Richard III – Act 4 Scene 4

QUEEN MARGARET

So now prosperity begins to mellow

The Yorks’ prosperity has started fading,

And drop into the rotten mouth of death.

Like ripened fruit that rots upon the ground.

Here in these confines slyly have I lurked,

I’ve kept my distance, lurking in the shadows,

To watch the waning of mine enemies.

Observing all my enemies collapse.

A dire induction am I witness to,

I’ve seen an awful prologue to this story,

And will to France, hoping the consequence

And now I’ll leave for France, hoping this tale

Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical.

Will have a tragic, sorrowful conclusion.

Withdraw thee, wretched Margaret; who comes here?

But hide now, suffering Margaret; who is coming?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Ah, my poor princes! Ah, my tender babes!

Oh, my poor princes! Oh, my tender children!

My unblown flow’rs, new-appearing sweets!

My sweet, fresh flowers, now unscattered seedlings!

If yet your gentle souls fly in the air

If you, like pollen, still float in the air

And be not fixed in doom perpetual,

And have not yet succumbed to endless death,

Hover about me with your aery wings

Then float about me with your airy wings

And hear your mother’s lamentation!

And listen to your mother’s cry of grief!

QUEEN MARGARET

[Aside.]

Hover about her; say that right for right

Then float, and say she got what she deserved,

Hath dimmed your infant morn to aged night.

Her infant children’s lives were not preserved.

DUCHESS OF YORK

So many miseries have crazed my voice

Through so much heartbreak, I have lost my voice

That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute.

And so my weary mouth no longer speaks.

Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead?

Edward Plantagenet, why are you dead?

QUEEN MARGARET

[Aside.]

Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet,

Plantagenet repays Plantagenet,

Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.

Your Edward’s death repays my Edward’s debt.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Wilt thou, O God, fly from such gentle lambs,

Oh God, why would you sacrifice these lambs

And throw them in the entrails of the wolf?

And throw them to be eaten by a wolf?

When didst thou sleep when such a deed was done?

When have you slept when such a deed was done?

QUEEN MARGARET

[Aside.]

When holy Harry died, and my sweet son.

When holy Henry died, plus my sweet son.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Dead life, blind sight, poor mortal-living ghost,

I’ve lost my sight, now I’m a living ghost

Woe’s scene, world’s shame, grave’s due by life usurped,

Within this woeful world; I should be dead,

Brief abstract and record of tedious days,

A summary of such an awful life;

Rest thy unrest on England’s lawful earth,

And now I lie on England’s pleasant land

[Sitting down.]

Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood!

That’s made unpleasant through the blood she’s drunk!

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Ah, that thou wouldst as soon afford a grave

If only earth would offer me a grave

As thou canst yield a melancholy seat!

As easily as it gave you a seat!

Then would I hide my bones, not rest them here.

Then I’d be buried, not just resting here.

Ah, who hath any cause to mourn but we?

Yes, who has any cause to mourn but us?

[Sitting down by her.]

QUEEN MARGARET

[Coming forward.]

If ancient sorrow be most reverent,

So, if an ancient grief is most revered,

Give mine the benefit of seniory,

Then let mine have priority through age,

And let my griefs frown on the upper hand.

And give my grief the upper hand on yours.

If sorrow can admit society,

If we can join our sorrows in a group,

[Sitting down with them.]

Tell over your woes again by viewing mine:

You can compare your sorrows next to mine:

I had an Edward, till a Richard killed him;

My son was Edward, then a Richard killed him;

I had a Harry, till a Richard killed him:

I married Henry, then a Richard killed him.

Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard killed him;

Your son was Edward, then a Richard killed him;

Thou hadst a Richard, till a Richard killed him.

Your son was Richard, then a Richard killed him.

DUCHESS OF YORK

I had a Richard too, and thou didst kill him;

I wed a Richard too, and then you killed him;

I had a Rutland too, thou help’st to kill him.

My son was Earl of Rutland; you helped kill him.

QUEEN MARGARET

Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard killed him.

Your son was Duke of Clarence; Richard killed him.

From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept

Your womb’s a doghouse that’s grotesquely spawned

A hell-hound that doth hunt us all to death:

A hound from hell that hunts us all to death:

That dog, that had his teeth before his eyes

That dog, that grew its teeth before its eyes

To worry lambs and lap their gentle blood,

To mangle lambs and drink their guiltless blood,

That foul defacer of God’s handiwork,

That ravages the work that God has done,

That excellent grand tyrant of the earth

That most disgusting tyrant on the earth

That reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls,

That lives on tears of those that he made cry,

Thy womb let loose to chase us to our graves.

Your womb bred him to chase us to our graves.

O upright, just, and true-disposing God,

Oh decent, fair and even-handed God,

How do I thank thee that this carnal cur

How grateful I am this carnivorous mutt

Preys on the issue of his mother’s body,

Attacks the offspring from his mother’s body,

And makes her pew-fellow with others’ moan!

And makes her sit beside those also grieving!

DUCHESS OF YORK

O Harry’s wife, triumph not in my woes!

Oh, Henry’s wife, don’t gloat about my sadness!

God witness with me, I have wept for thine.

I swear to God that I have wept for yours.

QUEEN MARGARET

Bear with me; I am hungry for revenge,

Bear with me; I am hungry for revenge,

And now I cloy me with beholding it.

And now I’ve seen so much, I’m overwhelmed.

