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for all my earthly joys with her must die

and I am killed with cares eternally.

for Anne-a-Beame is dead, forever gone!

she was too virtuous to remain with me,

and heaven hath given her higher dignity.

oh, god, I fear, even here begins our woe:

her death is but chorus to some tragic scene

that shortly will confound our state and realm.

such sad events black mischiefs still attend,

and bloody acts, I fear, must crown the end.

Bagot

presage not so, sweet prince, your state is strong.

your youthful hopes with expectation crowned.

let not one loss so many comforts drown.

King

despair and madness seize me. oh, my dear friends,

what loss can be compared to such a Queen?

down with this house of sheen, go ruin all!

pull down her buildings, let her turrets fall!

forever lay it waste and desolate

that english King may never here keep court,

but to all ages leave a sad report,

when men shall see these ruined walls of sheen

and sighing say, here died King Richard's Queen.

for which we will have it wasted lime and stone

to keep a monument of Richard's moan.

oh, torturing grief!

Bushy

dear liege, all tears for her are vain oblations,

her quiet soul rests in celestial peace:

with joy of that, let all your sorrows cease.

King

send post to calais and bid Lapoole forbear

on pain of life, to act our sad decree.

for heaven's love, go, prevent the tragedy.

we have too much provoked the powers divine

and here repent thy wrongs, good uncle Woodstock;

the thought whereof confounds my memory.

if men might die when they would appoint the time,

the time is now King Richard would be gone;

for as a fearful thunderclap doth strike

the soundest body of the tallest oak,

yet harmless leaves the outward bark untouched,

so is King Richard struck. come, come let us go.

my wounds are inward. inward burns my woe.

Exeunt

Act V, Scene 1

Scene 1: The castle, Calais]

Enter Lapoole with a light, after him Two Murderers.

Lapoole

come sirs, be resolute. the time serves well

to act the business you have taken in hand.

the Duke is gone to rest, the room is voided,

no ear can hear his cries, be fearless bold

and win King Richard's love, with heaps of gold.

are all your instruments for death made ready?

1st Murderer

all fit to the purpose. see, my lord, here is

first a towel with which we do intend to strangle

him; but if he strive and this should chance to fail,

I will maul his old mazzard with his hammer, knock him

down like an ox, and after cut his throat. how like ye this?

Lapoole

no, wound him not,

it must be done so fair and cunningly

as if he died a common natural death,

for so we must give out to all that ask.

2nd Murderer

there is no way then, but to smother him.

Lapoole

I like that best; yet one thing let me tell ye:

think not your work contrived so easily

as if ye were to match some common man.

believe me, sirs, his countenance is such,

so full of dread and lordly majesty,

mixed with such mild and gentle behaviour

as will (except you be resolved at full)

strike you with fear even with his princely looks.

1st Murderer

not and he looked as grim as hercules,

as stern and terrible as the devil himself!

Lapoole

it is well resolved. retire yourselves awhile,

stay in the next withdrawing chamber there

and when occasion serves, I will call ye forth.

2nd Murderer

do but beckon with your finger, my lord,

and like vultures we come flying and seize him

presently.

Exeunt [the] Two Murderers Lapoole

do so. now by my fairest hopes, I swear

the boldness of these villains to this murder

makes me abhor them and the deed forever.

horror of conscience, with the King's command

fights a fell combat in my fearful breast.

the King commands his uncle here must die.

and my sad conscience bids the contrary

and tells me that his innocent blood thus spilt

heaven will revenge. murder is a heinous guilt,

a seven times crying sin. accursed man,

the further that I wade in this foul act

my troubled senses are the more distract,

confounded