William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT II. 1. SCENE I. London. A Room in the palace. (continued)

BUCKINGHAM.
Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate
Upon your grace [to the queen], but with all duteous love
Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me
With hate in those where I expect most love!
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he unto me!--this do I beg of heaven
When I am cold in love to you or yours.

[Embracing Rivers &c.]

KING EDWARD.
A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,
Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.
There wanteth now our brother Gloster here,
To make the blessed period of this peace.

BUCKINGHAM.
And, in good time, here comes the noble duke.

[Enter GLOSTER.]

GLOSTER.
Good morrow to my sovereign king and queen;
And, princely peers, a happy time of day!

KING EDWARD.
Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day.
Gloster, we have done deeds of charity;
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.

GLOSTER.
A blessed labour, my most sovereign lord,--
Among this princely heap, if any here,
By false intelligence or wrong surmise,
Hold me a foe;
If I unwittingly, or in my rage,
Have aught committed that is hardly borne
To any in this presence, I desire
To reconcile me to his friendly peace:
'Tis death to me to be at enmity;
I hate it, and desire all good men's love.--
First, madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service;--
Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham,
If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us;--
Of you, and you, Lord Rivers, and of Dorset,
That all without desert have frown'd on me;
Of you, Lord Woodville, and, Lord Scales, of you;--
Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen;--indeed, of all.
I do not know that Englishman alive
With whom my soul is any jot at odds
More than the infant that is born to-night:
I thank my God for my humility.