Richard III – Act 1 Scene 1

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Now is the winter of our discontent

Like winter ends the year, our sorrow ends,

Made glorious summer by this son of York;

For Edward, son of Duke of York, rules brightly;

And all the clouds that lowered upon our house

And all those sullen clouds that brought us anguish

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Have turned to water, buried in the ocean.

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths,

Now we wear victory wreaths around our foreheads,

Our bruised arms hung up for monuments,

Our damaged armour hung like monuments,

Our stern alarums changed to merry meetings,

Our frightful battle trumpets used for parties,

Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.

Our awful battle marches turned to dances.

Grim-visaged War hath smoothed his wrinkled front;

The ugly face of war has stopped its scowling;

And now, in stead of mounting barbed steeds

And now, instead of mounting armoured horses

To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,

To terrify our enemies to death,

He capers nimbly in a lady’s chamber

Our troops canoodle in a lady’s bedroom

To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

And fornicate as gentle lute tunes play.

But I, that am not shaped for sportive tricks,

But, as for me, deformed, unfit for flirting,

Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;

The unattractive eyesore in the mirror;

I, that am rudely stamped, and want love’s majesty

Me, made unfairly, wishing I was handsome

To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;

To swagger past a sexy, randy minx;

I, that am curtailed of this fair proportion,

Me, robbed of beauty in my face and body,

Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,

Me, cheated out of features and proportions,

Deformed, unfinished, sent before my time

Deformed because I was born prematurely,

Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,

Arriving incomplete in this cruel world,

And that so lamely and unfashionable

Appearing crippled, ugly and infirm

That dogs bark at me as I halt by them –

So dogs bark at me when I limp on by.

Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace,

As there’s no war, we hear the pipes of peace

Have no delight to pass away the time,

And I’ve no other way to pass the time

Unless to see my shadow in the sun

Except observing my distorted shadow,

And descant on mine own deformity.

Articulating how I am deformed.

And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover

And therefore, since I cannot be a lover

To entertain these fair well-spoken days,

To keep me occupied within our peacetime,

I am determined to prove a villain

I am determined that I’ll be a villain,

And hate the idle pleasures of these days.

Destroying this frivolity of peace.

Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,

I’ve laid down devious and dangerous plots,

By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,

Through drunken prophecies, slander and dreams,

To set my brother Clarence and the King

To pitch my brother Clarence and the King

In deadly hate the one against the other;

Against each other through a deadly hatred;

And if King Edward be as true and just

And if King Edward is as kind and decent

As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,

As I am cunning, nasty and deceitful,

This day should Clarence closely be mewed up

Then George, the Duke of Clarence, will be locked up

About a prophecy, which says that ‘G’

Due to a prophecy that says this ‘G’

Of Edward’s heirs the murderer shall be.

Is going to murder Edward’s family.

Dive, thoughts, down to my soul, here Clarence comes!

But I must hide my thoughts, for here comes Clarence!

[ENTER CLARENCE, GUARDED, AND BRAKENBURY, LIEUTENANT OF THE TOWER.]

Brother, good day. What means this armed guard

Hello, dear brother. Why do you have armed guards

That waits upon your Grace?

To care for you, your Grace?

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

His Majesty,

His Majesty,

Tendering my person’s safety, hath appointed

In fearing for my safety, has instructed

This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

These guards to chaperone me to the Tower.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Upon what cause?

Whatever for?

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

Because my name is George.

Because my name is George.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours;

Oh dear, my lord, your name is not your fault;

He should for that commit your godfathers.

For that, he should lock up your godfathers.

O, belike his Majesty hath some intent

Perhaps his Majesty is now intending

That you should be new christened in the Tower.

For you to be rechristened in the Tower.

But what’s the matter, Clarence, may I know?

But what’s the matter, Clarence? Can you tell me?

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

Yea, Richard, when I know; but I protest

Yes, Richard, when I know; but I insist

As yet I do not. But, as I can learn,

I do not know as yet. But I have heard,

He hearkens after prophecies and dreams,

He heeds unusual prophecies and dreams

And from the cross-row plucks the letter ‘G’,

And, from the alphabet, picks letter ‘G’

And says a wizard told him that by ‘G’

Because a wizard told him that a ‘G’

His issue disinherited should be;

Will stop his kids inheriting the throne;

And for my name of George begins with ‘G’,

And since my first name George begins with ‘G’,

It follows in his thought that I am he.

