William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT IV. 1. SCENE I. London. Before the Tower

[Enter, on one side, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DUCHESS of YORK, and
MARQUIS of DORSET; on the other, ANNE DUCHESS of GLOSTER,
leading LADY MARGARET PLANTAGENET, CLARENCE's young daughter.]

DUCHESS.
Who meets us here?--my niece Plantagenet,
Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloster?
Now, for my life, she's wandering to the Tower,
On pure heart's love, to greet the tender princes.--
Daughter, well met.

ANNE.
God give your graces both
A happy and a joyful time of day!

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
As much to you, good sister! Whither away?

ANNE.
No farther than the Tower; and, as I guess,
Upon the like devotion as yourselves,
To gratulate the gentle princes there.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Kind sister, thanks; we'll enter all together:--
And in good time, here the lieutenant comes.

[Enter BRAKENBURY.]

Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,
How doth the prince, and my young son of York?

BRAKENBURY.
Right well, dear madam. By your patience,
I may not suffer you to visit them.
The king hath strictly charg'd the contrary.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
The king! who's that?

BRAKENBURY.
I mean the lord protector.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.
The Lord protect him from that kingly title!
Hath he set bounds between their love and me?
I am their mother; who shall bar me from them?

DUCHESS.
I am their father's mother; I will see them.

ANNE.
Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother:
Then bring me to their sights; I'll bear thy blame,
And take thy office from thee on my peril.

BRAKENBURY.
No, madam, no,--I may not leave it so:
I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

[Exit.]

[Enter STANLEY.]