._ Lo, at their births good stars were opposite. [fdd215]
_Q. Eliz._ No, to their lives bad friends were contrary. [fdd216]
_K. Rich._ All unavoided is the doom of destiny.
_Q. Eliz._ True, when avoided grace makes destiny: My babes were destined to a fairer death, If grace had bless’d thee with a fairer life. ·fdd220·
_K. Rich._ You speak as if that I had slain my cousins. [fdd221]
_Q. Eliz._ Cousins, indeed; and by their uncle cozen’d [fdd222] Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life. Whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts, [fdd224] Thy head, all indirectly, gave direction: ·fdd225· No doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart, To revel in the entrails of my lambs. But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame, My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys ·fdd230· Till that my nails were anchor’d in thine eyes; And I, in such a desperate bay of death, Like a poor bark, of sails and tackling reft, Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.
_K. Rich._ Madam, so thrive I in my enterprise [fdd235] And dangerous success of bloody wars. As I intend more good to you and yours [fdd237] Than ever you or yours were by me wrong’d! [fdd238]
_Q. Eliz._ What good is cover’d with the face of heaven, To be discover’d, that can do me good? [fdd240]
_K. Rich._ The advancement of your children, gentle lady. [fdd241]
_Q. Eliz._ Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads?
_K. Rich._ No, to the dignity and height of honour, [fdd243] The high imperial type of this earth’s glory. [fdd244]
_Q. Eliz._ Flatter my sorrows with report of it; [fdd245] Tell me what state, what dignity, what honour, Canst thou demise to any child of mine? [fdd247]
_K. Rich._ Even all I have; yea, and myself and all, [fdd248] Will I withal endow a child of thine; [fdd249] So in the Lethe of thy angry soul ·fdd250· Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs [fdd251] Which thou supposest I have done to thee.
_Q. Eliz._ Be brief, lest that the process of thy kindness Last longer telling than thy kindness’ date. [fdd254]
_K. Rich._ Then know, that from my soul I love thy daughter. [fdd255]
_Q. Eliz._ My daughter’s mother thinks it with her soul.
_K. Rich._ What do you think?
_Q. Eliz._ That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul: So from thy soul’s love didst thou love her brothers; [fdd259] And from my heart’s love I do thank thee for it. [fdd260]
_K. Rich._ Be not so hasty to confound my meaning: I mean, that with my soul I love thy daughter, And mean to make her queen of England. [fdd263]
_Q. Eliz._ Say then, who dost thou mean shall be her king? [fdd264]
_K. Rich._ Even he that makes her queen: who should be else? [fdd265]
_Q. Eliz._ What, thou?
_K. Rich._ I, even I: what think you of it, madam? [fdd267]
_Q. Eliz._ How canst thou woo her?
_K. Rich._ That would I learn of you, [fdd268] As one that are best acquainted with her humour. [fdd269]
_Q. Eliz._ And wilt thou learn of me?
_K. Rich._ Madam, with all my heart. [fdd270]
_Q. Eliz._ Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers, A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave [fdd272] Edward and York; then haply she will weep: [fdd273] Therefore present to her,--as sometime Margaret [fdd274] Did to thy father, steep’d in Rutland’s blood,-- [fdd275] A handkerchief; which, say to her, did drain [fdd276] The purple sap from her sweet brother’s body, [fdd277] And bid her dry her weeping eyes therewith. [fdd278] If this inducement force her not to love, [fdd279] Send her a story of thy noble acts; [fdd280] Tell her thou madest away her uncle Clarence, Her uncle Rivers; yea, and, for her sake, [fdd282] Madest quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.
_K. Rich._ Come, come, you mock me; this is not the way [fdd284] To win your daughter.
_Q. Eliz._ There is no other way; [fdd285] Unless thou couldst put on some other shape, And not be Richard that hath done all this.