Thy Edward he is dead, that killed my Edward;

Your dead son Edward killed my own son Edward;

Thy other Edward dead, to quit my Edward;

Your grandson Edward’s death pays back my Edward;

Young York he is but boot, because both they

Add in to that young Duke of York, and both

Matched not the high perfection of my loss.

Of them don’t match to losing my own son.

Thy Clarence he is dead that stabbed my Edward,

Your Clarence – who stabbed my son, Edward – died

And the beholders of this frantic play,

And all of the observers of this story,

Th’ adulterate Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, Grey,

The sex-pests Hastings, Rivers, Vaughan, and Grey

Untimely smoth’red in their dusky graves.

Lie buried in their gloomy early graves.

Richard yet lives, hell’s black intelligencer,

But Richard lives, hell’s evil operative,

Only reserved their factor to buy souls

Whose only job on earth is killing people

And send them thither; but at hand, at hand,

And sending them to hell; but soon enough

Ensues his piteous and unpitied end.

He’ll die a wretched death no one will mourn for.

Earth gapes, hell burns, fiends roar, saints pray,

Earth opens, fiends from hell will roar, whilst saints pray

To have him suddenly conveyed from hence.

That he’ll be sent to hell from here right now.

Cancel his bond of life, dear God, I pray,

Dear God, I pray that you will end his life

That I may live and say, “The dog is dead.”

Whilst I’m alive to say, ‘The dog is dead.’

QUEEN ELIZABETH

O, thou didst prophesy the time would come

Oh, you predicted that the day would come

That I should wish for thee to help me curse

When I would wish for you to help me curse

That bottled spider, that foul bunch-backed toad!

That bloated spider, that disgusting toad!

QUEEN MARGARET

I called thee then vain flourish of my fortune;

I called you a ‘queen replica’ of me;

I called thee then poor shadow, painted queen,

I said you were a shadow of my queen,

The presentation of but what I was;

A lousy copy of the queen I was;

The flattering index of a direful pageant;

The feeble prelude to a dreadful tale;

One heaved a-high, to be hurled down below;

One lifted high, and then thrown back to earth;

A mother only mocked with two fair babes;

A mother teased with babies soon to die;

A dream of what thou wast, a garish flag

A gaudy apparition seeking plaudits

To be the aim of every dangerous shot;

That drew attention enemies would shoot at;

A sign of dignity, a breath, a bubble;

A hollow dignitary made up of air;

A queen in jest, only to fill the scene.

A mockery queen, just there to fill the gap.

Where is thy husband now? Where be thy brothers?

Where is your husband now? Where are your brothers?

Where be thy two sons? Wherein dost thou joy?

Where are your two sons? Where do you find pleasure?

Who sues, and kneels, and says, “God save the Queen”?

Who waits on you and says, ‘God save the Queen’?

Where be the bending peers that flattered thee?

Where are the bowing noblemen that praised you?

Where be the thronging troops that followed thee?

Where are the squads of troops that followed you?

Decline all this, and see what now thou art:

You’ve none of this, and see what you’ve become:

For happy wife, a most distressed widow;

From happy wife to melancholic widow;

For joyful mother, one that wails the name;

From happy mum to howling for your kids’ names;

For one being sued to, one that humbly sues;

From granting wishes, swapped to one who begs;

For queen, a very caitiff crowned with care;

From queen to being only crowned with worry;

For she that scorned at me, now scorned of me;

From mocking me to now me mocking you;

For she being feared of all, now fearing one;

From being feared by all, now fearing one man;

For she commanding all, obeyed of none.

From ruling everything to being ignored.

Thus hath the course of justice whirled about,

And that’s how justice now has been delivered,

And left thee but a very prey to time,

And left your life exposed to passing time

Having no more but thought of what thou wast

With merely memories of former glories

To torture thee the more, being what thou art.

That torture you because of who you are now.

Thou didst usurp my place, and dost thou not

You took my place, and can’t you see that now

Usurp the just proportion of my sorrow?

You also have inherited my sorrow?

Now thy proud neck bears half my burdened yoke,

Now, like an ox, you carry half my pain,

From which even here I slip my weary head,

But I’ll now lift my head out from this brace

And leave the burden of it all on thee.

And hand over the burden onto you.

Farewell, York’s wife, and queen of sad mischance,

Goodbye, York’s wife, the queen of wretched blows;

These English woes shall make me smile in France.

In France, I’ll smile at all of England’s woes.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

O thou well skilled in curses, stay awhile,

Oh, wait a while, you master of the curses,

And teach me how to curse mine enemies!

And teach me how to curse my enemies!

QUEEN MARGARET

Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days;

Refrain from getting sleep, and starve by day;

Compare dead happiness with living woe;

Compare past happiness with current suffering;

Think that thy babes were sweeter than they were,

Think of your kids as sweeter than they were,

And he that slew them fouler than he is.

And he that killed them worse than what he is.

Bett’ring thy loss makes the bad causer worse;

By suffering more you’ll make the culprit worse;

Revolving this will teach thee how to curse.

And doing this will teach you how to curse.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

My words are dull, O, quicken them with thine!

Oh, add your words, for my words are benign!

QUEEN MARGARET

Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine.

Your pain will make them sharp and cut like mine.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Why should calamity be full of words?

Why should our pain be overwhelmed with words?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Windy attorneys to their client’s woes,

They’re just like lawyers, waffling for their clients

Aery succeeders of intestate joys,

That seek a payment from a will-less death,

Poor breathing orators of miseries,

They’re merely waffle, focussing on sadness,

Let them have scope! Though what they will impart

So let the words ring out! Though what they say

Help nothing else, yet do they ease the heart.

Won’t help, but it may take the pain away.

DUCHESS OF YORK

If so then, be not tongue-tied; go with me,

If so, then don’t be silent; come with me

And in the breath of bitter words let’s smother

And through our bitter words let’s overwhelm

My damned son that thy two sweet sons smothered.

My evil son who smothered your two sons.

The trumpet sounds, be copious in exclaims.

The trumpet’s sounding; don’t hold back your outbursts.

KING RICHARD III

Who intercepts me in my expedition?

Who’s stopping me from going where I’m headed?

DUCHESS OF YORK

O, she that might have intercepted thee,

The one who should have stopped you being born

By strangling thee in her accursed womb,

By strangling you in her corrupted womb,

From all the slaughters, wretch, that thou hast done!

For all the murderous actions you have done!

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Hid’st thou that forehead with a golden crown

Do you disguise your forehead with a crown

Where should be branded, if that right were right,

Which should be marked, Were justice to be served,

The slaughter of the prince that owed that crown,

The murder of the prince that owned that crown,

And the dire death of my poor sons and brothers?

And with the death of my poor sons and brothers?

Tell me, thou villain-slave, where are my children?

So tell me, scumbag, where are all my children?

DUCHESS OF YORK

Thou toad, thou toad, where is thy brother Clarence?

You toad, you toad, where is your brother Clarence?

And little Ned Plantagenet, his son?

And little Ned Plantagenet, his son?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Where is the gentle Rivers, Vaughan, Grey?

And tell us, where are Rivers, Vaughan and Grey?

DUCHESS OF YORK

Where is kind Hastings?

Where is kind Hastings?

KING RICHARD III

A flourish, trumpets! Strike alarum, drums!

Now sound the trumpets! Bang the drums of war!

Let not the heavens hear these tell-tale women

Don’t let the heavens hear these women slander

Rail on the Lord’s anointed. Strike, I say!

God’s chosen king. Bang on the drums, I said!

[FLOURISH. ALARUMS.]

Either be patient and entreat me fair,

Either be patient and be fair to me,

Or with the clamorous report of war

Or with these sabre-rattling battle tunes,

Thus will I drown your exclamations.

I’ll drown out all the claims that you are making.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Art thou my son?

Are you my son?

KING RICHARD III

Ay, I thank God, my father, and yourself.

Yes, thanks to God, my father, and to you.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Then patiently hear my impatience.

Then patiently hear why I am impatient.

KING RICHARD III

Madam, I have a touch of your condition,

Madam, I find that I am somewhat like you:

That cannot brook the accent of reproof.

Intolerant to hints of disapproval.

DUCHESS OF YORK

O, let me speak!

Oh, let me speak!

KING RICHARD III

Do then, but I’ll not hear.

OK, but I’m not listening.

DUCHESS OF YORK

I will be mild and gentle in my words.

I will go easy on you with my words.

KING RICHARD III

And brief, good mother, for I am in haste.

And make it quick, mama, I’m in a hurry.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Art thou so hasty? I have stayed for thee,

Have you no time for me? I did remain,

God knows, in torment and in agony.

Through pregnancy, in torment and in pain.

KING RICHARD III

And came I not at last to comfort you?

And did I not at last arrive to soothe you?

DUCHESS OF YORK

No, by the holy rood, thou know’st it well,

No, by the holy cross, you know this well,

Thou cam’st on earth to make the earth my hell.

You came to earth to make the earth my hell.

A grievous burden was thy birth to me,

Just giving birth to you was agony,

Tetchy and wayward was thy infancy;

And you were naughty in your infancy;

Thy school-days frightful, desp’rate, wild, and furious,

At school you were ferocious and uncaring,

Thy prime of manhood daring, bold, and venturous;

And as a young man, you were bold and daring;

Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle, sly, and bloody,

And when mature, sly, cunning and barbaric,

More mild, but yet more harmful – kind in hatred.

Appearing mild, yet causing harm with flattery.

What comfortable hour canst thou name

Can you recall a moment’s happiness

That ever graced me with thy company?

Whenever you and I have been together?

KING RICHARD III

Faith, none, but Humphrey Hour, that called your Grace

I can’t, except that time that you went hungry

To breakfast once, forth of my company.

At breakfast when I wasn’t there to join you.

If I be so disgracious in your eye,

If I appear discourteous to you,

Let me march on and not offend you, madam.

I’ll march on so I won’t offend you, madam.

Strike up the drum.

Strike up the drum.

DUCHESS OF YORK

I prithee hear me speak.

I ask you hear me speak.

KING RICHARD III

You speak too bitterly.

You speak too bitterly.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Hear me a word;

Listen a moment;

For I shall never speak to thee again.

For I will never speak to you again.

KING RICHARD III

So.

OK.

DUCHESS OF YORK

Either thou wilt die by God’s just ordinance

You’ll either die by God’s fair justice

Ere from this war thou turn a conqueror,

Before returning from this war victorious,

Or I with grief and extreme age shall perish

Or through my grief and old age, I will perish

And never more behold thy face again.

And never will I see your face again.

Therefore take with thee my most grievous curse,

And therefore, take the worst curse I can muster,

Which in the day of battle tire thee more

For it will tire you out in battle more

Than all the complete armour that thou wear’st!

Than all the heavy armour that you’re wearing!

My prayers on the adverse party fight,

My prayers will join the army that you’re fighting,

And there the little souls of Edward’s children

And Edward’s children’s souls will join the fight

Whisper the spirits of thine enemies

By whispering to souls of all your foes

And promise them success and victory.

