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  • Title: Richard the Third (Quarto 1, 1597)
  • Editor: Adrian Kiernander

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Adrian Kiernander
    Peer Reviewed

    Richard the Third (Quarto 1, 1597)

    of Richard the third.
    Ry. What mary may she.
    565Glo. What mary may she, marry with a King,
    A batchelor, a handsome stripling too.
    Iwis your Grandam had a worser match.
    Qu. My Lo: of Glocester, I haue too long borne
    Your blunt vpbraidings and your bitter scoffes,
    570By heauen I will acquaint his Maiesty
    With those grose taunts I often haue endured:
    I had rather be a countrey seruant maid,
    Then a great Queene with this condition,
    To be thus taunted, scorned, and baited at: Enter Qu. Margaret.
    575Small ioy haue I in being Englands Queene.
    Qu. Mar. And lesned be that smal, God I beseech thee,
    Thy honour, state, and seate is due to me.
    Glo. What? threat you me with telling of the King,
    580Tell him and spare not, looke what I haue said,
    I will auouch in presence of the King:
    Tis time to speake, my paines are quite forgot.
    Qu. Mar. Out diuell I remember them too well,
    Thou slewest my husband Henry in the tower,
    And Edward my poore sonne at Teuxbery.
    Glo. Ere you were Queene, yea or your husband King.
    590I was a packhorse in his great affaires,
    A weeder out of his proud aduersaries,
    A liberall rewarder of his friends:
    To royalize his bloud I spilt mine owne.
    Qu. Mar. Yea and much better bloud then his or thine.
    Glo. In all which time you and your husband Gray,
    Were factious for the house of Lancaster:
    And Ryuers, so were you, was not your husband
    In Margarets battaile at Saint Albones slaine:
    600Let me put in your mindes, if yours forget
    What you haue beene ere now, and what you are.
    Withall, what I haue been, and what I am.
    Qu. Ma. A murtherous villaine, and so still thou art.
    Glo. Poore Clarence did forsake his father Warwicke,
    605Yea and forswore himselfe (which Iesu pardon.)
    Qu. Ma. Which God reuenge.
    C Clo.