Richard III – Act 3 Scene 1

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Welcome, sweet Prince, to London, to your chamber.

Welcome, dear Prince, to London, to your stateroom.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Welcome, dear cousin, my thoughts’ sovereign,

Welcome, dear cousin, ruler of my thoughts;

The weary way hath made you melancholy.

It seems the journey may have worn you out.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

No, uncle, but our crosses on the way

Not the journey, Uncle, but the mishaps

Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy.

Along the way were tedious and boring.

I want more uncles here to welcome me.

I want more uncles here to welcome me.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Sweet Prince, the untainted virtue of your years

Because you’re young, you lack experience

Hath not yet dived into the world’s deceit;

And haven’t been exposed to folk who cheat you;

Nor more can you distinguish of a man

The only way that you can judge a man

Than of his outward show, which, God he knows,

Is by the way that man behaves, which God knows

Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart.

Is almost never how he really is.

Those uncles which you want were dangerous;

Those uncles you request are dangerous;

Your Grace attended to their sug’red words,

You listened to the sweet things that they told you,

But looked not on the poison of their hearts.

But couldn’t see the poison in their hearts.

God keep you from them, and from such false friends!

May God keep you away from them, and false friends!

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

God keep me from false friends! – but they were none.

God keep me from false friends! But they weren’t false.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

My lord, the Mayor of London comes to greet you.

The Mayor of London has arrived to greet you.

LORD MAYOR OF LONDON

God bless your Grace with health and happy days!

May God bless you with health and happiness!

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

I thank you, good my lord, and thank you all.

Well, thank you, Mayor; and thank you everyone.

[Mayor and Train stand aside.]

I thought my mother and my brother York

I thought my mother and my brother York

Would long ere this have met us on the way.

Would, prior to arriving here, have met us.

Fie, what a slug is Hastings, that he comes not

Hastings is slower than a slug, not coming

To tell us whether they will come or no!

To tell us if they’re coming here or not!

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

And in good time, here comes the sweating lord.

With perfect timing, here’s the sweating lord now.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

Welcome, my lord. What, will our mother come?

Welcome, my lord. Well, is my mother coming?

LORD HASTINGS

On what occasion, God he knows, not I,

For unknown reasons – God will know, but I don’t –

The Queen your mother and your brother York

The Queen – your mother – and your brother York

Have taken sanctuary. The tender Prince

Have taken sanctuary. The young Prince

Would fain have come with me to meet your Grace,

Was keen to come to meet with you, your Grace,

But by his mother was perforce withheld.

But yet his mother forced him not to come.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Fie, what an indirect and peevish course

Well, what a petulant and petty path

Is this of hers! Lord Cardinal, will your Grace

She’s taking here! Lord Cardinal, will you please

Persuade the Queen to send the Duke of York

Persuade the Queen to send the Duke of York

Unto his princely brother presently?

To meet the Prince, his brother, right away?

If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him,

If she refuses, Hastings, go with him

And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.

And snatch him from her jealous arms by force.

CARDINAL BOURCHIER

My Lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory

Lord Buckingham, if with simple persuasion

Can from his mother win the Duke of York,

I get his mother to release the Duke,

Anon expect him here; but if she be obdurate

Expect us back here soon; but if she’s stubborn

To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid

To what I ask, then heaven knows we mustn’t

We should infringe the holy privilege

Attempt to contravene the holy privilege

Of blessed sanctuary! Not for all this land

Of sanctuary! Not for all the world

Would I be guilty of so deep a sin.

Would I commit a sin as bad as that.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

You are too senseless-obstinate, my lord,

You’re being over-stubborn to tradition,

Too ceremonious and traditional.

Revering age-old pomp and ceremony.

Weigh it but with the grossness of this age,

If you consider how we act today,

You break not sanctuary in seizing him.

You are not breaking sanctuary to seize him.

The benefit thereof is always granted

For sanctuary is there for those that need it

To those whose dealings have deserved the place

And have deserved the privilege of the place,

And those who have the wit to claim the place.

And those folk wise enough to claim the place.

This prince hath neither claimed it nor deserved it,

This prince has neither claimed it nor deserved it,

And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it.

And hence, I do believe, he cannot have it.

Then taking him from thence that is not there,

Hence taking him from that unneeded sanctuary

You break no privilege nor charter there.

Does not break any rules or old tradition.

Oft have I heard of sanctuary men,

I’ve heard of many men in sanctuary,

But sanctuary children never till now.

But, until now, I’ve never heard of children.

CARDINAL BOURCHIER

My lord, you shall overrule my mind for once.

My lord, for once, you’ve made me change my mind.

Come on, Lord Hastings, will you go with me?

Come on, Lord Hastings, will you come with me?

LORD HASTINGS

I go, my lord.

I’m coming, my lord.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

Good lords, make all the speedy haste you may.

Good lords, go there as quickly as you can.

[EXEUNT CARDINAL AND LORD HASTINGS.]

Say, uncle Gloucester, if our brother come,

When my brother arrives, my Uncle Gloucester,

Where shall we sojourn till our coronation?

Where shall we stay until our coronation?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Where it seems best unto your royal self.

