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For hardy and undoubted champions:
Two Cliffords, as the father and the son,
And two Northumberlands; two braver men
Ne'er spurr'd their coursers at the trumpet's
sound:

With them the two brave bears, Warwick and

Montague,

That in their chains fetter'd the kingly lion,
And made the forest tremble when they roar'd.
Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat,
And made our footstool of security.-
Come hither, Bess, and let me kiss my boy:
Young Ned, for thee, thine uncles, and myself,
Have in our armours watch'd the winter's night;
Went all afoot in summer's scalding heat,
That thou might'st repossess the crown in peace;
And of our labours thou shalt reap the gain.
Glo. I'll blast his harvest, if your head were
laid;

For yet I am not look'd on in the world.
This shoulder was ordain'd so thick, to heave;
And heave it shall some weight or break my
back:-

Work thou the way,-and thou shalt execute.

[Aside. K. Edw. Clarence and Gloster, love my lovely queen, And kiss your princely nephew, brothers both. Clar. The duty that I owe unto your majesty, seal upon the lips of this sweet babe.

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lights,

Having my country's peace, and brothers' loves.

Clar. What will your grace have done with
Margaret?

Reignier, her father, to the king of France
Hath pawn'd the Sicils and Jerusalem,
And hither have they sent it for her ransom.
K. Edw. Away with her, and waft her hence
to France.

And now what rests, but that we spend the time

With stately triumphs, mirthful comic shows, Such as befit the pleasures of the court?Sound, drums and trumpets !-farewell, sour annoy !

For here, I hope, begins our lasting joy.

Public shows.

[Exevnt.

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

KING RICHARD III.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

IN this very popular tragedy, there is another specimen of historical jumble, and poetical license. The second scene commences with the funeral of Henry VI. who is said to have been murdered in May, 1471, whilst the imprisonment of Clarence, which did not take place till 1478, is represented in the first. Thus the real length of time comprised in this drama, (dating from the former event) is fourteen years; as it concludes with the death of Richard, at Bosworth Field, in August, 1485. With respect to Richard's character, though greatly blackened by Lancasterian historians, he was certainly one of the most odious tyrants that ever obtained possession of a throne. Yet it appears from some accounts still preserved in the Exchequer, that King Henry lived twenty-two days after the time assigned for his pretended assassination; that his body lay in state at St. Paul's, and that it was afterwards interred at Chertsey, with much solemnity. Shakspeare has made the usurper deformed in figure, as well as in mind; though popular detestation had probably aggravated the traditionary story of his bodily defects. In this drama, the events appear admirably connected with, and consequential to, each other: the characters and incidents are natural; the sentiment and language free from bombast. But Malone and Dr. Johnson consider it as popular beyond its merits; with "some parts trifling, others shocking, and some improbable:" whilst Stevens maintains, that above all others the tragedy of Richard must command approbation, as it is indefinitely variegated, and comprehends every species of character---" the hero, the lover, the statesman, the buffoon, the hypocrite, and the hardened or repentant sinner." Its present success in representation, is, however, chiefly attributable to the admirable alterations of Colly Cibber, which evince a very extensive and settled knowledge of stage effect, and by which reformations the more valuable parts of the piece, could alone have attained their present effect and consequence. Shaks peare probably formed the play in 1591; though he is not supposed to have been indebted to any of the numerous existing compositions on the same subject.

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Our dreadful marches to delightful measures. Grim visag'd war bath smooth'd his wrinkled front:

That trudge betwixt the king and mistress
Shore.

Heard you not, what an humble suppliant
Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery!
Glo. Humbly complaining to her deity
Got my lord chamberlain his liberty.
I'll tell you what I think it is our way,
If we will keep in favour with the king,
To be her men, and wear her livery;
ma-The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself,
Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewo-
men,

And now,-instead of mounting barbed + steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,-
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.
But I, that am not shap'd for sportive tricks,
Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass;
I that am rudely stamp'd, and waut love's
jesty,

To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, seut before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable,
That dogs bark at ine, as I halt by them;
Why 1, in this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time;
Unless to spy my shadow in the sun,
And descant on mine own deformity:
And therefore,-since I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,-
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence, and the king,
In deadly hate the one against the other:
And, if king Edward be as true and just,
As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up;
About a prophecy, which says-that G
Of Edward's heirs the murderers shall be.
Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence

comes.

Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKEN

BURY.

Are mighty gossips in this monarchy.
Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon

me;

His majesty hath straitly given in charge,
That no man shall have private conference,
Of what degree soever, with his brother.

Glo. Even so? an please your worship, Bra kenbury,

You may partake of any thing we say:
We speak no treason, man ;-We say, the king
Is wise, and virtuous; and his uoble queen
Well struck in years; fair, and not jealous:
We say, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot,
A cherry lip,

A bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue;
And the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks :
How say you, Sir? can you deny all this!
Brak. With this, my lord, myself have naught
to do.

Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell thee, fellow,

He that doth naught with her, excepting one,
Were best to do it secretly, alone.
Brak. What one, my lord ?

Glo. Her husband, kuave :-Would'st thou betray me?

Brak. I beseech your grace to pardon me, and, withal,

Brother, good day: What means this armed Forbear your conference with the noble duke.

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Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed
This conduct to convey ine to the Tower.
Glo. Upon what cause?

Clar. Because my name is-George.

Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of your's;

Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and

will obey.

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Brother, farewell: I will unto the king;
And whatsoever you will employ me in,
Were it, to call king Edward's widow-sister,
I will perform it to enfranchise you.
Mean time, this deep disgrace in brotherhood,
Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

He should, for that, commit your godfathers
Oh! belike his majesty hath some intent,
That you shall be new christen'd in the Tower.
But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know?
Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for I pro-I
test,

As yet I do not: but, as I can learn,
He hearkens after prophecies and dreams;
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G,
And says-a wizard told him, that by G
His issue disinherited should be;
And, for my name of George begins with G,
It follows in his thought, that I am he:
These, as I learn, and such like toys as these,
Have mov'd his highness to commit ine now.
Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by

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Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long;

will deliver you, or else lie for you: Mean time, have patience.

Clar. I must perforce; farewell.

[Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard.

Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return,

Simple, plain Clarence!-I do love thee so,
That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven,
If heaven will take the present at our hands.
But who comes here? the new deliver'd Hast-
ings?

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