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
bin better able to rule If my neere kindred be committed to prison what remains for me a crowne A but how so beset with sorrows that the care grief wil kil me ere I shal enioy my kingdome Well since I cannot command I wil intreat Good vnkle of Gloster for all I can say little but for my vnkle Lord Gray what need he be a theef or conuey money out of the Tower when he hath sufficient of his own But good vnkle let me baile them all If not I will baile my vnckle Lord Gray if I may Rich. Your grace vndertakes you know not what the matters are perillous especially against the Lord Gray King What perilous matters considering he is a friend to vs Rich. He may be a friend to win fauour so climbe to promotion in respect of his equals His equals nay his betters King I know my vnckle will conceale no treason or dangerous heeresie from vs Ric. Yes secrets that are too subtil for babes Alasse my Lord you are a child and they vse you as a child but they consult and conclude of such matters as were we not carefull would proue preiudiciall to your Maiesties person Therefore let not your grace feare any thing by our determination for as my authoritie is onely vnder your grace so shall my loyaltie deserue hereafter the iust recompence of a true subiect therefore I hauing charge frō my brother your father our late deceased king during the minoritie of your grace I wil vse my authoritie as I see good King Ay me vnhappie king Gray Nay let not your grace be dismaid for our imprisonmēt but I would we could warrant your grace from harme so we humbly take our leaues of your grace hoping that ere long we shall answer by law to the shame disgrace of you all Exit Rich. Go you shall answere it by law Kin. But come vnkle shal we to Lon. to our vntimely cronatiō Rich. What else and please your maiestie where by the way I will appoint trustie Officers about you Buc. Sound Trumpet in this parley God saue the King Rich. Richard Enter the mother Queene and her yoong sonne the Duke of Yorke and Elizabeth Yorke May it please your grace to shew to your children the cause of your heauines that we knowing it may be copartners of your sorrowes Q. Ay me poore husbandles queene you poore fatherlesse princes Eliz. Good mother expect the liuing and forget the dead What tho our father be dead yet behold his children the image of himselfe Queene Ay poore Princes my mourning is for you and for your brother who is gone vp to an vntimely crownation Eliz. Why mother he is a Prince and in handes of our two vnckles Earle Riuers Lord Gray who wil no doubt be carefull of his estate Queen I know they will but kings haue mortall enemies as well as friends that esteeme and regard them A sweet children when I am at rest my nightly dreames are dreadful Me thinks as I lie in my bed I see the league broken which was sworne at the death of your kingly father t is this my children and many other causes of like importance that makes your aged mother to lament as she doth Yorke May it please your grace Queene A my son no more grace for I am so sore disgraced that without Gods grace I fall into dispaire with my selfe but who is this Enter a Messenger York What art thou that with thy gastly lookes preaseth into sanctuary to affright our mother Queene Messen A sweet Princes doth my countenance bewray me My newes is doubtfull and heauie Eliz. Then vtter it to vs that our mother may not heare it Queene A yes my friend speake what ere it be Mess. Then thus may it please your grace The yong prince comming vp to his coronation attended on by his two vnckles Earle Riuers and Lord Gray and the rest of your kindred was by the Duke of Buckingham and the Protector met at stonie Stratford where on a suddaine grew malice betweene the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Gray but in the end the Duke of Buckinghams malice grew so great that he arested and attached all those of your kindred of high treason whereupon the Protector being too rash in iudgement hath committed them all to Pomphret Castle Queene Where I feare he will butcher them all but where is the Prince my sonne Messen. He remaines at London in the Bishops palace in the hands of the Protector Queene A traitors will they laie hands on their Prince and imprison his Peeres which no doubt meanes well towards him But tell me art not thou seruant to the Arch-Bishop of Yorke Messen. Yes and it please your grace for himselfe is here at hand with Letters from the Councell and here he comes Enter Cardinall Queene But here my friend griefe had almost made me forget thy reward A come my Lord thou bringest the heauie newes come shoote