_K. Rich._ Say that I did all this for love of her. [fdd288]
_Q. Eliz._ Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee, [fdd289] Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. [fdd290]
_K. Rich._ Look, what is done cannot be now amended: Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Which after-hours give leisure to repent. [fdd293] If I did take the kingdom from your sons, To make amends, I’ll give it to your daughter. ·fdd295· If I have kill’d the issue of your womb, To quicken your increase, I will beget Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter: A grandam’s name is little less in love Than is the doting title of a mother; ·fdd300· They are as children but one step below, Even of your mettle, of your very blood; [fdd302] Of all one pain, save for a night of groans Endured of her, for whom you bid like sorrow. [fdd304] Your children were vexation to your youth, ·fdd305· But mine shall be a comfort to your age. The loss you have is but a son being king, And by that loss your daughter is made queen. I cannot make you what amends I would, Therefore accept such kindness as I can. ·fdd310· Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul Leads discontented steps in foreign soil, [fdd312] This fair alliance quickly shall call home To high promotions and great dignity: The king, that calls your beauteous daughter wife, ·fdd315· Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother; Again shall you be mother to a king, And all the ruins of distressful times Repair’d with double riches of content. What! we have many goodly days to see: ·fdd320· The liquid drops of tears that you have shed Shall come again, transform’d to orient pearl, Advantaging their loan with interest [fdd323] Of ten times double gain of happiness. [fdd324] Go, then, my mother, to thy daughter go; ·fdd325· Make bold her bashful years with your experience; Prepare her ears to hear a wooer’s tale; Put in her tender heart the aspiring flame Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the princess With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys: ·fdd330· And when this arm of mine hath chastised The petty rebel, dull-brain’d Buckingham, Bound with triumphant garlands will I come [fdd333] And lead thy daughter to a conqueror’s bed; To whom I will retail my conquest won, ·fdd335· And she shall be sole victress, Cæsar’s Cæsar. [fdd336]
_Q. Eliz._ What were I best to say? her father’s brother Would be her lord? or shall I say, her uncle? Or, he that slew her brothers and her uncles? Under what title shall I woo for thee, ·fdd340· That God, the law, my honour and her love, Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?
_K. Rich._ Infer fair England’s peace by this alliance. [fdd343]
_Q. Eliz._ Which she shall purchase with still lasting war.
_K. Rich._ Say that the king, which may command, entreats. [fdd345]
_Q. Eliz._ That at her hands which the king’s King forbids. [fdd346]
_K. Rich._ Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen.
_Q. Eliz._ To wail the title, as her mother doth. [fdd348]
_K. Rich._ Say, I will love her everlastingly.
_Q. Eliz._ But how long shall that title ‘ever’ last? [fdd350]
_K. Rich._ Sweetly in force unto her fair life’s end. [fdd351]
_Q. Eliz._ But how long fairly shall her sweet life last? [fdd352]
_K. Rich._ So long as heaven and nature lengthens it. [fdd353]
_Q. Eliz._ So long as hell and Richard likes of it. [fdd354]
_K. Rich._ Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject love. [fdd355]
_Q. Eliz._ But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.
_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. [fdd359]
_Q. Eliz._ Plain and not honest is too harsh a style. ·fdd360·
_K. Rich._ Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. [fdd361]
_Q. Eliz._ O no, my reasons are too deep and dead; [fdd362] Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their grave. [fdd363]
_K. Rich._ Harp not on that string, madam; that is past. [fdd364]
_Q. Eliz._ Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break. ·fdd365·
_K. Rich._ Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,--
_Q. Eliz._ Profaned, dishonour’d, and the third usurp’d.
_K. Rich._ I swear--
_Q. Eliz._ By nothing; for this is no oath: [fdd368] The George, profaned, hath lost his holy honour; [fdd369] The garter, blemish’d, pawn’d his knightly virtue; [fdd370] The crown, usurp’d, disgraced his kingly glory. [fdd371] If something thou wilt swear to be believed, [fdd372] Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong’d.
_K. Rich._ Now, by the world--
_Q. Eliz._ ’Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
_K. Rich._ My father’s death--
_Q. Eliz._ Thy life hath that dishonour’d. [fdd375]
_K. Rich._ Then, by myself--
_Q. Eliz._ Thyself thyself misusest. [fdd376]
_K. Rich._ Why then, by God--
_Q. Eliz._ God’s wrong is most of all. [fdd377] If thou hadst fear’d to break an oath by Him, [fdd378] The unity the king thy brother made [fdd379] Had not been broken, nor my brother slain: [fdd380] If thou hadst fear’d to break an oath by Him, [fdd381] The imperial metal, circling now thy brow, [fdd382] Had graced the tender temples of my child. [fdd383] And both the princes had been breathing here, Which now, two tender playfellows for dust, [fdd385] Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms. [fdd386] What canst thou swear by now?