And promising that they will be victorious.

Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end;

You’re bloody vile; you’ll die a bloody death,

Shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend.

And live in shame until your dying breath.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Though far more cause, yet much less spirit to curse

I’ve more reasons to curse you, yet less vigour

Abides in me; I say amen to her.

Lives on in me; yet I concur with her.

KING RICHARD III

Stay, madam, I must talk a word with you.

Wait there, madam, I have to talk with you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

I have no more sons of the royal blood

I don’t have any royal sons remaining

For thee to slaughter. For my daughters, Richard,

For you to kill. As for my daughters, Richard,

They shall be praying nuns, not weeping queens;

They will be praying nuns, not crying queens;

And therefore level not to hit their lives.

And therefore don’t attempt to end their lives.

KING RICHARD III

You have a daughter called Elizabeth,

You have a daughter called Elizabeth,

Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious.

Who’s beautiful and pure, royal and gracious.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

And must she die for this? O, let her live!

And she must die for that? Oh, let her live!

And I’ll corrupt her manners, stain her beauty,

And I will make her rude and turn her ugly,

Slander myself as false to Edward’s bed,

And claim I slept around, leaving me tarnished,

Throw over her the veil of infamy.

Destroying her delightful reputation.

So she may live unscarred of bleeding slaughter,

So that she can escape a vicious slaughter,

I will confess she was not Edward’s daughter.

I will admit she was not Edward’s daughter.

KING RICHARD III

Wrong not her birth, she is a royal princess.

Don’t lie about her birth; she is a princess.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

To save her life, I’ll say she is not so.

To save her life, I’ll say that she is not.

KING RICHARD III

Her life is safest only in her birth.

Her royal birth is what will keep her safe.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

And only in that safety died her brothers.

That so-called safety killed both of her brothers.

KING RICHARD III

Lo at their birth good stars were opposite.

Look, fate had been against them since their birth.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

No, to their lives ill friends were contrary.

It wasn’t fate, it was bad friends that killed them.

KING RICHARD III

All unavoided is the doom of destiny.

You can’t escape the doom of destiny.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

True – when avoided grace makes destiny:

True – when a graceless man makes destiny:

My babes were destined to a fairer death,

My children would have had a fairer death

If grace had blest thee with a fairer life.

If you’d been blessed with graciousness in life.

KING RICHARD III

You speak as if that I had slain my cousins!

It sounds like you think I murdered my cousins!

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Cousins indeed, and by their uncle cozened

They were your cousins, and their uncle cheated

Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.

Them out of ruling, family, and a free life.

Whose hand soever lanched their tender hearts,

Whichever person stabbed their tender hearts,

Thy head (all indirectly) gave direction.

You were the one who gave the secret order.

No doubt the murd’rous knife was dull and blunt

No doubt the knife was blunt before the murder

Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart

Till it was sharpened on your rock-hard heart

To revel in the entrails of my lambs.

To slice open the stomachs of my children.

But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,

But talking of it makes the grief subside,

My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys

So I won’t speak my boys’ two names to you

Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes;

Until my nails are scratching out your eyes;

And I, in such a desp’rate bay of death,

And as I’m in a dangerous position,

Like a poor bark of sails and tackling reft,

Much like a sailboat that’s bereft of rope,

Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.

I will be crushed upon your rocky heart.

KING RICHARD III

Madam, so thrive I in my enterprise

Madam, let’s hope that I will be successful

And dangerous success of bloody wars,

Within these dangerous and bloody wars,

As I intend more good to you and yours

Because I plan to help your family more

Than ever you or yours by me were harmed!

Than ever you and them were hurt by me!

QUEEN ELIZABETH

What good is covered with the face of heaven,

What good is there that heaven might be hiding

To be discovered, that can do me good?

From me that might just do some good for me?

KING RICHARD III

Th’ advancement of your children, gentle lady.

An upgrade for your children, gentle lady.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads.

An upgrade to the scaffold for beheading.

KING RICHARD III

Unto the dignity and height of fortune,

A rise in dignity, stature and fortune,

The high imperial type of this earth’s glory.

The most majestic place on God’s green earth.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Flatter my sorrow with report of it;

Reveal it then, and flatter me in sadness;

Tell me, what state, what dignity, what honour,

Tell me, what reverent role of honour can you

Canst thou demise to any child of mine?

Propose that might be suited to my child?

KING RICHARD III

Even all I have – ay, and myself and all –

Just all I have – yes, me, myself and I –

Will I withal endow a child of thine;

Is what I will provide a child of yours;

So in the Lethe of thy angry soul

Dip in the River of Forgetfulness

Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs

To drown your pain, forgetting all the wrongs

Which thou supposest I have done to thee.

That you believe that I have done to you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Be brief, lest that the process of thy kindness

Be brief, in case the length of time you’re kind

Last longer telling than thy kindness’ date.

Is shorter than the time you talk about it.

KING RICHARD III

Then know that from my soul I love thy daughter.

With all my soul, please know I love your daughter.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

My daughter’s mother thinks it with her soul.

And me, my daughter’s mother, thinks the same.

KING RICHARD III

What do you think?

What do you think?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul;

That you do love my daughter from your soul;

So from thy soul’s love didst thou love her brothers,

And from your soul, you also loved her brothers,

And from my heart’s love I do thank thee for it.

And from my heart, that’s all the thanks you’ll get.

KING RICHARD III

Be not so hasty to confound my meaning:

Don’t be so quick to misconstrue my meaning:

I mean that with my soul I love thy daughter,

I mean that with my soul I love your daughter,

And do intend to make her Queen of England.