thine arrow and hit this heart that is almost dead with griefe alreadie Car. What ere my newes be haue patience the Duke of Gloster greets your grace Queene Draw home my Lord for now you hit the marke Car. The Prince your sonne doth greete your grace Queene A happie gale that blew that arrow by A let me see the Letter that he sent perhaps it may prolong my life a while Yorke How doth my brother is he in health my Lord Card. In health sweete Prince but longes to haue thy companie Yorke I am content if my mother will let me go Card. Content or not sweete Prince it must be so Queene Hold and haue they persuaded thee my sonne to haue thy brother too away from me nay first I will know what shall become of thee before I send my other sonne to them Card. Looke on this Letter and aduise your selfe for thus the Councell hath determined Queene And haue they chosen thee among the rest for to persuade me to this enterprise No my Lord and thus persuade your selfe I will not send him to be butchered Card. Your grace misdoubts the worst they send for him only to haue him bedfellow to the King and there to staie keep him company And if your sonne miscary then let his blood be laid vnto my charge I know their drifts and what they do pretend for they shall both this night sleepe in the Tower and to morrow they shall come forth to his happie coronation Vpon my honour this is the full effect for see the ambusht nobles are at hand to take the Prince away from you by force if you will not by faire meanes let him go Queene Why my Lord wil you breake Sanctuary and bring in rebels to affright vs thus No you shall rather take away my life before you get my boy away from me Card. Why Madame haue you taken Sanctuary Queene I my Lord and high time too I trow Card. A heauie case when Princes flie for aide where cut-throates rebels and bankerouts should
THE True Tragedie of Richard the third Wherein is showne the death of Edward the fourth with the smothering of the two yoong Princes in the Tower With a lamentable ende of Shores wife an example for all wicked women And lastly the coniunction and ioyning of the two noble Houses Lancaster and Yorke As it was playd by the Queenes Maiesties Players LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede and are to be sold by William Barley at his shop in Newgate Market neare Christ Church doore 1594 THE TRVE TRAGEDIE OF RICHARD THE THIRD Enters Truth and Poetrie To them the Ghoast of George Duke of Clarence Ghost CResse cruor sanguinis satietur sanguine cresse Quod spero scitio O scitio scitio vendicta Exit Poetrie Truth well met Truth Thankes Poetrie what makes thou vpon a stage Poet. Shadowes Truth Then will I adde bodies to the shadowes Therefore depart and giue Truth leaue To shew her pageant Poe. Why will Truth be a Player Truth No but Tragedia like for to present A Tragedie in England done but late That will reuiue the hearts of drooping mindes Poe. Whereof Truth Marry thus Richard Plantagenet of the House of Yorke Claiming the Crowne by warres not by descent Had as the Chronicles make manifest In the two and twentith yeare of Henry the sixth By act of Parliament intailed to him The Crowne and titles to that dignitie And to his ofspring lawfully begotten After the decease of that forenamed King Yet not contented for to staie the time Made warres vpon King Henry then the sixth And by outrage suppressed that vertuous King And wonne the Crowne of England to himselfe But since at Wakefield in a battell pitcht Outragious Richard breathed his latest breath Leauing behind three branches of that line Three sonnes the first was Edward now the King George of Clarence and Richard Glosters Duke Then Henry claiming after his decease His stile his Crowne and former dignitie Was quite suppressed till this Edward the fourth Poe. But tell me truth of Henry what ensued Tru. Imprisoned he in the Tower of London lies By strict command from Edward Englands King Since cruelly murthered by Richard Glosters Duke Poe. Whose Ghoast was that did appeare to vs Tru. It was the ghost of George the duke of Clarēce Who was attected in King Edwards raigne Falsly of Treason to his royaltie Imprisoned in the Tower was most vnnaturally By his owne brother shame to parents stocke By Glosters Duke drowned in a but of wine Poe. What shield was that he let fall Tru. A shield conteining this in full effect Blood sprinkled springs blood spilt craues due reuenge Whereupon he writes Cresse cruor Sanguis satietur sanguine cresse Quod spero scitio O scitio scitio vendicta Poe. What maner of man was this Richard Duke of Gloster Tru. A man ill shaped crooked backed lame armed withall Valiantly