THIS History was originally published in 1597. It was reprinted four times in quarto previous to its appearance in the folio of 1623.

To understand the character of the Richard III.' of Shakspere, we must have traced its development by the author of the previous plays. Those who study the subject carefully will find how entire the unity is preserved between the last of these four dramas, which everybody admits to be the work of the "greatest name in all literature," in an unbroken link with the previous drama, which some have been in the habit of assigning to some obscure and very inferior writer. We are taught to open the 'Life and Death of King Richard III.,' and ❘ to look upon the extraordinary being who utters the opening lines as some new creation, set before us in the perfect completeness of self-formed villainy. We have not learnt to trace the growth of the mind of this bold bad man; to see how his bravery became gradually darkened with ferocity; how his prodigious talents insensibly allied themselves with cunning and hypocrisy; how, in struggling for his house, he ultimately proposed to struggle for himself; how, in fact, the bad ambition would be naturally kindled in his mind, to seize upon the power which was sliding from the hands of the voluptuous Edward, and the “simple, plain Clarence."

The poet of the Richard III.' goes straightforward to his object; for he has made all the preparation in the previous dramas. No gradual development is wanting of the character which is now to sway the action. The struggle of the houses up to this point has been one only of violence; and it was therefore anarchical. "The big-boned" Warwick, and the fiery Clifford, alternately presided over the confusion. The power which changed

the

"Dreadful marches to delightful measures,' seemed little more than accident. But Richard proposed to himself to subject events to his domination, not by courage alone, or activity, or even by the legitimate exercise of a commanding intellect, but by the clearest and coolest perception of the strength which he must inevitably possess who unites the deepest sagacity to the most thorough unscrupulousness in its exercise, and is an equal master of the weapons of force and of craft.

The character of Richard is essentially different from any other character which Shakspere has drawn. His bloody violence is not that of Macbeth; nor his subtle treachery that of Iago. It is difficult to say whether he derives a greater satisfaction from the success of his crimes, or from the consciousness of power which attends the working of them. This is a feature which he holds in common with Iago. But then he does not labour with a "motiveless malignity," as Iago does. He has no vague suspicions, no petty jealousies, no remembrance of slight affronts, to stimulate him to a disproportioned and unnatural vengeance. He does not hate his victims; but they stand in his way, and as he does not love them, they perish. Villains of the blackest die disguise their crimes even from themselves, Richard shrinks not from their avowal to others, for a purpose.

It is the result of the peculiar organization of Richard's mind, formed as it had been by circumstances as well as by nature, that he invariably puts himself in the attitude of one who is playing a part. It is this circumstance which makes the character (clumsy even as it has been made by the joinery of Cibber) such a favourite on the stage. It cannot be over-acted.

It is only in the actual presence of a powerful enemy that Richard displays any portion of his natural character. His bravery required no dissimulation to uphold it. In his last battle-field he puts forth all the resources of his intellect in a worthy direction: but the retribution is fast approaching. It was not enough for offended justice that he should die as a hero: the terrible tortures of conscience were to precede the catastrophe. The drama has exhibited all it could exhibit-the palpable images of terror haunting a mind already anticipating the end. "Ratcliff, I fear, I fear," is the first revelation of the true inward man to a fellow-being. But the terror is but momentary :—

"Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls." To the last the poet exhibits the supremacy of Richard's intellect, his ready talent, and his unwearied energy. The tame address of Richmond to his soldiers, and the spirited exhortation of Richard, could not have been the result of accident.

GEORGE, Duke of Clarence, brother to the King. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 4.

RICHARD, Duke of Gloster, afterwards King Richard III., brother to the King. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; se. 2; sc. 3. Act 11. sc. 1; sc.2. st: 1; sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 7. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4. sc. 3; sc. 4.

A young Son of Clarence.

Appeurs, Act II. sc. 2.

Act III. Act V.

Appears, Act V. sc. 3; sc. 4.

EARL OF SURREY, son to the Duke of Norfolk. Appears, Act V. sc. 3.

