LIFE AND DEATH OF

KING RICHARD III.

UNDER the title of "The Life and Death of King Richard III.," Shakspearo has given the leading incidents in the last fourteen years of the life of Richard, Duke of Gloster, in almost continuous succession, from the close of the Third Part of Henry VI. In the fuller and more perfect development of Richard's character in this dramatic chronicle, the poet rises to his greatest powers of original sustained conception. The Richard of Shakspeare is incorporated in our minds, as a real picture of the man, notwithstanding the sceptical doubts, thrown by later historians and commentators, as to the faithfulness of the poet's delineation. From this vivid individualism of character may be ascribed the great popularity of this Play, during a period of two hundred and fifty years. It has been, and still is, the most in favor, in the representation, of all his series of Historical Dramas; and that success is not, alone, attributable to the version prepared by Colley Cibber, in the early part of the last century, which still is used in representation; but previous to the adoption of that compiled alteration of Richard III., the Play, as originally given by Shakspeare, held possession of the stage, when most of the poet's other dramas had sunk into disuse.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

KING EDWARD THE FOURTH.

EDWARD, Prince of Wales; afterwards

KING EDWARD V.,

RICHARD, Duke of York,

GEORGE, Duke of Clarence,

RICHARD, Duke of Gloster; afterwards

KING RICHARD III.,

A young Son of CLARENCE.

Sons to the KING.

Brothers to the KING.

HENRY, Earl of Richmond; afterwards KING HENRY VII.
CARDINAL BOUCHIER, Archbishop of Canterbury.

THOMAS ROTHERHAM, Archbishop of York.

JOHN MORTON, Bishop of Ely.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

DUKE OF NORFOLK. EARL OF SURREY, his Son.

EARL RIVERS, Brother to KING EDWARD'S Queen: MARQUESS OF DORSET, and LORD GREY, her Sons.

Sir JAMES TYRREL.

Sir WILLIAM CATESBY.

Sir JAMES BLOUNT. Sir WALTER HERBERT.

Sir ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the Tower.
CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Priest. Another Priest.
Lord Mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire.
ELIZABETH, Queen of KING EDWARD IV.

MARGARET, Widow of KING Henry VI.

DUCHESS OF YORK, Mother to KING EDWARD IV., CLARENCE, and GLOSTER. LADY ANNE, Widow of EDWARD, Prince of Wales, Son to KING HENRY VI.; afterwards married to the DUKE OF GLOSTER.

LADY MARGARET Plantagenet, a young Daughter of Clarence.

Lords, and other Attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE,-ENGLAND.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-London. A Street.

Enter GLOSTER.

Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lower'd upon our house,
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

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-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now,-instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,—
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,

To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

But I,—that am not shap'd for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;

I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty,
To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable,

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 see my shadow in the sun,
And descant on mine own deformity:
And therefore,—since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken 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 set 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 subtle, false, and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up,
About a prophecy, which says-that G

Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be.

Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: here Clarence comes.
Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY.

Brother, good day: what means this armed guard,
That waits upon your grace?

Clar.

His majesty,

Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed
This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

Glo. Upon what cause?
Clar.

Because my name is George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours. He should, for that, commit your godfathers: O, belike his majesty hath some intent That you should be new christen'd in the Tower. But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know? Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for I protest

As yet I do not: but, as I can learn,

He hearkens after prophecies and dreams;
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G,
And says a wizard told him, that by G
His issue disinherited should be;

And, for my name of George begins with G,
It follows in his thought that I am he.

These, as I learn, and such like toys as these,

Have mov'd his highness to commit me now.

Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by women:

"Tis not the king that sends you to the Tower;

My Lady Grey, his wife, Clarence, 'tis she

That tempers him to this extremity.

We are not safe, Clarence; we are not safe.

Clar. By heaven, I think there is no man secure,
But the queen's kindred, and night-walking heralds
That trudge betwixt the king and mistress Shore.
Heard you not, what a humble suppliant
Lord Hastings 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 favor 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 gossips in this monarchy.

Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me:
His majesty hath straitly given in charge

That no man shall have private conference,
Of what degree soever, with your brother.

Glo. Even so; an please your worship, Brakenbury,
You may partake of anything we say.

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 whatsoe'er you will employ me in,-
Were it to call king Edward's widow, sister,—
I will perform it to enfranchise you.
Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood
Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well.
Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long;
I will deliver you, or else lie for you:

Meantime, have patience.

Clar.

I must perforce: farewell.

[Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard. Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence!-I do love thee so,

That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,

If heaven will take the present at our hands.—

But who comes here? the new-deliver'd Hastings?

Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord!
Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain !
Well are you welcome to this open air.
How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment?
Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must:

But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks,
That were the cause of my imprisonment.

Glo. No doubt, no doubt; and so shall Clarence too;
For they that were your enemies are his,

And have prevail'd as much on him, as you.

Hast. More pity, that the eagles should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

Glo. What news abroad?

Hast. No news so bad abroad, as this at home;— The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy,

And his physicians fear him mightily.

Glo. Now, by Saint Paul, this news is bad indeed. O, he hath kept an evil diet long,

And over-much consum'd his royal person: 'Tis very grievous to be thought upon. What, is he in his bed?

Hast. He is.

Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you. He cannot live, I hope; and must not die,

[Exit HASTINGS.

Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven.
I'll in to urge his hatred more to Clarence,
With lies well steel'd with weighty arguments;
And, if I fail not in my deep intent,
Clarence hath not another day to live:

Which done, heaven take king Edward to his mercy,
And leave the world for me to bustle in!

For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter:
What though I kill'd her husband, and her father?
The readiest way to make the wench amends,
Is to become her husband, and her father:
The which will I; not all so much for love,
As for another secret close intent,

By marrying her, which I must reach unto.

But yet I run before my horse to market:

Clarence still breathes; Edward still lives and reigns:
When they are gone, then must I count my gains.

SCENE II.-London. Another Street.

[Exit.

Enter the corse of King Henry the Sixth, borne in an open coffin, Gentlemen bearing halberds to guard it; and LADY ANNE

as mourner.

Anne. Set down, set down your honorable load,—

Whilst I awhile obsequiously lament

Th' untimely fall of virtuous Lancaster.

Thou bloodless remnant of that royal blood!

Be it lawful that I invocate thy ghost,