minded but tyrannous in authoritie So during the minoritie of the yoong Prince He is made Lord Protector ouer the Realme Gentiles suppose that Edward now hath raigned Full two and twentie yeares and now like to die Hath summond all his Nobles to the Court To sweare alleageance with the Duke his brother For truth vnto his sonne the tender Prince Whose fathers soule is now neare flight to God Leauing behind two sonnes of tender age Fiue daughters to comfort the haplesse Queene All vnder the protection of the Duke of Gloster Thus gentles excuse the length by the matter And here begins Truthes Pageant Poetrie Wend with me Exeunt Enter Edward the fourth Lord Hastings Lord Marcus and Elizabeth To them Richard Hastings Long liue my soueraigne in all happinesse Marcus An honourable age with Cressus wealth Hourely attend the person of the King King And welcome you Peeres of England vnto your King Hast. For our vnthankfulnesse the heauens hath throwne thee downe Mar. I feare for our ingratitude our angry God doth frowne King Why Nobles he that laie me here Can raise me at his pleasure But my deare friends and kinsmen In what estate I now lie it is seene to you all And I feele my selfe neare the dreadfull stroke of death And the cause that I haue requested you in friendly wise To meete togither is this That where malice enuy sowing sedition in the harts of men So would I haue that admonished and friendly fauours Ouercome in the heart of yon Lord Marcus and Lord Hastings Both for how I haue gouerned these two and twentie yeares I leaue it to your discretions The malice hath still bene an enemy to you both That in my life time I could neuer get any lege of amity betwixt you Yet at my death let me intreate you to imbrace each other That at my last departure you may send my soule To the ioyes celestiall For leauing behinde me my yoong sonne Your lawfull King after my decease May be by your wise and graue counsell so gouerned Which no doubt may bring comfort To his famous realme of England But what saith Lord Marcus and Lord Hastings What not one word nay then I see it will not be For they are resolute in their ambition Elizabeth Ah yeeld Lord Hastings And submit your selues to each other And you Lord Marcus submit your selfe See here the aged King my father How he sues for peace betwixt you both Consider Lord Marcus you are son to my mother the Queene And therefore let me intreat you to mittigate your wrath And in friendly sort imbrace each other King Nay cease thy speech Elizabeth It is but folly to speake to them For they are resolute in their ambitious mindes Therefore Elizabeth I feele my selfe at the last instant of death And now must die being thus tormented in minde Hast. May it be that thou Lord Marcus That neither by intreatie of the Prince curtuous word of Elizabeth his daughter May withdraw thy ambition from me Marc. May it be that thou Lord Hastings Canst not perceiue the marke his grace aimes at Hast. No I am resolute except thou submit Marc. If thou beest resolute giue vp the vpshot And perhaps thy head may paie for the losses King Ah Gods sith at my death you iarre What will you do to the yoong Prince after my decease For shame I say depart from my presence and leaue me to my self For these words strikes a second dying to my soule Ah my Lords I thought I could haue commanded A greater thing then this at your hands But sith I cannot I take my leaue of you both And so depart and trouble me no more Hast. With shame and like your Maiestie I submit therfore Crauing humble pardon on my knees And would rather that my body shal be a pray to mine enemy Rather then I will offend my Lord at the houre And instance of his death King Ah thankes Lord Hastings Eliza. Ah yeeld Lord Marcus sith Lord Hastings Is contented to be vnited King Ah yeeld Lord Marcus thou art too obstinate Marc. My gracious Lord I am content
Let vengeance mischiefes tortures light on thee and thine And after death thou maist more torture feele then when Excon turnes the restlesse wheele And banne thy soule where ere thou seeme to rest But come my my friends let me away Herald My Lord we are sorie But come laie hands on Banister Exeunt Enter King Richard sir William Catesbie and others King The goale is got and golden Crowne is wonne And well deseruest thou to weare the same That ventured hast thy bodie and thy soule But what bootes Richard now the Diademe Or kingdome got by murther of his friends My fearefull shadow that still followes me Hath sommond me before the seuere iudge My conscience witnesse of the blood I spilt Accuseth me as guiltie of the fact The fact a damned iudgement craues Whereas impartiall