KING Edward IV.

Edw. Pr. of Wales, afterwards Edw. V.2 Sons to Edw. Richard, Duke of York.

S IV.

George, Duke of Clarence, Brother to Edward IV.

Richard, Duke of Gloucefter, Brother to Edward IV. afterwards King Richard III.

Cardinal, Archbishop of York.

Duke of Buckingham,

Duke of Norfolk.

Earl of Surrey.

Marquifs of Dorfet, Son to the Queen.
Earl Rivers, Brother to the Queen.

Lord Gray.

Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VIL

Sir William Brandon,

Friends to the Earl of Richmond.

Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower.

Two Children of the Duke of Clarence.
Lord Mayor.

Queen of Edward IV.

Queen Margaret, Widow of Henry VI.

Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry VI. afterwards married to the Duke of Gloucester. Dutchess of York, Mother to Edward IV, Clarence, and Richard III.

Sheriff, Purfuivant, Citizens, Ghosts of thofe murder'd by Richard III. with Soldiers and other Attendants.

The SCENE in ENGLAND.

The LIFE and DEATH of

RICHARD III.

ACTI. SCENE I.

The COURT.

Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester, folus.

N

OW is the Winter of our discontent
Made glorious fummer by this Sun of
York:

And all the clouds that lowr'd upon our
houfe,

In the deep bofom of the ocean bury'd.

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths,
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our ftern alarums chang'd to merry meetings;
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
N 2

Grim

Grim-vifag'd War hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now instead of mounting barbed steeds
To fright the fouls of fearful adverfaries,
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,
To the lafcivious pleafing of a lute.

But I, that am not fhap'd for fportive tricks,
Nor made to court an am'rous looking-glafs,
I, that am rudely ftampt, and want love's majefty,
To ftrut before a wanton, ambling nymph;
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,
Cheated of feature by diffembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, fent before my time
Into this breathing world; fcarce half made up,
And that fo lamely and unfashionably,
That dogs bark at me, as I halt by them :
Why I, (in this weak piping time of peace)
Have no delight to pafs away the time
Unless to see my fhadow in the fun,
And defcant on mine own deformity.
And therefore, fince I cannot prove a lover,
To entertain thefe fair well-fpoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of thefe days.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophefies, libels, and dreams,
To fet my brother Clarence and the King
In deadly hate, the one against the other:
And if King Edward be as true and juft,
As I am fubtle, falfe and treacherous,
This day fhould Clarence clofely be mew'd up.
Dive.thoughts down to my foul, here Clarence comes.

Enter Clarence guarded, and Brakenbury.

Brother, good day; what means this armed guard
That waits upon your grace?

Clar. His Majefty,

Tend'ring my perfon's fafety, hath appointed

This conduct to convey me to the Tower.

Glo.