Richard the Third (Modern)

Texts of this edition
Facsimiles
 1793[3.2]
 17941626Enter a messenger to Lo[rd] Hastings.
2.117951627Messenger
 [Knocking at the door.]What ho, my lord.
2.217961628Hastings
 [Within.] Who knocks at the door?
2.317971629Messenger
 A messenger from the Lord Stanley.
2.41800Enter L[ord] Hast[ings].
2.517981630Hastings
 What's o'clock?
2.617991631Messenger
 Upon the stroke of four.
2.718011632Hastings
 Cannot thy master sleep these tedious 1802nights?
2.818031633Messenger
 So it should seem by that I have to say:
2.918041634First he commends him to your noble lordship.
2.1018051635Hastings
 And then?
2.111806Messenger
 And then he sends you word
2.1218071636He dreamed tonight the boar had razed his helm.
2.1318081637Besides, he says there are two councils held,
2.1418091638And that may be determined at the one
2.1518101639Which may make you and him to rue at the other.
2.1618111640Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure,
2.1718121641If presently you will take horse with him
2.1818131642And with all speed post into the north
2.1918141643To shun the danger that his soul divines.
2.2018151644Hastings
 Go fellow, go, return unto thy lord,
2.2118161645Bid him not fear the separated councils:
2.2218171646His honor and myself are at the one,
2.2318181647And at the other is my servant Catesby,
2.2418191648Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
2.2518201649Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
2.2618211650Tell him his fears are shallow, wanting instance,
2.2718221651And for his dreams, I wonder he is so fond
2.2818231652To trust the mockery of unquiet slumbers;
2.2918241653To fly the boar before the boar pursues us
2.3018251654Were to incense the boar to follow us
2.3118261655And make pursuit where he did mean no chase.
2.3218271656Go bid thy master rise and come to me
2.3318281657And we will both together to the Tower
2.3418291658Where he shall see the boar will use us kindly.
2.3518301659Messenger
 My gracious lord, I'll tell him what you say.
2.361831[Exit.]
2.371832Enter Cates[by].
2.3818331660Catesby
 Many good morrows to my noble lord.
2.3918341661Hastings
 Good morrow Catesby, you are early stirring;
2.4018351662What news, what news in this our tottering state?
2.4118361663Catesby
 It is a reeling world indeed, my lord,
2.4218371664And I believe it will never stand upright
2.4318381665Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.
2.4418391666Hastings
 How? Wear the garland? 1840Dost thou mean the crown?
2.4518411667Catesby
 Aye, my good lord.
2.4618421668Hastings
 I'll have this crown of mine cut from my shoulders
2.4718431669Ere I will see the crown so foul misplaced.
2.4818441670But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
2.4918451671Catesby
 Upon my life, my lord, and hopes to find you forward
2.5018461672Upon his party for the gain thereof,
2.5118471673And thereupon he sends you this good news,
2.5218481674That this same very day your enemies,
2.5318491675The kindred of the Queen, must die at Pomfret.
2.5418501676Hastings
 Indeed I am no mourner for that news
2.5518511677Because they have been still mine enemies;
2.5618521678But that I'll give my voice on Richard's side
2.5718531679To bar my master's heirs in true descent,
2.5818541680God knows I will not do it, to the death.
2.5918551681Catesby
 God keep your lordship in that gracious 1856mind.
2.6018571682Hastings
 But I shall laugh at this a twelve-month hence
2.6118581683That they who brought me in my master's hate,
2.6218591684I live to look upon their tragedy.
2.6318601685I tell thee Catesby.
2.641860.1Catesby
 What, my lord?
 1686Hastings
 What, my lord?  Ere a fortnight make me elder
2.651861I'll send some packing that yet think not on it.
2.6618621687Catesby
 'Tis a vile thing to die my gracious lord
2.6718631688When men are unprepared and look not for it.
2.6818641689Hastings
 Oh, monstrous, monstrous, and so falls it out
2.6918651690With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey, and so 'twill do
2.7018661691With some men else, who think themselves as safe
2.7118671692As thou and I, who as thou knowest are dear
2.7218681693To princely Richard and to Buckingham.
2.7318691694Catesby
 The Princes both make high account of you,
2.7418701695[Aside] For they account his head upon the bridge.
2.7518711696Hastings
 I know they do, and I have well deserved it.
2.7618721697Enter Lord Stanley.
2.7718731698What my lord, where is your boar spear, man?
2.7818741699Fear you the boar and go so unprovided?
2.7918751700Stanley
 My lord, good morrow; good morrow Catesby.
2.8018761701You may jest on: but by the holy rood
2.8118771702I do not like these several councils, I.
2.8218781703Hastings
 My lord I hold my life as dear as you do yours,
2.8318791704And never in my life I do protest
2.8418801705Was it more precious to me than it is now.
2.8518811706Think you, but that I know our state secure,
2.8618821707I would be so triumphant as I am?
2.8718831708Stanley
 The lords at Pomfret when they rode from London
2.8818841709Were jocund, and supposed their states was sure,
2.8918851710And they indeed had no cause to mistrust,
2.9018861711But yet you see how soon the day overcast.
2.9118871712This sudden stab of rancor I misdoubt;
2.9218881713Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward.
2.9318891714But come, my lord, shall we to the Tower?
2.9418901715Hastings
 I go -- 1891but stay, hear you not the news?
2.9518921716This day those men you talked of are beheaded.
2.9618931717Stanley
 They for their truth might better wear their heads
2.9718941718Than some that have accused them wear their hats.
2.9818951719But come my lord, let us away.
2.991896Enter Hastin[gs], a pursuivant.
2.10018971720Hastings
 Go you before, I'll follow presently.
2.1011898Ex[eun]t Lord Stanley and Catesby.
2.10218991721
 Well met Hastings, how goes the world with thee?
2.10319001722Pursuivant
 The better that it please your lordship to ask.
2.10419011723Hastings
 I tell thee fellow, 'tis better with me now
2.10519021724Than when I met thee last where now we meet:
2.10619031725Then was I going prisoner to the Tower
2.10719041726By the suggestion of the Queen's allies,
2.10819051727But now I tell thee -- keep it to thyself --
2.10919061728This day those enemies are put to death
2.11019071729And I in better state than ever I was.
2.11119081730Pursuivant
 God hold it to your Honor's good content.
2.11219091731Hastings
 Gramercy Hastings -- hold, spend thou that.
2.1131910He gives him his purse.
2.11419111732Pursuivant
 God save your lordship!
2.115[Exit pursuivant.]
2.1161912Enter a priest.
2.11719151733Hastings
 What Sir John, you are well met,
2.11819161734I am beholding to you for your last day's exercise;
2.11919171735Come the next Sabbath and I will content you.
2.1201736He whispers in his ear.
2.1211919Enter Buckingham.
2.12219201737Buckingham
 How now Lord Chamberlain, what, talking with a priest?
2.12319211738Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest;
2.12419221739Your honor hath no shriving work in hand.
2.12519231740Hastings
 Good faith, and when I met this holy man
2.12619241741Those men you talk of came into my mind.
2.12719251742What, go you to the Tower my lord?
2.12819261743Buckingham
 I do, but long I shall not stay;
2.12919271744I shall return before your lordship thence.
2.13019281745Hastings
 'Tis like enough, for I stay dinner there.
2.13119291746Buckingham
 [Aside] And supper too, although thou knowest it not.
2.13219301747Come shall we go along?
2.1331931Exeunt.
Internet Shakespeare Editions

Reading Room

Toolbox

About this text

Richard the Third (Modern)
