ACT V - Scene I Richard III


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Salisbury. An open place.

Enter the Sheriff, and Buckingham, with halberds, led to execution.
Buckingham Will not King Richard let me speak with him?
Sheriff No, my good lord; therefore be patient.
Buckingham

Hastings, and Edwardโ€™s children, Rivers, Grey,
Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward,
Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
By underhand corrupted foul injustice,
If that your moody discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
This is All-Soulsโ€™ day, fellows, is it not?

Sheriff It is, my lord.
Buckingham

Why, then All-Soulsโ€™ day is my bodyโ€™s doomsday.
This is the day that, in King Edwardโ€™s time,
I wishโ€™d might fall on me, when I was found
False to his children or his wifeโ€™s allies;
This is the day wherein I wishโ€™d to fall
By the false faith of him I trusted most;
This, this All-Soulsโ€™ day to my fearful soul
Is the determined respite of my wrongs:
That high All-Seer that I dallied with
Hath turnโ€™d my feigned prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I beggโ€™d in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points on their mastersโ€™ bosoms:
Now Margaretโ€™s curse is fallen upon my head;
โ€œWhen he,โ€ quoth she, โ€œshall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.โ€
Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame;
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. Exeunt.

 

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