Richard III by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 4
London. The palace.
Thomas Rotherham : Last night, I hear, they lay at Northampton;
[p]At Stony-Stratford
will they be to-night:
[p]To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.
Duchess of York : I long with all my heart to see the prince:
[p]I hope he is much grown
since last I saw him.
Duchess of York : Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow.
Duchess of York : Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold
[p]In him that did
object the same to thee;
[p]He was the wretched'st thing when he was
young,
[p]So long a-growing and so leisurely,
[p]That, if this rule
were true, he should be gracious.
Thomas Rotherham : Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is.
Duchess of York : I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.
Duchess of York : How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.
Duchess of York : I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this?
Duchess of York : His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.
Thomas Rotherham : Good madam, be not angry with the child.
Thomas Rotherham : Here comes a messenger. What news?
Messenger : Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold.
Messenger : Well, madam, and in health.
Duchess of York : What is thy news then?
Messenger : Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,
[p]With them Sir Thomas
Vaughan, prisoners.
Duchess of York : Who hath committed them?
Messenger : The mighty dukes
[p]Gloucester and Buckingham.
Messenger : The sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
[p]Why or for what these
nobles were committed
[p]Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.
Duchess of York : Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,
[p]How many of you have mine eyes
beheld!
[p]My husband lost his life to get the crown;
[p]And often up
and down my sons were toss'd,
[p]For me to joy and weep their gain and
loss:
[p]And being seated, and domestic broils
[p]Clean over-blown,
themselves, the conquerors.
[p]Make war upon themselves; blood against
blood,
[p]Self against self: O, preposterous
[p]And frantic outrage,
end thy damned spleen;
[p]Or let me die, to look on death no more!
Duchess of York : I'll go along with you.
Thomas Rotherham : My gracious lady, go;
[p]And thither bear your treasure and your
goods.
[p]For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
[p]The seal I keep:
and so betide to me
[p]As well I tender you and all of yours!
[p]Come,
I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.
Previous: Act 2 - Scene 3
Next: Act 3 - Scene 1
