were as good as twenty orators,And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.
KING RICHARD
What is his name?
PAGE
His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.
KING RICHARD
I partly know the man: go, call him hither, boy.
[Exit PAGE.]
The deep-revolving witty Buckingham
No more shall be the neighbour to my counsels:
Hath he so long held out with me untir’d,
And stops he now for breath?—well, be it so.
[Enter STANLEY.]
How now, Lord Stanley! what’s the news?
STANLEY
Know, my loving lord,
The Marquis Dorset, as I hear, is fled
To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.
KING RICHARD
Come hither, Catesby: rumour it abroad
That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick;
I will take order for her keeping close:
Inquire me out some mean poor gentleman,
Whom I will marry straight to Clarence’ daughter;—
The boy is foolish, and I fear not him.—
Look how thou dream’st!—I say again, give out
That Anne, my queen, is sick and like to die:
About it; for it stands me much upon,
To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
[Exit CATESBY.]
I must be married to my brother’s daughter,
Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass:—
Murder her brothers, and then marry her!
Uncertain way of gain! But I am in
So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin:
Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.
[Re-enter PAGE, with TYRREL.]
Is thy name Tyrrel?
TYRREL
James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.
KING RICHARD
Art thou, indeed?
TYRREL
Prove me, my gracious lord.
KING RICHARD
Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
TYRREL
Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.
KING RICHARD
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:—
Tyrell, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
TYRREL
Let me have open means to come to them,
And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.
KING RICHARD
Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel:
Go, by this token:—rise, and lend thine ear:
[Whispers]
There is no more but so:—say it is done,
And I will love thee, and prefer thee for it.
TYRREL
I will despatch it straight.
[Exit.]
[Re-enter BUCKINGHAM.]
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, I have consider’d in my mind
The late request that you did sound me in.
KING RICHARD
Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.
BUCKINGHAM
I hear the news, my lord.
KING RICHARD
Stanley, he is your wife’s son:—well, look to it.
BUCKINGHAM
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 movables
Which you have promisèd I shall possess.
KING RICHARD
Stanley, look to your wife: if she convey
Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it.
BUCKINGHAM
What says your highness to my just request?
KING RICHARD
I do remember me:—Henry the Sixth
Did prophesy that Richmond should be king,
When Richmond was a little peevish boy.
A king!—perhaps,—
BUCKINGHAM
My lord,—
KING RICHARD
How chance the prophet could not at that time
Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him?
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, your promise for the earldom,—
KING RICHARD
Richmond!—When last I was at Exeter,