make them hop without their crownes that denies me Haue I remoued such logs out of my sight as my brother Clarēce And king Henry the sixt to suffer a child to shadow me Nay more my nephew to disinherit me Yet most of all to be released from the yoke of my brother As I terme it to become subiect to his sonne No death nor hell shal not withhold me but as I rule I wil raign And so raign that the proudest enemy shall not abide The sharpest shoure Why what are the babes but a puffe of Gun-pouder a marke for the soldiers food for fishes Or lining for beds deuices enough to make them away Wherein I am resolute and determining needs no counsell Ho whos 's within Enters Page and Perciuall Perc. May it please your Maiestie Richard Ha villaine Maiestie Per. I speake but vpon that which shal be my good Lord Rich. But what 's he with thee Page A Messenger with a letter from the right honourable The Duke of Buckingham Exit Page Rich. Sirra giue place Ah how this title of Maiestie animates me to my purpose Rise man regard no fall haply this letter brings good lucke May it be or is it possible Doth Fortune so much fauour my happinesse That I no sooner deuise but she sets abroach Or doth she but to trie me that raising me aloft My fall may be the greater well laugh on sweete change Be as be may I will neuer feare colours nor regard ruth Valour brings fame and fame conqueres death Perciuall Per. My Lord Rich. For so thy letter declares thy name Thy trust to thy Lord is a sufficient warrant That I vtter my minde fully vnto thee And seeing thy Lord and I haue bene long foes And haue found now so fit opportunitie to ioyne league To alaie the proude enemy tell him thus as a friend I do accept of his grace and will be as readie to put in practise To the vttermost of my power what ere he shal be to deuise But whereas he hath writ that the remouing of the yoong Prince from the Queenes friends might do well Tell him thus it is the only way to our purpose For he shall shortly come vp to London to his Coronation At which instant we will be both present And where by the helpe of thy Lord I will so plaie my part That I le be more then I am and not much lesse then I looke for No nor a haire bredth from that I am Aiudge thou what it is Perciual Perc. God send it my Lord but my Lord willed me to satisfie you and to tell you by word of mouth that he hath in readinesse a braue company of men Rich. What power hath he Per. A braue band of his owne Rich. What number Per. My Lord to the number of fiue hundreth footmen And horsmen ayders vnto him is my Lord Chamberlaine and my Lord Hastings Rich. Sounes dares he trust the Lord Hastings Per. I my Lord as his owne life he is secret I warrant you Rich. Well Perciuall this matter is waightie and must not be slipt therefore return this answere to thy Lord that to morrow I will meet him for to day I cannot for now the funerall is past I must set a screene before the fire for feare of suspition again I am now to strengthen my selfe by the controuersie that is betwixt the kindred of the King deceast and the Queene that 's liuing the yoong Prince is yet in hucsters handling and they not throughly friendes now must I so worke that that water that driues the mill may drowne it I climbe Perciuall I regard more the glorie then the gaine for the very name of a King redouble a mans life with fame when death hath done his worst and so commend me to thy Lord and take thou this for thy paines Per. I thanke your grace I humbly take my leaue Exit Perciual Rich. Why so now Fortune make me a King Fortune giue me a kingdome let the world report the Duke of Gloster was a King therefore Fortune make me King if I be but King for a yeare nay but halfe a yeare nay a moneth a weeke three dayes one day or halfe a day nay an houre swounes half an houre nay sweete Fortune clap but the Crowne on my head that the vassals may but once say God saue King Richards life it is inough Sirrha who is there Enters Page Page My Lord Rich. What hearest thou about the Court Pag. Ioy my Lord of your Protectorship for the most part Some murmure but my Lord they be of the baser sort Rich. A mightie arme wil sway the baser sort authority doth terrifie But what other newes hearest thou Pag. This my Lord they say the yong king is comming vp to his coronation attended on by his two vnkles Earle Riuers Lord Gray and the rest of the Queenes kindred Rich. A parlous bone to ground vpon and a rush stifly knit which if I could finde a knot I would giue one halfe to the dogs and set fire on the other Pag. It is reported my Lord but I know not whether it be true or no that the Duke of Buckingham is vp in the Marches of Wales with a band of men and as they say hee aimes at the Crowne Rich. Tush a shadow without a substance and