you I did impute that Blame becomes my due Errours of Passion not of Will may find An easie Pardon in a generous Mind L. Stanly Madam your goodness now confounds me more Then your unkind reproaches did before But your concernments now require my haste And make the price of Time too great to waste Yet ere I part I must with Joy relate Of our improving Cause the prosp'rous state For your great Chief advances with a Power Resolv'd and Numerous growing every hour Which still receives by a supply'd access Of the Heroick Welch a fair encrease And Madam from this Camp you soon will see His Flying Colours brave the Enemie Princess His hasty Succours may advance too late L. Stan. Too late how can that be Prin. The Tyrant's hate By a most Fatal Metamorphosis Does in Love's Image his ill shape disguise Of which I dread the dismal consequence L. Stanly The thoughts of his own Danger and Defence Will soon allay the crafty Lover's Heats Princess Whilst I am in his Power no Fatal threats That aim at him can make my safety better For when his danger 's great mine must be greater His bloody Temper urg'd by Jealousie Will all his former cruelties outvie L. Stanly Madam can Heaven for such a Tyrant's sake Pervert their Justice and you Guilty make But is it true that now the Queen does prove A Mediatour for the Tyrant's Love Princess It is too true A Mothers tender heart Does for my safety take the Tyrant's part L. Stanly Ha's she forgot what Guardian he has been To her two Sons Ha's she not lately seen What Husband to his Wife he prov'd and can A Mother give a Daughter to this man Princess My Lord she is my Mother pray forbear L. Stanly I must not speak what you are loth to hear Princess I fear my Lord that our great bus'ness may Suffer some damage by your longer stay And yet one minute more you must attend Whilst I an answer to this Letter send L. Stanly Your sight with no mean Joy my heart does bless Mrs. Stanly Brother your kindness makes my happiness Exeunt Princess and Mrs. Stanly SCEN. IV. Lord Stanly Charlot L. Stanly Sir by the noble Richmond's strict commands I am to leave this Letter in your hands You are intirely happy in his grace I find you there possess an envyed place Charlot I may presume that for so poor a thing As Charlot Envy cannot find a sting L. Stanly Your Person I confess should alwaies prove The subject not of envy but of love Nature does court you and her Favourite Is for a Prince his kindness ever fit Charlot My Lord you quite mistake me I was worse Then nothing till my Essence from that Source Of goodness was deriv'd From him I own Being and Happiness So the kind Sun Smiles on a Clod of Earth after a showre And then prefers that Dirt into a Flower L. Stanly Your Person and your Gratitude both shew Your Patron just when he is kind to you I find the Royal Princess too does seem To give you the same place in her esteem Charlot She does her gracious countenance afford To a slight Toy sent to her from my Lord. L. Stanly But in this jealous Court what Industry Has thus preserv'd you from each watchful spy Charlot Their bus'ness is above I keep below Besides French Pages are the Fashion now But pray my noble Lord what numbers join Of French Nobless to favour our Design L. Stanly I durst not publick in their Camp appear But of a Breton Lord much Fame I hear Charlot starts He 's Chandew call'd What 's this something I find By your chang'd face has discompos'd your mind Charlot My Lord I hope you will not think it strange That in my troubled breast you see this change Impressions such as these are often wrought When absent Friends and Country fill our thought Such fits will quickly vanish But I fear That our attendance we too long forbear L. Stanly Charlot 't is well advis'd Pray shew the way Exeunt L. Stanly and Charlot Enter again Charlot reading the Letter My Charlot I beg the continuance of thy kindness in being the faithful Interpreter and Promoter of my Passion to our adored Princess Charlot shuts the Letter suddenly Charlot Dear Paper I to thee this Homage pay kisses the Letter Though I in thy contents already find A Warrant for my execution sign'd Which I must serve upon my self and be The instrument of my own Destinie Though I am thus condemn'd yet I not grudge To kiss the Sentence and adore the Judge I only pray my Punishment may be Kept secret and exempt