And I intend to make her Queen of England.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king?

Who, then, do you intend to be her king?

KING RICHARD III

Even he that makes her queen. Who should be else?

Just him who makes her queen. Who else could do it?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

What, thou?

What, you?

KING RICHARD III

Even so. How think you of it?

Yes, me. What do you think about it?

QUEEN ELIZABETH

How canst thou woo her?

How can you win her love?

KING RICHARD III

That would I learn of you,

I will learn that from you,

As one being best acquainted with her humour.

For you know what she likes better than most.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

And wilt thou learn of me?

And will you learn from me?

KING RICHARD III

Madam, with all my heart.

I will with all my heart, madam.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Send to her by the man that slew her brothers

Send out the man who killed her brothers with

A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave

A pair of bleeding hearts; and write on them

“Edward” and “York”; then haply will she weep.

‘Edward’ and ‘York’; then possibly she’ll cry.

Therefore present to her – as sometimes Margaret

And then, give her – like that one Margaret gave

Did to thy father, steeped in Rutland’s blood –

To your own father, dipped in Rutland’s blood –

A handkercher, which, say to her, did drain

A handkerchief, which, tell her, did absorb

The purple sap from her sweet brother’s body,

The purple blood from her sweet brother’s body,

And bid her wipe her weeping eyes withal.

And bid her wipe her crying eyes with it.

If this inducement move her not to love,

If this won’t charm her into loving you,

Send her a letter of thy noble deeds:

Send her a letter of your lovely actions:

Tell her thou mad’st away her uncle Clarence,

Tell her you had her uncle Clarence killed,

Her uncle Rivers, ay (and for her sake!),

And uncle Rivers, and – for her own sake! –

Mad’st quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.

You quickly killed her good aunt Anne as well.

KING RICHARD III

You mock me, madam, this is not the way

You’re making fun of me; that’s not the way

To win your daughter.

To win your daughter’s heart.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

There is no other way,

There is no way,

Unless thou couldst put on some other shape

Unless you could look like somebody else

And not be Richard that hath done all this.

And not be Richard who has done all this.

KING RICHARD III

Say that I did all this for love of her.

Tell her I did all this for love of her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Nay then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,

Well, no, because she’d have no choice but hate you

Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.

Because you bought her love by murdering.

KING RICHARD III

Look what is done cannot be now amended:

Look, what is done cannot now be corrected:

Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,

Men sometimes do things that are ill-advised,

Which after-hours gives leisure to repent.

Which, afterwards, they soon come to regret.

If I did take the kingdom from your sons,

If I did take the kingdom from your sons,

To make amends I’ll give it to your daughter;

To make amends, I’ll give it to your daughter;

If I have killed the issue of your womb,

If I have killed the children that you bore,

To quicken your increase, I will beget

To bring your offspring back, I’ll procreate

Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter.

With your own daughter to expand your bloodline.

A grandam’s name is little less in love

A grandmother is almost loved as much

Than is the doting title of a mother;

As is the doting mother of the child;

They are as children but one step below,

They’re like your kids, a generation on,

Even of your metal, of your very blood;

Made out of you, made from your very blood;

Of all one pain, save for a night of groans

The effort is the same, except for one night

Endured of her, for whom you bid like sorrow.

Of pain, which you’ve already had with her.

Your children were vexation to your youth,

Your children brought you heartache in your youth,

But mine shall be a comfort to your age.

But mine will bring you comfort when you’re old.

The loss you have is but a son being king,

You’ve only lost a son becoming king,

And by that loss your daughter is made queen.

And by that loss, your daughter will be queen.

I cannot make you what amends I would,

I cannot fix what you would like me to,

Therefore accept such kindness as I can.

And so, accept what kindness I can offer.

Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul

Your own son Dorset, who, because of fear,

Leads discontented steps in foreign soil,

Resides abroad and wanders discontented,

This fair alliance quickly shall call home

Will soon be warmly welcomed back to home

To high promotions and great dignity.

With big promotions and much dignity.

The King, that calls your beauteous daughter wife,

The King, who calls your gorgeous daughter wife,

Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother;

Will warmly call your Dorset brother-in-law;

Again shall you be mother to a king;

Again, you’ll be the mother to the king;

And all the ruins of distressful times

And all the hurt from former painful times

Repaired with double riches of content.

Will be repaired with double wealth and pleasure.

What? We have many goodly days to see:

How does that sound? We have great days ahead:

The liquid drops of tears that you have shed

The teardrops that you shed will come again,

Shall come again, transformed to orient pearl,

But this time they will fall as gleaming pearls,

Advantaging their love with interest

Converting pain to love with interest

Of ten times double gain of happiness.

To multiply your happiness ten times.

Go then, my mother, to thy daughter go,

Go to your daughter, future mother-in-law,

Make bold her bashful years with your experience;

Use your experience to make her bold;

Prepare her ears to hear a wooer’s tale;

Forewarn her that she’s going to be courted;

Put in her tender heart th’ aspiring flame

Within her heart, suggest the promise of

Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the Princess

Becoming royalty; acquaint the Princess

With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys;

With all the silent joys of being married;

And when this arm of mine hath chastised

And after, with this arm, I’ve sorted out

The petty rebel, dull-brained Buckingham,

That idiotic rebel Buckingham,

Bound with triumphant garlands will I come

Triumphantly I’ll come back bearing flowers

And lead thy daughter to a conqueror’s bed;

And take your daughter to a conqueror’s bed;

To whom I will retail my conquest won,

And I will hand my conquest onto her,

And she shall be sole victoress, Caesar’s Caesar.

