cond scene of the first act commences with the funeral of King Henry VI. who is said to have been murdered on the 21st of May, 1471, while the imprisonment of Clarence, which is represented previously in the first scene, did not take place till 1477-8.

In speaking of this play, Dr. Johnson remarks; "This is one of the most celebrated of our author's performances, yet I know not whether it has not happened to him as to others, to be praised most when praise is not most deserved. That this play has scenes noble in themselves, and very well contrived to strike in the exhibition, cannot be denied; but some parts are trifling, others shocking, and some improbable."

ARGUMENT.

1

The extinction of the house of Lancaster and the declining health of the king induce Richard, duke of Gloster, to commence his career of ambition with the removal of the duke of Clarence, who is privately assassinated in prison by his orders. Edward shortly after expires, leaving Richard protector of the realm, who immediately withdraws the two young princes from the superintendence of their maternal relatives these unfortunate noblemen are executed on a pretended discovery of treason; a similar fate awaits Lord Hastings for his fidelity to the legitimate successor of his deceased master; while the innocent children are conveyed to the Tower. By the powerful assistance of the duke of Buckingham, Richard obtains the crown, which is followed by the murder of his nephews in the Tower, and the poisoning of his wife, in order to facilitate an alliance with his niece, which he hopes to accomplish by the aid of her mother. These events are succeeded by the defection and execution of the duke of Buckingham. In the mean time, Henry, earl of Richmond, having assembled a large army, embarks at Bretagne, and lands at Milford Haven: he resolves to proceed towards the capital without delay, and reaches the town of Bosworth in Leicestershire, where he is encountered by the forces of the usurper, who is defeated and slain; while the regal dignity devolves on his fortunate rival, who assumes the title of Henry VII. and puts a period to the long contention between the rival families by an immediate union with Elizabeth, the daughter of Edward JV.

6

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

KING EDWARD THE FOURTH.

EDWARD, prince of Wales, afterwards King sons

Edward V.

RICHARD, duke of York,

GEORGE, duke of Clarence,

RICHARD, duke of Gloster, afterwards King

Richard III.

A young Son of Clarence.

to the king.

brothers to the

king.

HENRY, earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII.
CARDINAL BOURCHIER, archbishop of Canterbury.

THOMAS ROTHERAM, archbishop of York.

JOHN MORTON, bishop of Ely.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

DUKE OF NORFOLK. EARL OF SURREY, his son.
EARL RIVERS, brother to King Edward's queen.
MARQUIS OF DORSET, and LORD GREY, her sons.

EARL OF OXFORD. LORD HASTINGS. LORD STANLEY. LORD
Lovel.

SIR THOMAS VAUGHAN. SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF.
SIR WILLIAM CATESBY. SIR JAMES TYRREL.
SIR JAMES BLOUNT. SIR WALTER HERbert.
SIR ROBERT BRAKENBURY, lieutenant of the Tower.
CHRISTOPHER URSWICK, a Priest. Another Priest.
LORD MAYOR OF LONDON. SHERIFF OF WILTSHIRE.

ELIZABETH, queen of King Edward IV.
MARGARET, widow of King Henry VI.

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

and Gloster.

LADY ANNE, widow of Edward prince of Wales, son to King Henry VI.; afterwards married to the duke of Gloster. A young DAUGHTER of Clarence.

Lords, and other Attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE, England.

Glos. Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds, that lower'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 changed to merry meetings,
Our dreadful marches to delightful measures.1
Grim-visaged War hath smoothed his wrinkled
front;

And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds,
To fright the souls of fearful adversaries,-

1 Dances.

2 Steeds caparisoned in a warlike manner.

He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber,

To the lascivious pleasing of a lute.

But I,—that am not shaped 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,
Cheated of feature by dissembling Nature,1
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 spy 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.
Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous,2
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,

i. e. Nature that puts together things of a dissimilar kind, as a brave soul and a deformed body.'-Warburton. 2 Preparations for mischief.