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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.
    King. My Fathers death.
    3165Qu. Thy life hath that dishonord.
    3160King. Then by my selfe.
    Qu. Thy selfe, thy selfe misusest.
    King. Whie, then by God.
    Qu. Gods wrong is most of all,
    If thou hadst feard, to breake an oath by him,
    The vnitie the king my brother made,
    3170Had not bene broken, nor my brother slaine.
    If thou hadst feard to breake an oath by him,
    The emperiall mettall circling now thy brow,
    Had grast the tender temples of my childe,
    And both the princes had bene breathing heere,
    3175Which now, two tender plaie-fellowes for dust,
    Thy broken faith, hath made a praie for wormes.
    King. By the time to come.
    Qu. That thou hast wrongd in time orepast,
    3180For I my selfe, haue manie teares to wash,
    Hereafter time, for time, by the past wrongd,
    The children liue, whose parents thou hast slaughterd,
    Vngouernd youth, to waile it in their age,
    The parents liue, whose children thou hast butcherd,
    3185Olde withered plantes, to waile it with their age,
    Sweare not by time to come, for that thou hast,
    Misused, eare vsed, by time misused orepast.
    King. As I intend to prosper and repent,
    So thriue I in my dangerous attempt,
    3190Of hostile armes, my selfe, my selfe confound,
    Daye yeeld me not thy light, nor night thy rest,
    Be opposite, all planets of good lucke,
    To my proceedings, if with pure heartes loue,
    3195Immaculate deuocion, holie thoughtes,
    I tender not thy beauteous princelie daughter,
    In her consistes my happines and thine,
    Without her followes to this land and me,
    To thee her selfe, and manie a Christian soule,
    3200Sad desolation, ruine, and decaie,
    It cannot be auoided but by this,
    K. 3. It will