iustice hath condemned Meethinkes the Crowne which I before did weare Inchast with Pearle and costly Diamonds Is turned now into a fatall wreathe Of fiery flames and euer burning starres And raging fiends hath past ther vgly shapes In Stygian lakes adrest to tend on me If it be thus what wilt thou do in this extremitie Nay what canst thou do to purge thee of thy guilt Euen repent craue mercie for thy damned fact Appeale for mercy to thy righteous God Ha repent not I craue mercy they that list My God is none of mine Then Richard be thus resolu'd To pace thy soule in vallence with their blood Soule for soule and bodie for bodie yea mary Richard That 's good Catesbie Cat. You cald my Lord I thinke King It may be so But what thinkst thou Catesbie Cat. Of what my Lord King Why of all these troubles Cat. Why my Lord I hope to see them happily ouercom'd King How villain doest thou hope to see me happily ouercom'd Cat. Who you my Lord King Ay villaine thou points at me thou hopest to see me ouercom'd Cat. No my good Lord your enemies or else not King Ha ha good Catesbie but what hearest thou of the Duke of Buckingham Cat. Why he is dead my Lord he was executed at Salisbury yesterday King Why t is impossible his friends hopes that he shall outline me to be my head Cat. Out-liue you Lord that 's straunge King No Catesbie if a do it must be in fames And since they hope he shall out liue me to be my head He hops without his head rests among his fellow rebels Cat. Mary no force my Lord King But Catesbie what hearest thou of Henry Earle of Richmond Cat. Not a word my Lord King No hearest thou not he liues in Brittaine In fauour with the Duke Nay more Lady Margaret his mother conspires against vs And perswades him that hee is lineally descended from Henry The fourth and that he hath right to the Crowne Therefore tell me what thinkst thou of the Earle Cat. My Lord I thinke of the Earle as he doth deserue A most famous gentleman King Villaine doest thou praise my foe and commend him to my face Cat. Nay my Lord I wish he were as good a friend as he is a foe else the due deserts of a traytor King What 's that Cat. Why my Lord to loose his head King Yea mary I would t were off quickly then But more to the strengthening of his title She goes about to marry him to the Queenes eldest daughter Ladie Elizabeth Cat. Indeed my Lord that I heard was concluded By all the nobilitie of Brittaine King Why then there it goes The great diuell of hell go with all A marriage begun in mischiefe shall end in blood I thinke that accursed sorrceresse the mother Queene Doth nothing but be with me and hatcheth conspiracies And brings out perillous birds to wound Their Countries weale The Earle is vp in Armes And with him many of the Nobilitie He hath ayde in France He is rescued in Brittaine And meaneth shortly to arriue in England But all this spites me not so much As his escape from Landoyse the Dukes Treasuror Who if he had bene prickt foorth for reuenge He had ended all by apprehending of our foe But now he is in disgrace with the Duke And we farther off our purpose then to fore But the Earle hath not so many byting dogs abroad As we haue sleeping curres at home here Readie for rescue Cat. But my Lord I maruell how he should get aide there Considering he is no friend to Brittaine King Ay so thou maist maruell how the Duke of Brittaine Durst wake such a foe as England against him But euill fare makes open warre But who comes there Catsbie Ha one of our spurres to reuenge The Lord Standley father in law to Ladie Margaret His comming is to vs Catsbie Wert not that his life might serue For apprehension against our foe He should haue neither Iudge nor Iury But guiltie death without any more ado Now Lord Standley what newes Haue you receiued any letters of your late embassage into Brittaine What answere haue you receiued of your letters Enter Lord Standley and his sonne George Stand. Why my Lord for that I sent I haue receiued King And how doth your sonne then is he in health Standley For his health my Lord I do not mistrust King Faith tell vs when meanes he to arriue in England And how many of our Nobilitie is with him And what power is with him Standley And please your grace His power is vnknowne to me Nor willingly would not I be priuy to such causes King Oh good wordes Lord Standley but giue me leaue to gleane out of your golden field of eloquence how braue you pleade ignorance as though you knew not of your sonnes departure into Brittaine out of England Stand. Not I my Lord King Why is not his mother thy wife dares he passe ouer without the blessing of his mother whose husband thou art Stand. I desire your