Richard III

Richard III

ACT II SCENE IV	London. The palace.
	Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEENELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK	Last night, I hear, they lay at Northampton;
	At Stony-Stratford will they be to-night:
	To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.
DUCHESS OF YORK	I long with all my heart to see the prince:	5
	I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	But I hear, no; they say my son of York
	Hath almost overta'en him in his growth.
YORK	Ay, mother; but I would not have it so.
DUCHESS OF YORK	Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow.	10
YORK	Grandam, one night, as we did sit at supper,
	My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow
	More than my brother: 'Ay,' quoth my uncle
	Gloucester,
	'Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace:'	15
	And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,
	Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.
DUCHESS OF YORK	Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold
	In him that did object the same to thee;
	He was the wretched'st thing when he was young,	20
	So long a-growing and so leisurely,
	That, if this rule were true, he should be gracious.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK	Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is.
DUCHESS OF YORK	I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
YORK	Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd,	25
	I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,
	To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.
DUCHESS OF YORK	How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.
YORK	Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast
	That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old	30
	'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
	Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.
DUCHESS OF YORK	I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this?
YORK	Grandam, his nurse.
DUCHESS OF YORK	His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.	35
YORK	If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK	Good madam, be not angry with the child.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	Pitchers have ears.
	Enter a Messenger
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK	Here comes a messenger. What news?	40
Messenger	Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	How fares the prince?
Messenger	Well, madam, and in health.
DUCHESS OF YORK	What is thy news then?
Messenger	Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,	45
	With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.
DUCHESS OF YORK	Who hath committed them?
Messenger	The mighty dukes
	Gloucester and Buckingham.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	For what offence?	50
Messenger	The sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
	Why or for what these nobles were committed
	Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	Ay me, I see the downfall of our house!
	The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind;	55
	Insulting tyranny begins to jet
	Upon the innocent and aweless throne:
	Welcome, destruction, death, and massacre!
	I see, as in a map, the end of all.
DUCHESS OF YORK	Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,	60
	How many of you have mine eyes beheld!
	My husband lost his life to get the crown;
	And often up and down my sons were toss'd,
	For me to joy and weep their gain and loss:
	And being seated, and domestic broils	65
	Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors.
	Make war upon themselves; blood against blood,
	Self against self: O, preposterous
	And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen;
	Or let me die, to look on death no more!	70
QUEEN ELIZABETH	Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.
	Madam, farewell.
DUCHESS OF YORK	I'll go along with you.
QUEEN ELIZABETH	You have no cause.
ARCHBISHOP OF YORK	My gracious lady, go;	75
	And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
	For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
	The seal I keep: and so betide to me
	As well I tender you and all of yours!
	Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.	80
	Exeunt