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
Rich. Then Madame for our happie battelles victorie first thankes to heauen next to my foreward country-men but Madame pardon me tho I make bold to charge you with a promise that you made which was confirmed by diuerse of the Peeres touching the marriage of Elizabeth and hauing ended what I promised you Madam I looke and hope to haue my due Stand. Then know my sonne the Peeres by full consent in that thou hast freed them from a tyrants yoke haue by election chosen thee as King first in regard they account thee vertuous next for that they hope all forraine broyles shall cease and thou wilt guide and gouerne them in peace then sit thou downe my sonne and here receiue the Crowne of England as thy proper owne sit downe Oxf. Henry the seuenth by the grace of God King of England France and Lord of Ireland God saue the King All Long liue Henry the seuenth King of England Rich. Thanks louing friends and my kind country-men and here I vow in presence of you all to root abuses from this common welth which now flowes faster then the furious tyde that ouerflowes beyond the bankes of Nile And louing father and my other friends whose ready forwardnesse hath made me fortunate Richmond will still in honourable loue count himselfe to be at your dispose nor do I wish to enioy a longer life then I shall liue to thinke vpon your loue But what saith faire Elizabeth to vs for now wee haue welcommed our other friends I must bid you welcome Ladie amongst the rest and in my welcome craue to be resolued how you resolue touching my profered loue vnto you here your mother and the Peeres agree and all is ended if you condescend Eliz. Then know my Lord that if my mother please I must in dutie yeeld to her command for when our aged father left his life he willed vs honour still our mothers age and therefore as my dutie doth command I do commit my selfe to her dispose Queene Then here my Lord receiue thy royall spouse vertuous Elizabeth for both the Peeres and Commons do agree that this faire Princesse shall be wife to thee And we pray all that faire Elizabeth may liue for aye and neuer yeeld to death Rich. And so say I thanks to you all my Lords that thus haue honoured Richmond with a Crowne and if I liue then make account my Lords I will deserue this with more then common loue Stan. And now were but my forme George Standley here How happie were our present meeting then But he is dead nor shall I euermore see my sweete Boy whom I do loue so deare for well I know the vsurper In his rage hath made a slaughter of my aged ioy Rich. Take comfort gentle father for I hope my brother George will turne in safe to vs Stand. A no my sonne for he that ioyes in blood will worke his furie on the innocent Enters two Messengers with George Standley Stan. But how now what noyse is this Mess. Behold Lord Standley we bring thy sonne thy sonne George Standley whom with great danger we haue saued from furie of a tyrants doome L. Stan. And liues George Standley Then happie that I am to see him freed thus from a tyrants rage Welcome my sonne my sweete George welcome home George Stan. Thanks my good father and George Standley ioyes to see you ioynd in this assembly And like a lambe kept by a greedie Woolfe within the inclosed sentire of the earth expecting death without deliuerie euen from this daunger is George Standley come to be a guest to Richmond the rest for when the bloodie butcher heard your honour did refuse to come to him hee like a sauage tygre then inraged commanded straight I should be murdered sent these two to execute the deed but they but they that knew how innocēt I was did post him off with many long delayes alleaging reasons to alaie his rage but t was in vaine for he like to a starued Lionesse still called for blood saying that I should die But to be briefe when both the battels ioyned these two and others shifted me away Rich. Now seeing that each thing turnes to our content I will it be proclaimed presently that traytrous Richard Be by our command drawne through the streets of Lester Starke naked on a Colliers horse let him be laide For as of others paines he had no regard So let him haue a traytors due reward Now for our marriage and our nuptiall rytes Our pleasure is they be solemnized In our Abby of Westminster according to the ancient custom due The two and twentith day of August next Set forwards then my Lords towards London straight There to take further order for the state Mess. Thus Gentles may you heere behold the ioyning of these Houses both in one by this braue Prince Henry the seauenth who was for wit compared to Salomon his gouernment was vertuous euery way and God did wonderously increase his store he did subdue a proud rebellious Lord that did encounter him vpon blacke health He died when he had raigned full three and twentie yeares eight moneths and some odde dayes and lies buried in Westminster He died left behind a sonne Mess. A sonne he left a Harry of that name a worthie valiant and victorious Prince for on the fifth yeare of his happie raigne hee entered France and to the Frenchmens costs hee wonne Turwen and Turney The Emperor serued this King for common pay and as a mersonary prince did follow him Then after Morle and Morles conquered he and still did keepe the French men at a bay And lastly in this Kings decreasing age he conquered Bullen and after when he was turned home he died when he had raigned full thirtie eight yeares nine moneths and some odde dayes and was buried in Windsore He died and left three famous springs behinde him Edward the sixt he did restore the Gospell to his light and finished that his father left vndone A wise yoong Prince giuen greatly to his booke He brought the English seruice first in vse and died when he had raigned six yeares fiue moneths some odde dayes and lieth buried in Westminster Eliza. Next after him a Mary did succeede which married Philip King of Spaine she raigned fiue yeares foure moneths and some odde dayes and is buried in Westminster When she was dead her sister did succeed Queene Worthie Elizabeth a mirrour in her age by whose wise life and ciuill gouernment her country was defended from the crueltie of famine fire and swoord warres fearefull messengers This is that Queene as writers truly say That God had marked downe to liue for aye Then happie England mongst thy neighbor Iles For peace and plentie still attends on thee And all the fauourable Planets smiles To see thee liue in such prosperitie She is that lampe that keeps faire Englands light And through her faith her country liues in peace And she hath put proud Antichrist to flight And bene the meanes that ciuill wars did cease Then England kneele vpon thy hairy knee And thanke that God that still prouides for thee The Turke admires to heare her gouernment And babies in Iury sound her princely name All Christian Princes to that Prince hath sent After her rule was rumord foorth by fame The Turke hath sworne neuer to lift his hand To wrong the Princesse of this blessed land T were vaine to tell the care this Queene hath had In helping those that were opprest by warre And how her Maiestie hath stil bene glad When she hath heard of peace proclaim'd from far Ieneua France and Flanders hath set downe The good she hath done since she came to the Crowne For which if ere her life be tane away God grant her soule may liue in heauen for aye For if her Graces dayes be brought to end Your hope is gone on whom did peace depend FINIS
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