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Richard III

Act I, Scene 1

London. A street.
 
[Enter GLOUCESTER, solus]
 
RICHARD
       ,            ,       ,        ,       ,
      Now is | the wint|er of | our dis|content,
             ,   2    ,       ,         ,         ,
      Made^glor|ious sum|mer by | this sun | of York:
           ,           ,             ,       ,          ,
      And all | the clouds | that loured | upon | our house
       ,         ,    x               ,        ,
      In the | deep bosom / of the | ocean | buried.
       ,              ,       ,              ,   2      ,
      Now are | our brows | bound with | victor|ious wreaths,
            ,        ,          ,        ,      ,
      Our bruis|ed arms | hung^up | for mon|uments;
            ,       ,         ,          ,      ,         o
      Our stern | alar|ums changed | to mer|ry meet|ings;
            ,         ,        ,       ,        ,         o
      Our dread|ful march|es, to | delight|ful meas|ures.   (hex with prev)
        T     Tx    T             ,            ,         ,
      Grim visaged war,| hath smoothed | his wrink|led front:
           ,        ,          ,        ,         ,
      And now,| instead | of mount|ing barb|ed steeds,
           ,            ,          ,       ,      x
      To fright | the souls | of fear|ful ad|versaries,
          ,       ,   ,    2     ,         ,
      He cap|ers nim|bly in a | lady's | chamber,
       ,           ,   2     ,        ,       ,
      To the | lasciv|ious pleas|ing of | a lute.
          ,              ,     ,           ,          ,
      But I,| that am / not shaped | for sport|ive tricks,
            ,         ,         ,  2      ,        ,
      Nor made | to court | an am|orous look|ing-glass:
      ,      2       ,         T      .    T     T      ,  2
      I, that am | rudely | stamped, and want love's | majesty,
           ,         ,       ,       ,         ,
      To strut | before | a want|on am|bling nymph:
      ,          ,        ,     2         ,       ,
      I, that | am cur|tailed of this | fair pro|portion,
        ,    2      ,         ,      ,          ,
      Cheated of | feature | by dis|sembling | nature,
           ,        ,           ,        ,         ,
      Deformed,| unfin|ished, sent | before | my time
       ,  2         ,           T       T     T          ,
      Into this | breathing | world, scarce half | made^up,
            ,         ,      ,        ,     2 ,
      And that | so lame|ly and | unfash|ionable,
             ,      ,        ,           ,     ,
      That dogs | bark at | me, as | I halt | by them.
          ,               ,   ,        ,         ,
      Why I |(in this / weak pip|ing time | of peace)
            ,       ,          ,      ,          ,
      Have no | delight | to pass | away | the time,
          ,        ,        ,       ,        ,
      Unless | to see | my shad|ow in | the sun,
           ,        ,         ,       ,     ,
      And des|cant^on | mine^own | deform|ity.
            ,           ,        ,        ,         x
      And there|fore, since | I can|not prove | a lover,
          ,      ,            ,      T    Tx     T
      To ent|ertain | these fair | well-spoken days,
         ,       ,     ,        ,          x
      I am | determ|ined | to prove | a villain,
            ,         ,      ,               ,     ,
      And hate | the id|le pleas|ures of / these days.
        ,              ,       ,         ,      ,
      Plots have | I laid,| induc|tions dang|erous,
           ,        ,      ,     ,              ,
      By drunk|en proph|ecies,| libels,| and dreams,
          ,         ,       ,         ,          ,
      To set | my broth|er Clar|ence and | the king
           ,       ,         ,     x             ,
      In dead|ly hate,| the one | against the | other:
           ,         ,       ,        ,          ,
      And if | King^Ed|ward be | as true | and just,
         ,       ,         ,           ,       ,
      As I | am sub|tle, false,| and treach|erous,
            ,            ,          ,       ,          ,
      This^day | should Clar|ence close|ly be | mewed^up:
         ,       ,      ,           ,         ,
      About | a proph|ecy,| which says | that G,
          ,          ,          ,     ,           ,
      Of Ed|ward's heirs | the murd|erer | shall be.
        T      T      T      2     ,          ,          ,
      Dive thoughts down | to my soul,| here Clar|ence comes.
 
[Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY]
       ,              ,           ,           ,       ,
      Brother,| good^day:| what means | this arm|ed guard
             ,       ,           ,
      That waits | upon | your grace?  \\
 
CLARENCE
           ,     ,     ,   2            x       ,
      His maj|esty | tendering | my person's | safety,
          2    ,     2      ,    ,     2     ,         2      x
      Hath appoint|ed this con|duct, to con|vey me | to the Tower.
 
RICHARD
         ,          ,
      Upon | what^cause?
 
CLARENCE
                             ,          ,          ,
                         Because | my name | is George.
 
RICHARD
         ,         ,           ,          ,         ,
      Alack | my lord,| that fault | is none | of yours:
            ,           ,        ,          ,   ,
      He should | for that | commit | your god|fathers.
      ,      ,          ,  2            ,        ,
      O be|like, his | majesty | hath some | intent,
            ,            ,    ,    ,                    x
      That you | should be | new christ/ened in | the Tower.
            ,           ,       ,          ,        ,
      But what's | the mat|ter Clar|ence, may | I know?
 
CLARENCE
       ,    ,              ,   ,                 ,
      Yea Rich/ard, when | I know:/ but I | protest
          ,            ,    ,       ,         ,
      As yet | I do / not: but | as I | can learn,
           ,        ,       ,      ,           ,
      He heark|ens aft|er proph|ecies | and dreams,
       ,      2        T    T     T          ,      ,
      And from the | cross-row plucks | the let|ter G:
            ,       ,        ,           ,       ,
      And says,| a wiz|ard told | him, that | by G,
           ,      ,     ,    ,            ,
      His is|sue dis|inher|ited | should be.
           ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      And for | my name | of George | begins | with G,
          ,        ,          ,           ,       ,
      It fol|lows in | his thought,| that I | am he.
        ,      2      ,             T    T    T         ,
      These (as I | learn)| and | such like toys | as these,
             ,           ,        ,       ,        ,
      Have moved | his high|ness to | commit | me now.
 
RICHARD
            ,        ,         ,          ,          x
      Why this | it is,| when men | are ruled | by women:
            ,         ,            ,          ,         x
      'Tis not | the king | that sends | you to | the Tower,
          ,      ,          ,     ,               ,
      My La|dy Gray | his wife,| Clarence | 'tis she,
            ,        ,         ,       ,     ,
      That temp|ers him | to this | extrem|ity.
           ,        ,                 ,   ,        ,       ->
      Was it | not^she,| and that / good man | of wor||ship,
        ,          ,   ,          ,         ,
      Anth|ony / Woodville | her broth|er there,
             ,          ,          ,         ,         x
      That made | him send | Lord^Hast|ings to | the Tower?
              ,           ,        ,     ,   2    ,
      From whence | this pres|ent day | he is de|livered?
                ,    ,     ,          ,             ,
      We are / not safe | Clarence,| we are | not^safe.
 
CLARENCE
            x         ,                 ,  ,        ,
      By heaven,| I think | there is / no man | secure
         2       ,       ,              ,      ,        ,
      But the queen's | kindred,| and night-|walking | heralds
              ,         ,           ,         ,          ,
      That trudge | betwixt | the king,| and mist|ress Shore.
        ,         ,            ,       ,      ,
      Heard ye | not what | a hum|ble sup|pliant
            ,         ,         ,       ,    ,
      Lord^Hast|ings was,| for her | deliv|ery?
 
RICHARD
       ,            ,        ,        ,   ,
      Humbly | complain|ing to | her de|ity,
       ,              ,       ,         ,     ,
      Got my | lord chamb|erlain | his lib|erty.
             ,          ,        ,         ,        ,
      I'll tell | you what,| I think | it is | our way,
          ,          ,        ,       ,          ,
      If we | will keep | in fav|or with | the king,
          ,        ,          ,         ,    ,
      To be | her men,| and wear | her liv|ery.
           ,             ,   ,       ,         ,
      The jeal|ous ore/worn wid|ow, and | herself,
        ,       2       ,           ,           ,      ,
      Since that our | brother | dubbed them | gentle|women,
            ,      ,        ,         ,     ,
      Are migh|ty gos|sips in | this mon|archy.
 
