William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

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

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
What were I best to say? her father's brother
Would be her lord? or shall I say her uncle?
Or he that slew her brothers and her uncles?
Under what title shall I woo for thee,
That God, the law, my honour, and her love
Can make seem pleasing to her tender years?

KING RICHARD.
Infer fair England's peace by this alliance.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Which she shall purchase with still-lasting war.

KING RICHARD.
Tell her the king, that may command, entreats.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
That at her hands which the king's King forbids.

KING RICHARD.
Say she shall be a high and mighty queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
To wail the title, as her mother doth.

KING RICHARD.
Say I will love her everlastingly.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
But how long shall that title, "ever," last?

KING RICHARD.
Sweetly in force unto her fair life's end.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
But how long fairly shall her sweet life last?

KING RICHARD.
As long as heaven and nature lengthens it.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
As long as hell and Richard likes of it.

KING RICHARD.
Say I, her sovereign, am her subject low.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
But she, your subject, loathes such sovereignty.

KING RICHARD.
Be eloquent in my behalf to her.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
An honest tale speeds best being plainly told.

KING RICHARD.
Then plainly to her tell my loving tale.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.