[Sennet. Enter KING RICHARD III, in pomp, crowned; BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, a page, and others]
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Stand all apart Cousin of Buckingham!
- Duke of Buckingham. My gracious sovereign?
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Give me thy hand.
[Here he ascendeth his throne]
Thus high, by thy advice
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And thy assistance, is King Richard seated;
But shall we wear these honours for a day?
Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?
- Duke of Buckingham. Still live they and for ever may they last!
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). O Buckingham, now do I play the touch,
2590
To try if thou be current gold indeed
Young Edward lives: think now what I would say.
- Duke of Buckingham. Say on, my loving lord.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king,
- Duke of Buckingham. Why, so you are, my thrice renowned liege.
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- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Ha! am I king? 'tis so: but Edward lives.
- Duke of Buckingham. True, noble prince.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). O bitter consequence,
That Edward still should live! 'True, noble prince!'
Cousin, thou wert not wont to be so dull:
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Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead;
And I would have it suddenly perform'd.
What sayest thou? speak suddenly; be brief.
- Duke of Buckingham. Your grace may do your pleasure.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezeth:
2605
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
- Duke of Buckingham. Give me some breath, some little pause, my lord
Before I positively herein:
I will resolve your grace immediately.
[Exit]
- Sir William Catesby. [Aside to a stander by]
The king is angry: see, he bites the lip.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). I will converse with iron-witted fools
And unrespective boys: none are for me
That look into me with considerate eyes:
2615
High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.
Boy!
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Know'st thou not any whom corrupting gold
Would tempt unto a close exploit of death?
2620
- Page. My lord, I know a discontented gentleman,
Whose humble means match not his haughty mind:
Gold were as good as twenty orators,
And will, no doubt, tempt him to any thing.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). What is his name?
2625
- Page. His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). I partly know the man: go, call him hither.
[Exit Page]
The deep-revolving witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsel:
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Hath he so long held out with me untired,
And stops he now for breath?
[Enter STANLEY]
How now! what news with you?
- Sir William Stanley. My lord, I hear the Marquis Dorset's fled
2635
To Richmond, in those parts beyond the sea
Where he abides.
[Stands apart]
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Catesby!
- Sir William Catesby. My lord?
2640
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Rumour it abroad
That Anne, my wife, is sick and like to die:
I will take order for her keeping close.
Inquire me out some mean-born gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence' daughter:
2645
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.
Look, how thou dream'st! I say again, give out
That Anne my wife is sick and like to die:
About it; for it stands me much upon,
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
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[Exit CATESBY]
I must be married to my brother's daughter,
Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass.
Murder her brothers, and then marry her!
Uncertain way of gain! But I am in
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So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin:
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.
[Re-enter Page, with TYRREL]
Is thy name Tyrrel?
- Sir James Tyrrel. James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.
2660
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Art thou, indeed?
- Sir James Tyrrel. Prove me, my gracious sovereign.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Darest thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
- Sir James Tyrrel. Ay, my lord;
But I had rather kill two enemies.
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- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Why, there thou hast it: two deep enemies,
Foes to my rest and my sweet sleep's disturbers
Are they that I would have thee deal upon:
Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
- Sir James Tyrrel. Let me have open means to come to them,
2670
And soon I'll rid you from the fear of them.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Thou sing'st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel
Go, by this token: rise, and lend thine ear:
[Whispers]
There is no more but so: say it is done,
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And I will love thee, and prefer thee too.
- Sir James Tyrrel. 'Tis done, my gracious lord.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Shall we hear from thee, Tyrrel, ere we sleep?
- Sir James Tyrrel. Ye shall, my Lord.
[Exit]
[Re-enter BUCKINGHAM]
- Duke of Buckingham. My Lord, I have consider'd in my mind. The late demand that you did sound me in.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Well, let that pass. Dorset is fled to Richmond.
- Duke of Buckingham. I hear that news, my lord.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Stanley, he is your wife's son well, look to it.
2685
- Duke of Buckingham. My lord, I claim your gift, my due by promise,
For which your honour and your faith is pawn'd;
The earldom of Hereford and the moveables
The which you promised I should possess.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Stanley, look to your wife; if she convey
2690
Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.
- Duke of Buckingham. What says your highness to my just demand?
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). As I remember, Henry the Sixth
Did prophesy that Richmond should be king,
When Richmond was a little peevish boy.
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A king, perhaps, perhaps,—
- Duke of Buckingham. My lord!
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). How chance the prophet could not at that time
Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?
- Duke of Buckingham. My lord, your promise for the earldom,—
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- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Richmond! When last I was at Exeter,
The mayor in courtesy show'd me the castle,
And call'd it Rougemont: at which name I started,
Because a bard of Ireland told me once
I should not live long after I saw Richmond.
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- Duke of Buckingham. My Lord!
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Ay, what's o'clock?
- Duke of Buckingham. I am thus bold to put your grace in mind
Of what you promised me.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Well, but what's o'clock?
2710
- Duke of Buckingham. Upon the stroke of ten.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Well, let it strike.
- Duke of Buckingham. Why let it strike?
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Because that, like a Jack, thou keep'st the stroke
Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.
2715
I am not in the giving vein to-day.
- Duke of Buckingham. Why, then resolve me whether you will or no.
- Richard III (Duke of Gloucester). Tut, tut,
Thou troublest me; am not in the vein.
[Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM]
- Duke of Buckingham. Is it even so? rewards he my true service
With such deep contempt made I him king for this?
O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone
To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!
[Exit]
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