Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hateUpon your grace, but with all duteous loveDoth cherish you and yours, God punish meWith hate in those where I expect most love.When I have most need to employ a friend,And most assurèd that he is a friend,Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guileBe he unto me. This do I beg of heaven,When I am cold in love to you or yours.Embrace.
King Edward
A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.There wanteth now our brother Gloucester hereTo make the blessèd period of this peace.Buckingham
And, in good time,Here comes Sir Richard Ratcliffe and the duke.Enter Ratcliffe and Richard.
Richard
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.Brother, we have done deeds of charity,Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,Between these swelling wrong-incensèd peers.Richard
A blessèd labour, my most sovereign lord.Among this princely heap, if any hereBy false intelligence or wrong surmiseHold me a foe; if I unwittingly or in my rageHave aught committed that is hardly borneBy any in this presence, I desireTo reconcile me to his friendly peace.ʼTis 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 lodged between us;Of you and you, Lord Rivers, and of Dorset,That all without desert have frowned on me;Of you, Lord Woodville, and Lord Scales, of you;Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen, indeed of all.I do not know that Englishman aliveWith whom my soul is any jot at oddsMore than the infant that is born tonightI thank my God for my humility.Elizabeth
A holy day shall this be kept hereafter.I would to God all strifes were well compounded.My sovereign lord, I do beseech your highnessTo take our brother Clarence to your grace.Richard
Why, madam, have I offered love for this,To be so flouted in this royal presence?Who knows not that the noble duke is dead?They all start.
You do him injury to scorn his corpse.
King Edward
Who knows not he is dead?Who knows he is?Elizabeth
All-seeing heaven, what a world is this?
Buckingham
Look I so pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?
Dorset
Ay, my good lord, and no one in the presenceBut his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.King Edward
Is Clarence dead? The order was reversed.
Richard