William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT I. 3. SCENE III. London. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH, LORD RIVERS, and LORD GREY.]

RIVERS.
Have patience, madam: there's no doubt his majesty
Will soon recover his accustom'd health.

GREY.
In that you brook it ill, it makes him worse:
Therefore, for God's sake, entertain good comfort,
And cheer his grace with quick and merry eyes.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
If he were dead, what would betide on me?

GREY.
No other harm but loss of such a lord.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
The loss of such a lord includes all harms.

GREY.
The heavens have bless'd you with a goodly son
To be your comforter when he is gone.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Ah, he is young; and his minority
Is put unto the trust of Richard Gloster,
A man that loves not me, nor none of you.

RIVER.
Is it concluded he shall be protector?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
It is determin'd, not concluded yet:
But so it must be, if the king miscarry.

[Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY.]

GREY.
Here come the Lords of Buckingham and Stanley.

BUCKINGHAM.
Good time of day unto your royal grace!

STANLEY.
God make your majesty joyful as you have been!

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
The Countess Richmond, good my Lord of Stanley,
To your good prayer will scarcely say amen.
Yet, Stanley, notwithstanding she's your wife,
And loves not me, be you, good lord, assur'd
I hate not you for her proud arrogance.

STANLEY.
I do beseech you, either not believe
The envious slanders of her false accusers;
Or, if she be accus'd on true report,
Bear with her weakness, which I think proceeds
From wayward sickness, and no grounded malice.