ARKCODEX
Act IV, Scene 2
1London. The palace.
2Sennet. Enter Richard, in pomp, crowned; Buckingham, Catesby, a Page, and others.
3King RichardStand all apart Cousin of Buckingham!
4BuckinghamMy gracious sovereign?
5King RichardGive me thy hand. Here he ascendeth his throne. Thus high, by thy advice
And thy assistance, is King Richard seated:
But shall we wear these honours for a day?
Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?
6BuckinghamStill live they and for ever may they last!
7King RichardO Buckingham, now do I play the touch,
To try if thou be current gold indeed:
Young Edward lives: think now what I would say.
8BuckinghamSay on, my loving lord.
9King RichardWhy, Buckingham, I say, I would be king.
10BuckinghamWhy, so you are, my thrice renowned liege.
11King RichardHa! am I king? ’tis so: but Edward lives.
12BuckinghamTrue, noble prince.
13King RichardO bitter consequence,
That Edward still should live! “True, noble prince!”
Cousin, thou wert not wont to be so dull:
Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead;
And I would have it suddenly perform’d.
What sayest thou? speak suddenly; be brief.
14BuckinghamYour grace may do your pleasure.
15King RichardTut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezeth:
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
16BuckinghamGive me some breath, some little pause, my lord,
Before I positively speak herein:
I will resolve your grace immediately. Exit.
17CatesbyAside to a stander by. The king is angry: see, he bites the lip.
18King RichardI will converse with iron-witted fools
And unrespective boys: none are for me
That look into me with considerate eyes:
High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.
Boy!
19PageMy lord?
20King RichardKnow’st thou not any whom corrupting gold
Would tempt unto a close exploit of death?
21PageMy lord, I know a discontented gentleman,
Whose humble means match not his haughty mind:
Gold were as good as twenty orators,
And will, no doubt, tempt him to any thing.
22King RichardWhat is his name?
23PageHis name, my lord, is Tyrrel.
24King RichardI partly know the man: go, call him hither. Exit Page.
The deep-revolving witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsel:
Hath he so long held out with me untired,
And stops he now for breath?
25Enter Stanley.
26How now! what news with you?
27StanleyMy lord, I hear the Marquis Dorset’s fled
To Richmond, in those parts beyond the sea
Where he abides. Stands apart.
28King RichardCatesby!
29CatesbyMy lord?
30King RichardRumour it abroad
That Anne, my wife, is sick and like to die:
I will take order for her keeping close.
Inquire me out some mean-born gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter:
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.
Look, how thou dream’st! I say again, give out
That Anne my wife is sick and like to die:
About it; for it stands me much upon,
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me. Exit Catesby.
I must be married to my brother’s daughter,
Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass.
Murder her brothers, and then marry her!
Uncertain way of gain! But I am in
So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin:
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.
31Reenter Page, with Tyrrel.
32Is thy name Tyrrel?
33TyrrelJames Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.
34King RichardArt thou, indeed?
35TyrrelProve me, my gracious sovereign.
36King RichardDarest thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
37TyrrelAy, my lord;
But I had rather kill two enemies.
38King RichardWhy, there thou hast it: two deep enemies,
Foes to my rest and my sweet sleep’s disturbers
Are they that I would have thee deal upon:
Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
39TyrrelLet me have open means to come to them,
And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.
40King RichardThou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel:
Go, by this token: rise, and lend thine ear: Whispers.
There is no more but so: say it is done,
And I will love thee, and prefer thee too.
41Tyrrel’Tis done, my gracious lord.
42King RichardShall we hear from thee, Tyrrel, ere we sleep?
43TyrrelYe shall, my Lord. Exit.
44Reenter Buckingham.
45BuckinghamMy Lord, I have consider’d in my mind
The late demand that you did sound me in.
46King RichardWell, let that pass. Dorset is fled to Richmond.
47BuckinghamI hear that news, my lord.
48King RichardStanley, he is your wife’s son: well, look to it.
49BuckinghamMy lord, I claim your gift, my due by promise,
For which your honour and your faith is pawn’d;
The earldom of Hereford and the moveables
The which you promised I should possess.
50King RichardStanley, look to your wife: if she convey
Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.
51BuckinghamWhat says your highness to my just demand?
52King RichardAs I remember, Henry the Sixth
Did prophesy that Richmond should be king,
When Richmond was a little peevish boy.
A king, perhaps, perhaps—
53BuckinghamMy lord!
54King RichardHow chance the prophet could not at that time
Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?
55BuckinghamMy lord, your promise for the earldom—
56King RichardRichmond! When last I was at Exeter,
The mayor in courtesy show’d me the castle.
And call’d it Rougemont: at which name I started,
Because a bard of Ireland told me once,
I should not live long after I saw Richmond.
57BuckinghamMy Lord!
58King RichardAy, what’s o’clock?
59BuckinghamI am thus bold to put your grace in mind
Of what you promised me.
60King RichardWell, but what’s o’clock?
61BuckinghamUpon the stroke of ten.
62King RichardWell, let it strike.
63BuckinghamWhy let it strike?
64King RichardBecause that, like a Jack, thou keep’st the stroke
Betwixt thy begging and my meditation.
I am not in the giving vein to-day.
65BuckinghamWhy, then resolve me whether you will or no.
66King RichardTut, tut,
Thou troublest me; am not in the vein. Exeunt all but Buckingham.
67BuckinghamIs it even so? rewards he my true service
With such deep contempt? made I him king for this?
O, let me think on Hastings, and be gone
To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on! Exit.