King Richard The Third

1 Enter Richard and Buckingham in rotten armour, marvellous ill-favoured.
2 RICHARD.
3 Come, cousin, canst thou quake and change thy colour,
4 Murder thy breath in middle of a word,
5 And then again begin, and stop again,
6 As if thou were distraught and mad with terror?
7 BUCKINGHAM.
8 Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian;
9 Speak, and look back, and pry on every side,
10 Tremble and start at wagging of a straw,
11 Intending deep suspicion. Ghastly looks
12 Are at my service, like enforced smiles,
13 And both are ready in their offices,
14 At anytime to grace my stratagems.
15 But what, is Catesby gone?
16 RICHARD.
17 He is; and, see, he brings the Mayor along.
18 Enter the Lord Mayor and Catesby.
19 BUCKINGHAM.
20 Lord Mayor—
21 RICHARD.
22 Look to the drawbridge there!
23 BUCKINGHAM.
24 Hark, a drum.
25 RICHARD.
26 Catesby, o’erlook the walls.
27 BUCKINGHAM.
28 Lord Mayor, the reason we have sent—
29 RICHARD.
30 Look back! Defend thee, here are enemies.
31 BUCKINGHAM.
32 God and our innocence defend and guard us!
33 Enter Lovell and Ratcliffe with Hastings’ head.
34 RICHARD.
35 Be patient, they are friends, Ratcliffe and Lovell.
36 LOVELL.
37 Here is the head of that ignoble traitor,
38 The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.
39 RICHARD.
40 So dear I loved the man that I must weep.
41 I took him for the plainest harmless creature
42 That breathed upon the earth a Christian;
43 Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded
44 The history of all her secret thoughts.
45 So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue
46 That, his apparent open guilt omitted—
47 I mean his conversation with Shore’s wife—
48 He lived from all attainder of suspects.
49 BUCKINGHAM.
50 Well, well, he was the covert’st sheltered traitor
51 That ever lived.—
52 Would you imagine, or almost believe,
53 Were’t not that by great preservation
54 We live to tell it, that the subtle traitor
55 This day had plotted, in the council-house,
56 To murder me and my good lord of Gloucester?
57 MAYOR.
58 Had he done so?
59 RICHARD.
60 What, think you we are Turks or Infidels?
61 Or that we would, against the form of law,
62 Proceed thus rashly in the villain’s death,
63 But that the extreme peril of the case,
64 The peace of England, and our persons’ safety,
65 Enforced us to this execution?
66 MAYOR.
67 Now, fair befall you! He deserved his death,
68 And your good Graces both have well proceeded,
69 To warn false traitors from the like attempts.
70 BUCKINGHAM.
71 I never looked for better at his hands
72 After he once fell in with Mistress Shore.
73 Yet had we not determined he should die
74 Until your lordship came to see his end
75 Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
76 Something against our meanings, have prevented,
77 Because, my lord, we would have had you heard
78 The traitor speak, and timorously confess
79 The manner and the purpose of his treasons,
80 That you might well have signified the same
81 Unto the citizens, who haply may
82 Misconster us in him, and wail his death.
83 MAYOR.
84 But, my good lord, your Grace’s word shall serve
85 As well as I had seen and heard him speak;
86 And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
87 But I’ll acquaint our duteous citizens
88 With all your just proceedings in this case.
89 RICHARD.
90 And to that end we wished your lordship here,
91 T’ avoid the censures of the carping world.
92 BUCKINGHAM.
93 But since you come too late of our intent,
94 Yet witness what you hear we did intend.
95 And so, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.
96 [_Exit Lord Mayor._]
97 RICHARD.
98 Go, after, after, cousin Buckingham.
99 The Mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post.
100 There, at your meet’st advantage of the time,
101 Infer the bastardy of Edward’s children;
102 Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen
103 Only for saying he would make his son
104 Heir to the Crown—meaning indeed his house,
105 Which, by the sign thereof, was termed so.
106 Moreover, urge his hateful luxury
107 And bestial appetite in change of lust,
108 Which stretched unto their servants, daughters, wives,
109 Even where his raging eye or savage heart,
110 Without control, lusted to make a prey.
111 Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:
112 Tell them, when that my mother went with child
113 Of that insatiate Edward, noble York
114 My princely father then had wars in France,
115 And, by true computation of the time,
116 Found that the issue was not his begot;
117 Which well appeared in his lineaments,
118 Being nothing like the noble Duke, my father.
119 Yet touch this sparingly, as ’twere far off;
120 Because, my lord, you know my mother lives.
121 BUCKINGHAM.
122 Doubt not, my lord, I’ll play the orator
123 As if the golden fee for which I plead
124 Were for myself. And so, my lord, adieu.
125 RICHARD.
126 If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard’s Castle,
127 Where you shall find me well accompanied
128 With reverend fathers and well-learned bishops.
129 BUCKINGHAM.
130 I go; and towards three or four o’clock
131 Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.
132 [_Exit._]
133 RICHARD.
134 Go, Lovell, with all speed to Doctor Shaa.
135 [_To Ratcliffe_.] Go thou to Friar Penker; bid them both
136 Meet me within this hour at Baynard’s Castle.
137 [_Exeunt Ratcliffe and Lovell._]
138 Now will I go to take some privy order
139 To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight,
140 And to give order that no manner person
141 Have any time recourse unto the Princes.
142 [_Exit._]