Richard the Third (Quarto 1, 1597)
Peer Reviewed
The Tragedy
¶Vpon the hatches thence we lookt toward England,
850And cited vp a thousand fearefull times,
¶During the wars of Yorke and Lancaster:
¶That had befallen vs, as we pact along,
¶Vpon the giddy footing of the hatches:
855Stroke me that thought to stay him ouer board,
¶Into the tumbling billowes of the maine.
¶Lord, Lord, me thought what paine it was to drowne,
¶What dreadfull noise of waters in my eares,
¶What vgly sights of death within my eies:
¶Wedges of gold, great anchors, heapes of pearle,
¶Where eies did once inhabite, there were crept
¶As twere in scorne of eies reflecting gems,
¶Which woed the slimy bottome of the deepe,
¶And mockt the dead bones that lay scattered by.
¶To gaze vpon the secrets of the deepe?
¶Kept in my soule, and would not let it foorth,
¶But smothered it within my panting bulke,
¶Cla. O no, my dreame was lengthned after life,
¶Who past me thought the melancholy floud,
¶With that grim ferriman, which Poets write of,
¶Vnto the kingdome of perpetuall night:
885Was my great father in law renowmed Warwicke,
¶Who cried alowd what scourge for periury.
¶Can this darke monarchy affoord false Clarence,
A sha
