William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT IV. 2. SCENE II. London. A Room of State in the Palace.

[Flourish of trumpets. RICHARD, as King, upon his throne;
BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, RATCLIFF, LOVEL, a Page, and others.]

KING RICHARD.
Stand all apart--Cousin of Buckingham,--

BUCKINGHAM.
My gracious sovereign?

KING RICHARD.
Give me thy hand. Thus high, by thy advice
And thy assistance, is King Richard seated:--
But shall we wear these glories for a day?
Or shall they last, and we rejoice in them?

BUCKINGHAM.
Still live they, and for ever let them last!

KING RICHARD.
Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch,
To try if thou be current gold indeed:--
Young Edward lives;--think now what I would speak.

BUCKINGHAM.
Say on, my loving lord.

KING RICHARD.
Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king.

BUCKINGHAM.
Why, so you are, my thrice-renowned lord.

KING RICHARD.
Ha! am I king? 'tis so: but Edward lives.

BUCKINGHAM.
True, noble prince.

KING RICHARD.
O bitter consequence,
That Edward still should live,--true, noble Prince!--
Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull:--
Shall I be plain?--I wish the bastards dead;
And I would have it suddenly perform'd.
What say'st thou now? speak suddenly, be brief.

BUCKINGHAM.
Your grace may do your pleasure.

KING RICHARD.
Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes:
Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?

BUCKINGHAM.
Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord,
Before I positively speak in this:
I will resolve your grace immediately.

[Exit.]

CATESBY.
[Aside.] The king is angry: see, he gnaws his lip.