William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT III. 1. SCENE I. London. A street. (continued)

BUCKINGHAM.
Upon record, my gracious lord.

PRINCE.
But say, my lord, it were not register'd,
Methinks the truth should live from age to age,
As 'twere retail'd to all posterity,
Even to the general all-ending day.

GLOSTER.
[Aside.]
So wise so young, they say, do never live long.

PRINCE.
What say you, uncle?

GLOSTER.
I say, without characters, fame lives long.--

[Aside.]
Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity,
I moralize two meanings in one word.

PRINCE.
That Julius Caesar was a famous man;
With what his valour did enrich his wit,
His wit set down to make his valour live;
Death makes no conquest of this conqueror;
For now he lives in fame, though not in life.--
I'll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham,--

BUCKINGHAM.
What, my gracious lord?

PRINCE.
An if I live until I be a man,
I'll win our ancient right in France again,
Or die a soldier as I liv'd a king.

GLOSTER.
[Aside.]
Short summers lightly have a forward spring.

BUCKINGHAM.
Now, in good time, here comes the Duke of York.

[Enter YORK, HASTINGS, and the CARDINAL.]

PRINCE.
Richard of York! how fares our loving brother?

YORK.
Well, my dread lord; so must I can you now.

PRINCE.
Ay brother,--to our grief, as it is yours:
Too late he died that might have kept that title,
Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

GLOSTER.
How fares our cousin, noble Lord of York?

YORK.
I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,
You said that idle weeds are fast in growth:
The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.