Wherever you would like to stay, my lord.

If I may counsel you, some day or two

If I may guide you, spend a day or two

Your Highness shall repose you at the Tower;

To rest your royal self within the Tower;

Then where you please, and shall be thought most fit

Then, after that, wherever you believe

For your best health and recreation.

To be the best for health and recreation.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

I do not like the Tower, of any place.

Of all the places, I don’t like the Tower.

Did Julius Caesar build that place, my lord?

My lord, did Julius Caesar build the Tower?

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

He did, my gracious lord, begin that place,

He did, my lord; at least, he started it,

Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified.

And other generations have enhanced it.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

Is it upon record, or else reported

Is there a written record, or just hearsay

Successively from age to age, he built it?

From generations’ word-of-mouth, he built it?

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Upon record, my gracious lord.

There is a written record, my dear lord.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

But say, my lord, it were not regist’red,

But let’s suppose there was no written record,

Methinks the truth should live from age to age,

I still believe this truth would have survived

As ’twere retailed to all posterity,

And would be told again for evermore

Even to the general all-ending day.

Until the final day of life on earth.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

[Aside.]

So wise so young, they say do never live long.

One says, ‘those wise when young do not live long.’

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

What say you, uncle?

What did you say, Uncle?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

I say, without characters fame lives long.

I said, ‘without a record, fame lives long.’

[Aside.]

Thus, like the formal Vice, Iniquity,

Like in old plays, Iniquity was evil,

I moralise two meanings in one word.

And like him, I twist meanings of a word.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

That Julius Caesar was a famous man;

That Julius Caesar was a famous man;

With what his valour did enrich his wit,

His courage made him more intelligent,

His wit set down to make his valour live.

And wrote about his bravery so it lived on.

Death makes no conquest of this conqueror,

His death did not destroy this conqueror,

For now he lives in fame though not in life.

For he lives on through fame, although he’s dead.

I’ll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham –

I tell you what, my cousin Buckingham…

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

What, my gracious lord?

What’s that, my gracious lord?

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

And if I live until I be a man,

If I survive until I am a man,

I’ll win our ancient right in France again,

I will regain our ancient right in France,

Or die a soldier as I lived a king.

Else die a soldier, having lived a king.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

[Aside.]

Short summers lightly have a forward spring.

He’ll die young: early spring means shortened summer.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Now in good time, here comes the Duke of York.

And right on time, here comes the Duke of York.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

Richard of York, how fares our loving brother?

Richard of York, how are you, dearest brother?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

Well, my dread lord – so must I call you now.

I’m well, my royal lord…as I must call you.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

Ay, brother, to our grief, as it is yours.

Yes, brother, at the sadness of us both.

Too late he died that might have kept that title,

He should have kept that title so much longer,

Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

For, by his death, that title’s lost some reverence.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

How fares our cousin, noble Lord of York?

How is my nephew, noble Lord of York?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

I thank you, gentle uncle. O my lord,

Thank you for asking, Uncle. Oh, my lord,

You said that idle weeds are fast in growth:

You said that lazy weeds grow rapidly:

The Prince my brother hath outgrown me far.

And now the Prince, my brother, has outgrown me.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

He hath, my lord.

He has, my lord.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

And therefore is he idle?

And, therefore, is he lazy?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

O my fair cousin, I must not say so.

Oh, my dear nephew, I would not say that.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

Then he is more beholding to you than I.

Then he’s indebted to you more than I am.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

He may command me as my sovereign,

He may command me, for he is my king,

But you have power in me as in a kinsman.

But as a relative, you still impact me.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.

Will you give me your dagger please, dear Uncle?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

My dagger, little cousin? With all my heart.

My dagger, younger nephew? Sure I will.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

A beggar, brother?

Are you begging, brother?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,

Just from my uncle, and I know he’ll give it,

And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.

And as it isn’t worth much, that’s no problem.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

A greater gift than that I’ll give my cousin.

I’ll give a greater gift than that to him.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

A greater gift? O, that’s the sword to it.

A greater gift? By that, you mean a sword.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough.

I would if it were light enough, dear nephew.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

O then I see you will part but with light gifts!

So you will only offer lightweight gifts!

In weightier things you’ll say a beggar nay.

And you’ll decline requests for heavy gifts.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

It is too heavy for your Grace to wear.

A sword’s too heavy for your Grace to wear.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

I weigh it lightly, were it heavier.

I’d barely notice it if it weighed more.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

What, would you have my weapon, little lord?

What, do you want my weapon, little lord?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

I would, that I might thank you as you call me.

I do, to thank you for the name you called me.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

How?

What name?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

Little.

Little.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

My Lord of York will still be cross in talk.

My Duke of York will always be contentious.

Uncle, your Grace knows how to bear with him.

But, uncle, you know how to bear with him.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me.

I think you mean ‘to bear me’, not ‘to bear WITH me.’

Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me:

Uncle, my brother makes fun of us both:

Because that I am little, like an ape,

Because I’m little, like a monkey is,

He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.

He thinks that you should lift me on your shoulders.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

[Aside to Hastings]

With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons!

That boy has such a sharp and witty mind.

