William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (115 page)

Drum afar off

Alarums. Enter King Richard

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He sets the crown on Henry’s head
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ADDITIONAL PASSAGES

 

The following passages are contained in the Folio text, but not the Quarto; they were apparently omitted from performances.

a. AFTER I.2.I54

These eyes, which never shed remorseful tear—
No, when my father York and Edward wept
To hear the piteous moan that Rutland made
When black-faced Clifford shook his sword at him;
Nor when thy warlike father like a child
Told the sad story of my father’s death
And twenty times made pause to sob and weep,
That all the standers-by had wet their cheeks
Like trees bedashed with rain. In that sad time
My manly eyes did scorn an humble tear,
And what these sorrows could not thence exhale
Thy beauty hath, and made them blind with weeping.

b. AFTER 1.3.166

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

Wert thou not banishèd on pain of death?

QUEEN MARGARET

I was, but I do find more pain in banishment
Than death can yield me here by my abode.

c. AFTER I.4.68

O
God! If my deep prayers cannot appease thee
But thou wilt be avenged on my misdeeds,
Yet execute thy wrath in me alone.
O
spare my guiltless wife and my poor children.

d. AFTER 2.2.88

The Folio has Dorset and Rivers enter with Queen Elizabeth at 2.2.33.I.

DORSET

Comfort, dear mother. God is much displeased
That you take with unthankfulness his doing.
In common worldly things ’tis called ungrateful
With dull unwillingness to pay a debt
Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent;
Much more to be thus opposite with heaven
For it requires the royal debt it lent you.

RIVERS

Madam, bethink you like a careful mother
Of the young Prince your son. Send straight for him;
Let him be crowned. In him your comfort lives.
Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward’s grave
And plant your joys in living Edward’s throne.

e. AFTER 2.2.II0

RIVERS

Why with some little train, my lord of Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM

Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude
The new-healed wound of malice should break out,
Which would be so much the more dangerous
By how much the estate is green and yet ungoverned.
Where every horse bears his commanding rein
And may direct his course as please himself,
As well the fear of harm as harm apparent
In my opinion ought to be prevented.

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

I hope the King made peace with all of us,
And the compact is firm and true in me.

RIVERS

And so in me, and so I think in all.
Yet since it is but green, it should be put
To no apparent likelihood of breach,
Which haply by much company might be urged.
Therefore I say, with noble Buckingham,
That it is meet so few should fetch the Prince.

HASTINGS And so say I.

f. AFTER 3.I.I70

And summon him tomorrow to the Tower
To sit about the coronation.

g. AFTER 3.5.I00

Beginning Richard Gloucester’s speech. The Folio brings on Lovell and Ratcliffe instead of Catesby at 3.5.19.1.

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

Go, Lovell, with all speed to Doctor Shaw;
(
To Ratcliffe
) Go thou to Friar Penker. Bid them both
Meet me within this hour at Baynard’s Castle.

Exeunt Lovell and Ratcliffe,

h. AFTER 3.7.I43

If not to answer, you might haply think
Tongue-tied ambition, not replying, yielded
To bear the golden yoke of sovereignty,
Which fondly you would here impose on me.
If to reprove you for this suit of yours,
So seasoned with your faithful love to me,
Then on the other side I checked my friends.
Therefore to speak, and to avoid the first,
And then in speaking not to incur the last,
Definitively thus I answer you.

i. AFTER 4.I.96

In the Folio, the characters do not exit during the Duchess of York’s preceding speech.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Stay: yet look back with me unto the Tower.—
Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes,
Whom envy hath immured within your walls.
Rough cradle for such little pretty ones,
Rude ragged nurse, old sullen playfellow
For tender princes: use my babies well.
So foolish sorrow bids your stones farewell.

Exeunt

j. AFTER 4.4.22I

KING RICHARD

You speak as if that I had slain my cousins.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Cousins indeed, and by their uncle cozened
Of comfort, kingdom, kindred, freedom, life.
Whose hand soever lanced their tender hearts,
Thy head all indirectly gave direction.
No doubt the murd‘rous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone-hard heart
To revel in the entrails of my lambs.
But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame,
My tongue should to thy ears not name my boys
Till that my nails were anchored in thine eyes—
And I in such a desp’rate bay of death,
Like a poor barque of sails and tackling reft,
Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom.

k. AFTER 4.4.273

KING RICHARD

Say that I did all this for love of her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.

KING RICHARD

Look what is done cannot be now amended.
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
Which after-hours gives leisure to repent.
If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
To make amends I’ll give it to your daughter.
If I have killed the issue of your womb,
To quicken your increase I will beget
Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter.
A grandam’s name is little less in love
Than is the doting title of a mother.
They are as children but one step below,
Even of your mettall, of your very blood:
Of all one pain, save for a night of groans
Endured of her for whom you bid like sorrow.
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 what amends I would,
Therefore accept 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
Repaired 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, transformed 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 sovereignty. Acquaint the Princess
With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys.
And when this arm of mine hath chastised
The petty rebel, dull-brained 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 victoress: Caesar’s Caesar.

QUEEN ELIZABETH

What were I best to say? Her father’s brother
Would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle?
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?