And thy assistance, is king Richard seated :- Buck. Still live they, and for ever let them last! To try if thou be current gold, indeed : Young Edward lives;-Think now what I would speak. Buck. Say on, my loving lord. K. Rich. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king. Buck. Why, so you are, my thrice-renowned liege. K. Rich. Ha! am I king? 'Tis so: but Edward lives. Buck. True, noble prince. K. Rich. O bitter consequence, That Edward still should live,-true, noble prince ! Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull: Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead; What say'st thou now? speak suddenly, be brief. K. Rich. Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes : Say, have I thy consent, that they shall die? Buck. Give me some breath, some little pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this: I will resolve your grace immediately. [Exit Buck Cate. The king is angry; see, he gnaws his lip. [Aside. K. Rich. I will converse with iron-witted fools, And unrespective boys; none are for me, Page. My lord. K. Rich. Know'st thou not any, whom corrupting gold Would tempt unto a close exploit of death? Page. I know a discontented gentleman, Whose humble means match not his haughty mind: Gold were as good as twenty orators, And will, no doubt, tempt him to any thing. K. Rich. What is his name? Page. His name, my lord, is-Tyrrel. K. Rich. I partly know the man; Go, call him hither, boy. The deep-revolving witty Buckingham [Exit Page. No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels : And stops he now for breath?-well, be it so.- Enter STANLEY. How now, lord Stanley? what's the news? Stan. Know, my loving lord, The marquis Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides. K. Rich. Come hither, Catesby: rumour it abroad, That Anne my wife is very grievous sick; I will take order for her keeping close. Look, how thou dream'st!-I say again, give out, To stop all hopes, whose growth may damage me.- I must be marry'd to my brother's daughter, Re-enter Page, with TYRREL. Is thy name-Tyrrel? Tyr. James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject. K. Rich. Art thou, indeed? Tyr. Prove me, my gracious lord. K. Rich. Dar'st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine? Tyr. Please you; but I had rather kill two enemies. K. Rich. Why, then thou hast it; two deep enemies, Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep's disturbers Are they that I would have thee deal upon : Tyr. Let me have open means to come to them, K. Rich. Thou sing'st sweet musick. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel; Go, by this token :- Rise, and lend thine ear: There is no more but so :-Say, it is done, Re-enter BUCKINGHAM. [Whispers. [Exit. Buck. My lord, I have consider'd in my mind The late demand that you did sound me in. K. Rich. Well, let that rest. Richmond. Buck. I hear the news, my lord. Dorset is fled to K. Rich. Stanley, he is your wife's son:-Well, look to it. Buck. My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise, For which your honour and your faith is pawn'd; The earldom of Hereford, and the moveables, Which you have promised I shall possess. K. Rich. Stanley, look to your wife; if she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it. Buck. What says your highness to my just request? K. Rich. I do remember me,-Henry the sixth Did prophecy, that Richmond should be king, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. 20 A king!-perhaps Buck. My lord, K. Rich. How chance, the prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him? Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I saw Richmond. Buck. My lord, K. Rich. Buck. Ay, what's o'clock ? I am thus bold To put your grace in mind of what you promis'd me. K. Rich. Well, but what is't o'clock ? Buck. Of ten. K. Rich. Well, let it strike. Buck. Upon the stroke Why let it strike? K. Rich. Because that, like a jack, thou keep'st the stroke 21 Betwixt thy begging and my meditation. I am not in the giving vein to-day. Buck. Why, then resolve me whe'r you will, or no. K. Rich. Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein. [Exeunt King Richard and Train. |