from infamie Alas my hopes are vain for how can I Conceal a Daughter from a Fathers eye My Fault 's too great for Pardon I allow Yet I as great a Penance undergo Since I assist my Rival to possess That which possest destroys my Happiness Grant Heaven at least that I may part from hence As clear in Honour as in Innocence Exit Charlot SCEN. V. Enter King Queen L d Strange and Attendants King Well Madam will she yield Queen I did not spare My labour to reduce her nor my care Patience must this to happy issue bring King Patience is not the Virtue of a King It will concern you and your Daughter too Not to become too tedious Queen Sir you woo In a strange Language King I must change my course Queen Nothing does less consist with Love then Force King Call Stanly and his Sister The Idle may In lingring Courtship trifle out the Day Slow Treaties will to stormings him oblige Who leisure wants to take the Fort by Siege Princess In exigents of State or Rage of War Sudden dispatch and Force conducing are But Sir in love-concernments they destroy The chiefest Blessing that you would enjoy King Madam these tedious forms destructive grow The safety of my Crown they overthrow Like a bold Suitour Richmond marches on And by pretending Love to Strength is grown When Kingdoms such Convulsion-fits endure We must not complement about the Cure Enter Sir Will. Stanly Stanly have you perform'd what I enjoyn'd Sir W. Stan. I have obey'd you Sir King But do you find Good Symptoms of Success Mrs. Stanly What shall I say apart Sir W. Stan. Sir I have done my part King Then I must lay Madam the blame on you if my design To Mrs. Stanly Miscarry Mrs. Stanly Sir unless the Fault be mine Your Justice will not punish me with blame King I do not like this Prologue Does my Flame Yet warm her Breast Mrs. Stanly Sir she condemns your haste And says her time of mourning is not past For her two Brothers and she thinks that you Your Queen scarce cold should be a mourner too Then she concludes it would great Scandal move If two so deep in Sorrow should make Love King She thinks it is too soon for me to woo But does she think it so for Richmond too Madam you know
THE English Princess OR THE DEATH OF RICHARD THE III. A TRAGEDY Written in the Year 1666 and Acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre Nec minimum meruêre decus vestigia Graeca Ausi deserere laudare domestica facta Horat. de Art Poet. LICENSED May 22. 1667. Roger L'Estrange LONDON Printed for Thomas Dring and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the George in Fleetstreet neer St. Dunstans-Church 1667. PROLOGUE YOu must to day your Appetite prepare For a plain English Treat of homely Fare We neither Bisque nor Ollià s shall advance From Spanish Novel or from French Romance Nor shall we charm your Ears or feast your Eyes With Turkey-Works or Indian Rarityes But to plain Hollinshead and down-right Stow We the coarse Web of our Contrivance owe. Since Laces Ribbands and such Modish geer Fetcht from abroad are now forbidden here Amongst those Forreign Toys for ought we know Fine Plots for Plays may be included too Greece the first Mistress of the Tragick Muse To grace her Stage did her own Heroes chuse Their Pens adorn'd their Native Swords and thus What was not Grecian past for Barbarous On us our Country the same duty lays And English Wit should English Valour raise Why should our Land to any Land submit In choice of Heroes or in height of Wit This made him write who never writ till now Only to shew what better Pens should do And for his Pains he hopes he shall be thought Though a bad Poet a good Patriot The Persons King Richard the third Queen Dowager of Edward the fourth Princess Elizabeth Daughter of Edward the fourth Earl of Richmond Crown'd Henry the seventh Earl of Oxford Lord Lovel Lord Stanly Sir William Catesby Lord Strange his Son Sir Richard Ratclife Lord Chandew of Bretany Miles Forrest Sir William Stanly The Priour of Litchfield Mrs. Stanly A Captain A Lieutenant Charlot Page to the Princess Souldiers Guards and Artendants The Scenes are laid in the Head-quarters of King Richard and the Earl of Richmond when they are in sight of one another THE English Princess OR THE DEATH OF RICHARD III. A TRAGEDY ACTUS I. Enter King Lord Lovel Sir William Catesby Sir Richard Ratclife with Guards and Attendants King THe World