_K. Rich._ The time to come. [fdd387]
_Q. Eliz._ That thou hast wronged in the time o’erpast; [fdd388] For I myself have many tears to wash Hereafter time, for time past wrong’d by thee. [fdd390] The children live, whose parents thou hast slaughter’d, [fdd391] Ungovern’d youth, to wail it in their age; [fdd392] The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher’d, [fdd393] Old wither’d plants, to wail it with their age. [fdd394] Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast [fdd395] Misused ere used, by time misused o’erpast. [fdd396]
_K. Rich._ As I intend to prosper and repent, So thrive I in my dangerous attempt [fdd398] Of hostile arms! myself myself confound! Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours! [fdd400] Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest! Be opposite all planets of good luck To my proceedings, if, with pure heart’s love, [fdd403] Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts, [fdd404] I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! [fdd405] In her consists my happiness and thine; Without her, follows to this land and me, [fdd407] To thee, herself, and many a Christian soul, Death, desolation, ruin and decay: [fdd409] It cannot be avoided but by this; ·fdd410· It will not be avoided but by this. [fdd411] Therefore, good mother,--I must call you so-- [fdd412] Be the attorney of my love to her: Plead what I will be, not what I have been; Not my deserts, but what I will deserve: [fdd415] Urge the necessity and state of times, [fdd416] And be not peevish-fond in great designs. [fdd417]
_Q. Eliz._ Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
_K. Rich._ Ay, if the devil tempt thee to do good. [fdd419]
_Q. Eliz._ Shall I forget myself to be myself? ·fdd420·
_K. Rich._ Ay, if yourself’s remembrance wrong yourself. [fdd421]
_Q. Eliz._ But thou didst kill my children. [fdd422]
_K. Rich._ But in your daughter’s womb I bury them: [fdd423] Where in that nest of spicery they shall breed [fdd424] Selves of themselves, to your recomforture. [fdd425]
_Q. Eliz._ Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
_K. Rich._ And be a happy mother by the deed. [fdd427]
_Q. Eliz._ I go. Write to me very shortly, [fdd428] And you shall understand from me her mind. [fdd429]
_K. Rich._ Bear her my true love’s kiss; and so, farewell. [fdd430] [_Exit Queen Elizabeth._ Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman! [fdd431]
_Enter_ RATCLIFF; CATESBY _following_.
How now! what news? [fdd432]
_Rat._ My gracious sovereign, on the western coast [fdd433] Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore [fdd434] Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, ·fdd435· Unarm’d, and unresolved to beat them back: ’Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral; And there they hull, expecting but the aid [fdd438] Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
_K. Rich._ Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of Norfolk: [fdd440] Ratcliff, thyself, or Catesby; where is he?
_Cate._ Here, my lord. [fdd442]
_K. Rich._ Fly to the duke. [_To Ratcliff_] Post thou to Salisbury: [fdd443] When thou comest thither,--[_To Catesby_] Dull unmindful villain, [fdd444] Why stand’st thou still, and go’st not to the duke? [fdd445]
_Cate._ First, mighty sovereign, let me know your mind, [fdd446] What from your grace I shall deliver to him. [fdd447]
_K. Rich._ O, true, good Catesby: bid him levy straight The greatest strength and power he can make, [fdd449] And meet me presently at Salisbury. [fdd450]
_Cate._ I go. [_Exit._ [fdd451]
_Rat._ What is ’t your highness’ pleasure I shall do [fdd452] At Salisbury?
_K. Rich._ Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?
_Rat._ Your highness told me I should post before. ·fdd455·
_K. Rich._ My mind is changed, sir, my mind is changed. [fdd456]
_Enter_ LORD STANLEY.
