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THE TRAGEDIE OF RICHARD THE THIRD
THE TRAGEDIE OF RICHARD THE THIRD WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE with the Landing of Earle Richmond and the Battell at Bosworth
Field
Actus Primus. Scoena Prima.
Enter Richard Duke of Gloster solus.
Now is the Winter of our Discontent
Made glorious Summer by this Son of Yorke:
And all the clouds that lowr'd vpon our house
In the deepe bosome of the Ocean buried.
Now are our browes bound with Victorious Wreathes
Our bruised armes hung vp for Monuments;
Our sterne Alarums chang'd to merry Meetings;
Our dreadfull Marches to delightfull Measures.
Grim-visag'd Warre hath smooth'd his wrinkled Front:
And now in stead of mounting Barbed Steeds
To fright the Soules of fearfull Aduersaries
He capers nimbly in a Ladies Chamber
To the lasciuious pleasing of a Lute.
But I that am not shap'd for sportiue trickes
Nor made to court an amorous Looking-glasse:
I that am Rudely stampt and want loues Maiesty
To strut before a wonton ambling Nymph:
I that am curtail'd of this faire Proportion
Cheated of Feature by dissembling Nature
Deform'd vn-finish'd sent before my time
Into this breathing World scarse halfe made vp
And that so lamely and vnfashionable
That dogges barke at me as I halt by them.
Why I (in this weake piping time of Peace)
Haue no delight to passe away the time
Vnlesse to see my Shadow in the Sunne
And descant on mine owne Deformity.
And therefore since I cannot proue a Louer
To entertaine these faire well spoken dayes
I am determined to proue a Villaine
And hate the idle pleasures of these dayes.
Plots haue I laide Inductions dangerous
By drunken Prophesies Libels and Dreames
To set my Brother Clarence and the King
In deadly hate the one against the other:
And if King Edward be as true and iust
As I am Subtle False and Treacherous
This day should Clarence closely be mew'd vp:
About a Prophesie which sayes that G
Of Edwards heyres the murtherer shall be.
Diue thoughts downe to my soule here Clarence comes.
Enter Clarence and Brakenbury guarded.
Brother good day: What meanes this armed guard
That waites vpon your Grace?
Cla. His Maiesty tendring my persons safety
Hath appointed this Conduct to conuey me to th' Tower
Rich. Vpon what cause?
Cla. Because my name is George
Rich. Alacke my Lord that fault is none of yours:
He should for that commit your Godfathers.
O belike his Maiesty hath some intent
That you should be new Christned in the Tower
But what's the matter Clarence may I know?
Cla. Yea Richard when I know: but I protest
As yet I do not: But as I can learne
He hearkens after Prophesies and Dreames
And from the Crosse-row pluckes the letter G:
And sayes a Wizard told him that by G
His issue disinherited should be.
And for my name of George begins with G
It followes in his thought that I am he.
These (as I learne) and such like toyes as these
Hath moou'd his Highnesse to commit me now
Rich. 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 shee
That tempts him to this harsh Extremity.
Was it not shee and that good man of Worship
Anthony Woodeuile her Brother there
That made him send Lord Hastings to the Tower?
From whence this present day he is deliuered?
We are not safe Clarence we are not safe
Cla. By heauen I thinke there is no man secure
But the Queenes Kindred and night-walking Heralds
That trudge betwixt the King and Mistris Shore.
Heard you not what an humble Suppliant
Lord Hastings was for her deliuery?
Rich. Humbly complaining to her Deitie
Got my Lord Chamberlaine his libertie.
Ile tell you what I thinke it is our way
If we will keepe in fauour with the King
To be her men and weare her Liuery.
The iealous ore-worne Widdow and her selfe
Since that our Brother dub'd them Gentlewomen
Are mighty Gossips in our Monarchy
Bra. I beseech your Graces both to pardon me
His Maiesty hath straightly giuen in charge
That no man shall haue priuate Conference
(Of what degree soeuer) with your Brother
Rich. Euen so and please your Worship Brakenbury
You may partake of any thing we say:
We speake no Treason man; We say the King
Is wise and vertuous and his Noble Queene
Well strooke in yeares faire and not iealious.
We say that Shores Wife hath a pretty Foot
A cherry Lip a bonny Eye a passing pleasing tongue:
And that the Queenes Kindred are made gentle Folkes.
How say you sir? can you deny all this?
Bra. With this (my Lord) my selfe haue nought to
doo
Rich. Naught to do with Mistris Shore?
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