must now confess that Monarchs are Of him who rules above the cheifest care For Richmond whom in vain so long I sought Whom I with half my Realm had gladly bought Is past retreat brought home to my own door Heaven could not give me nor I covet more Fond Boy what madness with such fatal speed Under my Justice hastens thee to bleed I owe thy Frenzy to my kinder Stars Who thus conclude my dangers and my wars L. Lovel The Powers above are now ambitious grown To bribe your Favour and preserve your Throne They give you Richmond and in giving him They from the power of chance your Crown redeem Should the world joyn this Kingdom to devour It would not weaken but declare your power Catesby Tumultuous and Unarm'd their Forces are And fit to make a riot not a war The Crown tempts Richmond like a silly Fly Which dazled with the flame does in it dy As Justice here below so Heaven does blind Their eyes whose execution is design'd King I both his rashness and his weakness know But those who now are weak may stronger grow I therefore have such preparations made As form an Army fitter to invade Whole Kingdoms then to quell a giddy Rout Of half-starv'd Fugitives newly thrust out From Forreign Lands Poor Worms they shall not long Attend their Fate Treason though ne're so young And weak should not be dally'd with but must When first it buds and in the shell be crush't Ratclife Great Sir these Fugitives will soon afford More bus'ness for your Heads-man then your Sword But 't is not now their number nor their armes That they confide in they have other charms Which draw into their Circle and bewitch All those whom either discontent or Itch Of novelty makes apt to be undone The Lady El'sabeth's weak right they own To ground their Treason on they boldly frame All Orders Warrants Summons in her Name And thus the easie Welch a Nation soon Stirr'd up and then again as soon laid down Caught with this Quail-pipe to their Camp resort And with Provisions the lean Troops support Catesby Young Richmond does himself her Champion own And brags his bus'ness is to place the Crown On that young Lady's head at least to dy In the attempt King O rare Knight-Errantry By these degrees he would himself prefer First to espouse her Quarrel and then Her But this bold Youth shall feel that he is more Out-match't in Wit and Policy then Powe She shall be crown'd and marry'd but by thee Young Fool nor crown'd nor marry'd shall she be For when she wears a Crown thou l't want a Head Thou in thy Grave she in her Maâ—â—â—age-Bed At the same time shall lye Catesby Sir will you give Me leave to ask how your pretentions thrive And what impression they have made upon That Lady's heart She cannot be all Stone And still make answer with a sullen No When so much Power and Eloquence shall woo King Something tow'rds Conquest in the Siege is done For in the Queen I have the out-works won But the main Fort is such a stubborn Rock As does all Parlies and all Stormings mock L. Lovel The Mother gain'd is more then half the day A Daughter's duty must not disobey And the two greatest Powers at once withstand Both of a Mother and a King's Command Catesby This present juncture of affairs requires A speedy answer to your just desires You must those strict Formalities lay by Which custom pays to Virgin Modesty For now the publick safety does perswade To court her like a Widow not a Maid King I know how much depends on this dispatch The Peace of Nations rests upon our match I and the Kingdom can no longer stay And if she will not love she must obey Enter Lord Stanly SCENA II. King Lord Stanly Lord Lovel Catesby Ratclife and Lord Strange c. Catesby Sir my Lord Stanly arriv'd King My best Of Friends O let me lodge thee in my breast The Person of the World most coveted For my occasions want thy Hand and Head Thy Councel and thy Action L. Stanly Sir to you All that I can all that I am is due King You now may shew it Stanly in defence Of your best Friend For Richmond with pretence Of right as weak as his starv'd Forces are Invades the Land whom nothing but despair Or hunger could have thrust on this design Unless some Traitors here should with him joyn L. Stanly Poor Mushrom His short date of Life is out Since all his hopes are in the fickle Rout Whose Favour is more various then the Winds Whose Fortunes are more desp'rate then their Minds But when your conqu'ring Army comes in sight You 'l find them fit for