He has assumed the saboteur is me.

These (as I learn) and such-like toys as these

I’ve learnt that trivialities like these

Hath moved his Highness to commit me now.

Have now convinced his Highness to arrest me.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Why, this it is, when men are ruled by women:

This happens when we men are ruled by women:

’Tis not the King that sends you to the Tower;

It’s not the King that’s sent you to the Tower;

My Lady Grey his wife, Clarence, ’tis she

It is his wife, Lady Elizabeth Grey,

That tempers him to this extremity.

Who’s wound him up to take such drastic action.

Was it not she, and that good man of worship,

Was it not her and that self-righteous man,

Anthony Woodvile, her brother there,

Anthony Woodvile, her own brother, who

That made him send Lord Hastings to the Tower,

Made him commit Lord Hastings to the Tower,

From whence this present day he is delivered?

Where only just today he’s been released?

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

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

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

By heaven, I think there is no man is secure

Good God, I think that nobody is safe

But the Queen’s kindred, and night-walking heralds

Except the Queen’s kin, and the messengers

That trudge betwixt the King and Mistress Shore.

Who message Jane Shore, mistress of the King.

Heard you not what an humble suppliant

Have you heard how much grovelling and begging

Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery?

Lord Hastings did to Jane Shore to be freed?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Humbly complaining to her deity

Begging and pleading to that so-called goddess

Got my Lord Chamberlain his liberty.

Got Hastings, our Lord Chamberlain, his freedom.

I’ll tell you what, I think it is our way,

I reckon that the only way for us

If we will keep in favour with the King,

To stay within the good-books of the King

To be her men and wear her livery.

Is to be dressed up as that woman’s servants.

The jealous o’erworn widow and herself,

The old and jealous Queen and Mistress Shore

Since that our brother dubbed them gentlewomen,

Have – since my brother Edward called them noble –

Are mighty gossips in our monarchy.

Turned into mouthy royal gossipmongers.

SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY

I beseech your Graces both to pardon me:

Sorry for interrupting you, your Graces:

His Majesty hath straitly given in charge

His Majesty’s declared a direct order

That no man shall have private conference

That no one is allowed to talk in private,

(Of what degree soever) with your brother.

Regardless of their office, with your brother.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Even so? And please your worship, Brakenbury,

Is that right? If you please then, Brakenbury,

You may partake of any thing we say:

You’re welcome to join us in conversation:

We speak no treason, man. We say the King

We’ve nothing bad to say. We say the King

Is wise and virtuous, and his noble queen

Is smart and decent, and his noble queen

Well struck in years, fair, and not jealous;

Is old now, beautiful and never jealous;

We say that Shore’s wife hath a pretty foot,

We say that Mr Shore’s wife’s feet are pretty,

A cherry lip, a bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue;

Her lips are cherry red, warm eyes, and cute voice;

And that the Queen’s kindred are made gentlefolks.

And all the Queen’s kin are appointed noble.

How say you, sir? Can you deny all this?

What do you say to that? Can you deny it?

SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY

With this, my lord, myself have naught to do.

My lord, I have no business with this subject.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Naught to do with Mistress Shore? I tell thee, fellow,

With Mistress Shore, you have no business? I’d say

He that doth naught with her (excepting one)

Those doing business with her, barring one,

Were best to do it secretly alone.

Should do it with her secretly alone.

SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY

What one, my lord?

Barring which one, my lord?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Her husband, knave. Wouldst thou betray me?

Her husband, fool. Will you go tell on me?

SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY

I do beseech your Grace to pardon me, and withal

I ask your Grace forgiveness; nonetheless,

Forbear your conference with the noble Duke.

You mustn’t keep on talking with the Duke.

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey.

We know your orders, Brakenbury; we’ll heed them.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

We are the Queen’s abjects, and must obey.

We’re minions to the Queen, and must obey her.

Brother, farewell, I will unto the King,

Brother, goodbye, I’ll go and see the King,

And whatsoe’er you will employ me in,

And anything you ask for me to do,

Were it to call King Edward’s widow sister,

Even if I must state the Queen’s my sister,

I will perform it to enfranchise you.