maiestie but giue me leaue to speake King Yea speak Standley no doubt some fine coloured tale Stand. And like your grace wheras you mistrust that I knew of my sonnes departure out of England into Brittaine God I take to record it was vnknowne to me nor know not yet what his pretence is for at his departure was I one of the priuy councell to your brother King Edward the fourth and that she was able to relieue him without my helpe I hope her sufficiencie is knowne to your grace Therefore I humbly craue pardon King Well Standley I feare it will be proued to the contrarie that thou didst furnish him both with mony and munition which if it be then looke for no fauour at my hands but the due deserts of a traitor but let this passe What 's your repaire to our presence Stan. Only this my Lord that I may repaire from the court to my house in the country King Ay sir that you might be in Cheshire and Lancashire then should your Postes passe inuisible into Brittaine and you to depart the realme at your pleasure or else I to suffer an
I pray thee bring me word when thou doest discrie the enemy And so farewell and leaue me for a while Rich. How fares my gratious Lord and father Stan. In good health my sonne the better to see thee thus foreward in this laudable enterprise but omitting vain circumstances and to come briefly to the purpose I am now in fewe words to deliuer much matter For know this when I came to craue leaue of the King to depart from the court the king verie furiously began to charge me that I was both acquainted with thy practises and drifts and that I knew of thy landing and by no meanes would grant me leaue to go till as pledge of my loyaltie and true dealing with the king I should leaue my yoong sonne George Standley Thus haue I left my son in the hands of a tyrant onely of purpose to come and speake with thee Rich. But omitting this I pray tell me shall I looke for your helpe in the battell Stan. Sonne I cannot for as I will not goe to the vsurper no more I will not come to thee Rich. Why then it is bootlesse for vs to staie for all we presumed vpon was on your aide Stan. Why sonne George Standlyes death would doo you no pleasure Rich. Why the time is too troublesome for him to tend to follow execution Stan. O sonne tyrants expect no time and George Standley being yoong and a grissell is the more easie to be made away Rich. This newes goes to my heart but t is in vaine for mee to looke for victorie when with a mole-hill we shall encounter with a mountaine Stand. Why sonne see how contrarie you are for I assure you the chiefest of his company are liker to flie to thee then to fight against thee and for me thinke me not so simple but that I can at my pleasure flie to thee or being with them fight so faintly that the battell shall be wonne on thy part with small incountring And note this besides that the King is now come to Lester and means to morrow to bid thee battel in Bosworth Enters Messenger Mess. Come my Lord I do discry the enemy Stand. Why then sonne farewell I can staie no longer Richm. Yet good father one word more ere you depart What number do you thinke the kings power to be Stand. Mary some twentie thousand And so farewell Richm. And we hardly fiue thousand being beset with many enemies hoping vpon a few friends yet dispair not Richmond but remember thou fightest in right to defende thy countrey from the tyrannie of an vsurping tyrant therefore Richmond goe foreward the more dangerous the battell is in atteining it prooues the more honourable being obteined Then forward Richmond God and saint George for me Quisquam regna gaudit ô fallex bonum Enters the King and the Lord Louell King The hell of life that hangs vpon the Crowne The daily cares the nightly dreames The wretched crewes the treason of the foe And horror of my bloodie practise past Strikes such a terror to my wounded conscience That sleepe I wake I or whatsoeuer I do Meethinkes their ghoasts comes gaping for reuenge Whom I haue slaine in reaching for a Crowne Clarence complaines and crieth for reuenge My Nephues bloods Reuenge reuenge doth crie The headlesse Peeres comes preasing for reuenge And euery one cries let the tyrant die The Sunne by day shines hotely for reuenge The Moone by night eclipseth for reuenge The stars are turnd to Comets for reuenge The Planets chaunge their courtsies for reuenge The birds sing not but sorrow for reuenge The silly lambes sits bleating for reuenge The screeking Rauen sits croking for reuenge Whole heads of beasts comes bellowing for reuenge And all yea all the world I thinke Cries for reuenge and nothing but reuenge But to conclude I haue deserued reuenge In