How now, what news with you? [fdd457]
_Stan._ None good, my lord, to please you with the hearing; [fdd458] Nor none so bad, but it may well be told. [fdd459]
_K. Rich._ Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad! [fdd460] Why dost thou run so many mile about, [fdd461] When thou mayst tell thy tale a nearer way? [fdd462] 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? ·fdd465·
_Stan._ I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
_K. Rich._ Well, sir, as you guess, as you guess? [fdd467]
_Stan._ Stirr’d up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Ely, [fdd468] He makes for England, there to claim the crown. [fdd469]
_K. Rich._ Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway’d? ·fdd470· Is the king dead? the empire unpossess’d? What heir of York is there alive but we? And who is England’s king but great York’s heir? Then, tell me, what doth he upon the sea? [fdd474]
_Stan._ Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess. [fdd475]
_K. Rich._ Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes. [fdd477] Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.
_Stan._ No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not. [fdd479]
_K. Rich._ Where is thy power then to beat him back? [fdd480] Where are thy tenants and thy followers? [fdd481] Are they not now upon the western shore, Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships? [fdd483]
_Stan._ No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
_K. Rich._ Cold friends to Richard: what do they in the north, [fdd485] When they should serve their sovereign in the west?
_Stan._ They have not been commanded, mighty sovereign: [fdd487] Please it your majesty to give me leave, [fdd488] I’ll muster up my friends, and meet your grace Where and what time your majesty shall please. ·fdd490·
_K. Rich._ Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond: [fdd491] I will not trust you, sir.
_Stan._ Most mighty sovereign, [fdd492] You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful: I never was nor never will be false. [fdd494]
_K. Rich._ Well, [fdd495] Go muster men; but, hear you, leave behind Your son, George Stanley: look your faith be firm, [fdd497] Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.
_Stan._ So deal with him as I prove true to you. [_Exit._ [fdd499]
_Enter a_ Messenger.
_Mess._ My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire, ·fdd500· As I by friends am well advertised, Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate [fdd502] Bishop of Exeter, his brother there, [fdd503] With many moe confederates, are in arms. [fdd504]
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Sec. Mess._ My liege, in Kent, the Guildfords are in arms; [fdd505] And every hour more competitors [fdd506] Flock to their aid, and still their power increaseth. [fdd507]
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Third Mess._ My lord, the army of the Duke of Buckingham-- [fdd508]
_K. Rich._ Out on you, owls! nothing but songs of death? [fdd509] [_He striketh him._ Take that, until thou bring me better news. [fdd510]
_Third Mess._ The news I have to tell your majesty [fdd511] Is, that by sudden floods and fall of waters, Buckingham’s army is dispersed and scatter’d; And he himself wander’d away alone, No man knows whither.
_K. Rich._ I cry thee mercy: [fdd515] There is my purse to cure that blow of thine. [fdd516] Hath any well-advised friend proclaim’d [fdd517] Reward to him that brings the traitor in? [fdd518]
_Third Mess._ Such proclamation hath been made, my liege. [fdd519]
_Enter another_ Messenger.
_Fourth Mess._ Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis Dorset, ·fdd520· ’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms. [fdd521] Yet this good comfort bring I to your grace, [fdd522] The Breton navy is dispersed by tempest: [fdd523] Richmond, in Dorsetshire, sent out a boat [fdd524] Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks ·fdd525· If they were his assistants, yea or no; Who answer’d him, they came from Buckingham [fdd527] Upon his party: he, mistrusting them, Hoised sail and made away for Brittany. [fdd529]
_K. Rich._ March on, march on, since we are up in arms; ·fdd530· If not to fight with foreign enemies, Yet to beat down these rebels here at home. [fdd532]
_Re-enter_ Catesby.
_Cate._ My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken; That is the best news: that the Earl of Richmond [fdd534] Is with a mighty power landed at Milford, ·fdd535· Is colder tidings, yet they must be told. [fdd536]
_K. Rich._ Away towards Salisbury! while we reason here, A royal battle might be won and lost: Some one take order Buckingham be brought To Salisbury; the rest march on with me. [fdd540] [_Flourish. Exeunt._
## SCENE V. Lord DERBY’S _house_.
_Enter_ DERBY _and_ Sir CHRISTOPHER URSWICK.
_Der._ Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me: [fde001] That in the sty of this most bloody boar [fde002] My son George Stanley is frank’d up in hold: If I revolt, off goes young George’s head; The fear of that withholds my present aid. [fde005] But, tell me, where is princely Richmond now? [fde006]
_Chris._ At Pembroke, or at Ha’rford-west, in Wales. [fde007]
_Der._ What men of name resort to him? [fde008]
_Chris._ Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier; [fde009] Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley; [fde010] Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt, [fde011] And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant crew, [fde012] And many moe of noble fame and worth: [fde013] And towards London they do bend their course, [fde014] If by the way they be not fought withal. ·fde015·
_Der._ Return unto thy lord; commend me to him: [fde016] Tell him the queen hath heartily consented He shall espouse Elizabeth her daughter. These letters will resolve him of my mind. [fde019] Farewell. [_Exeunt._ ·fde020·
## ACT V.
## SCENE I. _Salisbury. An open place_.
_Enter the_ Sheriff, _and_ BUCKINGHAM, _with halberds, led to execution_.
_Buck._ Will not King Richard let me speak with him? [fea001]
_Sher._ No, my good lord; therefore be patient. [fea002]
_Buck._ Hastings, and Edward’s children, Rivers, Grey, [fea003] Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward, Vaughan, and all that have miscarried ·fea005· By underhand corrupted foul injustice, If that your moody discontented souls Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Even for revenge mock my destruction! This is All-Souls’ day, fellows, is it not? [fea010]
_Sher._ It is, my lord. [fea011]
_Buck._ Why, then All-Souls’ day is my body’s doomsday. [fea012] This is the day that in King Edward’s time [fea013] I wish’d might fall on me when I was found [fea014] False to his children or his wife’s allies; [fea015] This is the day wherein I wish’d to fall By the false faith of him I trusted most; [fea017] This, this All-Souls’ day to my fearful soul [fea018] Is the determined respite of my wrongs: [fea019] That high All-seer that I dallied with [fea020] Hath turn’d my feigned prayer on my head, And given in earnest what I begg’d in jest. Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men [fea023] To turn their own points on their masters’ bosoms: [fea024] Now Margaret’s curse is fallen upon my head; [fea025] ‘When he,’ quoth she, ‘shall split thy heart with sorrow, Remember Margaret was a prophetess.’ Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame; [fea028] Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. [fea029] [_Exeunt._
## SCENE II. _The camp near Tamworth_.
_Enter_ RICHMOND, OXFORD, BLUNT, HERBERT, _and others, with drum and colours_.
_Richm._ Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends, [feb001] Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny, Thus far into the bowels of the land Have we march’d on without impediment; And here receive we from our father Stanley ·feb005· Lines of fair comfort and encouragement. The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar, [feb007] That spoil’d your summer fields and fruitful vines, [feb008] Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough [feb009] In your embowell’d bosoms, this foul swine [feb010] Lies now even in the centre of this isle, [feb011] Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn: From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march. In God’s name, cheerly on, courageous friends, [feb014] To reap the harvest of perpetual peace ·feb015· By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
_Oxf._ Every man’s conscience is a thousand swords, [feb017] To fight against that bloody homicide. [feb018]
_Herb._ I doubt not but his friends will fly to us. [feb019]
_Blunt._ He hath no friends but who are friends for fear, [feb020] Which in his greatest need will shrink from him. [feb021]
_Richm._ All for our vantage. Then, in God’s name, march: [feb022] True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings; Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings. [_Exeunt._ [feb024]
## SCENE III. _Bosworth Field_.
_Enter_ KING RICHARD _in arms with_ NORFOLK, _the_ EARL OF SURREY, _and others_.
_K. Rich._ Here pitch our tents, even here in Bosworth field. [fec001] My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad? [fec002]
_Sur._ My heart is ten times lighter than my looks. [fec003]
_K. Rich._ My Lord of Norfolk,--
_Nor._ Here, most gracious liege. [fec004]
_K. Rich._ Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we not? [fec005]
_Nor._ We must both give and take, my gracious lord. [fec006]