RICHARD III.

ACT I.

SCENE I. London. A Street.
Enter RICHARD.

RIC. Now is the winter of our difcontent
Made glorious fummer by this fun of York;
And all the clouds, that lour'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the ocean bury'd:

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our ftern alarums chang'd to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures :
Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkl'd front;
And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the fouls of fearful adversaries,―
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,
To the lafcivious pleasing of a lute.

But I, that am not fhap'd for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glafs ;

1, that am rudely ftamp'd, and want love's majefty,

;

To ftrut before a wanton ambling nymph;
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by diffembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, fent before my time
Into this breathing world, fcarce half made up,
And that fo lamely and unfafhionably,
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 fhadow in the fun,
And defcant on mine own deformity:
And therefore, fince I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-fpoken days,-
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I lay'd, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophefies, libels, and dreams,
To fet 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 fubtle, false, and treacherous,
This day fhould Clarence closely be mew'd up;
About a prophefy, which fays-that G

Of Edward's heirs the murtherer fhall be.

Dive, thoughts, down to my foul; here Clarence comes. Enter CLARENCE; BRAKENBURY, and a Guard,

with him.

Brother, good day: What means this armed guard,
That waits upon your grace?

CLA. His majefty,

Tend'ring my perfon's fafety, hath appointed

This conduct to convey me to the tower.

6 unfashionable

RIC. Upon what cause?

CLA. Because my name is-George.

RIC. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He fhould, for that, commit your godfathers: Belike, his majesty hath some intent,

That you fhall be new-chriften'd in the tower.

But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know?
CLA. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I proteft,
As yet I do not: But, as I can learn,

He hearkens after prophefies, and dreams;
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G,
And fays a wizard told him, that by G
His iffue dif-inherited fhould be;
And, for my name of George begins with G,
It follows in his thought, that I am he:
These, as I learn, and fuch like toys as these,
Have mov'd his highnefs to commit me now.

RIC. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by women:
'Tis not the king, that fends you to the tower;
My lady Grey his wife, Clarence, 'tis fhe,
That tempts him to this harsh extremity.
Was it not she, and that good man of worship,
Antony Woode-ville, her brother there,

That made him fend lord Haftings to the tower;
From whence this present day he is deliver❜d?
We are not fafe, Clarence, we are not safe.

CLA. By heaven, I think, there's no man is fecure, But the queen's kindred, and night-walking heralds That trudge betwixt the king and mistress Shore. Heard you not, what an humble fuppliant Lord Haftings was to her for his delivery? RIC. Humbly complaining to her deity

5 O belike

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 dub'd them gentlewomen,
Are mighty goffips in this monarchy.

BRA. I befeech your graces both to pardon me;
His majefty hath straitly given in charge,

That no man fhall have private conference,
Of what degree foever, with his brother.

RIC. Even fo? an please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we say :

We speak no treason, man; We fay, the king
Is wise, and virtuous; and his noble queen

Well ftrook in years, yet fair fhill, and not jealous :
We fay, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot,
A cherry lip, a paffing pleasing tongue;
That the queen's kindred are made gentle-folks:
How fay you, fir? can you deny all this?

BRA. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do.
RIC. Naught to do with miftrefs Shore? I tell thee,

fellow,

He that doth naught with her, excepting one,

'Twere beft he do it fecretly.

BRA. What one, my lord?

[ba

RIC. Her husband, knave: Would'st thou betray me? BRA. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke.

CLA. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. RIC. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. Brother, farewel: I will unto the king;

18 Lip, a bonny Eye, a 19 And that 25 fecretly alone.

fifter,

And whatsoever you'll employ me in,-
Were it, to call king Edward's widow
I will perform it, to enfranchise you.
Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood
Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

CLA. I know, it pleaseth neither of us well.
Ric. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long;
I will deliver you, or elfe lye for you:

Mean time, have patience.

CLA. I muft perforce; farewel.

[Exeunt CLA. BRA. and Guard. RIC. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence! I do love thee fo, That I will fhortly fend thy foul to heaven, If heaven will take the present at our hands. But who comes here? the new-deliver'd Haftings? Enter HASTINGS.

HAS. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! RIC. As much unto my good lord chamberlain ! Well are you welcome to this open air. How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? HAS. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners muft: But I fhall live, my lord, to give them thanks, That were the cause of my imprisonment.

RIC. No doubt, no doubt; and fo fhall Clarence too; For they, that were your enemies, are his,

And have prevail'd as much on him, as you.

HAS. More pity, that the eagle fhould be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

RIC.

What news abroad?

HAS. No news fo bad abroad, as this at home ;The king is fickly, weak, and melancholy,