KING RICHARD THE THIRD

Act AP Scene K

	[[After 4.4.273]]
l1l	King Richard	 Say that I did all this for love of her.
l2l	Queen Elizabeth	Nay, then indeed she cannot choose but hate thee,
l3l		Having bought love with such a bloody spoil.
l4l	King Richard	Look what is done cannot be now amended.
l5l		Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
l6l		Which after-hours gives leisure to repent.
l7l		If I did take the kingdom from your sons,
l8l		To make amends I’ll give it to your daughter.
l9l		If I have killed the issue of your womb,
l10l		To quicken your increase I will beget
l11l		Mine issue of your blood upon your daughter.
l12l		A grandam’s name is little less in love
l13l		Than is the doting title of a mother.
l14l		They are as children but one step below,
l15l		Even of your mettall, of your very blood:
l16l		Of all one pain, save for a night of groans
l17l		Endured of her for whom you bid like sorrow.
l18l		Your children were vexation to your youth,
l19l		But mine shall be a comfort to your age.
l20l		The loss you have is but a son being king,
l21l		And by that loss your daughter is made queen.
l22l		I cannot make you what amends I would,
l23l		Therefore accept such kindness as I can.
l24l		Dorset your son, that with a fearful soul
l25l		Leads discontented steps in foreign soil,
l26l		This fair alliance quickly shall call home
l27l		To high promotions and great dignity.
l28l		The king that calls your beauteous daughter wife,
l29l		Familiarly shall call thy Dorset brother.
l30l		Again shall you be mother to a king,
l31l		And all the ruins of distressful times
l32l		Repaired with double riches of content.
l33l		What? We have many goodly days to see.
l34l		The liquid drops of tears that you have shed
l35l		Shall come again, transformed to orient pearl,
l36l		Advantaging their loan with interest
l37l		Of ten times double gain of happiness.
l38l		Go then, my mother, to thy daughter go.
l39l		Make bold her bashful years with your experience.
l40l		Prepare her ears to hear a wooer’s tale.
l41l		Put in her tender heart th’ aspiring flame
l42l		Of golden sovereignty. Acquaint the Princess
l43l		With the sweet silent hours of marriage joys.
l44l		And when this arm of mine hath chastisèd
l45l		The petty rebel, dull-brained Buckingham,
l46l		Bound with triumphant garlands will I come
l47l		And lead thy daughter to a conqueror’s bed—
l48l		To whom I will retail my conquest won,
l49l		And she shall be sole victoress: Caesar’s Caesar.
l50l	Queen Elizabeth	What were I best to say? Her father’s brother
l51l		Would be her lord? Or shall I say her uncle?
l52l		Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
l53l		Under what title shall I woo for thee,
l54l		That God, the law, my honour, and her love
l55l		Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?