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Richard III

Act 4, Scene 2

Sound a sennet. Enter RICHARD in pomp; BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, RATCLIFFE, LOVELL, a page, and others	Trumpets play. RICHARD enters, already crowned and dressed as a king. BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, a PAGE, and others enter with him.
RICHARD Stand all apart. —Cousin of Buckingham.	RICHARD Everyone stand aside.—Cousin Buckingham.
Others move aside	Everyone moves aside.
BUCKINGHAM My gracious sovereign.	BUCKINGHAM My gracious king.
RICHARD Give me thy hand.	RICHARD Give me your hand.
Here he ascendeth the throne. Sound trumpets	RICHARD ascends the throne with BUCKINGHAM at his side.
Thus high, by thy advice And thy assistance is King Richard seated. But shall we wear these glories for a day, Or shall they last and we rejoice in them?	Because of your advice and your help, I have a high position now. But will I wear these honors for only a day or will I enjoy them for a long time?
BUCKINGHAM Still live they, and forever let them last.	BUCKINGHAM Let them last forever.
RICHARD Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold indeed. Young Edward lives; think now what I would speak.	RICHARD Oh Buckingham, now I’m going to test to see if you’re truly made of gold. Young Prince Edward is still alive—what do you think I’m going to say next?
BUCKINGHAM Say on, my loving lord.	BUCKINGHAM Go on, my loving lord.
RICHARD Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king,	RICHARD Why, Buckingham, I say I want to be king.
BUCKINGHAM Why so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.	BUCKINGHAM Why, you are king, your highness.
RICHARD Ha! Am I king? ’Tis so—but Edward lives.	RICHARD Ha! Am I king? I guess I am. But Edward is still alive.
BUCKINGHAM True, noble prince.	BUCKINGHAM True, noble prince.
RICHARD O bitter consequence That Edward still should live “true noble prince”! Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull. Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead, And I would have it suddenly performed. What sayest thou now? Speak suddenly. Be brief.	RICHARD Oh, how bitter it is that Edward—the real “true, noble prince”—should still be alive! Cousin, you didn’t used to be so thickheaded. Shall I put it plainly? I want the bastards dead. And I want it done right away. What do you say? Speak now and to the point.
BUCKINGHAM Your Grace may do your pleasure.	BUCKINGHAM Your Grace can do whatever he wants.
RICHARD Tut, tut, thou art all ice; thy kindness freezes. Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?	RICHARD Tut, tut, you’ve become rather icy. Your friendliness toward me seems to be freezing over. Tell me, do I have your consent to kill them?
BUCKINGHAM Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this. I will resolve you herein presently.	BUCKINGHAM Give me a little breathing space, my lord, a little pause to think. I’ll let you know my answer shortly.
Exit	He exits.
CATESBY (aside to the other attendants) The king is angry. See, he gnaws his lip.	CATESBY (so only the attendant nearest him can hear) The king is angry. See, he bites his lip.
RICHARD (aside) I will converse with iron-witted fools And unrespective boys. None are for me That look into me with considerate eyes. High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.— Boy!	RICHARD (to himself) I only want to deal with stupid fools and careless boys. I have no use for people who look at me insightfully. Ambitious Buckingham grows much too circumspect. Boy!
PAGE (coming forward) My lord?	PAGE My lord?
RICHARD Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?	RICHARD Do you know anyone who would kill someone for money?
PAGE I know a discontented gentleman Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit. Gold were as good as twenty orators, And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.	PAGE My lord, I know one unhappy gentleman who has more pride than money. Money talks, and would very likely get him to do anything.
RICHARD What is his name?	RICHARD What’s his name?
PAGE His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.	PAGE His name is Tyrrel, my lord.
RICHARD I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy	RICHARD I know the man a bit. Go, bring him here, boy.
Exit PAGE	The PAGE exits.
(aside) The deep-revolving witty Buckingham No more shall be the neighbor to my counsels Hath he so long held out with me, untired, And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.	(to himself) The thoughtful, witty Buckingham will no longer be privy to my innermost thoughts. Has he held out for me for so long and without a moment’s doubt only to suddenly need some “breathing room”? Well, so be it.
Enter STANLEY	STANLEY enters.
How now, Lord Stanley, what’s the news?	Look who’s here! What’s the news with you?
STANLEY Know, my long lord, The marquess Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.	STANLEY You should know, my loving lord, I’ve heard that the marquess Dorset has fled to Brittany, to the earl of Richmond.
He walks aside	He stands aside.
RICHARD Come hither, Catesby. Rumor it abroad That Anne my wife is very grievous sick. I will take order for her keeping close. Inquire me out some mean poor gentleman, Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter. The boy is foolish, and I fear not him. Look how thou dream’st! I say again, give out That Anne my queen is sick and like to die. About it, for it stands me much upon To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.	RICHARD Come here, Catesby. Spread the rumor abroad that Anne, my wife, is very sick. I will make sure she’s kept out of view. And find a poverty stricken gentleman who I can marry straightaway to Clarence’s daughter. Clarence’s son is dull-witted, so I’m not worried about him. Look at you, standing there in a stupor! I repeat, spread the rumor that Anne, my wife, is sick and likely to die. Hurry up because it’s absolutely crucial that I destroy anything that may damage my position.
Exit CATESBY	CATESBY exits.