a feare without a cause but yet if my neighbours house bee on fire let me seeke to saue mine owne in trust is treason time slippth it is ill iesting with edge tooles or dallying with Princes matters I le strike whillst the yron is hote and I le trust neuer a Duke of Buckingham no neuer a Duke in the world further then I see him And sirrha so follow me Exit Richard Pag. I see my Lord is fully resolued to climbe but how hee climbes I le leaue that to your iudgements but what his fall will be that 's hard to say But I maruell that the Duke of Buckingham and he are now become such great friends who had wont to loue one another so well as the spider doth the flie but this I haue noted since he hath had the charge of Protector how many noble men hath fled the realme first the Lord Marcus sonne to the Queene the Earle of Westmorland and Northumberland are secretly fled how this geare will cotten I know not But what do I medling in such matters that should medle with the vntying of my Lordes points faith do euen as a great many do beside medle with Princes matters so long til they proue themselues beggars in the end Therfore I for feare I should be taken nipping with any words I le set a locke on my lips for feare my tongue grow too wide for my mouth Exit Page Enter the yoong Prince his brother Duke of Yorke Earle Riuers Lord Gray sir Hapce sir Thomas Vaughan Kng. Right louing vnckles and the rest of this company my mother hath written and thinks it conuenient that we dismisse our traine for feare the towne
be But Madame what answere do you returne if I could persuade you t were best to let him go Queene But for I see you counsell for the best I am content that you shall haue my son in hope that you will send him safe to me here I deliuer him into your hands Farewell my boy commend me to thy brother Yorke Mother farewell and farewell sister too I will but see my brother and returne to you Queene Teares stops my speech Come let vs in my Lord Exit Car. I will attend vpon your grace Hold take the Prince the Queen I haue done I le take my leaue and after you I le come Exit Car. Yorke How now my friend shall I go to my brother Cates. What else sweete Prince and for that cause wee are come to beare you company Exit omnes Enter foure watch-men Enter Richards Page Pag. Why thus by keeping company am I become like vnto those with whom I keepe company As my Lorde hopes to weare the Crown so I hope by that means to haue preferment but in steed of the Crowne the blood of the headles light vpon his head he hath made but a wrong match for blood is a threatner and will haue reuenge He makes hauocke of all to bring his purpose to passe all those of the Queens kinred that were committed to Pomphret Castle hee hath caused them to be secretly put to death without iudgemēt the like was neuer seen in England He spares none whom he but mistrusteth to be a hinderer to his proceedings he is straight chopt vp in prison The valiant Earle of Oxford being but mistrusted is kept close prisoner in Hames Castle Againe how well Doctor Shaw hath pleased my Lord that preached at Paules Crosse yesterday that proued the two Princes to be bastards whereupon in the after noone came downe my Lord Mayor and the Aldermen to Baynards Castle and offered my Lord the whole estate vpon him and offered to make him King which he refused so faintly that if it had bene offered once more I know he would haue taken it the Duke of Buckingham is gone about it and is now in the Guild Hall making his Oration But here comes my Lord Enter Richard and Catesby Ric. Catesby content thee I haue warned the Lord Hastings to this Court and since he is so hard to be wonne t is better to cut him off then suffer him he hath bene all this while partaker to our secrets and if he should but by some mislike vtter it then were we all cast away Cates. Nay my Lord do as you will yet I haue spoken what I can in my friends cause Rich. Go to no more ado Catesby they say I haue bin a long sleeper to day but I le be awake anon to some of their costs But sirrha are those men in readinesse that I appointed you to get Pag. I my Lord giue diligent attendance vpon your grace Rich. Go to looke to it then Catesby get thee thy weapons readie for I will enter the Court Cat. I will my Lord Exit Pag. Doth my Lord say he hath bene a long sleeper to day There are those of the Court that are of another opinion that thinks his grace lieth neuer lōg inough a bed Now there is court held to day by diuerse of the Councell which I feare me wil cost the Lord Hastings and the Lord Standley their best cappes for my Lord hath willed mee to get halfe a dozen ruffians in readinesse and when he knocks with his fist vpon the boord they to rush in and to crie treason treason and to laie