BRAKENBURY
       2    ,           ,        ,        ,       ,
      I beseech | your gra|ces both | to pard|on me,
           ,    ,            ,        x           ,
      His maj|esty | hath strait|ly given | in charge,
            ,    ,                 ,        ,      ,
      That no | man shall | have priv|ate conf|erence
            ,        ,        x      ,           ,
      (Of what | degree | soever)| with your | brother.
 
RICHARD
        2   ,          ,            ,        ,      x
      Even so;| and please | your worsh|ip Brak|enbury,
           ,         ,       ,      ,         ,
      You may | partake | of an|y thing | we say:
           ,          ,       ,        ,          ,
      We speak | no treas|on man;| we say | the king
           ,         ,    2     ,         ,       ,
      Is wise | and vir|tuous, and | his nob|le queen
        T     T    .   T      __         ,     ,
      Well struck in years,| fair,| and not | jealous.
          ,            ,        ,             ,       ,
      We say,| that Shore's | wife hath | a pret|ty foot,
          ,     ,      ,     ,      ,        ,         ,
      A cherry lip, a bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue:  ????
       ,      2        ,       ,              T   T  .    T
      And that the | queen's kind/red are | made gentle-folks.
           ,         ,     ,           ,         ,
      How say | you sir?| Can you | deny | all this?
 
BRAKENBURY
             ,         ,        ,            ,         ,
      With this |(my lord)| myself | have nought | to do.
 
RICHARD
        ,          ,         ,          ___    oo
      Naught to | do with | mistress | Shore?|
          ,          ,        ,       2        ,           ,
      I tell | thee fel|low, he | that doth naught | with her
          ,        ,           ,        ,       ,       ,      ,  ->
      (Except|ing one)| were best | to do | it sec||retly | alone.
 
BRAKENBURY
            ,         ,    oo
      What one,| my lord?|
 
RICHARD
           ,          ,              ,        ,        o
      Her hus|band knave,| wouldst thou | betray | me?
 
BRAKENBURY
         ,       ,            ,
      I do | beseech | your grace   ????
          ,       ,    ,        ,       ,
      To pard|on me,| and with|al for|bear
      <-         ,            ,         ,       ,    oo
        Your || confe|rence with | the nob|le duke.|
 
CLARENCE
           ,           ,      ,       x             2  ,
      We know | thy charge | Braken|bury, and | will obey.
 
RICHARD
       ,              ,      ,               ,      ,
      We are | the queen's | abjects,| and must | obey.
       ,              ,        ,       ,         ,
      Brother | farewell,| I will | unto | the king,
            ,     ,          ,        ,        ,
      And what|soere | you will | employ | me in,
        ,    2       ,         ,          ,       ,
      Were it to | call King^|Edward's | widow,| sister,
          ,         ,     ,   2     T   T    T
      I will | perform | it to en|franchise you.
            ,           ,         ,          ,       ,
      Meantime,| this deep | disgrace | in broth|erhood,
       ,         ,   ,             ,     2   ,
      Touches | me deep/er than | you can im|agine.
 
CLARENCE
          ,         ,        ,        ,        ,
      I know | it pleas|eth neith|er of | us well.
 
RICHARD
        ,              ,      ,           ,         ,
      Well, your | impris|onment | shall not | be long,
          ,       ,      ,      2      ,         ,
      I will | deliv|er you,| or else lie | for you:
            ,          ,        2
      Meantime,| have pa|tience.
 
CLARENCE
                                     ,         ,           ,
                                 I must | perforce:| Farewell.
 
[Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard]
 
RICHARD
           ,           ,           ,            ,        ,
      Go tread | the path | that thou | shalt nere | return:
       ,         ,     ,                 ,          ,
      Simple | plain Clar/ence, I | do love | thee so,
           ,          ,        ,          ,          x
      That I | will short|ly send | thy soul | to heaven,
            x            ,         ,        ,         ,
      If heaven | will take | the pres|ent at | our hands.
           ,            ,          ,      ,         ,
      But who | comes^here? The | new-de|livered | Hastings?
 