EARL RIVERS, brother to King Edward's Queen. Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 3. MARQUIS OF DORSET, son to King Edward's Queen. Appears, Act I. se. 3. Act II. sc. 1; c. 2. Act IV. sc. 1. LORD GREY, Son to King Edward's Queen. Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 3. EARL OF OXFORD. Appears, Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3.

Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 8; sc. 4.

LORD LOVEL.

Appears, Act IIl. sc. 4; sc. 5.
SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN.
Appears, Act III. sc. 3.

SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF.

Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Act III. sc. 3; sc. 4; sc. 5. sc. 3; sc. 4. Act V. sc. 3. SIR WILLIAM CATESBY.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 5; sc. 7.
Bc. 2: sc. 4. Act V. sc. 3; sc. 4.

SIR JAMES TYRREL.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 3.

SIR JAMES BLOUNT.
Appears, Act V. sc. 2.

SIR WALTER HERBERT.

Appears, Act V. sc. 2.

Act IV

Act IV.

SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, Lieutenant of the Tower
Appears, Act 1. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1.
CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Priest.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 5.

A Priest.

Appears, Act III. sc. 2. Lord Mayor of London.

Appears, Act III. sc. 5; sc. 7.

Sheriff of Wiltshire.

Appears, Act V. sc. 1.

ELIZABETH, Queen of King Edward IV.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3.

Act II. sc. 1; so. 2; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1; se. 4.

MARGARET, widow of King Henry VI.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 4.

DUCHESS OF YORK, mother to King Edward IV., Clarence, and Gloster.

Appears, Act II. sc. 2; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 4. LADY ANNE, widow of Edward Prince of Wales, son to King Henry VI., afterwards married to the Duke of Gloster.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1. A young Daughter of Clarence. Appears, Act II. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1. Lords, and other Attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE 1-London. A Street.

Enter GLOSTER.

Glo. Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York;" And all the clouds that low'r'd upon our house In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths;
Our bruised arms hung up for monuments;
Our stern alarums chang'd to merry meetings;

* An allusion to the cognizance of Edward IV., which adopted after the battle of Mortimer's Cross:

"Dazzle mine eyes or do I see three suns?"

as

a

Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.
Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front;
And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,
He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,
To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

But I, that am not shap'd for sportive tricks,

Nor made to court an amorous looking-glass ;

I, that am rudely stamp'd, and want love's majesty

To strut before a wanton ambling nymph;-
I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion,

a Barbed. Barbed and barded appear to have been differently applied to a caparisoned horse.

Cheated of feature by dissembling nature,
Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time
Into this breathing world, scarce half made up,
And that so lamely and unfashionable
That dogs bark at me as I halt by them;—
Why I, in this weak piping time of peace,
Have no delight to pass away the time,
Unless to see my shadow in the sun,
And descant on mine own deformity.
And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover
To entertain these fair well-spoken days,
I am determined to prove a villain,
And hate the idle pleasures of these days.
Plts have I laid, inductions dangerous,
By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams,
To set my brother Clarence and the king
In deadly hate the one against the other:
And, if king Edward be as true and just
As I am subtle, false, and treacherous,
This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up,
About a prophecy, which says that G

Of Edward's heirs the murtherer shall be.

Dive, thoughts, down to my soul! here Clarence comes.

Enter CLARENCE, guarded, and BRAKENBURY. Brother, good day: What means this armed guard That waits upon your grace?

Clar.

His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Glo. Upon what cause?

Clar.

Because my name is George.
Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours;
He should, for that, commit your godfathers :-
O, belike, his majesty hath some intent
That you should be new christen'd in the Tower.
But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know?
Clar. Yea, Richard, when I know; for I protest
As yet I do not: But, as I can learn,
He hearkens after prophecies and dreams;
And from the cross-row plucks the letter G,
And says, a wizard told him, that by G
His issue disinherited should be;

And, for my name of George begins with G,
It follows in his thought that I am he:
These, as I learn, and such-like toys as these,
Have mov'd his highness to commit me now.

