KING RICHARD III. William Shakespeare

uncle?

       GLOSTER

       I say, without characters, fame lives long.—

       [Aside]

       Thus, like the formal vice, Iniquity,

       I moralize two meanings in one word.

       PRINCE

       That Julius Caesar was a famous man;

       With what his valour did enrich his wit,

       His wit set down to make his valour live;

       Death makes no conquest of this conqueror;

       For now he lives in fame, though not in life.—

       I’ll tell you what, my cousin Buckingham,—

       BUCKINGHAM

       What, my gracious lord?

       PRINCE

       An if I live until I be a man,

       I’ll win our ancient right in France again,

       Or die a soldier as I liv’d a king.

       GLOSTER

       [Aside]

       Short summers lightly have a forward spring.

       BUCKINGHAM

       Now, in good time, here comes the Duke of York.

       [Enter YORK, HASTINGS, and the CARDINAL.]

       PRINCE

       Richard of York! how fares our loving brother?

       YORK

       Well, my dread lord; so must I call you now.

       PRINCE

       Ay brother,—to our grief, as it is yours:

       Too late he died that might have kept that title,

       Which by his death hath lost much majesty.

       GLOSTER

       How fares our cousin, noble Lord of York?

       YORK

       I thank you, gentle uncle. O, my lord,

       You said that idle weeds are fast in growth:

       The prince my brother hath outgrown me far.

       GLOSTER

       He hath, my lord.

       YORK

       And therefore is he idle?

       GLOSTER

       O, my fair cousin, I must not say so.

       YORK

       Then he is more beholding to you than I.

       GLOSTER

       He may command me as my sovereign;

       But you have power in me as in a kinsman.

       YORK

       I pray you, uncle, give me this dagger.

       GLOSTER

       My dagger, little cousin? with all my heart!

       PRINCE

       A beggar, brother?

       YORK

       Of my kind uncle, that I know will give,

       And being but a toy, which is no grief to give.

       GLOSTER

       A greater gift than that I’ll give my cousin.

       YORK

       A greater gift! O, that’s the sword to it!

       GLOSTER

       Ay, gentle cousin, were it light enough.

       YORK

       O, then, I see you will part but with light gifts;

       In weightier things you’ll say a beggar nay.

       GLOSTER

       It is too heavy for your grace to wear.

       YORK

       I weigh it lightly, were it heavier.

       GLOSTER

       What, would you have my weapon, little lord?

       YORK

       I would, that I might thank you as you call me.

       GLOSTER

       How?

       YORK

       Little.

       PRINCE

       My Lord of York will still be cross in talk:—

       Uncle, your grace knows how to bear with him.

       YORK

       You mean, to bear me, not to bear with me:—

       Uncle, my brother mocks both you and me;

       Because that I am little, like an ape,

       He thinks that you should bear me on your shoulders.

       BUCKINGHAM

       With what a sharp-provided wit he reasons!

       To mitigate the scorn he gives his uncle,

       He prettily and aptly taunts himself:

       So cunning and so young is wonderful.

       GLOSTER

       My lord, wil’t please you pass along?

       Myself and my good cousin Buckingham

       Will to your mother, to entreat of her

       To meet you at the Tower and welcome you.

       YORK

       What, will you go unto the Tower, my lord?

       PRINCE

       My lord protector needs will have it so.

       YORK

       I shall not sleep in quiet at the Tower.

       GLOSTER

       Why, what should you fear?

       YORK

       Marry, my uncle Clarence’ angry ghost:

       My grandam told me he was murder’d there.

       PRINCE

       I fear no uncles dead.

       GLOSTER

       Nor none that live, I hope.

       PRINCE

       An if they live, I hope I need not fear.

       But come, my lord; and with a heavy heart,

       Thinking on them, go I unto the Tower.

       [Sennet. Exeunt PRINCE, YORK, HASTINGS, CARDINAL, and Attendants.]

       BUCKINGHAM

       Think you, my lord, this little prating York

       Was not incensèd by his subtle mother

       To taunt and scorn you thus opprobriously?

       GLOSTER

       No doubt, no doubt: O, ‘tis a parlous boy;

       Bold, quick, ingenious, forward, capable:

       He is all the mother’s, from the top to toe.

       BUCKINGHAM

       Well, let them rest.—Come hither, Catesby.

       Thou art sworn as deeply to effect what we intend

       As closely to conceal what we impart:

       Thou know’st our reasons urg’d upon the way;—

       What think’st thou? is it not an easy matter

       To make William Lord Hastings of our mind,

       For the instalment of this noble duke

       In the seat royal of this famous isle?