William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT II. 1. SCENE I. London. A Room in the palace. (continued)

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
A holy day shall this be kept hereafter:--
I would to God all strifes were well compounded.--
My sovereign lord, I do beseech your highness
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.

GLOSTER.
Why, madam, have I off'red love for this,
To be so flouted in this royal presence?
Who knows not that the gentle duke is dead?

[They all start.]

You do him injury to scorn his corse.

KING EDWARD.
Who knows not he is dead! Who knows he is?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
All-seeing heaven, what a world is this!

BUCKINGHAM.
Look I so pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?

DORSET.
Ay, my good lord; and no man in the presence
But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.

KING EDWARD.
Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd.

GLOSTER.
But he, poor man, by your first order died,
And that a winged Mercury did bear;
Some tardy cripple bore the countermand
That came too lag to see him buried.
God grant that some, less noble and less loyal,
Nearer in bloody thoughts, an not in blood,
Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,
And yet go current from suspicion!

[Enter Stanley.]

STANLEY.
A boon, my sovereign, for my service done!

KING EDWARD.
I pr'ythee, peace: my soul is full of sorrow.

STANLEY.
I Will not rise unless your highness hear me.

KING EDWARD.
Then say at once what is it thou request'st.

STANLEY.
The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life;
Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman
Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk.