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Act IIIScene ILondon. A streetThe trumpets sound. Enter the young Prince Edward, Gloucester, Buckingham, Cardinal, Catesby, and othersBuckinghamWelcome, sweet prince, to London, to your chamber.GloucesterWelcome, dear cousin, my thoughts’ sovereign The weary way hath made you melancholy.Prince EdwardNo, uncle; but our crosses on the way Have made it tedious, wearisome, and heavy I want more uncles here to welcome me.GloucesterSweet prince, the untainted virtue of your years Hath not yet dived into the world’s deceit Nor more can you distinguish of a man Than of his outward show; which, God he knows, Seldom or never jumpeth with the heart. Those uncles which you want were dangerous; Your grace attended to their sugar’d words, But look’d not on the poison of their hearts : God keep you from them, and from such false friends!Prince EdwardGod keep me from false friends! but they were none.GloucesterMy lord, the mayor of London comes to greet you.Enter the Lord Mayor and his trainLord MayorGod bless your grace with health and happy days!Prince EdwardI thank you, good my lord; and thank you all. I thought my mother, and my brother York, Would long ere this have met us on the way Fie, what a slug is Hastings, that he comes not To tell us whether they will come or no!Enter HastingsBuckinghamAnd, in good time, here comes the sweating lord.Prince EdwardWelcome, my lord: what, will our mother come?HastingsOn what occasion, God he knows, not I, The queen your mother, and your brother York, Have taken sanctuary: the tender prince Would fain have come with me to meet your grace, But by his mother was perforce withheld.BuckinghamFie, what an indirect and peevish course Is this of hers! Lord cardinal, will your grace Persuade the queen to send the Duke of York Unto his princely brother presently? If she deny, Lord Hastings, go with him, And from her jealous arms pluck him perforce.CardinalMy Lord of Buckingham, if my weak oratory Can from his mother win the Duke of York, Anon expect him here; but if she be obdurate To mild entreaties, God in heaven forbid We should infringe the holy privilege Of blessed sanctuary! not for all this land Would I be guilty of so deep a sin.BuckinghamYou are too senseless—obstinate, my lord, Too ceremonious and traditional Weigh it but with the grossness of this age, You break not sanctuary in seizing him. The benefit thereof is always granted To those whose dealings have deserved the place, And those who have the wit to claim the place: This prince hath neither claim’d it nor deserved it; And therefore, in mine opinion, cannot have it: Then, taking him from thence that is not there, You break no privilege nor charter there. Oft have I heard of sanctuary men; But sanctuary children ne’er till now.CardinalMy lord, you shall o’er-rule my mind for once. Come on, Lord Hastings, will you go with me?HastingsI go, my lord.Prince EdwardGood lords, make all the speedy haste you may.Exeunt Cardinal and HastingsSay, uncle Gloucester, if our brother come, Where shall we sojourn till our coronation?GloucesterWhere it seems best unto your royal self. If I may counsel you, some day or two Your highness shall repose you at the Tower: Then where you please, and shall be thought most fit For your best health and recreation.Prince EdwardI do not like the Tower, of any place. Did Julius Caesar build that place, my lord?BuckinghamHe did, my gracious lord, begin that place; Which, since, succeeding ages have re-edified.Prince EdwardIs it upon record, or else reported Successively from age to age, he built it?BuckinghamUpon record, my gracious lord.Prince EdwardBut say, my lord, it were not register’d, Methinks the truth should live from age to age, As ’twere retail’d to all posterity, Even to the general all-ending day.GloucesterAsideSo wise so young, they say, do never live long.Prince EdwardWhat say you, uncle?GloucesterI say, without characters, fame lives long.AsideThus, like the formal vice, Iniquity, I moralize two meanings in one word.Prince EdwardThat Julius Caesar was a famous man; With what his valour did enrich his wit, His wit set down to make his valour live Death makes no conquest of this conqueror; For now he lives in fame, though not in life. I’ll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham,—BuckinghamWhat, my gracious lord?Prince EdwardAn if I live until I be a man, I’ll win our ancient right in France again, Or die a soldier, as I lived a king.GloucesterAsideShort summers lightly have a forward spring.Enter young York, Hastings, and the CardinalBuckinghamNow, in good time, here comes the Duke of York.Prince EdwardRichard of York! how fares our loving brother?YorkWell, my dread lord; so must I call you now.Prince EdwardAy, brother, to our grief, as it is yours: Too late he died that might have kept that title, Which by his death hath lost much majesty.GloucesterHow fares our cousin, noble Lord of York?YorkI thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord, You said