VIII The Scene is changed to the Kings Lodging The Curtain is let down Enter Catesby and Ratclife at one of the Doors before the Curtain Catesby You waited the first Watch did the King rest Ratclife His Bosom lodgeth an unquiet Guest Catesby During the second watch I tended him He often walk'd in Sleep guided by Dream Enter Lovel at the other Door before the Curtain Who are you Stand this is forbidden Ground Lovel A friend Lovel Ratclife O! he has walk'd the Round Lovel Ratclife I left the King much discompos'd His Mind still waking though his Eyes were clos'd How is he now Ratclife He starts then calls on those Who with more quiet in their Graves repose This when I watcht I did with Horrour see Lovel This does with what I saw too well agree When he sleeps best his Cares seem all awake Ill-boding Fate does these disquiets make Catseby He dreams is that so strange you seem to me By your Concern to dream as much as he Can his crude Fumes of ill concocted meat Such Womens Fears in men of Arms beget These apprehensions misbecome that Night Whose following Day must be employ'd in Fight Lovel Your Admonitions Sir you may forbear Our care is more then yours but not our Fear He cry'd Prince Edward's kill'd then he did grone For the like Murther on the Father done Then mention'd Clarence Rivers Vaughan Grey And call'd them his Ambitions bloody Prey Next his late Queen Hastings and Buckingham And last of all he did his Nephews name Then he awak'd and starting from his Couch Bade me depart and not till call'd approch Catesby My Lord this only shews his Active Mind Which with his outward Parts Sleep cannot bind His Restlessness does all our Quiet bring Happy are Subjects of a watchful King Lovel Perhaps such Dreams may not deserve our Fears Yet Dreams sometimes are Fates ill Messengers But Midnight is now past and Nature may Need rest to bear the Labour of the Day SCENA IX The Curtain is opened The King appeares in a distracted posture newly risen from his Bed walking in his Dream with a dagger in his hand and surrounded by the Ghosts of those whom he had formerly killed King Forrest Rogue Traitour can thy Coward hands Tremble and faulter when thy King commands They are not dead they walk they threaten me Dispatch Kill them again or I 'le kill thee Varlet make haste Go poyson strangle drown My Brother Nephews Wife to save my Crown Small Victims may less Deities become To Soveraign Power belongs a Hecatome My Breath shall raise a Storm my Hand a Flood And make this Isle float in a Sea of Blood Hah Ghosts there are no Ghosts nor ever were But in the Tales of Priests or Womens Fear If you be Ghosts to your dark Mansions go If you be Ghosts 't was I that made you so I of your Substance these pale Nothings made How dare you then your Conquerour invade Go home dark Vagabonds must I not have Rest in my Bed nor you Rest in your Grave What Magick can Night-Vapours thus condense To Forms which cheat and terrifie the Sense Saint Henry get thee hence to thy cold Bed So tame alive so fierce now thou art Dead A holy King did not the Throne become Thy Godliness prepar'd thee for a Tomb. I did from Tewksbery dispatch thy Heir In the next World to be thy Harbinger Would you have staid behind when he was gone A Father ought not to out-live his Son Hah Brother Wife Stand off No tyes of Blood Are by aspiring Monarchs understood They to secure my Crown did Life resign She in a Cup he in a Butt of Wine Peace Conscience I long since have conquer'd thee Yet still thou art dispos'd to Mutinie Oft have I par'd thy Branches but thy Root Does lye so deep I cannot tear it out Of Soveraign Power it is the only Curse To be Successful and then feel Remorse The Curtain falls ACTUS V. SCEN. PRIMA Enter L d Stanly Sir Will. Stanly Servant L d Stanly O Tyrant Honour why dost thou impose A Law which that of Nature overthrows Heaven does my Vertue too severely try When to save others my own Son must dye Sir W. Stanly For common service common Minds suffice Heaven tryes the Great by great Extremities Honour 's hard Tasks are only fit for you Who must subdue your Foes and Nature too L d Stanly Brother I know the Duty which my Blood To Nature and to Honour must make good And in their Civil War I shall not make A long dispute which side I ought to take Nor