(aside) I must be married to my brother’s daughter, Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass. Murder her brothers, and then marry her— Uncertain way of gain. But I am in So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin. Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.	(to himself) I must get married to my brother’s daughter. Otherwise, my kingdom stands on glass. Murdering her brothers and then marrying her isn’t the most foolproof way to secure my position. But I’m steeped so deep in blood by now that one sin has to follow the next. I have no tears of pity for anyone.
Enter PAGE with TYRREL	The PAGE returns with TYRREL.
Is thy name Tyrrel?	Are you Tyrrel?
TYRREL James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.	TYRREL James Tyrrel—and your most obedient subject.
RICHARD Art thou indeed?	RICHARD Are you indeed?
TYRREL Prove me, my gracious sovereign.	TYRREL Test me, my blessed king.
RICHARD Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?	RICHARD Do you dare kill a friend of mine?
TYRREL Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.	TYRREL Yes, my lord, but I’d rather kill two enemies.
RICHARD Why then, thou hast it. Two deep enemies, Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers, Are they that I would have thee deal upon. Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.	RICHARD Well, that’s what you get to do. Two great enemies, in fact, enemies to my peace of mind. Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
TYRREL Let me have open means to come to them, And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.	TYRREL Give me access to them, and soon you won’t have to worry about them anymore.
RICHARD Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel.	RICHARD That’s music to my ears. Come here, Tyrrel.
TYRREL approaches RICHARD and kneels	TYRREL approaches RICHARD and kneels.
Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear.	By this token, you’ll be admitted to their cell. Get up and listen to me.
He whispers	RICHARD whispers to TYRREL.
There is no more but so. Say it is done, And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.	That’s all there is to it. As soon as the deed is done, you will be in my favor and I will promote you.
TYRREL I will dispatch it straight.	TYRREL I’ll do it right away.
Exit	He exits.
Enter BUCKINGHAM	BUCKINGHAM returns.
BUCKINGHAM My lord, I have considered in my mind The late request that you did sound me in.	BUCKINGHAM My lord, I have thought over the request you just made of me.
RICHARD Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.	RICHARD Well, it doesn’t matter anymore. Dorset has fled to the earl of Richmond.
BUCKINGHAM I hear the news, my lord.	BUCKINGHAM I heard the news, my lord.
RICHARD Stanley, he is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.	RICHARD Stanley, Richmond is your wife’s son. Get information from her.
BUCKINGHAM My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise, For which your honor and your faith is pawned— Th’ earldom of Hereford and the movables Which you promisèd I shall possess.	BUCKINGHAM My lord, I’d want to have the gift you promised me on your honor: the earldom of Hereford and all the possessions that go with it.
RICHARD Stanley, look to your wife. If she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.	RICHARD Stanley, pay attention to your wife’s doings. If she sends any letters to Richmond, you will be accountable to me for it.
BUCKINGHAM What says your Highness to my just request?	BUCKINGHAM What do you say, your Highness, about my just request?
RICHARD I do remember me, Henry the Sixth Did prophesy that Richmond should be king, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. A king, perhaps—	RICHARD As I remember, Henry the Sixth prophesied that Richmond would be king when Richmond was only a foolish little boy. A king, perhaps—
BUCKINGHAM My lord—	BUCKINGHAM My lord—
RICHARD How chance the prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?	RICHARD How is it that the prophet didn’t tell me at the time that I would kill him?
BUCKINGHAM My lord, your promise for the earldom—	BUCKINGHAM My lord, your promise of the earldom—
RICHARD Richmond! When last I was at Exeter, The mayor in courtesy showed me the castle And called it Rougemont, at which name I started, Because a bard of Ireland told me once I should not live long after I saw Richmond.	RICHARD Richmond! The last time I was in Exeter, the mayor kindly showed me the castle there and called it “Rougemont.” The name startled me because an Irish poet once told me that I would die soon after seeing “Richmond.”
BUCKINGHAM My Lord—	BUCKINGHAM My lord!
RICHARD Ay, what’s o’clock?	RICHARD Yes, what time is it?
BUCKINGHAM I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind Of what you promised me.	BUCKINGHAM I’m reminding your grace what you promised me.
RICHARD Well, but what’s o’clock?	RICHARD Well, but what time is it?
BUCKINGHAM Upon the stroke of ten.	BUCKINGHAM It’s almost ten o’clock.
RICHARD Well, let it strike.	RICHARD Well, let it strike ten then.
BUCKINGHAM Why let it strike?	BUCKINGHAM Why “let it strike”?
RICHARD Because that, like a jack, thou keep’st the stroke Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. I am not in the giving vein today.	RICHARD Because you’re like the lowborn fellow who strikes the bell—you keep interrupting my thoughts. I am not in the giving mood today.
BUCKINGHAM Why then, resolve me whether you will or no.	BUCKINGHAM Well, then, let me know whether you will give me the earldom some other time.
RICHARD Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.	RICHARD You’re bothering me. I’m not in the mood.
Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM	Everyone except BUCKINGHAM exits.
BUCKINGHAM And is it thus? Repays he my deep service With such deep contempt? Made I him king for this? O, let me think on Hastings and be gone To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!	BUCKINGHAM Is this really happening? Does he reward my dedicated service with such deep contempt? Did I work to make him king for this? Oh, let me remember what happened to Hastings and hurry to Brecknock while I still have my head on my shoulders!
Exit	He exits.