company I dare not trust my friend Being alone I dread the secret foe I doubt my foode least poyson lurke therein My bed is vncoth rest refraines my head Then such a life I count far worse to be Then thousand deaths vnto a damned death How wa st death I said who dare attempt my death Nay who dare so much as once to thinke my death Though enemies there be that would my body kill Yet shall they leaue a neuer dying minde But you villaines rebels traitors as you are How came the foe in preasing so neare Where where slept the garrison that should a beat them back Where was our friends to intercept the foe All gone quite fled his loyaltie quite laid a bed Then vengeance mischiefe horror with mischance Wilde-fire with whirle winds light vpon your heads That thus betrayd your Prince by your vntruth King Frantike man what meanst thou by this mood Now he is come more need to beate him backe Lou. Sowre is his sweete that sauours thy delight great is his power that threats thy ouerthrow King The bad rebellion of my foe is not so much as for to see my friends do flie in flockes from me Lou. May it please your grace to rest your selfe content for you haue power inough to defend your land Kin. Dares Richmond set his foote on land with such a small power of stragling fugatiues Lou. May it please your grace to participate the cause that thus doth trouble you King The cause Buzard what cause should I participate to thee My friends are gone away and fled from me keep silence villaine least I by poste do send thy soule to hell not one word more if thou doest loue thy life Enters Catsbie Cat. My Lord King Yet againe vilaine ô Catesbie is it thou What comes the Lord Standley or no Cat. My Lord he answeres no King Why didst not tell him then I would send his sonne George Standleys head to him Cat. My Lord I did so he answered he had another sonne left to make Lord Standley King O vilaine vilde and breaker of his oath the bastardes ghoast shall hant him at the heeles and crie reuenge for his vild fathers wrongs go Louell Catsbie fetch George Standly forth him with these handes will I butcher for the dead and send his headlesse bodie to his fire Catesbie Leaue off executions now the foe is heere that threatens vs most cruelly of our liues King Zownes foe mee no foes the fathers fact condemnes the sonne to die Lou. But guiltlesse blood will for reuengement crie King Why was not he left for fathers loyaltie Lou. Therein his father greatly iniured him King Did not your selues in presence see the bondes sealde and assignde Lo. What tho my Lord the vardits own the titles doth resign King The bond is broke and I will sue the fine except you will hinder me what will you haue it so Lou. In doing true iustice else we answere no King His trecherous father hath neglect his word and done imparshall past by dint of sword therefore sirrha go fetch him Zownes draw you cuts who shall go I bid you go Catesby A
thus to keepe vs vp prisoners and know no sufficient cause for it Yorke Why brother comfort your selfe for tho he detaine vs a while he will not keepe vs long but at last he will send vs to our louing mother againe whither if it please God to send vs I doubt not but our mother would keepe vs so safe that all the Prelates in the worlde should not depriue her of vs againe so much I assure my selfe of But here comes Myles Forest I prethy Myles tell my kingly brother some mery storie to passe away the time for thou seest he is melancholy King No Myles tell me no mery storie but answere me to one question vvhat vvas he that vvalked vvith thee in the Gardeine me thought he had the keyes For. My Lord it vvas one that vvas appointed by the King to be an ayde to sir Thomas Brokenbury King Did the King vvhy Myles Forest am not I King For. I would haue said my Lord your vnckle the Protector King Nay my kingly vnckle I know he is now but let him enioy both Crowne and kingdome so my brother and I may but enioy our liues and libertie But tell me is sir Robert Brokenbery cleane discharged For. No my Lord he hath but charge for a night or two King Nay then new officers new lawes would we had kept the old still But who are they whose gastly lookes doth present a dying feare to my liuing bodie I prethee tell me Myles what are they For. One my Lord is called Iack Denten the other is called Will Slawter But why starts your grace King Slawter I pray God he come not to slaughter my brother and me for from murther and slaughter good Lord deliuer vs But tell me Myles is our lodging prepared For. I my Lord if it please your brother you to walke vp King Then come brother we will go to bed For. I will attend vpon your grace Yorke