The True Tragedie of Richard the third Wherein is showne the death of Edward the fourth, with the smothering of the two yoong Princes in the Tower : With a lamentable ende of Shores wife, an example for all wicked women. And lastly, the coniunction and ioyning of the two noble Houses, Lancaster and Yorke |
 | The True Tragedie of Richard the third |  |
Enters Truth and Poetrie. To them the Ghoast of George
Duke of Clarence.
Ghost.
Cresse cruor sanguinis, satietur sanguine cresse,
Quod spero scitio. O scitio, scitio, vendicta.
Exit.
Poetrie.
Truth well met.
Truth.
Thankes Poetrie, what makes thou vpon a stage?
Poet.
Shadowes.
Truth.
Then will I adde bodies to the shadowes,
Therefore depart and giue Truth leaue
To shew her pageant.
Poe.
Why will Truth be a Player?
Truth.
No, but Tragedia like for to present
A Tragedie in England done but late,
That will reuiue the hearts of drooping mindes.
Poe.
Whereof?
Truth.
Marry thus.
Richard Plantagenet of the House of Yorke,
Claiming the Crowne by warres, not by dissent,
Had as the Chronicles make manifest,
In the two and twentith yeare of Henry the sixth,
By act of Parliament intailed to him
The Crowne and titles to that dignitie,
And to his ofspring lawfully begotten,
After the decease of that forenamed King,
Yet not contented for to staie the time,
Made warres vpon King Henry then the sixth,
And by outrage suppressed that vertuous King,
And wonne the Crowne of England to himselfe,
But since at Wakefield in a battell pitcht,
Outragious Richard breathed his latest breath,
Leauing behind three branches of that line,
Three sonnes: the first was Edward now the King,
George of Clarence, and Richard Glosters Duke,
Then Henry claiming after his decease
His stile, his Crowne and former dignitie
Was quite suppressed, till this Edward the fourth.
Poe.
But tell me truth, of Henry what ensued?
Tru.
Imprisoned he, in the Tower of London lies,
By strict command, from Edward Englands King,
Since cruelly murthered, by Richard Glosters Duke.
Poe.
Whose Ghoast was that did appeare to vs?
Tru.
It was the ghost of George the duke of Clarēce,
Who was attected in King Edwards raigne,
Falsly of Treason to his royaltie,
Imprisoned in the Tower was most vnnaturally,
By his owne brother, shame to parents stocke,
By Glosters Duke drowned in a but of wine.
Poe.
What shield was that he let fall?
Tru.
A shield conteining this, in full effect,
Blood sprinkled, springs: blood spilt, craues due reuenge:
Whereupon he writes, Cresse cruor,
Sanguis satietur, sanguine cresse,
Quod spero scitio: O scitio scitio, vendicta.
Poe.
What maner of man was this Richard Duke of Gloster?
Tru.
A man ill shaped, crooked backed, lame armed, withall,
Valiantly minded, but tyrannous in authoritie,
So during the minoritie of the yoong Prince,
He is made Lord Protector ouer the Realme.
Gentiles suppose that Edward now hath raigned
Full two and twentie yeares, and now like to die,
Hath summond all his Nobles to the Court,
To sweare alleageance with the Duke his brother,
For truth vnto his sonne the tender Prince,
Whose fathers soule is now neare flight to God,
Leauing behind two sonnes of tender age,
Fiue daughters to comfort the haplesse Queene,
All vnder the protection of the Duke of Gloster:
Thus gentles, excuse the length by the matter,
And here begins Truthes Pageant, Poetrie
Wend with me.
Exeunt.
Ghost.
Cresse cruor sanguinis, satietur sanguine cresse,
Quod spero scitio. O scitio, scitio, vendicta.
Exit.
Poetrie.
Truth well met.
Truth.
Thankes Poetrie, what makes thou vpon a stage?
Poet.
Shadowes.
Truth.
Then will I adde bodies to the shadowes,
Therefore depart and giue Truth leaue
To shew her pageant.
Poe.
Why will Truth be a Player?
Truth.
No, but Tragedia like for to present
A Tragedie in England done but late,
That will reuiue the hearts of drooping mindes.
Poe.
Whereof?
Truth.
Marry thus.
Richard Plantagenet of the House of Yorke,
Claiming the Crowne by warres, not by dissent,
Had as the Chronicles make manifest,
In the two and twentith yeare of Henry the sixth,
By act of Parliament intailed to him
The Crowne and titles to that dignitie,
And to his ofspring lawfully begotten,
Yet not contented for to staie the time,
Made warres vpon King Henry then the sixth,
And by outrage suppressed that vertuous King,
And wonne the Crowne of England to himselfe,
But since at Wakefield in a battell pitcht,
Outragious Richard breathed his latest breath,
Leauing behind three branches of that line,
Three sonnes: the first was Edward now the King,
George of Clarence, and Richard Glosters Duke,
Then Henry claiming after his decease
His stile, his Crowne and former dignitie
Was quite suppressed, till this Edward the fourth.
Poe.
But tell me truth, of Henry what ensued?
Tru.
Imprisoned he, in the Tower of London lies,
By strict command, from Edward Englands King,
Since cruelly murthered, by Richard Glosters Duke.
Poe.
Whose Ghoast was that did appeare to vs?
Tru.
It was the ghost of George the duke of Clarēce,
Who was attected in King Edwards raigne,
Falsly of Treason to his royaltie,
Imprisoned in the Tower was most vnnaturally,
By his owne brother, shame to parents stocke,
By Glosters Duke drowned in a but of wine.
Poe.
What shield was that he let fall?
Tru.
A shield conteining this, in full effect,
Blood sprinkled, springs: blood spilt, craues due reuenge:
Whereupon he writes, Cresse cruor,
Sanguis satietur, sanguine cresse,
Quod spero scitio: O scitio scitio, vendicta.
Poe.
What maner of man was this Richard Duke of Gloster?
Tru.
A man ill shaped, crooked backed, lame armed, withall,
Valiantly minded, but tyrannous in authoritie,
So during the minoritie of the yoong Prince,
He is made Lord Protector ouer the Realme.
Gentiles suppose that Edward now hath raigned
Hath summond all his Nobles to the Court,
To sweare alleageance with the Duke his brother,
For truth vnto his sonne the tender Prince,
Whose fathers soule is now neare flight to God,
Leauing behind two sonnes of tender age,
Fiue daughters to comfort the haplesse Queene,
All vnder the protection of the Duke of Gloster:
Thus gentles, excuse the length by the matter,
And here begins Truthes Pageant, Poetrie
Wend with me.
Exeunt.
| The True Tragedie of Richard the third | |