Buck. Still live they, and for ever let them laft! K. Rich. Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold, indeed :- fpeak. Buck. Say on, my loving lord. K. Rich. Why, Buckingham, I say, I would be king. Buck. Why, fo you are, my thrice-renowned liege. K. Rich. Ha! am I king? 'Tis so: but Edward lives. Buck. True, noble prince. K. Rich. O bitter consequence, That Edward still should live-true! noble prince!- K. Rich. Tut, tut, thou art all ice, thy kindness freezes: Say, have I thy confent, that they shall die ? Buck. Give me fome breath, some little pause, dear lord, Before I positively speak in this: I will refolve your grace immediately. [Exit Buckingham. * Ab, Buckingham, now do I play the touch,] To play the touch is to represent the touchstone. So, in the 16th Song of Drayton's Polyolbion : "With alabaster, tuch, and porphyry adorn'd." Again, in the epistle of Mary the French Queen to Charles Brandon, by Drayton: "Before mine eye, like touch, thy shape did prove." Again, in Spenser's Faery Queen, B. I. c. iii: " Though true as touch, though daughter of a king.".. STEEVENS. Catef. Cates. The king is angry; fee, he gnaws his lips. And unrespective boys'; none are for me, That look into me with confiderate eyes :- Page. My lord. K. Rich. Know'st thou not any, whom corrupting gold Would tempt unto a close exploit of death? Whose humble means match not his haughty mind: Page. His name, my lord, is-Tyrrel. K. Rich. I partly know the man; Go, call him hither, boy. [Exit boy. The deep-revolving witty Buckingham And stops he now for breath?-well, be it fo. 5-fee, be gnaws his lip.] Several of our ancient historians observe, that this was an accustomed action of Richard, whether he was pensive or angry. STEEVENS. 6 And unrespective boys; - Unrespective is inattentive, tak ing no notice, inconfiderate. So, in Daniel's Cleopatra, 1599: When diffolute impiety possess'd "The unrespective minds of prince and people." STEEVENS. 1close exploit is secret act. JOHNSON. 8-witty] in this place fignifies judicious or cunning. A wit was not at this time employed to fignify a man of fancy, but. was used for wisdom or judgment. So, in Daniel's Cleopatra, 1599: 1 Enter Stanley. How now, lord Stanley? what's the news? To stop all hopes, whose growth may damage me.-[Exit Catesby. I must be marry'd to my brother's daughter, Enter Tyrrel. Is thy name-Tyrrel1? Tyr. James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject. So far in blood, that fin will pluck on fin.]** The fame reflections occur in Macbeth: "I am in blood Again: Step'd in so far, that should I wade no more, K. Rich. "Things bad begun make strong themselves by ill." STEEVENS. Is thy name-Tyrrel?] It seems, that a late editor (who boasts much of his fidelity in " marking the places of action, both general and particular, and supplying scenical directions") throughout this scene, has left king Richard on his throne; whereas K. Rich. Art thou, indeed? K. Rich. Dar'st thou refolve to kill a friend of mine? Tyr. Please you; but I had rather kill two enemies. K. Rich. Why, then thou hast it; two deep ene mies, Foes to my rest, and my sweet fleep's disturbers, hither, Tyrrel; Go, by this token:-Rife, and lend thine ear: [Whispers. There is no more but so:-Say, it is done, Re-enter Buckingham. [Exit. Buck. My lord, I have confider'd in my mind That late demand that you did found me in. K. Rich. Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond. Buck. I hear the news, my lord. whereas he might have learnt from the following passage in fir John Harrington's Metamorphosis of Ajax, 1596, that the monarch appeared, during the present interview with Tyrrel, on an elevation of of much less dignity. "The best part (fays fir John) of our chronicles, in all men's opinions is that of Richard the third, written as I have heard by Moorton, but as most suppose, by that worthy and incorrupt magistrate fir Thomas More, fometime lord chancellor of England, where it is said, how the king was devising with Teril to have his nephews privily murdred; and it is added, he was then fitting on a draught; a fit carpet for such a counsel." See likewise Holinshed, vol. ii. p. 735. STEEVENS. 1 K. Rich. Stanley, he is your wife's fon :-Well, look to it. Buck. My lord, I claim the gift, my due by pro- For which your honour and your faith is pawn'd; K. Rich. Stanley, look to your wife; if she convey Letters to Richmond, you shall answer it. Buck. What says your highness to my just request? Did prophesy, that Richmond should be king, 2 *A king!-perhaps Buck. My lord, K. Rich. How chance, the prophet could not at that time Have told me, I being by, that I should kill him ? started; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, I should not live long after I faw Richmond. Buck. My lord, K. Rich. Ay, what's o'clock? Buck. I am thus bold to put your grace in mind Of what you promis'd me. K. Rich. Well, but what's o'clock? Buck. Upon the stroke of ten. Buck. Why let it strike? A king!-perhaps ) From hence to the words, Thou troubLeft me, I am not in the vein have been left out ever fince the firit editions, but I like them well enough to replace them. POPE. The allufions to the plays of Henry VI. are no weak proofs of the authenticity of these disputed pieces. JOHNSON. K. Rich. |