And she alone will be the conqueror.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

What were I best to say? Her father’s brother

What should I tell her? That her father’s brother

Would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle?

Would like to wed her? Or should I say uncle?

Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?

Or him who killed her brothers and her uncles?

Under what title shall I woo for thee,

What title should I use to court her for you,

That God, the law, my honour, and her love

That works for God, the law, me and her love

Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?

That, being young, she’s going to find appealing?

KING RICHARD III

Infer fair England’s peace by this alliance.

Imply this marriage will bring peace to England.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Which she shall purchase with still-lasting war.

That she’ll buy into through eternal war.

KING RICHARD III

Tell her the King, that may command, entreats.

Tell her the King, who could instruct, requests.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

That at her hands which the King’s King forbids.

That God forbids a niece wedding her uncle.

KING RICHARD III

Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.

Tell her that she will be a mighty queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

To vail the title, as her mother doth.

A title she will lose, just like her mother.

KING RICHARD III

Say I will love her everlastingly.

Tell her that I will love her evermore.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

But how long shall that title “ever” last?

But how long does that ‘ever’ really mean?

KING RICHARD III

Sweetly in force unto her fair live’s end.

I’ll love her sweetly till her dying day.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?

But how long is her sweet life going to last?

KING RICHARD III

As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.

As long as heaven and nature keep it going.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

As long as hell and Richard likes of it.

As long as hell and Richard want it to.

KING RICHARD III

Say I, her sovereign, am her subject low.

Tell her, although I’m king, I am below her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.

But she, your subject, hates a king like that.

KING RICHARD III

Be eloquent in my behalf to her.

Speak warmly of me when you talk to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.

A truthful tale is best when simply told.

KING RICHARD III

Then plainly to her tell my loving tale.

Then simply tell her of my loving tale.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.

A simple tale won’t work if it’s deceitful.

KING RICHARD III

Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.

Your answers are too simple and not thought through.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

O no, my reasons are too deep and dead –

Oh no, my answers are all deep and dead,

Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves.

Like my two children, dead, deep in their graves.

KING RICHARD III

Harp not on that string, madam, that is past.

Stop harping on about that; that’s the past.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break.

I’ll harp about it till my heart-strings break.

KING RICHARD III

Now by my George, my Garter, and my crown –

Now, by St George’s pendant, Garter, crown…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Profaned, dishonoured, and the third usurped.

One desecrated; stained; the third one, stolen.

KING RICHARD III

I swear –

I swear…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

By nothing, for this is no oath:

By nothing; this oath isn’t real.

Thy George, profaned, hath lost his lordly honour;

The pendant of St George you’ve desecrated;

Thy Garter, blemished, pawned his knightly virtue;

You’ve stained the knighthood Order of the Garter;

Thy crown, usurped, disgraced his kingly glory.

You stole the crown and brought disgrace upon it.

If something thou wouldst swear to be believed,

But if you want your oath to be believed,

Swear then by something that thou hast not wronged.

Then swear on something that you haven’t harmed.

KING RICHARD III

Then by myself –

Then I’ll swear on myself…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Thyself is self-misused.

You’ve harmed yourself.

KING RICHARD III

Now by the world –

Then on the world…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

’Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

…That’s full of your abuses.

KING RICHARD III

My father’s death –

My father’s death…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Thy life hath it dishonoured.

…Discredited by you.

KING RICHARD III

Why then, by God –

Well then, by God…

QUEEN ELIZABETH

God’s wrong is most of all:

…who you’ve abused the most:

If thou didst fear to break an oath with him,

If you were scared to break an oath with God,

The unity the King my husband made

The friendship bond the King, my husband, made

Thou hadst not broken, nor my brothers died.

You’d not have broken, nor wiped out my brothers.

If thou hadst feared to break an oath by him,

If you were scared to break an oath with God,

Th’ imperial metal, circling now thy head,

The royal crown now resting on your head

Had graced the tender temples of my child,

Would gently grace the young head of my child,

And both the Princes had been breathing here,

And both the princes would have been alive,

Which now, two tender bedfellows for dust,

But now they both lie buried in the dust,

Thy broken faith hath made the prey for worms.

Your broken oaths have left them food for worms.

What canst thou swear by now?

What can you swear by now, then?

KING RICHARD III

The time to come.

By the future.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

That thou hast wronged in the time o’erpast;

That you have wronged by things done in the past;

For I myself have many tears to wash

And for myself, I’ve many tears to cry

Hereafter time, for time past wronged by thee.

In future for the past crimes done by you.

The children live whose fathers thou hast slaughtered,

The living children of fathers you murdered

Ungoverned youth, to wail it in their age;

Will sadly now mature without their guidance;

The parents live whose children thou hast butchered,

The parents of the children that you butchered

Old barren plants, to wail it with their age.

Will cry in old age, like a leafless plant.

Swear not by time to come, for that thou hast

Don’t swear upon the future, for you’ve used

Misused ere used, by times ill-used o’erpast.

The days gone by with time that you’ve abused.

KING RICHARD III

As I intend to prosper and repent,

Just as I plan to prosper and repent,

So thrive I in my dangerous affairs

So may I thrive by winning dangerous battles

Of hostile arms! Myself myself confound!

Against the enemy! May I destroy me;

Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours!

May God and luck prevent me being happy;

Day, yield me not thy light, nor, night, thy rest!

