SCENE I. Salisbury. An open place. The Life and Death of Richard the Third  Shakespeare homepage  |  Richard III  | Act 5, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. Salisbury. An open place. 

 Enter the Sheriff, and BUCKINGHAM, with halberds, led to execution  BUCKINGHAM  Will not King Richard let me speak with him? 

 Sheriff  No, my good lord; therefore be patient. 

 BUCKINGHAM  Hastings, and Edward's children, Rivers, Grey, 

 Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward, 

 Vaughan, and all that have miscarried 

 By underhand corrupted foul injustice, 

 If that your moody discontented souls 

 Do through the clouds behold this present hour, 

 Even for revenge mock my destruction! 

 This is All-Souls' day, fellows, is it not? 

 Sheriff  It is, my lord. 

 BUCKINGHAM  Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's doomsday. 

 This is the day that, in King Edward's time, 

 I wish't might fall on me, when I was found 

 False to his children or his wife's allies 

 This is the day wherein I wish'd to fall 

 By the false faith of him I trusted most; 

 This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul 

 Is the determined respite of my wrongs: 

 That high All-Seer that I dallied with 

 Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head 

 And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest. 

 Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men 

 To turn their own points on their masters' bosoms: 

 Now Margaret's curse is fallen upon my head; 

 'When he,' quoth she, 'shall split thy heart with sorrow, 

 Remember Margaret was a prophetess.' 

 Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame; 

 Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Richard III  | Act 5, Scene 1 

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