Q. Eliz. Cousins, indeed; and by their uncle cozen'd No doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt, But that still use of grief makes wild grief tame, K. Rich. Madam, so thrive I in my enterprize, As I intend more good to you and yours, Than ever you or yours by me were harm'd! Q. Eliz. What good is cover'd with the face of hea ven, To be discover'd, that can do me good? K. Rich. The advancement of your children, gentle lady. Q. Eliz. Up to some scaffold, there to lose their heads? K. Rich. No, to the dignity and height of fortune, The high imperial type of this earth's glory. Q. Eliz. Flatter my sorrows with report of it; Tell me, what state, what dignity, what honour, Canst thou demise to any child of mine? K. Rich. Even all I have; ay, and myself and all, Will I withal endow a child of thine; So in the Lethe of thy angry soul Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs, Which, thou supposest, I have done to thee. Q. Eliz. Be brief, lest that the process of thy kindness Last longer telling than thy kindness' date. K. Rich. Then know, that from my soul, I love thy daughter. Q. Eliz. My daughter's mother thinks it with her soul. K. Rich. What do you think? Q. Eliz. That thou dost love my daughter, from thy soul: So, from thy soul's love, didst thou love her brothers; And, from my heart's love, I do thank thee for it. K. Rich. Be not so hasty to confound my meaning: I mean, that with my soul, I love thy daughter, And do intend to make her queen of England. Q. Eliz. Well then, who dost thou mean shall be her king? K. Rich. Even he that makes her queen: Who else should be? Q. Eliz. What, thou? K. Rich. Even so: What think you of it, madam? K. Rich. That I would learn of you, K. Rich. Madam, with all my heart. Q. Eliz. Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers, A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave, The purple sap from her sweet brother's body, Tell her, thou mad'st away her uncle Clarence, Mad'st quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne. Q. Eliz. There is no other way; Unless thou could'st put on some other shape, And not be Richard that hath done all this. K. Rich. Say, that I did all this for love of her? Q. Eliz. Nay, then indeed, she cannot choose but have thee, Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. K. Rich. Look, what is done cannot be now amend ed: Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Which after-hours give leisure to repent. To quicken your increase, I will beget But mine shall be a comfort to your age. The loss, you have, is but--a son being king, The king, that calls your beauteous daughter,- wife, Q. Eliz. What were I best to say? her father's bro ther Would be her lord? Or shall I say, her uncle? That God, the law, my honour, and her love, K. Rich. Infer fair England's peace by this alliance. war. K. Rich. Tell her, the king, that may command, en treats. Q. Eliz. That at her hands, which the king's king forbids. K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. Q. Eliz. But how long shall that title, ever, last? K. Rich. Be eloquent in my behalf to her. Q. Eliz. An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told. K. Rich. Then, in plain terms tell her my loving tale. Q. Eliz. Plain, and not honest, is too harsh a style. K. Rich. Your reasons are too shallow and too quick. |