K. Rich. Then, in plain terms tell her my loving tale.

Queen. Plain, and not honeft, is too harsh a stile. K. Rich. Your reafons are too fhallow, and too quick. Queen. O no, my reasons are too deep and dead; Two deep and dead poor infants in their grave; Harp on it ftill fhall I, till heart-ftrings break.

K. Rich. Harp not on that string, Madam; that is
past.

Now by my George, my Garter, and my Crown
Queen. Profan'd, difhonour'd, and the third ufurp'd.
K. Rich. I fwear.

Queen. By nothing, for this is no oath.

The George, profan'd, hath loft his holy honour;
The Garter, blemifh'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue;
The Crown, ufurp'd, difgrac'd his kingly glory.
If fomething thou wouldst fwear to be believ'd,
Swear then by fomething that thou haft not wrong'd
K. Rich. Now by the world-

Queen. 'Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
K. Rich. My father's death-
Queen. Thy life hath that difhonour'd,
K. Rich. Then by myself.
Queen. Thyself thyself misusest.
K. Rich. Why then, by heav'n
Queen. Heav'n's wrong is moft of all,

If thou didst fear to break an oath with heav'n,
The unity the King my husband made ..., {
Thou hadft not broken, nor my brothers dy'd.
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath with heav'n,
Th' imperial metal circling now thy head
Had grac'd the tender temples of my child;
And both the Princes had been breathing here;
Which now, two tender bed-fellows for duft,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey to worms.
What canft thou swear by now?

K. Rich. By time to come.

Queen.

Queen. That thou haft wronged in the time o'erpaft,

For I myself have many tears to wash

Hereafter time, for time paft wrong'd by thee.
The children live, whofe fathers thou haft flaughter'd,
Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their
age.

The parents live, whofe children thou haft butcher'd,
Old wither'd plants, to wail it in their age.
Swear not by time to come, for that thou haft
Mifus'd ere us'd, by times ill-us'd o'erpast.
K. Rich. As I intend to profper and repent,
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt

Of hoftile arms! myfelf, myfelf confound,
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours,
Day yield me not thy light, nor night thy rest,
Be oppofite all planets of good luck

To my proceeding, if with pure heart's love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,

you fo

fo,)

I tender not thy beauteous Princely daughter.
In her confifts my happiness, and thine;
Without her, follows to myself and thee,
Herfelf, the Land, and many a christian soul,
Death, defolation, ruin, and decay,
It cannot be avoided, but by this;
It will not be avoided, but by this;
Therefore, dear mother, (I must call
Be the attorney of my love to her ;
Plead what I will be, not what I have been,
Not my deferts, but what I will deferve:
Urge the neceffity and ftate of times,
And be not peevith found in great defigns.
Queen. Shall I be tempted of the Devil thus?
K. Rich. Ay, if the Devil tempt thee to do good.
Queen. Shall I forget myfelf to be myself?

K. Rich. Ay, if your felf's remembrance wrong
yourself.

Queen. But thou didst kill my children.

K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them;

Where

Where in that neft of spicery they shall breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.
Queen. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed. .
Queen. I go, write to me fhortly.

K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kifs, and fo fare[Kiffing her.

Exit Queen.

wel. -Relenting fool, and fhallow, changing, woman!

Rat. Moft mighty Sovereign, on the western coaft Rideth a puiffant Navy; to our fhores Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, Unarm'd, and unrefolv'd to beat them back; 'Tis thought that Richmond is their Admiral, And there they hull, expecting but the aid Of Buckingham, to welcome them afhore.

K. Rich. Some light-foot friend poft to the Duke of Norfolk,

Ratcliff, thyfelf; or Catesby; where is he?
Catef. Here, my good Lord.

K. Rich. Catefly, fly to the Duke.

Catef. I will, my Lord, with all convenient hafte K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither, poft to Salisbury; When thou com'ft thither-dull unmindful villain, [To Catef. Why stay'st thou here, and go'ft not to the Duke? Catef. Firft, mighty Liege, tell me your Highness' pleasure,

What from your Grace I fhall deliver to him.

K. Rich. O true, good Catefly. Bid him levy ftrait

• Some light-foot friend post to the Duke. Richard's precipitation and confufion is in this VOL. V.

scene very happily reprefented
by inconfiftent orders. and fud-
den variations of opinion.
Z

The

The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me fuddenly at Salisbury.

Cates. I go.

[Exit. Rat. What, may it please you, fhall I do at Salifbury?

K. Rich. Why, what wouldft thou do there, before I go?

Rat. Your Highness told me, I should poft before. K. Rich. My mind is chang'd

Enter Lord Stanley.

Stanley, what news with you?

Stanl. None good, my Liege, to please you with the hearing,

Nor none fo bad, but well may be reported.

K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad: Why doft thou run so many miles about,

When thou may'ft tell thy tale the nearest way;
Once more, what news?

Stanl. Richmond is on the feas.

K. Rich. There let him fink, and be the feas on him! White-liver'd Runnagate, what doth he there? Stanl. I know not, mighty Sovereign, but by guess. K. Rich. Well, as you guess.

Stanl. Stirr'd up by Dorfet, Buckingham, and Morton,
He makes for England, here to claim the Crown.
K. Rich. Is the Chair empty? is the Sword un-
fway'd?

Is the King dead? the Empire unpoffefs'd?
What Heir of York is there alive, but We?
And who is England's King, but great York's heir?
Then tell me, what makes he upon the fea?

Stanl. Unless for that, my Liege, I cannot guefs. K. Rich. Unless for that he comes to be your Liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welsh-man comes. Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear.

Stanl. No, mighty Liege, therefore miftruft me not.
K. Rich.

K. Rich. Where is thy Power then to beat him back?.

Where are thy Tenants, and thy Followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the Rebels from their fhips?

Stanl. No, my good Lord, my friends are in the
North.

K. Rich. Cold friends to me. What do they in the North

When they should serve their Sov'reign in the West? Stanl. They have not been commanded, mighty King?

Please it your Majefty to give me leave,

I'll mufter up my friends, and meet your Grace,
Where, and what time your Majefty fhall please.
K. Rich. Ay, thou wouldst fain be gone, to join
with Richmond,

But I'll not trust thee.

Stanl. Mighty Sovereign,

You have no caufe to hold my friendship doubtful. I never was, nor never will be, falfe.

K. Rich. Go then, and mufter men; but leave behind

Your fon George Stanley; look, your heart be firm,
Or elfe his head's affurance is but frail,

Stanl. So deal with him, as I prove true to you!
[Exit Stanley.

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. My gracious Sov'reign, now in Devonshire, As I by friends am well advertised,

Sir Edmund Courtney, and the haughty Prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,

With many more confed'rates, are in arms.