Glo. Why, this it is when men are rul'd by women:
"T is not the king that sends you to the Tower;
My lady Grey his wife, Clarence, 't is she
That tempers him to this extremity.

Was it not she and that good man of worsnip,
Antony Woodville, her brother there,

That made him send lord Hastings to the Tower,
From whence this present day he is deliver'd?
We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe.

Clar. By Heaven, I think there is no man secure
But the queen's kindred, and night-walking heralds
That trudge betwixt the king and mistress Shore.
Heard you not what an humble suppliant
Lord Hastings was to her for his delivery?
Glo. Humbly complaining to her deity
Got my lord chamberlain his liberty.
I'll tell you what,-I think it is our way,
If we will keep in favour with the king,
To be her men and wear her livery:
The jealous o'er-worn widow, and herself,
Since that our brother dubb'd them gentlewomen,
Are mighty gossips in our monarchy.

Brak. I beseech your graces both to pardon me;
His majesty hath straitly given in charge
That no man shall have private conference,
Of what degree soever, with his brother.

Glo. Even so; an please your worship, Brakenbury,

You may partake of anything we say:
We speak no treason, man:-we say, the king
Is wise and virtuous; and his noble queen
Well struck in years, fair, and not jealous :-
We say, that Shore's wife hath a pretty foot,

A cherry lip, a bonny eye, a passing pleasing tongue:
And the queen's kindred are made gentlefolks:
How say you, sir? can you deny all this?

Brak. With this, my lord, myself have nought to da Glo. Naught to do with mistress Shore? I tell ther fellow,

He that doth naught with her, excepting one,
Were best to do it secretly, alone.

Brak. What one, my lord?

Glo. Her husband, knave:-Wouldst thou betray me Brak. I do beseech your grace to pardon me; and, withal,

Forbear your conference with the noble duke.

Clar. We know thy charge, Brakenbury, and will obey. Glo. We are the queen's abjects, and must obey Brother, farewell: I will unto the king; And whatsoe'er you will employ me in,Were it to call king Edward's widow sister,I will perform it, to enfranchise you. Meantime, this deep disgrace in brotherhood Touches me deeper than you can imagine.

a

Clar. I know it pleaseth neither of us well. Glo. Well, your imprisonment shall not be long; I will deliver you, or else lie for you : * Meantime, have patience. Clar.

I must perforce; farewell. [Exeunt CLARENCE, BRAKENBURY, and Guard Glo. Go, tread the path that thou shalt ne'er return, Simple, plain Clarence! I do love thee so, That I will shortly send thy soul to heaven, If Heaven will take the present at our hands. But who comes here? the new-deliver'd Hastings. Enter HASTINGS.

Hast. Good time of day unto my gracious lord! Glo. As much unto my good lord chamberlain! Well are you welcome to this open air. How hath your lordship brook'd imprisonment? Hast. With patience, noble lord, as prisoners must: But I shall live, my lord, to give them thanks That were the cause of my imprisonment.

Glo. No doubt, no doubt, and so shall Clarence too; For they that were your enemies are his, And have prevail'd as much on him as you.

Hast. More pity that the eagle should be mew'd, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

Glo. What news abroad?

Hast. No news so bad abroad as this at home:
The king is sickly, weak, and melancholy,
And his physicians fear him mightily.

Glo. Now, by St. Paul, this news is bad indeed.

O, he hath kept an evil diet long,
And over-much consum'd his royal person;
"T is very grievous to be thought upon.
Where is he? in his bed?

Glo. Go you before, and I will follow you.
[Exit HASTINGS

He cannot live, I hope; and must not die
Till George be pack'd with posthorse up to heaven.
I'll in to urge his hatred more to Clarence,
With lies well steel'd with weighty arguments:
And, if I fail not in my deep intent,
Clarence hath not another day to live:
Which done, God take king Edward to his mercy,
And leave the world for me to bustle in!
For then I'll marry Warwick's youngest daughter.
What though I kill'd her husband and her father,
a Lie for you-be imprisoned in your stead.