May days be dark, and night devoid of rest;

Be opposite all planets of good luck

May all the stars of fortune work against me

To my proceeding, if with dear heart’s love,

In everything I do, if I don’t love,

Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,

Nor show devotion, nor have holy thoughts

I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter!

Towards your gorgeous daughter as a princess!

In her consists my happiness and thine;

My happiness, and yours, depend on her;

Without her, follows to myself and thee,

Without her as my queen, then me and you,

Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul,

And her, the country, and a lot of Christians,

Death, desolation, ruin, and decay.

Will die in desolation and despair.

It cannot be avoided but by this;

This is the only way to stop that happening;

It will not be avoided but by this.

This is the only tactic to avoid it.

Therefore, dear mother – I must call you so –

And so, dear mother, I must ask that you

Be the attorney of my love to her.

Will champion my love of her to her.

Plead what I will be, not what I have been;

Describe what I will be, not what I have been;

Not my deserts, but what I will deserve.

Not punishment I’m due, but praise I’ll earn.

Urge the necessity and state of times,

Stress how important for our times this seems,

And be not peevish-fond in great designs.

And don’t be narrow-minded with your schemes.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?

Is this how I should let the devil tempt me?

KING RICHARD III

Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.

Yes, if the devil tempts you to do good.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Shall I forget myself to be myself?

Shall I forget the person that I am?

KING RICHARD III

Ay, if yourself’s remembrance wrong yourself.

Yes, if recalling who you are will hurt you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Yet thou didst kill my children.

But you did kill my children.

KING RICHARD III

But in your daughter’s womb I bury them;

But in your daughter’s womb I’ll bury them;

Where in that nest of spicery they will breed

And in that spicy nest they’ll breed again

Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.

To be reborn to comfort you once more.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?

Shall I persuade my daughter to your viewpoint?

KING RICHARD III

And be a happy mother by the deed.

You’ll be a happy mother if you do.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

I go. Write to me very shortly,

I’ll go to her. Write to me very soon,

And you shall understand from me her mind.

And I’ll explain to you what she is thinking.

KING RICHARD III

Bear her my true love’s kiss; and so farewell.

Give her a true-love kiss from me; goodbye.

[EXIT QUEEN ELIZABETH.]

Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!

You weak-willed fool and shallow, fickle woman!

[ENTER RATCLIFFE, CATESBY FOLLOWING.]

How now? What news?

Hello, what’s news?

SIR RICHARD RATCLIFFE

Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast

Most mighty king, upon the western coast

Rideth a puissant navy; to our shores

A mighty navy sails; and on our beaches

Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,

A group of unreliable allies gather,

Unarmed, and unresolved to beat them back.

Unarmed and unprepared to fight them back.

’Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;

It’s thought that Richmond is their admiral;

And there they hull, expecting but the aid

And there they’re floating, waiting for the help

Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

KING RICHARD III

Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of Norfolk;

Some swift ally, inform the Duke of Norfolk;

Ratcliffe, thyself – or Catesby – where is he?

You, Ratcliffe? Or you, Catesby? Where is he?

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

Here, my good lord.

I’m here, my lord.

KING RICHARD III

Catesby, fly to the Duke.

Catesby, run to the Duke.

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

I will, my lord, with all convenient haste.

I will, my lord, as quickly as I can.

KING RICHARD III

Ratcliffe, come hither. Post to Salisbury;

Ratcliffe, come here. Ride out to Salisbury;

When thou com’st thither –

When you arrive…

[To Catesby.]

Dull unmindful villain,

You idiotic villain,

Why stay’st thou here, and go’st not to the Duke?

Why are you here, and not off to the Duke?

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

First, mighty liege, tell me your Highness’ pleasure,

Before I go, please state your royal wishes,

What from your Grace I shall deliver to him.

And what your Grace would like me to deliver.

KING RICHARD III

O, true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight

Fair point, good Catesby. Tell him he must gather

The greatest strength and power that he can make,

The largest army he can muster up

And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.

And have him meet me soon at Salisbury.

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

I go.

I’ll leave now.

SIR RICHARD RATCLIFFE

What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?

What would you have me do at Salisbury?

KING RICHARD III

Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?

What would you do if you got there before me?

SIR RICHARD RATCLIFFE

Your Highness told me I should post before.

Your Highness told me I should leave before you.

KING RICHARD III

My mind is changed.

I’ve changed my mind.

[ENTER LORD STANLEY.]

Stanley, what news with you?

Stanley, what news do you have?

LORD STANLEY

None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing,

None good, my lord, that you’ll be pleased to hear,

Nor none so bad but well may be reported.

Nor none so bad that I cannot report it.

KING RICHARD III

Hoy-day, a riddle! Neither good nor bad!

I see – a riddle! Neither good nor bad!

What need’st thou run so many miles about,

Why do you need to run around in circles

When thou mayest tell thy tale the nearest way?

When you could simply get straight to the point?

Once more, what news?

Again, what’s news?

LORD STANLEY

Richmond is on the seas.

Richmond is on the seas.

KING RICHARD III

There let him sink, and be the seas on him!

Then let him sink, and let the seas be on him!

White-livered runagate, what doth he there?

Cowardly renegade, what is he doing?

LORD STANLEY

I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.

I do not know, my king, but I might guess.

KING RICHARD III

Well, as you guess?

Well, what’s your guess?

LORD STANLEY

Stirred up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton,

Wound up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton,

He makes for England, here to claim the crown.

He’s coming here to claim the crown of England.

KING RICHARD III

Is the chair empty? Is the sword unswayed?