To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,

To offset making fun of his own uncle

He prettily and aptly taunts himself:

He nimbly twists to make fun of himself:

So cunning and so young is wonderful.

It’s great when one so young is also cunning.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

My lord, will’t please you pass along?

My lord, how would you like to get a move on?

Myself and my good cousin Buckingham

My lovely cousin Buckingham and I

Will to your mother, to entreat of her

Will go to see your mother and persuade her

To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.

To meet you at the Tower to welcome you.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?

You are not going to the Tower, are you?

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

My Lord Protector needs will have it so.

I am, for Richard, my Protector, says so.

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.

I will not sleep well staying in the Tower.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Why, what should you fear?

Why, what are you afraid of?

RICHARD, DUKE OF YORK

Marry, my uncle Clarence’ angry ghost.

The angry ghost of uncle Clarence mainly.

My grandam told me he was murd’red there.

My grandma said that he was murdered there.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

I fear no uncles dead.

I’m not afraid of any lifeless uncles.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Nor none that live, I hope.

Nor none alive, I hope.

EDWARD, PRINCE OF WALES

And if they live, I hope I need not fear.

I hope I have no need to fear the living.

But come, my lord; with a heavy heart,

But come on, brother; with a heavy heart

Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

From thinking of them, I’ll go to the Tower.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Think you, my lord, this little prating York

My lord, did you believe that gabbling York boy

Was not incensed by his subtile mother

Was coaxed and wound up by his cunning mother

To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

To make fun of you so obnoxiously?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

No doubt, no doubt. O, ’tis a perilous boy,

No doubt about it. He’s a dangerous boy,

Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable:

Bold, quick and clever, cocky and astute:

He is all the mother’s, from the top to toe.

Exactly like his mother, head to toe.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Well, let them rest. Come hither, Catesby.

Well, let them rest. Come over here, Catesby.

Thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend

You’ve sworn that you will carry out our wishes

As closely to conceal what we impart.

As well as keep the secrets that we tell you.

Thou know’st our reasons urged upon the way;

We told you of our reasons on the way here;

What think’st thou? Is it not an easy matter

What do you think of them? Won’t it be easy

To make William Lord Hastings of our mind

To win Lord Hastings to our way of thinking

For the instalment of this noble Duke

Of making this here noble Duke ascend

In the seat royal of this famous isle?

The throne as King upon this famous island?

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

He for his father’s sake so loves the Prince

He loved King Edward, hence he loves the Prince

That he will not be won to aught against him.

So much he’ll never do a thing against him.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

What think’st thou then of Stanley? Will not he?

What do you think of Stanley? Will he join us?

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

He will do all in all as Hastings doth.

He won’t, for he will do what Hastings does.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Well then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby,

Well, let’s do this then: go out, gentle Catesby,

And as it were far off, sound thou Lord Hastings

And, loosely theorising, sound out Hastings

How he doth stand affected to our purpose,

To see if he’s supportive of our plan,

And summon him tomorrow to the Tower

And then invite him to the Tower tomorrow

To sit about the coronation.

To sit in council on the coronation.

If thou dost find him tractable to us,

If you find him supportive of our plan,

Encourage him, and tell him all our reasons;

Explain it to him and our reasoning;

If he be leaden, icy, cold, unwilling,

But if he’s frosty to the plan, unwilling,

Be thou so too, and so break off the talk,

Then act the same, and change the conversation,

And give us notice of his inclination;

Then tell us how you think that he’s inclined.

For we tomorrow hold divided Councils,

Tomorrow, we’ll hold meetings: friends and non-friends,

Wherein thyself shalt highly be employed.

And in those meetings, you’ll be very busy.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Commend me to Lord William. Tell him, Catesby,

Send my regards to Hastings. Tell him, Catesby,

His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries

His long-fought gang of dangerous enemies

Tomorrow are let blood at Pomfret Castle,

Tomorrow will be killed at Pomfret Castle,

And bid my lord, for joy of this good news,

And then suggest, because of this good news,

Give Mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more.

He gives his mistress, Mistress Shore, a kiss.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Good Catesby, go effect this business soundly.

Good Catesby, go and get this job done well.

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

My good lords both, with all the heed I can.

I’ll do the very best I can, my lords.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Shall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?

Will we hear back from you before it’s bedtime?

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

You shall, my lord.

You will, my lord.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

At Crosby House, there shall you find us both.

Then you will find us both at Crosby House.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

Now, my lord, what shall we do if we perceive

And so, my lord, what happens if we find out

Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?

Lord Hastings won’t align with what we’ve planned?

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

Chop off his head! Something we will determine.

Chop off his head! Whatever we decide.

And look when I am king, claim thou of me

And when I’m king, then you can claim from me

The earldom of Herford, and all the moveables

The earldom of Hereford, and all the treasures

Whereof the King my brother was possessed.

That once the King, my brother, had possessed.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM

I’ll claim that promise at your Grace’s hand.

I’ll take that offer from your royal hand.

RICHARD, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER

And look to have it yielded with all kindness.

And you will find I give it out of kindness.

Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards

Let’s have an early dinner now, then after

We may digest our complots in some form.

We can discuss the details of our plan.