shall my Sorrows their just Bounds exceed I 'le grieve for Nature but for Honour bleed Sir W. Stan. The same high Thoughts you to your Son transfer In whose green age ripe Honour does appear His Courage does the Tyrant's Rage defie All his Fear is lest he should tamely die And when he must receive the Fatal Blow He would his Valour not his Patience show L d Stanly He must no Actor but a Sufferer be And quietly submit to Heaven's decree Sir W. Stanly His generous thoughts a high attempt contrive Which after Death may keep his Fame alive For he would give the World when he must dye Exemplar Courage for a Legacy L d Stanly Alas we can expect no great Success From his weak Age and from his Conduct less Sir W. Stanly He has not weakly laid his great Design For when the Armies shall in Battel joyn The Field will drain the Quarters and then he Hopes that his Sword may set the Princess free For the remaining Guards will be intent On their own safety and the War's Event L. Stanly That Enterprise will need a stronger Hand And Head then his to act and give Command Sir W. Stanly I with a Party in disguise have sent A Leader who his rashness may prevent L. Stanly May he succeed but Brother now with care We must our bus'ness in the Field prepare Sir W. Stanly Your Army I have plac'd in such a Line That they with either Camp may easily joyn And to amuse the Tyrant from that side Where Richmond lyes strong Trenches both divide L. Stanly 'T is well design'd For if we should declare By early Deeds what our Intentions are Before the Fight to Heat and Tumult grows We rashly should our dearest Pledges lose Sir W. Stan. This is most true L. Stan. When we engage your Wing Must to our Richmond timely Succour bring Sir Wil. Stan. The Tyrant's Batteries are all pointed there L. Stanly And I will charge brave Norfolk in the Reer Sir Wil. Stanly I shall your Orders punctually obey L. Stan. Our Army wants our presence let 's away Ex. L. Stan. S. W. Stan. Where are those Arms Ser. Here Sir S. W. Stan. without delay Those to my Tent this to young Strange convey Delivers a Letter Ex. Ser. Richmond In happy Love thou conquer'st me But I in Glory will out-rival thee Drest in thy Shape I will
Charlot Dispute with mine the Glory of the Day 'T would make a Monarch Bankrupt to bestow That just Reward which to thy Faith I owe. Chandew To himself What do my Eyes behold It must be she And her Disguise reveals her Infamie Richmond To Charlot Why speak'st thou not when all the World 's become So loud in praising thee canst thou be dumb Chandew Must she needs chuse the most Conspicuous Place Of the whole Earth to blazon my Disgrace Richmond What sudden damp does on thy spirits seise Chandew To himself Death of my Honour and my Souls Disease Thou art a Blot upon my Name which I Will rase out with thy Life Oxford Sir I descry A strange transport in my Lord Chandew too Richmond What Mysteries are these my Lord are you Concern'd in that brave Youth Chandew Sir 't is a Stray From my Enclosures it has broke away Richmond My Lord be well advis'd if you would gain My Credit and our former Love maintain Reproch him not Chandew I cannot much delight To bring that Creatures shame to publick sight But Sir in equal Justice you will give To the right Owner's hands a Fugitive Richmond You must not your displeasure thus express If you expect I shall my Claim release Charlot kneeling to my L d Chandew Sir I am yours and have deserv'd your Hate O let my Death end this unkind debate Take me and take my Life for 't is your due First as your Gift and now by forfeit too Chandew Since thou hast murder'd thy whole Family Offering to kill Charlot In their best Life their Honour thou shalt dye Rich. Hold Chandew hold What means this furious Heat In which you both your self and me forget 'T is well your merit weighs my anger down Chandew Pardon my Passion thus unruly grown It did my strength of Reason quite subdue Rich. More then my Pardon does belong to you But I am wrackt with Doubts Rise Boy and free My tortur'd Thoughts from this Perplexitie Charlot O Sir if I must here my Sins confess This Posture most becomes my Guiltiness And I this low submission doubly owe In presence of my Prince and Father too Rich. My Lord are you his Father Chandew Sir that Name Turns my whole Life to Sorrow and to Shame Rich. Rather to Glory and to Happiness A better Son cannot a Parent bless Oxford Sir I perceive where all our Errour lyes Charlot suppos'd his Son his Daughter is Rich. I am opprest with Wonder Charlot rise Whilst thy disputed Sex deludes our eyes Thou dost to me a Guardian Angel seem Which did the Princess sacred Life redeem SCEN. IX Enter Queen Princess and Attendants Rich. Madam at last Propitious Heaven affords Success to the Endeavour of our Swords We at your Royal Feet our Persons lay And all the mighty Trophies of the Day Princess Sir these Submissions must not come from you No Homage from a Conqu'rer can be due Your Laurel should in Justice be a Crown For all by double Conquest is your own Rich. How gloriously your Servants you reward Princess No Sir from that I am by Duty bar'd A Parent 's leave must first the Gift allow Ere I the merited Reward bestow Richmond To the Queen Sway'd by my Love to her whom you love best I have unduly my Respects addrest This Madam for her sake you 'l not reprove All Laws of Ceremony yield to Love Queen What you oblige me in needs no Excuse And Sir I were unjust should I refuse My vote to such a Publick Happiness May all the Powers above this Union bless Richmond to the Queen To the Prin. I must with humble adoration kiss The Hand which does confer so high a bliss Now Madam what say you Princess I must obey Rich. Succeeding Times shall magnify this Day Whose Fruitful Joys shall flow to distant Age And rescue Nations from Rebellious Rage But Madam in this Publick Jubilee Charlot's Concerns must not neglected be This Fav'rite to us both does newly find A Noble Father in my greatest Friend And what is yet more strange that Fathers Eye Does here a Daughter not a Son descry Princess I 'm lost in wonder but what ere he be No Sex can equal his great Loyaltie Now Charlot ease my Mind which longs to know The secret Cause whence all these Wonders flow Charlot Can any thing but Love such Wonders do As have disguis'd the Soul and Body too Madam I drunk my Poyson when my Eye Did first his Image whom you love descry I was too young to weigh how far above The level of my Birth I rais'd my love My wounded Heart in Bretany first bled And when our Exile thence to Paris fled Leaving my Home my Parents and my Shape To follow him I made a bold Escape And to his Service I soon gain'd access Helpt by Industrious Love and this feign'd dress Princess Charlot no History shall ever show So brave a Rival and so kind a Foe Pity and Envy both attend thy Fate Thou art more Generous I more Fortunate Richmond Ah gentle Charlot in a high degree Thou hast at once oblig'd and punish'd me The Torment of great minds I undergo Paying so little where so much I owe. Strange Sir I want Merit but your Goodness may For Service yet to come advance my pay Grant me your Favour in my great design Of off ' ring my Devotions at this Shrine I long have known her and with envious Eyes Have seen above my own her Vertue rise But Madam now a double change we find To Charlot For your Sex alter'd has transform'd my Mind My Jealousie grows Love and what before With Envy I beheld I now adore Richmond Thy Passion makes me happy and I know Your Father's Judgement will this choice allow Her Fortune as her Birth shall equal you Who marries her marries our Favour too Chandew I hope that in this happy Bride Your scrup'lous Honour now is satisfi'd Chandew Not only satisfi'd but much encreast Where I unhappy was I now am blest Charlot How much must I to such Indulgence owe As on the Guilty does Reward bestow But Sir no Power can former Vows release Which bar me from this proffer'd happiness Ambitious Flames will ever upwards tend They may their Object lose but ne're descend Mine still shall rise and in a Cloister chuse The lasting Love of an Immortal Spouse Strange Ah! leave us not Heaven wants you less then we Princess Vertue will leave that Land which loseth thee Charlot All Vertue stays when you are left behind Madam in vain you urge my setled Mind SCEN. X. Enter L. Stanly L. Stanly The Field does want you Sir The Souldiers call With loud Impatience for their General In this days Booty they the Crown have found And all cry out that Richmond must be crown'd Richmond My Lord they should their duty better know For common Hands must not the Crown bestow L. Stanly High swelling Torrents you as soon may swage As stop the Current of