Is the throne empty? Is the sword kept sheathed?

Is the King dead? The empire unpossessed?

Is the King dead? And is the country unclaimed?

What heir of York is there alive but we?

What royal heir of York lives on but me?

And who is England’s king but great York’s heir?

And who’s the King of England but York’s heir?

Then tell me, what makes he upon the seas?

So tell me, what’s he doing on the seas?

LORD STANLEY

Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

Unless to claim the crown, I cannot guess.

KING RICHARD III

Unless for that he comes to be your liege,

Unless he’s coming here to be your king,

You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.

You can’t guess why that Welsh Richmond comes here.

Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.

You will defect and fight for him, I fear.

LORD STANLEY

No, my good lord, therefore mistrust me not.

I won’t, my lord, so you must not distrust me.

KING RICHARD III

Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where is your fighting force to hold him back?

Where be thy tenants and thy followers?

Where are your soldiers and your followers?

Are they not now upon the western shore,

Aren’t they right now upon the western shore,

Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

Helping the rebels disembark their ships?

LORD STANLEY

No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.

They’re not, my lord; my friends are in the north.

KING RICHARD III

Cold friends to me! What do they in the north,

Then they’re no friends to me! Why are they north,

When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

When, for the king, they should fight in the west?

LORD STANLEY

They have not been commanded, mighty King.

They’ve not been given orders, mighty King.

Pleaseth your Majesty to give me leave,

If you permit I leave, your Majesty,

I’ll muster up my friends and meet your Grace

I’ll gather up my friends and meet your Grace

Where and what time your Majesty shall please.

Wherever and whatever time you please.

KING RICHARD III

Ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond;

Yes, you’ll enlist with Richmond, I am sure;

But I’ll not trust thee.

I do not trust you.

LORD STANLEY

Most mighty sovereign,

But, my mighty King,

You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful.

You have no cause to doubt I am your friend.

I never was nor never will be false.

I’ve never been disloyal, and never will be.

KING RICHARD III

Go then, and muster men; but leave behind

Go then, and gather men, but leave behind

Your son, George Stanley. Look your heart be firm,

Your son, George Stanley. Make sure you stay loyal,

Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.

Or else your son, perhaps, will lose his head.

LORD STANLEY

So deal with him as I prove true to you.

So treat him well as I do well for you.

FIRST MESSENGER

My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,

My gracious King, in Devonshire right now,

As I by friends am well advertised,

I’ve been advised by friends I have down there,

Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate,

Sir Edward Courtney and the snobby priest,

Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,

Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,

With many more confederates, are in arms.

Are joined by many soldiers in an army.

SECOND MESSENGER

In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in arms,

In Kent, my King, the Guilfords are all armed,

And every hour more competitors

And every single hour more defectors

Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Join with those rebels, and they’re growing strong.

THIRD MESSENGER

My lord, the army of great Buckingham –

My lord, the army of great Buckingham…

KING RICHARD III

Out on you, owls! Nothing but songs of death?

Get out, you owls that only sing of death!

[He striketh him.]

There, take thou that, till thou bring better news.

There, take that, till you bring me better news.

THIRD MESSENGER

The news I have to tell your Majesty

The news I have for you, your Majesty,

Is that by sudden floods and fall of waters

Is that from heavy rain and sudden flooding,

Buckingham’s army is dispersed and scattered,

Buckingham’s army has dispersed and scattered,

And he himself wand’red away alone,

And Buckingham has wandered off alone,

No man knows whither.

No one knows where.

KING RICHARD III

I cry thee mercy;

I beg for your forgiveness;

There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.

Here’s cash to ease the punch I gave to you.

Hath any well-advised friend proclaimed

Has any savvy friend of mine declared a

Reward to him that brings the traitor in?

Reward for him that brings the traitor to me?

THIRD MESSENGER

Such proclamation hath been made, my lord.

Yes, that announcement has been made, my lord.

FOURTH MESSENGER

Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquess Dorset,

Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquess Dorset,

’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.

Apparently have taken arms in Yorkshire.

But this good comfort bring I to your Highness:

But I bring news to comfort you, your Highness:

The Britain navy is dispersed by tempest.

A storm has split the ships of Richmond up.

Richmond in Dorsetshire sent out a boat

In Dorsetshire, a boat was sent by Richmond

Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks

To go ashore and ask those on the banks

If they were his assistants, yea or no;

If they were his supporters, yes or no;

Who answered him, they came from Buckingham

They answered they were all from Buckingham’s

Upon his party. He, mistrusting them,

Own army, and then Richmond didn’t trust them,

Hoised sail, and made his course again for Britain.

So hoisted sail, and made for Brittany.

KING RICHARD III

March on, march on, since we are up in arms,

Let’s march; we are already dressed for battle,

If not to fight with foreign enemies,

So even if we don’t fight foreigners,

Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.

We’ll quash the rising rebels here at home.

SIR WILLIAM CATESBY

My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken –

My King, the Duke of Buckingham is captured –

That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond

That is the good news. That the Earl of Richmond

Is with a mighty power landed at Milford

Has, with a mighty army, docked at Milford

Is colder tidings, yet they must be told.

Is bleaker news, but I’m obliged to tell you.

KING RICHARD III

Away towards Salisbury! While we reason here,

Let’s leave for Salisbury! While we’re talking here,

A royal battle might be won and lost.

A royal battle might be won and lost.

Some one take order Buckingham be brought

Someone arrange that Buckingham is brought

To Salisbury, the rest march on with me.

To Salisbury; all others, march with me.