SCENE IV. London. The palace. The Life and Death of Richard the Third  Shakespeare homepage  |  Richard III  | Act 2, Scene 4 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE IV. London. The palace. 

 Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, young YORK, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and the DUCHESS OF YORK  ARCHBISHOP OF YORK  Last night, I hear, they lay at Northampton; 

 At Stony-Stratford will they be to-night: 

 To-morrow, or next day, they will be here. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  I long with all my heart to see the prince: 

 I hope he is much grown since last I saw him. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  But I hear, no; they say my son of York 

 Hath almost overta'en him in his growth. 

 YORK  Ay, mother; but I would not have it so. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  Why, my young cousin, it is good to grow. 

 YORK  Grandam, one night, as we did sit at supper, 

 My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow 

 More than my brother: 'Ay,' quoth my uncle 

 Gloucester, 

 'Small herbs have grace, great weeds do grow apace:' 

 And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast, 

 Because sweet flowers are slow and weeds make haste. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold 

 In him that did object the same to thee; 

 He was the wretched'st thing when he was young, 

 So long a-growing and so leisurely, 

 That, if this rule were true, he should be gracious. 

 ARCHBISHOP OF YORK  Why, madam, so, no doubt, he is. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt. 

 YORK  Now, by my troth, if I had been remember'd, 

 I could have given my uncle's grace a flout, 

 To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  How, my pretty York? I pray thee, let me hear it. 

 YORK  Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast 

 That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old 

 'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth. 

 Grandam, this would have been a biting jest. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  I pray thee, pretty York, who told thee this? 

 YORK  Grandam, his nurse. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  His nurse! why, she was dead ere thou wert born. 

 YORK  If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  A parlous boy: go to, you are too shrewd. 

 ARCHBISHOP OF YORK  Good madam, be not angry with the child. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  Pitchers have ears. 



 Enter a Messenger  ARCHBISHOP OF YORK  Here comes a messenger. What news? 

 Messenger  Such news, my lord, as grieves me to unfold. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  How fares the prince? 

 Messenger  Well, madam, and in health. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  What is thy news then? 

 Messenger  Lord Rivers and Lord Grey are sent to Pomfret, 

 With them Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  Who hath committed them? 

 Messenger  The mighty dukes 

 Gloucester and Buckingham. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  For what offence? 

 Messenger  The sum of all I can, I have disclosed; 

 Why or for what these nobles were committed 

 Is all unknown to me, my gracious lady. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  Ay me, I see the downfall of our house! 

 The tiger now hath seized the gentle hind; 

 Insulting tyranny begins to jet 

 Upon the innocent and aweless throne: 

 Welcome, destruction, death, and massacre! 

 I see, as in a map, the end of all. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  Accursed and unquiet wrangling days, 

 How many of you have mine eyes beheld! 

 My husband lost his life to get the crown; 

 And often up and down my sons were toss'd, 

 For me to joy and weep their gain and loss: 

 And being seated, and domestic broils 

 Clean over-blown, themselves, the conquerors. 

 Make war upon themselves; blood against blood, 

 Self against self: O, preposterous 

 And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen; 

 Or let me die, to look on death no more! 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  Come, come, my boy; we will to sanctuary. 

 Madam, farewell. 

 DUCHESS OF YORK  I'll go along with you. 

 QUEEN ELIZABETH  You have no cause. 

 ARCHBISHOP OF YORK  My gracious lady, go; 

 And thither bear your treasure and your goods. 

 For my part, I'll resign unto your grace 

 The seal I keep: and so betide to me 

 As well I tender you and all of yours! 

 Come, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Richard III  | Act 2, Scene 4 

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