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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.
    Pri. God keepe me from false friends, but they wer none.
    Glo. My Lo, the Maior of London comes to greete you.
    Enter Lord Maior.
    Lo:M. God blesse your grace with health and happy daies.
    1595Prin. I thanke you good my Lo: and thanke you all:
    I thought my mother, and my brother Yorke,
    Would long ere this haue met vs on the way:
    Fie, what a slug is Hastings that he comes not
    To tell vs whether they will come, or no. ( Enter L. Hast.
    Buck. And in good time, here comes the sweating Lo:
    Pri. Welcome my Lo: what will our mother come?
    1605Hast. On what occasion, God he knowes, not I:
    The Queene your mother and your brother Yorke
    Haue taken sanctuary: The tender Prince
    Would faine haue come with me, to meete your Grace,
    But by his mother was perforce withheld.
    1610Buc. Fie, what an indirect and peeuish course
    Is this of hers? Lo: Cardinall will your grace
    Perswade the Queene to send the Duke of Yorke
    Vnto his Princely brother presently?
    If she deny, Lo: Hastings go with him,
    1615And from her iealous armes plucke him perforce.
    Car. My Lo: of Buckingham, if my weake oratory
    Can from his mother winne the Duke of Yorke,
    Anone expect him here: but if she be obdurate
    To milde entreaties, God in heauen forbid
    1620We should infringe the holy priuiledge
    Of blessed sanctuary, not for all this land,
    Would I be guilty of so deepe a sinne.
    Buck. You are too sencelesse obstinate my Lo:
    Too ceremonious and traditionall:
    1625Weigh it but with the grossenes of this age,
    You breake not sanctuary in seazing him:
    The benefit thereof is alwaies granted
    To those whose dealings haue deserude the place,
    And those who haue the wit to claime the place.
    1630This Prince hath neither claimed it, nor deserued it,
    And therefore in mine opinion, cannot haue it.
    F Then