No Fear Shakespeare: Richard III: Act 4 Scene 2

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Richard III

William Shakespeare

Act 4 Scene 2

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

Modern Text

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Original Text	Modern Text
Sound a sennet. Enter RICHARD in pomp; BUCKINGHAM , CATESBY , RATCLIFFE , LOVELL , a page, and others	Sound a sennet. Enter RICHARD in pomp; BUCKINGHAM , CATESBY , RATCLIFFE , LOVELL , a page, and others
RICHARD Stand all apart. —Cousin of Buckingham.	RICHARD Stand all apart. —Cousin of Buckingham.
Others move aside	Others move aside
BUCKINGHAM My gracious sovereign.	BUCKINGHAM My gracious sovereign.
RICHARD Give me thy hand.	RICHARD Give me thy hand.
Here he ascendeth the throne. Sound trumpets	Here he ascendeth the throne. Sound trumpets
Thus high, by thy advice 5 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?	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?
BUCKINGHAM Still live they, and forever let them last.	BUCKINGHAM Still live they, and forever let them last.
RICHARD Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, 10 To try if thou be current gold indeed. Young Edward lives; think now what I would speak.	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.
BUCKINGHAM Say on, my loving lord.	BUCKINGHAM Say on, my loving lord.
RICHARD Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king,	RICHARD Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king,
BUCKINGHAM Why so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.	BUCKINGHAM Why so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.
RICHARD 15 Ha! Am I king? 'Tis so—but Edward lives.	RICHARD Ha! Am I king? 'Tis so—but Edward lives.
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, 20 And I would have it suddenly performed. What sayest thou now? Speak suddenly. Be brief.	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.
BUCKINGHAM Your Grace may do your pleasure.	BUCKINGHAM Your Grace may do your pleasure.
RICHARD Tut, tut, thou art all ice; thy kindness freezes. Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?	RICHARD Tut, tut, thou art all ice; thy kindness freezes. Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
BUCKINGHAM 25 Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this. I will resolve you herein presently.	BUCKINGHAM Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this. I will resolve you herein presently.
Exit	Exit
CATESBY (aside to the other attendants) The king is angry. See, he gnaws his lip.	CATESBY (aside to the other attendants) The king is angry. See, he gnaws 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 (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!
PAGE (coming forward) My lord?	PAGE (coming forward) My lord?
RICHARD Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?	RICHARD Know’st thou not any whom corrupting gold Will tempt unto a close exploit of death?
PAGE I know a discontented gentleman Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit. 40 Gold were as good as twenty orators, And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.	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.
RICHARD What is his name?	RICHARD What is his name?
PAGE His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.	PAGE His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.
RICHARD I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy	RICHARD I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy
Exit PAGE	Exit PAGE
(aside) The deep-revolving witty Buckingham 45 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.	(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.
Enter STANLEY	Enter STANLEY
How now, Lord Stanley, what’s the news?	How now, Lord Stanley, what’s the news?
STANLEY Know, my long lord, 50 The marquess Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.	STANLEY Know, my long lord, The marquess Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.
He walks aside	He walks aside
RICHARD Come hither, Catesby. Rumor it abroad That Anne my wife is very grievous sick. I will take order for her keeping close. 55 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. 60 About it, for it stands me much upon To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.	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.
Exit CATESBY	Exit CATESBY
(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— 65 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.	(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.
Enter PAGE with TYRREL	Enter PAGE with TYRREL
Is thy name Tyrrel?	Is thy name Tyrrel?
TYRREL James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.	TYRREL James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.
RICHARD 70 Art thou indeed?	RICHARD Art thou indeed?
TYRREL Prove me, my gracious sovereign.	TYRREL Prove me, my gracious sovereign.
RICHARD Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?	RICHARD Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
TYRREL Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.	TYRREL Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.
RICHARD Why then, thou hast it. Two deep enemies, Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers, 75 Are they that I would have thee deal upon. Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.	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.
TYRREL Let me have open means to come to them, And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.	TYRREL Let me have open means to come to them, And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.
RICHARD Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel.	RICHARD Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel.
TYRREL approaches RICHARD and kneels	TYRREL approaches RICHARD and kneels
80 Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear.	Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear.
He whispers	He whispers
There is no more but so. Say it is done, And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.	There is no more but so. Say it is done, And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.
TYRREL I will dispatch it straight.	TYRREL I will dispatch it straight.
Exit	Exit
Enter BUCKINGHAM	Enter BUCKINGHAM
BUCKINGHAM My lord, I have considered in my mind 85 The late request that you did sound me in.	BUCKINGHAM My lord, I have considered in my mind The late request that you did sound me in.
RICHARD Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.	RICHARD Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.
BUCKINGHAM I hear the news, my lord.	BUCKINGHAM I hear the news, my lord.
RICHARD Stanley, he is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.	RICHARD Stanley, he is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.
BUCKINGHAM My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise, 90 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 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.
RICHARD Stanley, look to your wife. If she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.	RICHARD Stanley, look to your wife. If she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.
BUCKINGHAM 95 What says your Highness to my just request?	BUCKINGHAM What says your Highness to 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 I do remember me, Henry the Sixth Did prophesy that Richmond should be king, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. A king, perhaps—
BUCKINGHAM 100 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 chance the prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?
BUCKINGHAM My lord, your promise for the earldom—	BUCKINGHAM My lord, your promise for the earldom—
RICHARD Richmond! When last I was at Exeter, 105 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! 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.
BUCKINGHAM My Lord—	BUCKINGHAM My Lord—
RICHARD 110 Ay, what’s o'clock?	RICHARD Ay, what’s o'clock?
BUCKINGHAM I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind Of what you promised me.	BUCKINGHAM I am thus bold to put your Grace in mind Of what you promised me.
RICHARD Well, but what’s o'clock?	RICHARD Well, but what’s o'clock?
BUCKINGHAM Upon the stroke of ten.	BUCKINGHAM Upon the stroke of ten.
RICHARD 115 Well, let it strike.	RICHARD Well, let it strike.
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 that, like a jack, thou keep’st the stroke Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. I am not in the giving vein today.
BUCKINGHAM 120 Why then, resolve me whether you will or no.	BUCKINGHAM Why then, resolve me whether you will or no.
RICHARD Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.	RICHARD Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.
Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM	Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM
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 125 To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!	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!
Exit	Exit