William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

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

KING RICHARD.
Your reasons are too shallow and too quick.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
O, no, my reasons are too deep and dead;--
Too deep and dead, poor infants, in their graves.

KING RICHARD.
Harp not on that string, madam; that is past.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Harp on it still shall I till heartstrings break.

KING RICHARD.
Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Profan'd, dishonour'd, and the third usurp'd.

KING RICHARD.
I swear,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
By nothing; for this is no oath:
Thy George, profan'd, hath lost his lordly honour;
Thy garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue;
Thy crown, usurp'd, disgrac'd his kingly glory.
If something thou wouldst swear to be believ'd,
Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong'd.

KING RICHARD.
Now, by the world,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
'Tis full of thy foul wrongs.

KING RICHARD.
My father's death,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Thy life hath that dishonour'd.

KING RICHARD.
Then, by myself,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Thy self is self-misus'd.

KING RICHARD.
Why, then, by God,--

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
God's wrong is most of all.
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him,
The unity the king thy brother made
Had not been broken, nor my brother slain:
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him,
The imperial metal, circling now thy head,
Had grac'd the tender temples of my child;
And both the princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender bedfellows for dust,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?