[Enter HASTINGS]
 
HASTINGS
             ,        ,       ,       ,          ,
      Good^time | of day | unto | my gra|cious lord.
 
RICHARD
           ,       ,        ,      ,    ,
      As much | unto | my good | lord cham/berlain:
        ,             ,        ,        ,      ,
      Well are | you wel|come to | this op|en air,
            ,           ,          ,         ,       ,
      How hath | your lord|ship brooked | impris|onment?
 
HASTINGS
            ,          ,       ,        ,    2      ,
      With pa|tience (nob|le lord)| as pris|oners must:
          ,           ,         ,         ,            ,
      But I | shall live |(my lord)| to give | them thanks
             ,          ,         ,      ,       ,
      That were | the cause | of my | impris|onment.
 
RICHARD
           ,          ,          ,          ,         ,
      No doubt,| no doubt,| and so | shall Clar|ence too,
            ,           ,          ,    ,         ,
      For they | that were | your en|emies,| are his,
            ,          ,          ,        ,        ,
      And have | prevailed | as much | on him,| as you.
 
HASTINGS
            ,       ,         ,        ,          ,
      More pit|y, that | the eag|le should | be mewed,
              ,          ,          ,        ,     ,
      While kites | and buz|zards prey | at lib|erty.
 
RICHARD
             ,       ,
      What news | abroad?   \\
 
HASTINGS
           ,        ,       ,          ,         ,
      No news | so bad | abroad,| as this | at home:
            ,         ,        ,         ,     ,      ->
      The King | is sick|ly, weak,| and mel|ancho||ly,
       ,       2    ,         ,          ,     ,
      And | his physi|cians fear | him might|ily.
 
RICHARD
            ,           ,           ,        ,        ,
      Now* by | Saint^John,| this news | is bad | indeed.
         ,          ,       ,      ,      ,
      O he | hath kept | an ev|il di|et long,
          ,      ,         ,          ,         x
      And ov|ermuch | consumed | his roy|al person:
            ,      ,        ,         ,        ,
      'Tis ve|ry griev|ous to | be thought | upon.
        ,            ,        ,
      What, is | he in | his bed?  \\
 
HASTINGS
          ,
      He is.
 
RICHARD
              ,           ,       3 3      ,       ,
             Go you | before,| and I will fol|low you.
 
[Exit HASTINGS]
          ,        ,        ,          ,         ,
      He can|not live | I hope,| and must | not die,
             ,            ,            ,     ,              x
      Till George | be packed | with post-|horse up | to heaven.
        ,    2       ,         ,         ,        ,
      I'll in to | urge his | hatred | more to | Clarence,
        .    T    T     T             ,       ,     ,
      With^lies well steeled | with weigh|ty arg|uments,
           ,       ,     ,            ,        ,
      And if | I fail | not in | my deep | intent,
       ,               ,      ,       ,         ,
      Clarence | hath not | anoth|er day | to live:
              ,          ,      ,   ,        2       ,
      Which^done,| God^take | King Ed/ward to his | mercy,
            ,           ,          ,        ,      ,
      And leave | the world | for me | to bust|le in.
            ,          ,      ,           ,         ,       o
      For then,| I'll mar|ry War|wick's young|est daught|er.
              ,          ,          ,         ,         ,      o
      What though | I killed | her hus|band, and | her fath|er,  (hex with prev)
            ,   2    ,         ,          ,        ,
      The read|iest way | to make | the wench | amends,
       ,   2     ,         ,         ,         ,
      Is to be|come her | husband,| and her | father:
            ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      The which | will I,| not all | so much | for love,
          ,       ,      ,        ,         ,
      As for | anoth|er sec|ret close | intent,
          ,    2    ,          ,          ,        ,
      By mar|rying her,| which I | must reach | unto.
           ,       ,        ,         ,         ,       ->
      But yet | I run | before | my horse | to mark||et:
       ,       2          ,       ,               ,            ,
      Clar|ence still breathes,| Edward | still^lives | and reigns,
             ,          ,           ,        ,          ,
      When they | are gone,| then must | I count | my gains.
 
[Exit]

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