KING RICHARD III. William Shakespeare
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And be not peevish found 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 shall 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 the shore
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.
KING RICHARD
Some lightfoot 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, unmindful 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.
[Enter STANLEY.]
KING RICHARD
My mind is chang’d.—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, mighty leige; 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 shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?
STANLEY
No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
KING RICHARD
Cold friends to me: what do they in the north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?
STANLEY
They have not been commanded, mighty king:
Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave,
I’ll muster up my friends, and meet your grace
Where and what time your majesty shall please.
KING RICHARD
Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond;
But I’ll not trust thee.
STANLEY
Most mighty sovereign,
You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful:
I never was nor never will be false.
KING RICHARD
Go, then, and muster men. But leave behind
Your son, George Stanley: look your heart be firm,
Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.