Richard III

by William Shakespeare

Act II, Scene IV

London. The palace.

Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK

Last night, I hear, they lay at Northampton;
At Stony-Stratford will they be to-night:
To-morrow, or next day, they will be here.

I long with all my heart to see the prince:
I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.

But I hear, no; they say my son of York
Hath almost overta'en him in his growth.

Ay, mother; but I would not have it so.

Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow.

Grandam, one night, as we did sit at supper,
My uncle Rivers talk'd 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,
Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste.

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,
That, if this rule were true, he should be gracious.

Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is.

I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.

Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd,
I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,
To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.

How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it.

Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast
That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old
'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.
Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.

I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this?

Grandam, his nurse.

His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born.

If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.

A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd.

Good madam, be not angry with the child.

Pitchers have ears.

Enter a Messenger

Here comes a messenger. What news?

Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold.

How fares the prince?

Well, madam, and in health.

What is thy news then?

Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret,
With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.

Who hath committed them?

The mighty dukes
Gloucester and Buckingham.

For what offence?

The sum of all I can, I have disclosed;
Why or for what these nobles were committed
Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady.

Ay me, I see the downfall of our house!
The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind;
Insulting tyranny begins to jet
Upon the innocent and aweless throne:
Welcome, destruction, death, and massacre!
I see, as in a map, the end of all.

Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,
How many of you have mine eyes beheld!
My husband lost his life to get the crown;
And often up and down my sons were toss'd,
For me to joy and weep their gain and loss:
And being seated, and domestic broils
Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors.
Make war upon themselves; blood against blood,
Self against self: O, preposterous
And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen;
Or let me die, to look on death no more!

Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.
Madam, farewell.

I'll go along with you.

You have no cause.

My gracious lady, go;
And thither bear your treasure and your goods.
For my part, I'll resign unto your grace
The seal I keep: and so betide to me
As well I tender you and all of yours!
Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.

Exeunt

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