King Richard III Part 18

KING RICHARD. Infer fair England's peace by this alliance.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Which she shall purchase with still-lasting war.

KING RICHARD. Tell her the King, that may command, entreats.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. That at her hands which the King's King forbids.

KING RICHARD. Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. To wail the t.i.tle, as her mother doth.

KING RICHARD. Say I will love her everlastingly.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. But how long shall that t.i.tle 'ever' last?

KING RICHARD. Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?

KING RICHARD. As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. As long as h.e.l.l and Richard likes of it.

KING RICHARD. Say I, her sovereign, am her subject low.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.

KING RICHARD. Be eloquent in my behalf to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.

KING RICHARD. Then plainly to her tell my loving tale.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.

KING RICHARD. Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. O, no, my reasons are too deep and dead- Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves.

KING RICHARD. Harp not on that string, madam; that is past.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Harp on it still shall I till heartstrings break.

KING RICHARD. Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown- QUEEN ELIZABETH. Profan'd, dishonour'd, and the third usurp'd.

KING RICHARD. I swear- QUEEN ELIZABETH. By nothing; for this is no oath: Thy George, profan'd, hath lost his lordly honour; Thy garter, blemish'd, p.a.w.n'd his knightly virtue; Thy crown, usurp'd, disgrac'd his kingly glory.

If something thou wouldst swear to be believ'd, Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong'd.

KING RICHARD. Then, by my self- QUEEN ELIZABETH. Thy self is self-misus'd.

KING RICHARD. Now, by the world- QUEEN ELIZABETH. 'Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

KING RICHARD. My father's death- QUEEN ELIZABETH. Thy life hath it dishonour'd.

KING RICHARD. Why, then, by G.o.d- QUEEN ELIZABETH. G.o.d's wrong is most of all.

If thou didst fear to break an oath with Him, The unity the King my husband made Thou hadst not broken, nor my brothers died.

If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by Him, 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 bedfellows for dust, Thy broken faith hath made the prey for worms.

What canst thou swear by now?

KING RICHARD. The time to come.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast; For I myself have many tears to wash Hereafter time, for time past wrong'd by thee.

The children live whose fathers thou hast slaughter'd, Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their age; The parents live whose children thou hast butcheed, Old barren plants, to wail it with their age.

Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast Misus'd ere us'd, by times ill-us'd o'erpast.

KING RICHARD. As I intend to prosper and repent, So thrive I in my dangerous affairs Of hostile arms! Myself myself confound!

Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours!

Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest!

Be opposite all planets of good luck To my proceeding!-if, with dear heart's love, Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts, I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter.

In her consists my happiness and thine; Without her, follows to myself and thee, Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul, Death, desolation, ruin, and decay.

It cannot be avoided but by this; It will not be avoided but by this.

Therefore, dear mother-I must call you so- Be the attorney of my love to her; Plead what I will be, not what I have been; Not my deserts, but what I will deserve.

Urge the necessity and state of times, And be not peevish-fond in great designs.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?

KING RICHARD. Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Shall I forget myself to be myself?

KING RICHARD. Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong yourself.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Yet thou didst kill my children.

KING RICHARD. But in your daughter's womb I bury them; Where, in that nest of spicery, they will breed Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?

KING RICHARD. And be a happy mother by the deed.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. I go. Write to me very shortly, And you shall understand from me her mind.

KING RICHARD. Bear her my true love's kiss; and so, farewell.

Kissing her. Exit QUEEN ELIZABETH Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!

Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following

How now! what news?

RATCLIFF. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast Rideth a puissant navy; to our sh.o.r.es Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, Unarm'd, and unresolv'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 ash.o.r.e.

KING RICHARD. Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of Norfolk.

Ratcliff, thyself-or Catesby; where is he?

CATESBY. Here, my good lord.

KING RICHARD. Catesby, fly to the Duke.

CATESBY. I will my lord, with all convenient haste.

KING RICHARD. Ratcliff, come hither. Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither- [To CATESBY] Dull, unmindfull villain, Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the Duke?

CATESBY. First, mighty liege, tell me your Highness' pleasure, What from your Grace I shall deliver to him.

KING RICHARD. O, true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight The greatest strength and power that he can make And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.

CATESBY. I go. Exit RATCLIFF. What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?

KING RICHARD. Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?

RATCLIFF. Your Highness told me I should post before.

KING RICHARD. My mind is chang'd.

Enter LORD STANLEY

STANLEY, what news with you?

STANLEY. None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing; Nor none so bad but well may be reported.

KING RICHARD. Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!

What need'st thou run so many miles about, When thou mayest tell thy tale the nearest way?

Once more, what news?

STANLEY. Richmond is on the seas.

KING RICHARD. There let him sink, and be the seas on him!

White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?

STANLEY. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.

KING RICHARD. Well, as you guess?

STANLEY. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton, He makes for England here to claim the crown.

KING RICHARD. Is the chair empty? Is the sword unsway'd?

Is the King dead, the empire unpossess'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 seas.

STANLEY. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

KING RICHARD. Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.

Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.

STANLEY. No, my good lord; therefore mistrust me not.

KING RICHARD. Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where be thy tenants and thy followers?

Are they not now upon the western sh.o.r.e, Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

STANLEY. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.