that idle weeds are fast in growth The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.GloucesterHe hath, my lord.YorkAnd therefore is he idle?GloucesterO, my fair cousin, I must not say so.YorkThen is he more beholding to you than I.GloucesterHe may command me as my sovereign; But you have power in me as in a kinsman.YorkI pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.GloucesterMy dagger, little cousin? with all my heart.Prince EdwardA beggar, brother?YorkOf my kind uncle, that I know will give; And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.GloucesterA greater gift than that I’ll give my cousin.YorkA greater gift! O, that’s the sword to it.GloucesterA gentle cousin, were it light enough.YorkO, then, I see, you will part but with light gifts; In weightier things you’ll say a beggar nay.GloucesterIt is too heavy for your grace to wear.YorkI weigh it lightly, were it heavier.GloucesterWhat, would you have my weapon, little lord?YorkI would, that I might thank you as you call me.GloucesterHow?YorkLittle.Prince EdwardMy Lord of York will still be cross in talk: Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.YorkYou mean, to bear me, not to bear with me: Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me; Because that I am little, like an ape, He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.BuckinghamWith what a sharp-provided wit he reasons! To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle, He prettily and aptly taunts himself: So cunning and so young is wonderful.GloucesterMy lord, will’t please you pass along? Myself and my good cousin Buckingham Will to your mother, to entreat of her To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.YorkWhat, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?Prince EdwardMy lord protector needs will have it so.YorkI shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.GloucesterWhy, what should you fear?YorkMarry, my uncle Clarence’ angry ghost: My grandam told me he was murdered there.Prince EdwardI fear no uncles dead.GloucesterNor none that live, I hope.Prince EdwardAn if they live, I hope I need not fear. But come, my lord; and with a heavy heart, Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.A Sennet. Exeunt all but Gloucester, Buckingham and CatesbyBuckinghamThink you, my lord, this little prating York Was not incensed by his subtle mother To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?GloucesterNo doubt, no doubt; O, ’tis a parlous boy; Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable He is all the mother’s, from the top to toe.BuckinghamWell, let them rest. Come hither, Catesby. Thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend As closely to conceal what we impart: Thou know’st our reasons urged upon the way; What think’st thou? is it not an easy matter To make William Lord Hastings of our mind, For the instalment of this noble duke In the seat royal of this famous isle?CatesbyHe for his father’s sake so loves the prince, That he will not be won to aught against him.BuckinghamWhat think’st thou, then, of Stanley? what will he?CatesbyHe will do all in all as Hastings doth.BuckinghamWell, then, no more but this: go, gentle Catesby, And, as it were far off sound thou Lord Hastings, How doth he stand affected to our purpose; And summon him to-morrow to the Tower, To sit about the coronation. If thou dost find him tractable to us, Encourage him, and show him all our reasons: If he be leaden, icy-cold, unwilling, Be thou so too; and so break off your talk, And give us notice of his inclination: For we to-morrow hold divided councils, Wherein thyself shalt highly be employ’d.GloucesterCommend me to Lord William: tell him, Catesby, His ancient knot of dangerous adversaries To-morrow are let blood at Pomfret-castle; And bid my friend, for joy of this good news, Give mistress Shore one gentle kiss the more.BuckinghamGood Catesby, go, effect this business soundly.CatesbyMy good lords both, with all the heed I may.GloucesterShall we hear from you, Catesby, ere we sleep?CatesbyYou shall, my lord.GloucesterAt Crosby Place, there shall you find us both.Exit CatesbyBuckinghamNow, my lord, what shall we do, if we perceive Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?GloucesterChop off his head, man; somewhat we will do: And, look, when I am king, claim thou of me The earldom of Hereford, and the moveables Whereof the king my brother stood possess’d.BuckinghamI’ll claim that promise at your grace’s hands.GloucesterAnd look to have it yielded with all willingness. Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards We may digest our complots in some form.Exeunt

The Tragedy of Richard the Third

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William Shakespeare: Richard III, Act III, Scene VII

  • William Shakespeare: Richard III, Act III, Scene VII

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

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Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales