Richard III

by: William Shakespeare

Act 2 Scene 4

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter the ARCHBISHOP of York, the young duke of YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the old DUCHESS of York	The ARCHBISHOP of York, QUEEN ELIZABETH, her son, the young duke of YORK, and the DUCHESSofYorkenter.
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.	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.
DUCHESS I long with all my heart to see the prince. 5I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.	DUCHESS I’m dying to see the prince. I hope he’s grown a lot since I last saw him.
QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear no; they say my son of York Has almost overta'en him in his growth.	QUEEN ELIZABETH But I hear he hasn’t. They say my son York has almost passed him in height.
YORK Ay, mother, but I would not have it so.	YORK Yes, mother, but I wish I hadn’t.
DUCHESS Why, my young cousin? It is good to grow.	DUCHESS Why, dear child? It’s good to grow.
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.	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.
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.	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.
YORK And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.	YORK And no doubt he is, gracious madam.

Read the Summary of Act II, scenes iii–iv

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