SCENE II. A Room of State in the Palace. Flourish of Trumpets. RICHARD, as King upon his Throne; BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, a Page, and Others. K. Rich. Stand all apart. - Cousin of Bucking ham, Buck. My gracious sovereign. K. Rich. Give me thy hand. advice, Thus high, by thy And thy assistance, is king Richard seated: Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them? : Young Edward lives ;--Think now what I would speak. K. Rich. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king. Buck. True, noble prince. K. Rich. O bitter consequence, That Edward still should live,-true, noble prince ! Cousin, thou wast not want to be so dull :- What say'st thou now? speak suddenly, be brief. 6 now do I play the touch,] To play the touch is to represent the touchstone. K. Rich. Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes : Say, have I thy consent, that they shall die? lord, Before I positively speak in this: I will resolve your grace immediately. pause, dear [Exit BUCKINGHAM. Cate. The king is angry; see, he gnaws his lip'. K. Rich. I will converse with iron-witted fools, [Aside. [Descends from his Throne. And unrespective boys; none are for me, Page. My lord. K. Rich. Know'st thou not any, whom corrupting gold Would tempt unto a close exploit' of death? Page. I know a discontented gentleman, Whose humble means match not his haughty mind: And will, no doubt, tempt him to any thing. K. Rich. What is his name? Page. His name, my lord, is-Tyrrel. K. Rich. I partly know the man; Go, call him hither, boy. 1 The deep-revolving witty Buckingham [Exit Page. No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels : 7 see, he gnaws his lip.] Several of our ancient historians observe, that this was an accustomed action of Richard, whether he was pensive or angry. And unrespective boys;] Unrespective is inattentive to consequences, inconsiderate. 9 1 close exploit-] is secret act. witty] In this place signifies judicious or cunning. A wit was not at this time employed to signify a man of fancy, but was used for wisdom or judgment. Hath he so long held out with me untir'd, And stops he now for breath ?-well, be it so. Enter STANLEY. How now, lord Stanley? what's the news? Stan. Know, my loving lord, The marquis Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides. K. Rich. Come hither, Catesby: rumour is abroad, That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick; I will take order for her keeping close. Whom I will marry straight to Clarence' daughter:- 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. Re-enter Page, with TYRREL. Is thy name-Tyrrel? Tyr. James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject. Tyr. 2 I will take order for her keeping close.] i. e. I will take measures that shall oblige her to keep close. 3 it stands me much upon,] i. e. it is of the utmost consequence to my designs. Tyr. Please you; but I had rather kill two enemies. K. Rich. Why, then 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. Tyr. Let me have open means to come to them, And soon I'll rid you from the fear of them. K. Rich. Thou sing'st sweet musick. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel; Go, by this token:-Rise, and lend thine ear. There is no more but so :-Say, it is done, Re-enter BUCKINGHAM. [Whispers. [Exit. Buck. My lord, I have consider'd in my mind The late demand that you did sound me in. K. Rich. Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond. Buck. I hear the news, my lord. K. Rich. Stanley, he's your wife's son:-Well, look to it. Buck. My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise, For which your honour and your faith is pawn'd; The earldom of Hereford, and the moveables, Which you have promised I shall possess. K. Rich. Stanley, look to your wife; if she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it. Buck. What says your highness to my just request? K. Rich. I do remember me,-Henry the sixth Did prophecy, that Richmond should be king, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. A king!-perhaps deal upon:] i. e. act upon. We should now saydeal with; but the other was the phraseology of our author's Buck. My lord, K. Rich. How chance, the prophet could not at that time, Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him? Buck. My lord, your promise for the earldom,— K. Rich. Richmond !--When last I was at Exeter, The mayor in courtesy show'd me the castle, And call'd it-Rouge-mont: at which name I started; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I saw Richmond. Buck. My lord, K. Rich. Buck. Ay, what's o'clock? I am thus bold To put your grace in mind of what you promis'd me. K. Rich. Well, but what is't o'clock ? Buck. Of ten. K. Rich. Well, let it strike'. Buck. Upon the stroke Why, let it strike? K. Rich. Because that, like a Jack, thou keep'st the stroke Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. I am not in the giving vein to-day. Buck. Why, then resolve me whe'r you will or no. K. Rich. Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein. [Exeunt King RICHARD and Train. Buck. And is it thus? repays he my deep service With such 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. 5 Well, let it strike.] This seems to have been a proverbial sentence. 6 Because that, like a Jack,] An image, like those at St. Dunstan's church in Fleet-street, and at the market-houses at several towns in this kingdom, was usually called a Jack of the clock-house. 7 To Brecknock,] To the castle of Brecknock in Wales, where the duke of Buckingham's estate lay. |