Richard, Duke of York. ·Sons to Edward IV. George, Duke of Clarence, Brother to Edward IV. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Brother to Edward IV. afterwards King Richard III. Cardinal, Archbishop of York. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Norfolk. Earl of Surrey. Marquis of Dorfet, Son to Queen Elizabeth. Lord Gray, Son to Queen Elizabeth. Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. Lord Haftings. Sir Thomas Vaughan. Sir Richard Radcliff. Lord Lovel. Catesby. Sir James Tyrrel. Thomas, Lord Stanley. Earl of Oxford. Blount. Herbert. Sir William Brandon. Brakenbury, Lieut. of the Tower. Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. Queen Margaret, Widow of Henry VI. Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry VI. afterwards married to the Duke of Glouce fter. Dutchess of York, Mother to Edward IV. Clarence and Richard III. Sheriff, Purfuivant, Citizens, Ghofts of those murder'd by Richard III. with Soldiers, and other Attendants. THE (1) LIFE and DEATH of King RICHARD III. ACT I SCENE I. s The COURT. Enter Richard Duke of Gloucefter, folus. N OW is the Winter of our Difcontent In This Tragedy, (1) The Life and Death of King Richard III.] T though it is called the Life and Death of this Prince, comprizes, at molt, but the laft eight Years of his Time: For it opens with George Duke of Clarence being up in the Tower, which happened in the beginning of the 1477; and clofes with the Death of Richard at Bofworth-field, which Battle was fought on the 22d of Auguft in the Year 1 H The oldest known edition of this Tragedy is printed for Andrew Wife, 1597 but Harrington, in his Apologie of Poetrie, written in 1590, and prefix'd to the tranflation of Arifto, fays, that a tragedy of Richard the Third had been bridge. His words are, For tragedies, to omit other famous "tragedies, that which was play'd at St. John's in Cambridge, of Richard the Third, would move, I think, Phalaris the tyrant, and terrifie all tyrannous minded men, &c." He molt probably means Shakespeare's; and if fo, we may argue, that there is fome more ancient edition of this play than what I have mentioned at leaft this fhews us how early Shakespeare's In the deep bofom of the Ocean bury'd. Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths, play appear'd or if fome other Richard the Third is here alluded to by Harrington, that a play on this fubjet preceded our Author's. Mr. WHARTton. (2) He capers] War capers. This is poetical, though a little barth; if it be Tork that capers, the antecedent is at fuch a diftance that it is almost forgotten. (3) Cheated of feature by diffembling nature,] By diffembling is not meant hypocritical nature, that pretends one thing, and does another: But nature that puts together, things of a diffimilar kind, as a brave foul, and a deformed body. WARBURTON. Diffembling is here put very licentiously for fraudful, deceit ful. (4) And therefore fince I cannot prove a lover] Shakespeare very diligently inculcates that the wickedness of Richard proceeded from his deformity, from the envy that rofe at the comparifon of his own perfon with others, and which incited him to difturb the pleafures that he could not partake. I am determined to prove a villain, This day fhould Clarence clofely be mew'd up; Of Edward's Heirs the Murtherer fhall be. comes. Enter Clarence guarded, and Brakenbury: Brother, good day, what means this armed Guard, Cla. His Majesty, Tend'ring my perfon's fafety, hath appointed Clar. Becaufe my name is George. Glou. Alack, my Lord, that fault is none of yours: He fhould for That commit your godfathers. Belike, his Majefty hath fome intent, That you fhould be new christened in the Tower. He hearkens after Prophefies and Dreams, And, for my name of George begins with G, *And hate the idle pleafures] Perhaps we might read, And bate the idle pleafures. + Inductions dangerous,] Preparations for mifchief.. The Induction is preparatory to the action of the play. (5)Edward be as true and juft,] i. e. as open hearted and free from deceit. The meaning is only this; if Edward keeps his word. It follows in his thought, that I am he.hitha? Glo. Why, this it is, when men are rul'd by wo men. "Tis not the King that fends you to the Tower, That made him fend lord Haftings to the Tower? We are not fafe, Clarence, we are not fafe. Clar. By heav'n, I think, there is no man fecure Glo. Humbly complaining to her Deity, (6) The jealous, o'erworn widow, and herself, Brak. beg your Graces both to pardon me: That no man fhall have private conference, Of what degree foever, with your brother. Glo. Ev'n fo, an't pleafe your worship. Brackenbury, You may partake of any thing we fay, We speak no treafon, man- -we fay, the King Toys.] Fancies, freaks of imagination. (6) Humbly complaining, &c.] I think these two lines might be better given to Clarence. The jealous, o'er-worn widow,] That is the Queen and Shore. That |