King Richard III | Page 8

man that loves not me, nor none of you.
RIVERS. Is it concluded he shall be protector?
QUEEN ELIZABETH. It is determin'd, not concluded yet: But so it must be, if the king miscarry.
[Enter BUCKINGHAM and STANLEY.]
GREY. Here come the Lords of Buckingham and Stanley.
BUCKINGHAM. Good time of day unto your royal grace!
STANLEY. God make your majesty joyful as you have been!
QUEEN ELIZABETH. The Countess Richmond, good my Lord of Stanley, To your good prayer will scarcely say amen. Yet, Stanley, notwithstanding she's your wife, And loves not me, be you, good lord, assur'd I hate not you for her proud arrogance.
STANLEY. I do beseech you, either not believe The envious slanders of her false accusers; Or, if she be accus'd on true report, Bear with her weakness, which I think proceeds From wayward sickness, and no grounded malice.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. Saw you the king to-day, my Lord of Stanley?
STANLEY. But now the Duke of Buckingham and I Are come from visiting his majesty.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. What likelihood of his amendment, lords?
BUCKINGHAM. Madam, good hope; his grace speaks cheerfully.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. God grant him health! Did you confer with him?
BUCKINGHAM. Ay, madam; he desires to make atonement Between the Duke of Gloster and your brothers, And between them and my lord chamberlain; And sent to warn them to his royal presence.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. Would all were well!--but that will never be: I fear our happiness is at the height.
[Enter GLOSTER, HASTINGS, and DORSET.]
GLOSTER. They do me wrong, and I will not endure it:-- Who are they that complain unto the king That I, forsooth, am stern and love them not? By holy Paul, they love his grace but lightly That fill his ears with such dissentious rumours. Because I cannot flatter and look fair, Smile in men's faces, smooth, deceive, and cog, Duck with French nods and apish courtesy, I must be held a rancorous enemy. Cannot a plain man live, and think no harm, But thus his simple truth must be abus'd With silken, sly, insinuating Jacks?
GREY. To who in all this presence speaks your grace?
GLOSTER. To thee, that hast nor honesty nor grace. When have I injur'd thee? when done thee wrong?-- Or thee?--or thee?--or any of your faction? A plague upon you all! His royal grace,-- Whom God preserve better than you would wish!-- Cannot be quiet scarce a breathing while, But you must trouble him with lewd complaints.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. Brother of Gloster, you mistake the matter. The king, on his own royal disposition, And not provok'd by any suitor else-- Aiming, belike, at your interior hatred That in your outward action shows itself Against my children, brothers, and myself-- Makes him to send; that thereby he may gather The ground of your ill-will, and so remove it.
GLOSTER. I cannot tell: the world is grown so bad That wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch: Since every Jack became a gentleman, There's many a gentle person made a Jack.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloster; You envy my advancement, and my friends'; God grant we never may have need of you!
GLOSTER. Meantime, God grants that we have need of you: Our brother is imprison'd by your means, Myself disgrac'd, and the nobility Held in contempt; while great promotions Are daily given to ennoble those That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. By Him that rais'd me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoy'd, I never did incense his majesty Against the Duke of Clarence, but have been An earnest advocate to plead for him. My lord, you do me shameful injury Falsely to draw me in these vile suspects.
GLOSTER. You may deny that you were not the mean Of my Lord Hastings' late imprisonment.
RIVERS. She may, my lord; for,--
GLOSTER. She may, Lord Rivers?--why, who knows not so? She may do more, sir, than denying that: She may help you to many fair preferments; And then deny her aiding hand therein, And lay those honours on your high desert. What may she not? She may,--ay, marry, may she,--
RIVERS. What, marry, may she?
GLOSTER. What, marry, may she! marry with a king, A bachelor, and a handsome stripling too: I wis your grandam had a worser match.
QUEEN ELIZABETH. My Lord of Gloster, I have too long borne Your blunt upbraidings and your bitter scoffs: By heaven, I will acquaint his majesty Of those gross taunts that oft I have endur'd. I had rather be a country servant-maid Than a great queen with this condition,-- To be so baited, scorn'd, and stormed at.
[Enter old QUEEN MARGARET, behind.]
Small joy have I in being England's queen.
QUEEN MARGARET. And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech Him! Thy honour, state, and seat, is due to me.
GLOSTER. What! Threat you me with telling of the king? Tell him, and