hands vpon the Lord Hastings and the Lord Stannley which for feare I should let slip I will giue my diligent attendance Enter Richard Catesby and others pulling Lord Hastings Rich. Come bring him away let this suffice thou and that accursed sorceresse the mother Queene hath bewitched me with assistance of that famous strumpet of my brothers Shores wife my withered arme is a sufficient testimony deny it if thou canst laie not Shores wife with thee last night Hast. That she was in my house my Lord I cannot deny but not for any such matter If. Rich. If villain feedest thou me with Ifs ands go fetch me a Priest make a short shrift and dispatch him quickly For by the blessed Saint Paule I sweare I will not dine till I see the traitors head away sir Thomas suffer him not to speak see him executed straight let his copartner the Lord Standly be carried to prison also t is not his broke head I haue giuen him shall exscues him Exit with Hastings Catesbie goe you and see it presently proclaimed throughout the Citie of London by a Herald of Armes that the cause of his death and the rest were for conspiring by Witchcraft the death of me and the Duke of Buckingham that so they might gouern the King and rule the realme I thinke the proclamation be almost done Cate. I my good Lord and finished too Rich. Well then about it But hearest thou Catesbie meane while I will listen after successe of the Duke of Buckingham who is labouring all this while with the Citizens of London to make me King which I hope shall be shortly for thou seest our foes now are fewer and we neerer the marke then before and when I haue it looke thou for the place of thy friend the Lord Hastings meane while about thy businesse Cat. I thanke your grace Exit Catesbie Rich. Now sirrha to thee there is one thing more vndone which grieues me more then all the rest and to say the truth it is of more importance then all the rest Pag. Ah that my Lord would vtter it to his Page then should I count my selfe a happie man if I could ease my Lord of that great doubt Rich. I commend thy willingnesse but it is too mightie and reacheth the starres Pag. The more waightie it is the sooner shall I by doing it increase your honours good liking toward me Rich. Be assured of that but the matter is of waight great importance and doth concerne the state Pag. Why my Lord I will choake them with gifts that shall performe it therefore good my Lord trust me in this cause Rich. Indeed thy trust I know to be so true that I care not to vtter it vnto thee Come hither yet the matter is too waightie for so meane a man Page Yet good my Lord vtter it Rich. Why thus it is I would haue my two Nephewes the yoong Prince and his brother secretly murthered Sownes villaine t is out wilt thou do it or wilt thou betray me Page My Lord you shall see my forwardnesse herein I am acquainted with one Iames Terrell that lodgeth-hard by your honors chamber with him my Lord will I so worke that soone at night you shall speake with him Rich. Of what reputation or calling is that Terrell may we trust him with that which once knowne were the vtter confusion of me and my friends
for euer Page For his trust my Lord I dare be bounde onely this a poore gentleman he is hoping for preferment by your grace and vpon my credit my Lord he will see it done Rich. Well in this be verie circumspect and sure with thy diligence be liberall and looke for a day to make thee blesse thy self wherin thou seruedst so good a Lord And now that Shores wifes goods be confiscate goe from me to the Bishop of London and see that she receiue her open penance let her be turnd out of prison but so bare as a wretch that worthely hath deserued that plague and let there be straight proclaimation made by my Lord the Mayor that none shall releeue her nor pittie her and priuie spies set in euerie corner of the Citie that they may take notice of them that releeues her for as her beginning was most famous aboue all so will I haue her end most infamous aboue all Haue care now my boy and winne thy maisters heart for euer Enter Shores wife Shores Ah vnfortunate Shores wife dishonour to the King a shame to thy countrey and the onely blot of defame to all thy kindred Ay why was I made faire that a King should fauour me But my friends should haue preferd discipline before affection for they know of my folly yea my owne husband knew of my breach of disloyaltie and yet suffered me by reason hee knew it bootlesse to kicke against the pricke A sweet King Edward little didst thou thinke Shores wife should haue bene so hardly vsed thy vnnaturall brother not concent with my goods which are yet confiscate in his custodie but yet more to adde to my present miserie hath proclaimed vpon great penaltie that none whatsoeuer shall either aide or succour me but here being comfortlesse to die in the streets with hunger I am constrained to beg but I feare t is in vaine for none will pittie me Yet here comes one to whom I haue done good in restoring his lands that were lost now will I trie him to see if he will giue mee anything Enters Lodowicke Lo. A time how thou suffrest fortune to alter estates changest the mindes of the good for the worst How many headlesse Peeres sleepe in their graues whose places are furnish'd with their inferiours Such as are neither nobly borne nor vertuously minded My heart hardly bewailes the losse of the yoong King by the outrage of the Protector who hath proclamed himselfe King by the name of Richard the third The Commons murmure at it greatly that the yoong King and his brother should be imprisoned but to what end t is hard to say but many think they shall neuer come forth againe But God do all for the best and that the right heires may not be vtterly ouerthrowne Shore A gods what a griefe is it for me to aske where I haue giuen Lod. A my good Lord Hastings how innocently thou diedst the heauens beare witnesse Shores wife Good sir take pittie vppon mee and releeue mee Lod. Indeed t is pittie to see so faire a face to aske for almes But tell me hast thou no friends Shore Yes sir I had many frends but when my chiefest friend of all died the rest then forsooke me Lod. Belike then thy fact was notorious that thy friends leauing thee would let thee go as a spoyle for villaines But hearst thou I prethie tell me the truth and as I am a gentleman I will pittie thee Shore A Lodowick tell thee the truth why halfe this intreatie serued thee when thy lands had bene cleane gone had it not bene for Shores wife and doest thou make me so long to begge for a litle Lod. Indeed my lands I had restored me by mistresse Shore but may this be she Shore I Lodowicke I am she that begged thy lands of King Edward the fourth therefore I pray thee bestow something on me Lod. A gods what is this world and how vncertaine are riches Is this she that was in such credit with the King Nay more that could command a King indeed I cannot deny but my lands she restored me but shall I by releeuing of her hurt my selfe no for straight proclamation is made that none shall succour her therefore for feare I should be seene talke with her I will shun her company and get me to my chamber and there set downe in heroicall verse the shameful end of a Kings Concubin which is no doubt as wonderfull as the desolation of a kingdome Exit Shores A Lodowick if thou wilt giue me nothing yet staie and talke with me A no he shuns my company all my friends now forsake mee In prosperitie I had many but in aduersitie none A gods haue I this for my good I haue done for when I was in my cheefest pomp I thought that day wel spent wherein I might pleasure my friend by sutes to the King for if I had spoken he would not haue said nay For tho he was King yet Shores wife swayd the swoord I where neede was there was I bountifull and mindfull I was still vppon the poore to releeue them and now none will know me nor succour me therefore here shall I die for want of sustenance Yet here comes another whom I haue done good vnto in sauing the life of his sonne wel I will trie him to see if he will giue me any thing Enter a Citizen and another Cit. No men no lawes no Princes no orders all 's husht neighbour now hee s king but before he was king how was the tems thwackt with ruffians what fraies had we in the streets Now he hath proclaimed peace betweene Scotland and England for sixe yeares to what end I know not vsurpers had neede to be wise Shores A good sir releeue me and bestow something vpon me Cit. A neighbour hedges haue eyes and high-wayes haue eares but who i st a beggar-woman the streets are full of them Ifaith But heere 's thou hast thou no friendes that thou goest a begging so Shore Yes sir I had friends but they are all dead as you are Citi. Why am I dead neighbour why thou arrant queane what meanst thou by that Shore I meane they are dead in charitie But I pray sir had not you the life of your sonne saued in the time of king Edward the fourth by one Shores wife Citi. Yes mary had I but art thou a sprig of the same bough I promise you neighbor I thoght so that so idle a huswife could not be without the acquaintance of so noble a strumpet well for her sake I le giue thee somewhat Shore Nay then know that I am shee that saued the life of thy condemned sonne Citi. Who art thou Shores wife Lye still purse neighbour I would not for twentie pounds haue giuen her one farthing the proclamation is so hard by king Richard Why minion are you she that was the dishonour to the King the shame to her husband the discredit to the Citie Heare you laie your fingers