William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT IV. 4. SCENE IV. London. Before the palace. (continued)

KING RICHARD.
Then know, that from my soul I love thy daughter.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
My daughter's mother thinks it with her soul.

KING RICHARD.
What do you think?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
That thou dost love my daughter from thy soul:
So from thy soul's love didst thou love her brothers;
And from my heart's love I do thank thee for it.

KING RICHARD.
Be not so hasty to confound my meaning:
I mean that with my soul I love thy daughter,
And do intend to make her Queen of England.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Well, then, who dost thou mean shall be her king?

KING RICHARD.
Even he that makes her queen: who else should be?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
What, thou?

KING RICHARD.
I, even I: what think you of it, madam?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
How canst thou woo her?

KING RICHARD.
That would I learn of you,
As one being best acquainted with her humour.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
And wilt thou learn of me?

KING RICHARD.
Madam, with all my heart.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers,
A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave
Edward and York. Then haply will she weep:
Therefore present to her,--as sometimes Margaret
Did to thy father, steep'd in Rutland's blood,--
A handkerchief; which, say to her, did drain
The purple sap from her sweet brothers' bodies,
And bid her wipe her weeping eyes withal.
If this inducement move her not to love,
Send her a letter of thy noble deeds;
Tell her thou mad'st away her uncle Clarence,
Her uncle Rivers; ay, and for her sake
Mad'st quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.

KING RICHARD.
You mock me, madam; this is not the way
To win your daughter.