Enter Richard and Buckingham, in rotten armor,
marvelous ill-favored.RICHARD Come, cousin, canst thou quake and change thy color, Murder thy breath in middle of a word, And then again begin, and stop again,5 As if thou were distraught and mad with terror?BUCKINGHAM Tut, I can counterfeit the deep tragedian, Speak, and look back, and pry on every side, Tremble and start at wagging of a straw, Intending deep suspicion. Ghastly looks10 Are at my service, like enforcèd smiles, And both are ready, in their offices, At any time to grace my stratagems. But what, is Catesby gone?RICHARD He is; and see he brings the Mayor along.
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Enter the Mayor and Catesby.BUCKINGHAM 15Lord Mayor—RICHARD Look to the drawbridge there!BUCKINGHAM Hark, a drum!RICHARD Catesby, o’erlook the walls.⌜Catesby exits.⌝BUCKINGHAM Lord Mayor, the reason we have sent—RICHARD 20 Look back! Defend thee! Here are enemies.BUCKINGHAM God and our ⟨innocence⟩ defend and guard us!Enter Lovell and Ratcliffe, with Hastings’ head.RICHARD Be patient. They are friends, Ratcliffe and Lovell.LOVELL Here is the head of that ignoble traitor, The dangerous and unsuspected Hastings.RICHARD 25 So dear I loved the man that I must weep. I took him for the plainest harmless creature That breathed upon the Earth a Christian; Made him my book, wherein my soul recorded The history of all her secret thoughts.30 So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue That, his apparent open guilt omitted— I mean his conversation with Shore’s wife— He lived from all attainder of suspects.BUCKINGHAM Well, well, he was the covert’st sheltered traitor35 That ever lived.— Would you imagine, or almost believe, Were ’t not that by great preservation We live to tell it, that the subtle traitor
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This day had plotted, in the council house,40 To murder me and my good lord of Gloucester?MAYOR Had he done so?RICHARD What, think you we are Turks or infidels? Or that we would, against the form of law, Proceed thus rashly in the villain’s death,45 But that the extreme peril of the case, The peace of England, and our persons’ safety Enforced us to this execution?MAYOR Now fair befall you! He deserved his death, And your good Graces both have well proceeded50 To warn false traitors from the like attempts.BUCKINGHAM I never looked for better at his hands After he once fell in with Mistress Shore. Yet had we not determined he should die Until your Lordship came to see his end55 (Which now the loving haste of these our friends, Something against our meanings, have prevented), Because, my lord, I would have had you heard The traitor speak and timorously confess The manner and the purpose of his treasons,60 That you might well have signified the same Unto the citizens, who haply may Misconster us in him, and wail his death.MAYOR But, my good lord, your Graces’ words shall serve As well as I had seen and heard him speak;65 And do not doubt, right noble princes both, But I’ll acquaint our duteous citizens With all your just proceedings in this case.RICHARD And to that end we wished your Lordship here, T’ avoid the censures of the carping world.
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BUCKINGHAM 70 Which since you come too late of our intent, Yet witness what you hear we did intend. And so, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.Mayor exits.RICHARD Go after, after, cousin Buckingham. The Mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post.75 There, at your meetest vantage of the time, Infer the bastardy of Edward’s children. Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen Only for saying he would make his son Heir to the Crown—meaning indeed his house,80 Which, by the sign thereof, was termèd so. Moreover, urge his hateful luxury And bestial appetite in change of lust, Which stretched unto their servants, daughters, wives,85 Even where his raging eye or savage heart, Without control, lusted to make a prey. Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person: Tell them when that my mother went with child Of that insatiate Edward, noble York90 My princely father then had wars in France, And, by true computation of the time, Found that the issue was not his begot, Which well appearèd in his lineaments, Being nothing like the noble duke my father.95 Yet touch this sparingly, as ’twere far off, Because, my lord, you know my mother lives.BUCKINGHAM Doubt not, my lord. I’ll play the orator As if the golden fee for which I plead Were for myself. And so, my lord, adieu.RICHARD 100 If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard’s Castle,
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Where you shall find me well accompanied With reverend fathers and well-learnèd bishops.BUCKINGHAM I go; and towards three or four o’clock Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.Buckingham exits.RICHARD 105 Go, Lovell, with all speed to Doctor Shaa. ⌜To Ratcliffe.⌝ Go thou to Friar Penker. Bid them both Meet me within this hour at Baynard’s Castle.⌜Ratcliffe and Lovell⌝ exit. Now will I go to take some privy order110 To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight, And to give order that no manner person Have any time recourse unto the Princes.⟨He exits.⟩