I’ll do it to ensure that you are freed.

Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood

Meanwhile, this gross betrayal by our brother

Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

Offends me more than you will ever know.

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

I know it pleaseth neither of us well.

I know that neither one of us is happy.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Well, your imprisonment shall not be long,

Well, you won’t be in prison very long;

I will deliver you, or else lie for you.

I’ll get you freed, or else I’ll swap with you.

Mean time, have patience.

Meanwhile, have patience.

GEORGE, DUKE OF CLARENCE

I must perforce. Farewell.

I’ve no choice. Goodbye.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Go tread the path that thou shalt ne’er return:

Walk down that path that you’ll never return to:

Simple plain Clarence, I do love thee so

Foolish and boring Clarence, I do love you

That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,

So much that I will send your soul to heaven,

If heaven will take the present at our hands.

Assuming heaven takes what I will offer.

But who comes here? The new-delivered Hastings?

But who’s this? Fresh from prison, it’s Lord Hastings?

LORD HASTINGS

Good time of day unto my gracious lord!

My warmest wishes of the day, my lord!

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

As much unto my good Lord Chamberlain!

The same to you, my dear Lord Chamberlain!

Well are you welcome to the open air.

How wonderful to welcome you to freedom.

How hath your lordship brooked imprisonment?

How did you pass the time you spent in prison?

LORD HASTINGS

With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must;

By being patient, sir, as prisoners must;

But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks

But I’ll ensure that I return the favour

That were the cause of my imprisonment.

To those who caused my own imprisonment.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

No doubt, no doubt, and so shall Clarence too,

I’m sure you will, and so will Clarence too,

For they that were your enemies are his,

For those that were your enemies are his now,

And have prevailed as much on him as you.

Doing to him what they all did to you.

LORD HASTINGS

More pity that the eagles should be mewed,

It’s shameful that the eagles should be locked up

Whiles kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

While lesser kites and buzzards freely hunt.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

What news abroad?

Have you heard foreign news?

LORD HASTINGS

No news so bad abroad as this at home:

The foreign news is not as bad as here:

The King is sickly, weak, and melancholy,

The King is sick and weak, and all depressed,

And his physicians fear him mightily.

And all his doctors fear he won’t survive.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Now by Saint Paul, that news is bad indeed!

Well now, good grief, that news is truly awful!

O, he hath kept an evil diet long,

For ages he has lived unhealthily,

And overmuch consumed his royal person:

And finally, that has caught up to harm him:

’Tis very grievous to be thought upon.

It’s awful just to think about what’s happened.

Where is he? In his bed?

Where is he? In his bed?

LORD HASTINGS

He is.

He is.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Go you before, and I will follow you.

Go visit him; I’ll follow on behind you.

[EXIT HASTINGS.]

He cannot live, I hope, and must not die

He won’t survive, I hope, but mustn’t die

Till George be packed with post-horse up to heaven.

Till George has swiftly been dispatched to heaven.

I’ll in, to urge his hatred more to Clarence

I’ll meet the King and urge him to hate Clarence

With lies well steeled with weighty arguments,

Through sturdy lies and weighty arguments,

And if I fail not in my deep intent,

And if I do not fail in my deep scheming,

Clarence hath not another day to live:

Then Clarence will not live another day:

Which done, God take King Edward to his mercy,

And when that’s done, King Edward’s free to die,

And leave the world for me to bustle in!

And I’ll take over as I rule the world!

For then I’ll marry Warwick’s youngest daughter.

I’ll wed the Earl of Warwick’s youngest daughter.

What though I killed her husband and her father?

So what if I killed both her spouse and father?

The readiest way to make the wench amends

The quickest way to rectify what she’s lost

Is to become her husband and her father:

Is to become her new husband and father:

The which will I, not all so much for love

Which I will do, but won’t do out of love

As for another secret close intent

But for another undisclosed intention

By marrying her which I must reach unto.

Which I’ll achieve when I am married to her.

But yet I run before my horse to market:

But I am getting far too far ahead:

Clarence still breathes, Edward still lives and reigns;

Clarence still lives, and Edward holds his innings;

When they are gone, then must I count my gains.

But when they’re dead, I’m free to count my winnings.