So in the Lethe of thy angry soul Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs Which thou supposest I have done to thee. QUEEN ELIZABETH Be brief, lest that be process of thy kindness Last longer telling than thy kindness' date. KING RICHARD III Then know, that from my soul I love thy daughter. QUEEN ELIZABETH My daughter's mother thinks it with her soul. KING RICHARD III What do you think? QUEEN ELIZABETH That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul:
So from thy soul's love didst thou love her brothers;
And from my heart's love I do thank thee for it. KING RICHARD III Be not so hasty to confound my meaning:
I mean, that with my soul I love thy daughter, And mean to make her queen of England. QUEEN ELIZABETH Say then, who dost thou mean shall be her king? KING RICHARD III Even he that makes her queen who should be else? QUEEN ELIZABETH What, thou? KING RICHARD III I, even I: what think you of it, madam? QUEEN ELIZABETH How canst thou woo her? KING RICHARD III That would I learn of you, As one that are best acquainted with her humour. QUEEN ELIZABETH And wilt thou learn of me? KING RICHARD III Madam, with all my heart. QUEEN ELIZABETH Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers, A pair of bleeding-hearts; thereon engrave Edward and York; then haply she will weep:
Therefore present to her--as sometime Margaret Did to thy father, steep'd in Rutland's blood,--A handkerchief; which, say to her, did drain The purple sap from her sweet brother's body And bid her dry her weeping eyes therewith.
If this inducement force her not to love, Send her a story of thy noble acts;
Tell her thou madest away her uncle Clarence, Her uncle Rivers; yea, and, for her sake, Madest quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne. KING RICHARD III Come, come, you mock me; this is not the way To win our daughter. QUEEN ELIZABETH There is no other way Unless thou couldst put on some other shape, And not be Richard that hath done all this. KING RICHARD III Say that I did all this for love of her. QUEEN ELIZABETH Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee, Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. KING RICHARD III Look, what is done cannot be now amended:
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Which after hours give leisure to repent.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons, To make amends, Ill give it to your daughter.
If I have kill'd the issue of your womb, To quicken your increase, I will beget Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter A grandam's name is little less in love Than is the doting title of a mother;
They are as children but one step below, Even of your mettle, of your very blood;
Of an one pain, save for a night of groans Endured of her, for whom you bid like sorrow.
Your children were vexation to your youth, But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
The loss you have is but a son being king, And by that loss your daughter is made queen.
I cannot make you what amends I would, Therefore accept such kindness as I can.
Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul Leads discontented steps in foreign soil, This fair alliance quickly shall call home To high promotions and great dignity:
The king, that calls your beauteous daughter wife.
Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother;
Again shall you be mother to a king, And all the ruins of distressful times Repair'd with double riches of content.
What! we have many goodly days to see:
The liquid drops of tears that you have shed Shall come again, transform'd to orient pearl, Advantaging their loan with interest Of ten times double gain of happiness.
Go, then my mother, to thy daughter go Make bold her bashful years with your experience;
Prepare her ears to hear a wooer's tale Put in her tender heart the aspiring flame Of golden sovereignty; acquaint the princess With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys And when this arm of mine hath chastised The petty rebel, dull-brain'd Buckingham, Bound with triumphant garlands will I come And lead thy daughter to a conqueror's bed;
To whom I will retail my conquest won, And she shall be sole victress, Caesar's Caesar. QUEEN ELIZABETH What were I best to say? her father's brother Would be her lord? or shall I say, her uncle?
Or, he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
Under what title shall I woo for thee, That God, the law, my honour and her love, Can make seem pleasing to her tender years? KING RICHARD III Infer fair England's peace by this alliance. QUEEN ELIZABETH Which she shall purchase with still lasting war. KING RICHARD III Say that the king, which may command, entreats. QUEEN ELIZABETH That at her hands which the king's King forbids. KING RICHARD III Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. QUEEN ELIZABETH To wail the tide, as her mother doth. KING RICHARD III Say, I will love her everlastingly. QUEEN ELIZABETH But how long shall that title 'ever' last? KING RICHARD III Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end. QUEEN ELIZABETH But how long fairly shall her sweet lie last? KING RICHARD III So long as heaven and nature lengthens it. QUEEN ELIZABETH So long as hell and Richard likes of it. KING RICHARD III Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject love. QUEEN ELIZABETH But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty. KING RICHARD III Be eloquent in my behalf to her. QUEEN ELIZABETH An honest tale speeds best being plainly told. KING RICHARD III Then in plain terms tell her my loving tale. QUEEN ELIZABETH Plain and not honest is too harsh a style. KING RICHARD III Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. QUEEN ELIZABETH O no, my reasons are too deep and dead;
Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their grave. KING RICHARD III Harp not on that string, madam; that is past. QUEEN ELIZABETH Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break. KING RICHARD III Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,-- QUEEN ELIZABETH Profaned, dishonour'd, and the third usurp'd. KING RICHARD III I swear-- QUEEN ELIZABETH By nothing; for this is no oath:
The George, profaned, hath lost his holy honour;
The garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue;