Act 2
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Enter the ARCHBISHOP of York, the young duke of YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the old DUCHESS of York
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The ARCHBISHOP of York, QUEEN ELIZABETH, her son, the young duke of YORK, and the DUCHESSofYorkenter.
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ARCHBISHOP Last night, I hear, they lay at Stony Stratford,
And at Northampton they do rest tonight.
Tomorrow or next day they will be here.
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ARCHBISHOP Last night, I hear, they stayed in Stony Stratford. Tonight they will rest in Northhampton. They’ll be here tomorrow or the next day.
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DUCHESS I long with all my heart to see the prince.
5I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.
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DUCHESS I’m dying to see the prince. I hope he’s grown a lot since I last saw him.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear no; they say my son of York
Has almost overta'en him in his growth.
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QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear he hasn’t. They say my son York has almost passed him in height.
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YORK Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.
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YORK Yes, mother, but I wish I hadn’t.
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DUCHESS Why, my young cousin? It is good to grow.
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DUCHESS Why, dear child? It’s good to grow.
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YORK
10Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talked how I did grow
More than my brother: “Ay,” quoth my uncle Gloucester,
“Small herbs have grace; great weeds do grow apace.”
And since, methinks I would not grow so fast
15Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.
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YORK Grandmother, one night when we were eating dinner, my uncle Rivers mentioned that I had grown more than my brother. “Yes,” said my uncle Gloucester, “Small plants are graceful, while ugly weeds grow fast.” And since then, I’ve wished I wouldn’t grow so fast, because sweet flowers are slow while the weeds grow in a hurry.
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DUCHESS Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold
In him that did object the same to thee!
He was the wretched’st thing when he was young,
So long a-growing and so leisurely,
20That if this rule were true, he should be gracious.
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DUCHESS Well, it certainly wasn’t true for Richard! As a child, he took such a long time to grow up that, according to his rule, he should have grown up into a gracious adult.
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YORK And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.
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YORK And no doubt he is, gracious madam.
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More Help
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Character List
CHARACTERS -
Richard III: Character Analysis
CHARACTERS -
Important Quotations Explained
MAIN IDEAS -
Themes
MAIN IDEAS -
Review Quiz
FURTHER STUDY
