} King Edward the fourth. sons to the king. Richard, duke of York, George, duke of Clarence, chard, duke of Gloster, after- brothers to the king. wards king Richard III, A young son of Clarence. Henry, earl of Richmond, afterwards king Henry VII. Cardinal Bourchier, archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas Rotheram, archbishop of York. John Morton, bishop of Ely. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Norfolk: earl of Surrey, his son. Earl Rivers, brother to king Edward's queen: Marquis of Dorset, and lord Grey, her sons. Earl of Oxford. Lord Hastings. Lord Stanley. Lord Lovel. Sir Thomas Vaughan. Sir Richard Ratcliff. Sir William Catesby. Sir James Tyrrel. Sir James Blount. Sir Walter Herbert. Sir Robert Brakenbury, lieutenant of the Tower. Christopher Urswick, a priest. Another priest. Lord mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire. Elizabeth, queen of king Edward IV. Margaret, widow 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. LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD III. 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, In the deep bosom of the ocean buried. Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths; Our bruised arms hung up for monuments; Our stern alarums chang'd to merry meetings, Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. Grim-visag‘d war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front; And now, -instead of mounting barbed steeds, To fright the souls of fearful adversaries, He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber, To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. But 1,—that am not shap'd for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass; I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty, To strut before a wanton ambling nyinph; 1, that am curtaild of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deform’d, unfinish’d, sent before my time into this breathing world, scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable, 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 shadow in the sun, And descant on mine own deformity: Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. His majesty, Glo. Upon what cause? Because my name is George Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I protest, I do not: But, as I can learn, Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by women: 'Tis not the king, that sends you to the Tower; My lady Grey his wife, Clarence, 'tis she, Clar. By heaven, I think, there is no man secure, Glo. Humbly complaining to her deity Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me; Glo. Even so ? an please your worship, Brakenbury, Prak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to do. fellow, the king Glo. Her husband, knave :-Would'st thou betray me? Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal, Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey. Clar. I know, it pleaseth neither of us well. Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long; I must perforce; farewel. [Exeunt CLAR. Brak. and Guard. Enter HASTINGS. Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must: Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too, For they, that were your enemies, are his, And have prevaii'd as much on him, as you. Hast. More pity, that the eagle should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Glo. What news abroad? Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home;- Glo. Now, by saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. ܀ |