.Q. Eliz. True, when avoided grace make des tiny: My babes were destin'd to a fairer death, Q. Eliz. Cousins, indeed; and by their uncle cozen'd Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life. Whose hands soever lanc'd their tender hearts, Thy head, all indirectly, gave direction: No doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt, Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart, But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame, boys, Till that my nails were anchor'd in thine eyes: K. Rich. Madam, so thrive I in my enterprise, To be discover'd, that can do me good? K. Rich. The advancement of your children, gentle lady. Q. Eliz. Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads? K. Rich. No, to the dignity and height of The high imperial type of this earth's glory. K. Rich. Even all I have; ay, and myself Will I withal endow a child of thine; So in the Lethe of thy angry soul Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs, 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. K. Rich. Then know, that from my soul, I love thy daughter. 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: [brothers: So, from thy soul's love, didst thou love her And from my heart's love, I do thank thee for it. K. Rich. Be not so hasty to confound my meaning; I mean, that with my soul I love thy daughter, And do intend to make her queen of England. Q. Eliz. Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king? K. Rich. Even he, that makes her queen: Who else should be? Q. Eliz. What, thou? K. Rich. of it, madam? Even so: What think you That I would learn of you, Q. Eliz. How canst thou woo her? K. Rich. As one being best acquainted with her humour. Q. Eliz. And wilt thou learn of me? K. Rich. Madam, with all my heart. Q. Eliz. Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers, A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave, Tell her, thou mad'st away her uncle Clarence, K. Rich. You mock me, madam; this is not the way To win your daughter. Q. Eliz. There is no other way; Unless thou could'st 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? Q. Eliz. Nay, then indeed, she cannot choose but hate thee, Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. K. Rich. Look, what is done cannot be now amended; Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Familiarly shall call thy Dorset-brother; And all the ruins of distressful times What! we have many goodly days to see: Prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale; Would be her lord? Or shall I say, her uncle? - 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. Q. Eliz. Which she shall purchase with still lasting war. K. Rich. Tell her, the king, that may command, entreats. Q. Eliz. That at her hands, which the king's King forbids. K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. Q. Eliz. To wail the title, as her mother doth. K. Rich. Say, I will love her everlastingly. Q. Eliz. But how long shall that title, ever, last? K. Rich. Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end. Q. Eliz. But how long fairly shall her sweet life last? K. Rich. As long as heaven, and nature, lengthens it. Q. Eliz. As long as hell, and Richard, likes ofit. K. Rich. Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject low. Q. Eliz. But she, your subject, loaths such sov'reignty. 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. Q. Eliz. Plain, and not honest, is too harsh a style. K. Rich. Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. Q. Eliz. O, no, my reasons are too deep and dead; Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves, K. Rich. Harp not on that string, madam; that is past. Q. Eliz. Harp on it still shall I, till heartstrings break. K. Rich. Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown, Q. Eliz. Profan'd, dishonour'd, and the third usurp❜d. K. Rich. I swear. Q. Eliz. By nothing; for this is no oath. Thy George, profan'd, hath lost his holy honour; Thy garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue; Thy crown, usurp'd, disgrac'd his kingly glory: K. Rich. Now by the world,- Tis full of thy foul wrongs. K. Rich. My father's death,- Thy life hath that dishonour'd. Thyself is self misus'd. K. Rich. Then, by myself,- Had not been broken, nor my brother slain. K. Rich. By the time to come. Q. Eliz. That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast; For I myself have many tears to wash |