The Tragedy of Richard the Third: ACT II
Introduction ACT I ACT II SCENE I. London. The palace. SCENE II. The palace. SCENE III. London. A street. SCENE IV. London. The palace. ACT III ACT IV ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: SCENE IV. London. The palace. Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK ARCHBISHOP 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. DUCHESS OF YORK       I long with all my heart to see the prince: 5     I hope he is much grown since last I saw him. QUEEN ELIZABETH       But I hear, no; they say my son of York       Hath almost overta'en him in his growth. YORK       Ay, mother; but I would not have it so. DUCHESS OF YORK       Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. YORK 10    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:' 15    And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,       Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste. DUCHESS OF YORK       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, 20    So long a-growing and so leisurely,       That, if this rule were true, he should be gracious. ARCHBISHOP OF YORK       Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is. DUCHESS OF YORK       I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt. YORK       Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd, 25    I could have given my uncle's grace a flout,       To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine. DUCHESS OF YORK       How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it. YORK       Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast       That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old 30    'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.       Grandam, this would have been a biting jest. DUCHESS OF YORK       I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this? YORK       Grandam, his nurse. DUCHESS OF YORK       His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born. YORK 35    If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me. QUEEN ELIZABETH       A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd. ARCHBISHOP OF YORK       Good madam, be not angry with the child. QUEEN ELIZABETH       Pitchers have ears. Enter a Messenger ARCHBISHOP OF YORK       Here comes a messenger. What news? Messenger 40    Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold. QUEEN ELIZABETH       How fares the prince? Messenger       Well, madam, and in health. DUCHESS OF YORK       What is thy news then? Messenger       Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret, 45    With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners. DUCHESS OF YORK       Who hath committed them? Messenger       The mighty dukes       Gloucester and Buckingham. QUEEN ELIZABETH       For what offence? Messenger 50    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. QUEEN ELIZABETH       Ay me, I see the downfall of our house!       The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind; 55    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. DUCHESS OF YORK       Accursed and unquiet wrangling days, 60    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 65    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! QUEEN ELIZABETH 70    Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary.       Madam, farewell. DUCHESS OF YORK       I'll go along with you. QUEEN ELIZABETH       You have no cause. ARCHBISHOP OF YORK       My gracious lady, go; 75    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 Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene