Беспокойное бессмертие: 450 лет со дня рождения Уильяма Шекспира

Шекспир Уильям

^{Enter Richard and Hastings.}

Richard

They do me wrong, and I will not endure it. Who is it 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 abused By silken, sly, insinuating jacks?

Grey

To who in all this presence speaks your grace?

Richard

To thee, that hast nor honesty nor grace. When have I injured 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.

Elizabeth

Brother of Gloucester, you mistake the matter. The king, of his own royal disposition, And not provoked by any suitor else, Aiming, belike, at your interior hatred, That in your outward actions shows itself Against my children, brothers, and myself, Makes him to send, that he may learn the ground.

Richard

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.

Elizabeth

Come, come, we know your meaning, brother Gloucester. You envy my advancement and my friends’. God grant we never may have need of you.

Richard

Meantime, God grants that I have need of you. Your brother is imprisoned by your means, My self disgraced, 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.

Elizabeth

By Him that raised me to this careful height From that contented hap which I enjoyed, 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 susp`ects.

Richard

You may deny that you were not the mean Of my Lord Hastings’ late imprisonment.

Rivers

She may, my lord, for —

Richard

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?

Richard

What, marry, may she? Marry with a king, A bachelor, a handsome stripling too. I wis your grandam had a worser match.

Elizabeth

My lord of Gloucester, 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 endured. I had rather be a country servant maid Than a great queen, with this condition, To be so baited, scorned, and storm`ed at. Small joy have I in being England’s queen.

^{Enter old queen Margaret.}

Margaret( aside)

And lessened be that small, God I beseech him. Thy honour, state and seat is due to me.

Richard

What? Threat you me with telling of the king? I will avouch’t in presence of the king. I dare adventure to be sent to th’Tower. ’Tis time to speak. My pains are quite forgot.

Margaret( aside)

Out, devil. I do remember them too well. Thou kill’dst my husband, Henry, in the Tower, And Edward, my poor son, at Tewksbury.

Richard

Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king, I was a pack-horse in his great affairs, A weeder-out of his proud adversaries, A liberal rewarder of his friends. To royalise his blood I spent mine own.

Margaret( aside)

Ay, and much better blood than his or thine.

Richard

In all which time, you and your husband Grey Were factious for the house of Lancaster, And, Rivers, so were you. Was not your husband In Margaret’s battle at Saint Alban’s slain? Let me put in your minds, if you forget, What you have been ere this, and what you are; Withal, what I have been, and what I am.