GEORGE, Duke of Clarence, Brother to Edward IV. A young Son of Clarence.
RICHARD, Duke of Glofter, Brother to Edward IV.afterwards King Richard III.
Cardinal BOUR CHIER, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Archbishop of York.
Duke of BUCKINGHAM.
Duke of NORFOLK.
Earl RIVERS, Brother to King Edward's Queen.
Marquis of DORSET,
Lord GREY,
Earl of RICHMOND, afterwards King Henry VII.
Lord HASTINGS.
Sir THOMAS VAUGHAN.
Sir RICHARD RATCLIFF,
Sir WILLIAM CATESBY,
Sir JAMES TYRREL.
Lord STANLEY.
Farl of OXFORD.
Sir JAMES BLOUNT.
Sir WALTER HERBERT.
Sir ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the Tower, CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Prieft. Another Prief, Lord Mayor.
ELIZABETH, Queen of Edward IV.
Queen MARGARET, Widow of Henry VI.
ANNE, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry VI. afterwards married to the Duke of Glofter. Dutchess of YORK, Mother to Edward IV. Clarence, and Richard III.
Sheriff, Purfuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Ghofts, Soldiers and other Attendants.
SCENE I. England. London. A Street.
Enter RICHARD, Duke of Glofler.
OW is the winter of our difcontent
Made glorious fummer by this fun 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 stern alarums chang'd to merry meetings;
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Grim-vifag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front,
And now instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the fouls of fearful adverfaries—
He cappers 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 stamp'd, and want love's majesty,
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 unfashionably,
That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them;-
Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time;
Unless to spy my fhadow in the fun,
And defcant on mine own deformity:
And therefore-fince I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain thefe fair well-fpoken days-
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, 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 just,
As I am fubtle, false, and treacherous,
This day fhould Clarence clofely be mew'd up;
About a prophecy which fays that G
Of Edward's heirs the murderer fhall be.-
Dive, thoughts, down to my foul! here Clarence
Enter CLARENCE guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day: What means this armed guard, That waits upon your grace?
Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed
This conduct to convey me to the Tower.
Glo. Upon what cause?
Clar. Becaufe my name is-George.
Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of
He fhould, for that, commit your godfathers:-
O, belike his majefty hath fome intent,
That you fhould be new chrifter'd in the Tower.
But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know?
Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for, I protest
I do not: But, as I can learn,
He hearkens after prophecies, and dreams;
And from the cross-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 thefe,
Have moved his highness to commit me now.
Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by wo
'Tis not the king, that fends you to the Tower;
My Lady Grey his wife, Clarence, 'tis fhe,
That tempts him to this harsh extremity.
Was it not fhe, and that good man of worship,
Anthony Woodeville, her brother there.
That made him fend lord Haftings to the Tower;
From whence this present day he is deliver❜d?
We are not fafe, Clarence, we are not safe.
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 fuppliant
Lord Haftings was to her 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 herself,
Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewomen,
Are mighty goffips in this monarchy.
Brak. I befeech your graces both to pardon me;
His majesty hath ftraitly given in charge,
That no man fhall have private conference,
Of what degree foever, with his brother.
Glo. Even fo? an please your worship, Brakenbury, You may partake of any thing we fay:
We fpeak no treafon, man;-We say, the king
Is wife, and virtuous; and his noble queen
Well ftruck 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, fir? can you deny all this?
Brak. With this, my lord, myfelf have nought to do.
Glo. Naught to do with mistress 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'st thou be tray me?
Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal,
Forbear your conference with the noble duke. Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey.
Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey, Brother, farewell; 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 enfranchife you.
Mean time, this deep difgrace in brotherhood,
Touches me deeper than you can imagine
Clar. I know, it pleaseth neither of us well.
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