Queen. There's no other way,

Unless thou could't put on fome other shape,
And not be Richard that hath done all this.

K. Rich. Say, that I did all this for love of her.
Queen. Nay then indeed fhe cannot chufe but hate thee,
Having bought love with fuch a bloody spoil.

K. Rich. Look, what is done, cannot be now amended; Men fhall deal unadvisedly fometimes,

Which after-hours give leifure to repent of.
If I did take the kingdom from your fons,
To make amends, I'll give it to your daughter:
If I have kill'd the iffue of your womb,
To quicken your increase I will beget
Mine iffue of your blood, upon your daughter:
A grandam's name is little lefs in love,
Than is the doting title of a mother;
They are as children but one step below,
Even of your metal, of your very blood:
Of all one pain, fave for a night of groans
Endur'd of her, for whom you bid like forrow.
Your children were vexation to your youth,
But mine fhall be a comfort to your age.
The lofs you have is but a fon being King,
And by that lofs your daughter is made Queen.
I cannot make you what amends I would,
Therefore accept fuch kindness as I can.
Dorfet, your fon, that with a fearful foul
Leads difcontented fteps in foreign foil,
This fair alliance quickly fhall call home
To high promotions and great dignity.
The King that calls your beauteous daughter wife,
Familiarly fhall call thy Dorfet brother:
Again fhall you be mother to a King;
And all the ruins of distressful times,
Repair'd with double riches of content.
What! we have many goodly days to fee.
The liquid drops of tears that you haye shed
Shall come again, transform'd to orient pearl,

A a 3

Advan

6

Advantaging their loan with intereft
7'Of ten times double gain of happiness.
Go then, my mother, to thy daughter go,
Make bold her bafhful years with
your experience,
Prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale.
Put in her tender heart th' afpiring flame
Of golden Sov'reignty; acquaint the Princefs
With the fweet filent hours of marriage-joys.
And when this arm of mine hath chaftifed
The petty rebel, dull-brain'd Buckingham,
Bound with triumphant garlands will I come,
And lead thy daughter to a conqueror's bed;
To whom I will retail my conquest won,
And the fhall be fole victress, Cæfar's Cafar.
Queen. What were I beft to fay, her father's brother
Would be her Lord? or fhall I fay, her uncle?
Or he that flew her brothers, and her uncles?
Under what title fhall I woo for thee,

That God, the law, my honour, and her love,
Can make feem pleafing to her tender years?

K. Rich. Infer fair England's peace by this alliance.
Queen. Which the fhall purchase with ftill lafting war.
K. Rich. Tell her, the King, that may command,
intreats
[bids.
Queen. That, at her hands, which the King's King for-
K. Rich. Say, fhe fhall be a high and mighty Queen-
Queen. To wail the title, as her mother doth.
K. Rich. Say, I will love her everlastingly.
Queen. But how long fhall that title ever laft?
K. Rich. Sweetly in force, unto her fair life's end.
Queen. But how long, fairly, fhall her fweet life laft?
K. Rich. As long as heav'n and nature lengthen it.
Queen. As long as hell and Richard like of it.
K. Rich. Say, I, her Sov'reign, am her fubject now.
Queen. But the, your fubject, loaths fuch Sov'reignty.
K. Rich. Be eloquent in my behalf to her.

love... old edit. Theob. emend.

Queen.

7 Oftentimes

Queen. An honeft tale fpeeds beft, being plainly told.
K. Rich. Then in plain terms tell her my loving tale.
Queen. Plain and not honeft, is too harfh a ftile.

K. Rich. Your reasons are too fhallow, and too quick.
Now by my George, my garter, and my crown-
Queen. Profan'd, dishonour'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 blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue,
The crown ufurp'd, difgrac'd his kingly glory.
If fomething thou would'st 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 dishonour'd.
K. Rich. Then by my felf.
Queen. Thy felf thy felf mifufeft.
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 had'ft 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.
K. Rich. By time to come.

Queen. That thou haft wronged in the time o'er-paft: For I my felf have many tears to wash

(a)

A a 4

too fhallow, and too quick.

Queen. O no, my reafons 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 ftring, Madam, that is paft. Now by my George, &c.

Here

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, whose children thou haft butcher'd,
Old wither'd plants, to wail it in their age.

K. Rich. As I intend to profper and repent;
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt

Of hostile arms! my felf, my felf confound;
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours;
Day yield me not thy light, nor night thy reft;
Be oppofite all planets of good luck

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

I tender not thy beauteous Princely daughter!
In her confifts my happiness and thine;
Without her, follows to my self and thee,
Her felf, 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 muft call you so,
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 state of times;
And be not peevish found in great designs.
Queen. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
K. Rich. Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.
Queen. Shall I forget my felf to be my felf?

K. Rich. Ay, if your felf's remembrance wrong your self. Queen. But thou didst kill my children.

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

K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed.
Queen. I go, write to me fhortly.

[Exit Queen.

K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kifs, and fo farewelRelenting fool, and fhallow, changing woman!

Rat. Moft mighty Sovereign, on the western coaft
Rides a puiffant navy: to our fhores
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 ashore.

[Norfolk,

K. Rich. Some light-foot friend poft to the Duke of Ratcliff, thy felf, or Catesby; where is he?

Catef. Here, my good Lord.

K. Rich. Catesby, йy to the Duke.

Catef. I will, my Lord, with all convenient haste.
K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither, poft to Salisbury,
dull unmindful villain,

When thou com'ft thither

[To Catesby. Why stay'st thou here, and go'ft not to the Duke? Cates. First, mighty Liege, tell me your Highness' pleaWhat from your Grace I fhall deliver to him.

[fure,

K. Rich. O true, good Catesby, -bid him levy ftrait The greatest strength and power he can make, And meet me fuddenly at Salisbury.

Catef. I go.

[Exit.

Rat. What, may it please you, fhall I do at Salisbury?
K. Rich. Why, what would'ft thou do there before I go?
Rat. Your Highness told me I fhould post before.
K. Rich. My mind is chang'd

Enter Lord Stanley.

Stanley, what news with you?

Stan.