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Enter BUCKINGHAM with SHERIFF and halberds, led to execution |
BUCKINGHAM enters with SHERIFF and guards leading him to his execution. |
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BUCKINGHAM
Will not King Richard let me speak with him? |
BUCKINGHAM
Won’t King Richard let me speak with him? |
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SHERIFF
No, my good lord. Therefore be patient. |
SHERIFF
No, my good lord. So be calm. |
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BUCKINGHAM
Hastings and Edward’s children, Grey and Rivers, Holy King Henry and thy fair son Edward, Vaughan, and all that have miscarrièd By underhand, corrupted, foul injustice, If that your moody, discontented souls Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Even for revenge mock my destruction.— This is All Souls’ Day, fellow, is it not? |
BUCKINGHAM
Hastings and Edward’s children, Rivers and Grey, holy King Henry and your fine son Edward, Vaughan, and all who have died from underhanded, corrupt, fiendish injustice, if your angry souls are witnessing this moment through the clouds, enjoy the revenge—laugh at my ruin! This is All-Souls’ day, fellows, isn’t it? |
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SHERIFF
It is. |
SHERIFF
It is, my lord. |
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BUCKINGHAM
Why, then All Souls’ Day is my body’s doomsday. This is the day which, in King Edward’s time, I wished might fall on me when I was found False to his children and his wife’s allies. This is the day wherein I wished to fall By the false faith of him who most I trusted. This, this All Souls’ Day to my fearful soul Is the determined respite of my wrongs. That high All-seer which I dallied with Hath turned my feignèd prayer on my head And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men To turn their own points in their masters’ bosoms. Thus Margaret’s curse falls heavy upon my neck: “When he,” quoth she, “shall split thy heart with sorrow, Remember Margaret was a prophetess.”— Come, lead me, officers, to the block of shame. Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. |
BUCKINGHAM
Why, then, it’s my body’s doomsday. Today I’m going to get what I said I wished would happen to me if I was ever false to King Edward’s children or his wife’s allies. This is the day I’m going to get what I wished for when I wished that the person I most trusted would betray me. This, this All-Souls’ day, is my just desserts. I tried to play games with God, and he turned my fake prayer on my head, giving me for real what I’d asked for as a joke. This is how God forces wicked men to turn their swords against themselves. Margaret’s curse has come true. “When Richard has split your heart in two with grief,” she said, “you’ll know that Margaret was a prophetess.” Come, sirs, bring me to this block of shame. I have done wrong, so I will suffer wrong. I have been blamed because I deserved to be. |
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Exeunt |
They all exit. |