K. Rich. Say, that I did all this for love of her?
Q. Eliz. Nay, then indeed, she cannot choose but

have thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.

K. Rich. 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, I'll give it to your daughter. 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 wliat amends I would, Therefore açcept 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 th'aspiring flame Of golden sov'reignty ; acquaint the princess With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys: And when this arm of mine hath chástized 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, Cæsar's Cæsar.

Q. Eliz. What were I best to say? her father's bro-
Would be her lord ? Or shall I say, her uncle? (ther
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 ?

K. Rich. As I intend to prosper, and repent!
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt
Of hostile arms ! myself myself confound !
Heaven, and fortune, bar me happy hours !
Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest!
Be opposite all planets of good luck
To my proceeding, if, with pure heart's love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter!
In her consists my happiness, and thine;
Without her, follows to myself, and thee,
Herself, the land, and many a christian soul,
Death, desolation, ruin, and decay:
It cannot be avoided, but by this ;
It will not be avoided, but by this.
Therefore, dear mother, (I must call you so,)
Be the attorney of my love to her.
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve:
Urge the necessity and state of times,
And be

not peevish found in great designs.
Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
K. Rich. Ay, if the devil tempt thee to do good.
Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will ?
K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed.

Q. Eliz. I go.—Write to me very shortly, And you shall understand from me her mind. (well. K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so fare

[Kissing her. Exit Queen ELIZABETH.

Relenting fool, and shallow, changing-woman!
How now? what news?

Enter RatcliFF; CATESBY following.
Rat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm’d, and unresolv'd to beat them back:
'Tis thought, that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham, to welcome them ashore.
K. Rich. Some light-foot friend post to the duke of

Norfolk :-
Ratcliff, thyself,-or Catesby: where is he?

Cate. Here, my good lord.
K. Rich.

Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. I will, my lord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliffe, come hither: Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither,-Dull unmindful villain,

[To CATESBY. Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke?

Čate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness'pleaWhat from your grace I shall deliver to him. [sure, K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby ;-Bid him levy

straight
The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.
Cate. I go.

Exit. Rat. What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury? K. Rich. Why, what would'st thou do there, before

I go? Rat. Your highness told me, I should post before.

Enter STANLEY. K. Rich. My mind is chang'd.-Stanley, what news

with you

Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with the

hearing; Nor none so bad, but well may be reported.

K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!
What need’st thou run so many miles about,
When thou may'st tell thy tale the nearest way?
Once more, what news?
Stan.

Richmond is on the seas.
K. Rich. There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?

Stan. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
K. Rich. Well, as you guess

s?
Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and

Morton,
He makes for England, here to claim the crown.

K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway'd?
Is the king dead ? the empire unpossess'd ?
What heir' of York is there alive, but we?
And who is England's king, but great York's heir ?
Then, tell me, what makes he upon the seas?

Stan. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

K. Rich. Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes. Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear.

Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not.

K. Rich. Where is thy power then, to beat him back ?
Where be thy tenants, and thy followers ?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

Stan. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
K. Rich. Cold friends to me: What do they in the

north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty king:
Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave,
I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace,
Where, and what time, your majesty shall please.

1

· Edward, earl of Warwick, only son to the duke of Clarence, the usurper's elder brother, and Elizabeth and other daughters of Edward IV. were living: all these of course had a better title to the crown than Richard.

K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou would'st be gone to join with I will not trust you, sir.

[Richmond : Stan.

Most mighty sovereign, You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; I never was, nor never will be false. K. Rich. Well, go, muster men. But, hear you,

leave behind Your son, George Stanley; look your heart be firm, Or else his head's assurance is but frail. Stan. So deal with him, as I prove true to you.

[Exit STANLEY Enter a Messenger. 1 Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire, As I by friends am well advertised, Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate, Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother, With many more confederates, are in arms.

Enter another Messenger. 2 Mess. In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are in And every hour more competitors'

(arms; Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Enter another Messenger. 3 Mess. My lord, the army of great BuckinghamK. Rich. Out on ye, owls! nothing but songs of death?

[He strikes him. There, take thou that, till thou bring better news.

3 Mess. The news I have to tell your majesty,
Is,—that, by sudden floods and fall of waters,
Buckingham's army is dispers’d and scatter'd;
And he himself wander'd away alone,
No man knows whither.
K. Rich.

O, I cry you mercy :
There is my purse, to cure that blow of thine.