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KING RICHARD III
SCENE 2。
London。 The palace
Enter the old DUCHESS OF YORK； with the SON and DAUGHTER
of CLARENCE
SON。 Good grandam； tell us； is our father dead？ DUCHESS。 No； boy。
DAUGHTER。 Why do you weep so oft； and beat your breast； And cry 'O
Clarence； my unhappy son！'？ SON。 Why do you look on us； and shake
your head； And call us orphans； wretches； castaways； If that our noble
father were alive？ DUCHESS。 My pretty cousins； you mistake me both； I
do lament the sickness of the King； As loath to lose him； not your father's
death； It were lost sorrow to wail one that's lost。 SON。 Then you conclude；
my grandam； he is dead。 The King mine uncle is to blame for it。 God will
revenge it； whom I will importune With earnest prayers all to that effect。
DAUGHTER。 And so will I。 DUCHESS。 Peace； children； peace！ The
King doth love you well。 Incapable and shallow innocents； You cannot
guess who caus'd your father's death。 SON。 Grandam； we can； for my
good uncle Gloucester Told me the King； provok'd to it by the Queen；
Devis'd impeachments to imprison him。 And when my uncle told me so；
he wept； And pitied me； and kindly kiss'd my cheek； Bade me rely on him
as on my father； And he would love me dearly as a child。 DUCHESS。 Ah；
that deceit should steal such gentle shape； And with a virtuous vizor hide
deep vice！ He is my son； ay； and therein my shame； Yet from my dugs he
drew not this deceit。 SON。 Think you my uncle did dissemble； grandam？
DUCHESS。 Ay； boy。 SON。 I cannot think it。 Hark！ what noise is this？
Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH； with her hair about her ears； RIVERS
and DORSET after her
QUEEN ELIZABETH。 Ah； who shall hinder me to wail and weep；
To chide my fortune； and torment myself？ I'll join with black despair
against my soul And to myself become an enemy。 DUCHESS。 What
means this scene of rude impatience？ QUEEN ELIZABETH。 To make an
act of tragic violence。 EDWARD； my lord； thy son； our king； is dead。 Why
grow the branches when the root is gone？ Why wither not the leaves that
want their sap？ If you will live； lament； if die； be brief； That our swift…
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KING RICHARD III
winged souls may catch the King's； Or like obedient subjects follow him
To his new kingdom of ne'er…changing night。 DUCHESS。 Ah； so much
interest have I in thy sorrow As I had title in thy noble husband！ I have
bewept a worthy husband's death； And liv'd with looking on his images；
But now two mirrors of his princely semblance Are crack'd in pieces by
malignant death； And I for comfort have but one false glass； That grieves
me when I see my shame in him。 Thou art a widow； yet thou art a mother
And hast the comfort of thy children left； But death hath snatch'd my
husband from mine arms And pluck'd two crutches from my feeble hands…
Clarence and Edward。 O； what cause have I… Thine being but a moiety of
my moan… To overgo thy woes and drown thy cries？ SON。 Ah； aunt； you
wept not for our father's death！ How can we aid you with our kindred tears？
DAUGHTER。 Our fatherless distress was left unmoan'd； Your widow…
dolour likewise be unwept！ QUEEN ELIZABETH。 Give me no help in
lamentation； I am not barren to bring forth complaints。 All springs reduce
their currents to mine eyes That I； being govern'd by the watery moon；
May send forth plenteous tears to drown the world！ Ah for my husband；
for my dear Lord Edward！ CHILDREN。 Ah for our father； for our dear
Lord Clarence！ DUCHESS。 Alas for both； both mine； Edward and
Clarence！ QUEEN ELIZABETH。 What stay had I but Edward？ and he's
gone。 CHILDREN。 What stay had we but Clarence？ and he's gone。
DUCHESS。 What stays had I but they？ and they are gone。 QUEEN
ELIZABETH。 Was never widow had so dear a loss。 CHILDREN。 Were
never orphans had so dear a loss。 DUCHESS。 Was never mother had so
dear a loss。 Alas； I am the mother of these griefs！ Their woes are parcell'd；
mine is general。 She for an Edward weeps； and so do I： I for a Clarence
weep； so doth not she。 These babes for Clarence weep； and so do I： I for
an Edward weep； so do not they。 Alas； you three on me； threefold
distress'd； Pour all your tears！ I am your sorrow's nurse； And I will pamper
it with lamentation。 DORSET。 Comfort； dear mother。 God is much
displeas'd That you take with unthankfulness his doing。 In common
worldly things 'tis called ungrateful With dull unwillingness to repay a
debt Which with a bounteous hand was kindly lent； Much more to be thus
opposite with heaven； For it requires the royal debt it lent you。 RIVERS。
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KING RICHARD III
Madam； bethink you； like a careful mother； Of the young prince your son。
Send straight for him； Let him be crown'd； in him your comfort lives。
Drown desperate sorrow in dead Edward's grave； And plant your joys in
living Edward's throne。
Enter GLOUCESTER； BUCKINGHAM； DERBY； HASTINGS； and
RATCLIFF
GLOUCESTER。 Sister； have comfort。 All of us have cause To wail
the dimming of our shining star； But none can help our harms by wailing
them。 Madam； my mother； I do cry you mercy； I did not see your Grace。
Humbly on my knee I crave your blessing。 DUCHESS。 God bless thee；
and put meekness in thy breast； Love； charity； obedience； and true duty！
GLOUCESTER。 Amen！ ＇Aside＇ And make me die a good old man！ That
is the butt end of a mother's blessing； I marvel that her Grace did leave it
out。 BUCKINGHAM。 You cloudy princes and heart…sorrowing peers； That
bear this heavy mutual load of moan； Now cheer each other in each other's
love。 Though we have spent our harvest of this king； We are to reap the
harvest of his son。 The broken rancour of your high…swol'n hearts； But
lately splinter'd； knit； and join'd together； Must gently be preserv'd；
cherish'd； and kept。 Me seemeth good that； with some little train；
Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be fet Hither to London； to be
crown'd our King。
RIVERS。 Why with some little train； my Lord of Buckingham？
BUCKINGHAM。 Marry； my lord； lest by a mult