SCENE 3.London.The palace
Enter TYRREL
TYRREL.The tyrannous and bloody act is done,The most arch deed of piteous massacre That ever yet this land was guilty of.Dighton and Forrest,who I did suborn To do this piece of ruthless butchery,Albeit they were flesh'd villains,bloody dogs,Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,Wept like two children in their deaths'sad story.'O,thus'quoth Dighton 'lay the gentle babes'-'Thus,thus,'quoth Forrest 'girdling one another Within their alabaster innocent arms.Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,And in their summer beauty kiss'd each other.A book of prayers on their pillow lay;Which once,'quoth Forrest 'almost chang'd my mind;But,O,the devil'-there the villain stopp'd;When Dighton thus told on:'We smothered The most replenished sweet work of nature That from the prime creation e'er she framed.'Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse They could not speak;and so I left them both,To bear this tidings to the bloody King.
Enter KING RICHARD
And here he comes.All health,my sovereign lord!KING RICHARD.Kind Tyrrel,am I happy in thy news?TYRREL.If to have done the thing you gave in charge Beget your happiness,be happy then,For it is done.KING RICHARD.But didst thou see them dead?TYRREL.I did,my lord.KING RICHARD.And buried,gentle Tyrrel?TYRREL.The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them;But where,to say the truth,I do not know.KING RICHARD.Come to me,Tyrrel,soon at after supper,When thou shalt tell the process of their death.Meantime,but think how I may do thee good And be inheritor of thy desire.Farewell till then.TYRREL.I humbly take my leave.Exit KING RICHARD.The son of Clarence have I pent up close;His daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage;The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom,And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night.Now,for I know the Britaine Richmond aims At young Elizabeth,my brother's daughter,And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,To her go I,a jolly thriving wooer.
Enter RATCLIFF
RATCLIFF.My lord!KING RICHARD.Good or bad news,that thou com'st in so bluntly?RATCLIFF.Bad news,my lord:Morton is fled to Richmond;And Buckingham,back'd with the hardy Welshmen,Is in the field,and still his power increaseth.KING RICHARD.Ely with Richmond troubles me more near Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.Come,I have learn'd that fearful commenting Is leaden servitor to dull delay;Delay leads impotent and snail-pac'd beggary.Then fiery expedition be my wing,Jove's Mercury,and herald for a king!Go,muster men.My counsel is my shield.We must be brief when traitors brave the field.Exeunt
SCENE 4.London.Before the palace
Enter old QUEEN MARGARET
QUEEN MARGARET.So now prosperity begins to mellow And drop into the rotten mouth of death.Here in these confines slily have I lurk'd To watch the waning of mine enemies.A dire induction am I witness to,And will to France,hoping the consequence Will prove as bitter,black,and tragical.Withdraw thee,wretched Margaret.Who comes here?[Retires]
Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and the DUCHESS OF YORK
QUEEN ELIZABETH.Ah,my poor princes!ah,my tender babes!My unblown flowers,new-appearing sweets!If yet your gentle souls fly in the air And be not fix'd in doom perpetual,Hover about me with your airy wings And hear your mother's lamentation.QUEEN MARGARET.Hover about her;say that right for right Hath dimm'd your infant morn to aged night.DUCHESS.So many miseries have craz'd my voice That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute.Edward Plantagenet,why art thou dead?QUEEN MARGARET.Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet,Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.QUEEN ELIZABETH.Wilt thou,O God,fly from such gentle lambs And throw them in the entrails of the wolf?When didst thou sleep when such a deed was done?QUEEN MARGARET.When holy Harry died,and my sweet son.
DUCHESS.Dead life,blind sight,poor mortal living ghost,Woe's scene,world's shame,grave's due by life usurp'd,Brief abstract and record of tedious days,Rest thy unrest on England's lawful earth,[Sitting down]Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood.QUEEN ELIZABETH.Ah,that thou wouldst as soon afford a grave As thou canst yield a melancholy seat!Then would I hide my bones,not rest them here.Ah,who hath any cause to mourn but we?[Sitting down by her]QUEEN MARGARET.[Coming forward]If ancient sorrow be most reverend,Give mine the benefit of seniory,And let my griefs frown on the upper hand.If sorrow can admit society,[Sitting down with them]