Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Adrian Kiernander
Peer Reviewed

Richard the Third (Quarto 1, 1597)

The Tragedy
And were they to be rulde, and not to rule,
This sickly land might solace as before.
2 Come come, we feare the worst, all shalbe well.
3 When cloudes appeare, wise men put on their clokes:
1470When great leaues fall, the winter is at hand:
When the sunne sets, who doth not looke for night:
Vntimely stormes, make men expect a darth:
All may be well: but if God sort it so,
Tis more then we deserue or I expect.
14751 Truely the soules of men are full of bread:
Yee cannot almost reason with a man
That lookes not heauily, and full of feare.
3 Before the times of change still is it so:
By a diuine instinct mens mindes mistrust
1480Ensuing dangers, as by proofe we see.
The waters swell before a boistrous storme:
But leaue it all to God: whither away?
2 We are sent for to the Iustice.
3 And so was I, Ile beare you company. Exeunt.
Enter Cardinall, Dutches of Yorke, Quee. young Yorke.
Car. Last night I heare they lay at Northhampton.
At Stonistratford will they be to night,
1490To morrow or next day, they will be here.
Dut. I long with all my heart to see the Prince,
I hope he is much growen since last I saw him.
Qu But I heare no, they say my sonne of Yorke
Hath almost ouertane him in his growth.
1495Yor. I mother, but I would not haue it so.
Dut. Why my young Cosen it is good to growe.
Yor. Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,
My Vnckle Riuers talkt how I did grow
More then my brother. I quoth my Nnckle Glocester,
1500Small herbes haue grace, great weedes grow apace,
And since me thinkes I would not grow so fast:
Because sweete flowers are slow, and weedes make haste.
Dut. Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold
In him that did obiect the same to thee:
1505He was the wretchedst thing when he was young,
So