K

ING Edward IV.

Edward, Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward V. 1 Sons to Edward Richard, Duke of York.

George, Duke of Clarence, Brother to Edward IV.

J IV.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Brother to Edward IV. afterwards King Ri

chard III.

Cardinal, Archbishop of York.

Duke of Buckingham.
Duke of Norfolk.

Earl of Derby.

Earl of Surrey.

Marquis of Dorfet, Son to the Queen.
Earl Rivers, Brother to the Queen.

Queen to Edward IV.

Queen Margaret, Widow of Henry VI.

Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry VI.afterwards mar

ried to the Duke of Gloucefter.

Dutchess of York, Mother to Edward IV, Clarence, and Richard III.

Sheriff, Purfuivant, Citizens, Ghosts of those murder'd by Richard III.

with Soldiers and other Attendants.

The SCENE in England.

THE

:C

THE

LIFE and DEATH

OF

RICHARD III, &c.

ACT I. SCENE I

Enter Richard Duke of Glo’ster, folus.

OW is the Winter of our Difcontent,
Made glorious Summer by this Sun of York:
And all the Clouds that lowr'd upon our
House,

In the deep Bofom 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 vifag'd War bath fmooth'd his wrinkled Front;
And now instead of mounting Barbed Steeds,
VOL, IV.
G2

To

To fright the Souls of fearful Adverfaries,
He capers nimbly in a Lady's Chamber,
To the lafcivious pleafing of a Lute.

But I, that am not fhap'd for fportive Tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous Looking-glafs,
I, that am rudely ftampt, 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 unfafhionable,
That Dogs bark at me, as I halt by them:
Why I (in this weak piping time of Peace)
Have no delight to pafs away the time,
Unlefs to fee my Shadow in the Sun,
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 Pleafures of thefe Days.
Plots have I laid, 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 Juft,
As I am Subtle, Falfe and Treacherous,
This Day fhould Clarence clofely be mew'd up,
About a Prophefie, which fays, that G

Of Edward's Heirs the Murtherer fhall be.

Dive Thoughts down to my Soul, here Clarence comes.
Enter Clarence, and Brakenbury, guarded.

Brother, good Day; what means this armed Guard
That waits upon your Grace?

Clar. His Majefty, tending my Perfon's fafety,
Hath appoined this Conduct to convey me to th'Tower.
Glo. Upon what Caufe?

Clar. Because my Name is George.

Glo. Alack, my Lord, that Fault is none of yours:

He fhould for that commit your Godfathers.

O belike, his Majefty hath fome intent,

That

That you should be new Chriftned in the Tower.
But what's the Matter, Clarence, may I know?
Clar. Yea Richard, when I know; but I proteft
As yet I do not; but as I can learn,

He harkens after Prophefies and Dreams,
And from the Crofs-row plucks the Letter G;
And fays a Wizard told him, that by G,
His Iffue difinherited fhould be.

And for my Name of George begins with G,
It follows in his Thought that I am he.
Thefe, as I learn, and fuch like toys as these,
Have mov'd his Highness to commit me now.

Glo. Why this it is, when Men are rul'd by Women.
'Tis not the King that fends you to the Tower;
My Lady Gray his Wife, Clarence, 'tis the,
That tempts him to this harsh Extremity.
Was it not the, and that good Man of Worship,
Anthony Woodvil her Brother there,

That made him fend Lord Hastings to the Tower;
From whence this Day he is delivered.

We are not fafe, Clarence we are not fafe.

Clar. By Heaven, I think there is no Man fecure
But the Queen's Kindred, and Night-walking Heralds.
That trudge betwixt the King and Miftrefs Shore.
Heard you not what an humble Suppliant
Lord Haftings was for his delivery ?

Glo. Humbly complaining to her Deity,
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 her felf,
Since that our Brother dub'd them Gentlewomen,
Are mighty Goffips in our Monarchy.

Brak. I befeech your Graces both to pardon me,
His Majefty hath ftraightly given in charge,
That no Man fhall have private Conference
Of what degree foever, with your Brother.
Glo. Even fe, and pleafe your worship, Brakenbury!
You may partake of any thing we fay:
We speak no Treafon, Mar-we fay the King
G 3

Is

Is wife and virtuous, and his noble Queen
Well ftrook in Years, fair, and not jealous.
We fay, that Shore's Wife hath a pretty Foot,

A cherry Lip, a bonny Eye, a paffing pleafing Tongue:
That the Queen's Kindred are made Gentle-folks.
How fay you, Sir? can you deny all this?

Brak. With this, my Lord, my felf have nought to do.
Glo. Naught to do with Miftrefs Shore?

I tell thee, Fellow, he that doth naught with her,
Excepting one, were beft to do it fecretly alone.
Brak. What one, my Lord?

Glo. Her Husband, Knave-would'ft thou betray me?
Brak. I do befeech your Grace

To pardon me, and withal forbear

Your Conferences with the noble Duke.

Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the Queen's Abjects, and muft obey. Brother farewel, I will unto the King,

And whatfoe'er you will employ me in,
Were it to call King Edward's Widow, Sister,
I will perform it to infranchise you.

Mean time, this deep difgrace of Brotherhood,
Touches me deeper than you can imagine.
Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well.
Glo. Well, your Imprisonment fhall not be long,
I will deliver you, or elfe lye for you:

Mean time have patience.

Clar. I muft perforce; farewel.

[Ex. Brak. Clar.

Glo. Go tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return:
Simple plain Clarence-I do love thee fo,
That I will fhortly fend thy Soul to Heav'n,
If Heav'n will take the Prefent at our Hands.
But who comes here? the new deliver'd Haftings?
Enter Lord Haltings.

Haft. Good time of day unto my gracious Lord.
Glo. As much unto my good Lord Chamberlain:
Well are you welcome to this open Air,
How hath your Lordship brook'd Imprisonment?
Haft. With patience, noble Lord, as Prifoners muft:
But I fhall live, my Lord, to give them thanks
That were the caufe of my Imprisonment.

Glo.