Come Myles Forest beare vs company For. Sirs staie you two here and when they are a sleep I le call you vp Exit Dent. I promise thee Will it greeues mee to see what mone these yoong Princes make I had rather then fortie pounds I had nere tane it in hand t is a dangerous matter to kill innocent princes I like it not Will Why you base slaue are you faint hearted a little thing would make me strike thee I promise thee Dent. Nay go forward for now I am resolute but come le ts too it VVill I prethee staie hee le call vs vp anon But sirrha Iacke didst thou mark how the King started when he heard my name What will he do when he feeles me For. But ho sirs come softly for now they are at rest VVill Come we are readie by the masse they are a sleepe indeed For. I heare they sleep and sleepe sweet Princes neuer wake no more for you haue seene the last light in this world Iack Come presse them downe it bootes not to cry againe Iack vpon them so lustily But maister Forest now they are dead what shall we do with them For. Why goe and bury them at the heape of stones at the staire foote while I goe and tell maister Terrell that the deed is done VVill Well we will farewell maister Forest Enter Terrell Ter. How now Myles Forest is this deed dispatcht For. I sir a bloodie deed we haue performed Ter. But tell me what hast thou done with them For. I haue conueyd them to the staires foote among a heape of stones and anon I le carry them where they shall be no more found againe nor all the cronicles shall nere make mentiō what shall become of them yet good maister Terrell tell the King my name that he may but reward me with a kingly thanks Ter. I wil go certifie the King with speed that Myles Forest Will Slawter and Iack Denten they three haue done the deed And so farewell Exeunt omnes Enter the Duke of Buckingham with his dagger drawne Ban. Ah good my Lord saue my life Buc. Ah villaine how canst thou aske for mercie when thou hast so vniustly betraied me Ban. I desire your grace but giue me leaue to speake Buc. I speake thy last villain that those that heare it may see how vniustly thou hast betraied me Ban. Then thus my Lord First the proclamation was death to him that harboured your grace Buc. Ah villaine and a thousand crownes to him that could betraie me Ban. Ah my Lord my obeysance to my Prince is more Buc. Ah villain thou betraiedst me for lucre and not for dutie to thy Prince why Banister a good seruant thinkes his life well spent that spends it in the quarrel of his maister But villain make thy selfe readie and here receiue thy death Enter a Herald Herald Henry Duke of Buckingham I arest thee in King Richards name as a traytor Buc. Well Herald I will obey thy rest But am I arrested in King Richardes name vsurping Richard that insatiate blood succour that traitor to God man Ah Richard did I in Guild-Hall pleade the Orator for thee and held thee in all thy slie and wicked practises and for my reward doest thou alot me death Ah Buckingham thou plaidst thy part and made him King and put the lawfull heires besides why then is Buckingham guiltie now of his death yet had not the Bishop of Ely fled I had escaped Enters sixe others to rescue the Duke All Come the Duke of Buckingham shall not die We will take him away by force Herald Why villaines will you bee Traytours to your Prince Buckingham Nay good my friends giue me leaue to speake and let me intreate you to laie your weapons by Then know this countrey men the cause I am thus this Is for bringing in your lawfull King which is Henry Earle of Richmond now in Brittaine and meanes ere long to land at Milford Hauen in Wales where I doo know hee shall haue ayde of the cheefest of the Welch hee is your lawfull King and this a wrongfull vsurper When you shall heare of him landed in that place then take vp weapons and amaine to him hee is the man must reaue you of this yoake and send the vsurper headlesse to his home and poore Buckingham praies vpon his knees to blesse good Richmond in his enterprise and when the conquest shall be giuen to him graunt he may match with Ladie Elizabeth as promise hath to fore by him bene past while then my friendes leaue mee alone to death and let me take this punishment in peace Ah Buckingham was not thy meaning good in displacing the vsurper to raise a lawfull king Ah Buckingham it was too late the lawfull heires were smothered in the Tower sweet Edward and thy brother I nere slept quiet thinking of your deaths But vaunt Buckingham thou wast altogither innocent of their deaths But thou vilain whom of a child I nurst thee vp and hast so vniustly betraied thy Lorde Let the curse of Buckingham nere depart from thee