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teach thee how to curse。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。 My words are dull； O；
quicken them with thine！ QUEEN MARGARET。 Thy woes will make
them sharp and pierce like mine。 Exit DUCHESS。 Why should calamity
be fun of words？ QUEEN ELIZABETH。 Windy attorneys to their client
woes； Airy succeeders of intestate joys； Poor breathing orators of miseries；
Let them have scope； though what they will impart Help nothing else； yet
do they case the heart。 DUCHESS。 If so； then be not tongue…tied。 Go with
me； And in the breath of bitter words let's smother My damned son that
thy two sweet sons smother'd。 The trumpet sounds； be copious in
exclaims。
Enter KING RICHARD and his train； marching with drums and
trumpets
KING RICHARD。 Who intercepts me in my expedition？ DUCHESS。
O； she that might have intercepted thee； By strangling thee in her accursed
womb； From all the slaughters； wretch； that thou hast done！ QUEEN
ELIZABETH。 Hidest thou that forehead with a golden crown Where't
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should be branded； if that right were right； The slaughter of the Prince that
ow'd that crown； And the dire death of my poor sons and brothers？ Tell me；
thou villain slave； where are my children？ DUCHESS。 Thou toad； thou
toad； where is thy brother Clarence？ And little Ned Plantagenet； his son？
QUEEN ELIZABETH。 Where is the gentle Rivers； Vaughan； Grey？
DUCHESS。 Where is kind Hastings？ KING RICHARD。 A flourish；
trumpets！ Strike alarum； drums！ Let not the heavens hear these tell…tale
women Rail on the Lord's anointed。 Strike； I say！ ＇Flourish。 Alarums＇
Either be patient and entreat me fair； Or with the clamorous report of war
Thus will I drown your exclamations。 DUCHESS。 Art thou my son？
KING RICHARD。 Ay； I thank God； my father； and yourself。 DUCHESS。
Then patiently hear my impatience。 KING RICHARD。 Madam； I have a
touch of your condition That cannot brook the accent of reproof。
DUCHESS。 O； let me speak！ KING RICHARD。 Do； then； but I'll not hear。
DUCHESS。 I will be mild and gentle in my words。 KING RICHARD。
And brief； good mother； for I am in haste。 DUCHESS。 Art thou so hasty？ I
have stay'd for thee； God knows； in torment and in agony。 KING
RICHARD。 And came I not at last to comfort you？ DUCHESS。 No； by the
holy rood； thou know'st it well Thou cam'st on earth to make the earth my
hell。 A grievous burden was thy birth to me； Tetchy and wayward was thy
infancy； Thy school…days frightful； desp'rate； wild； and furious； Thy prime
of manhood daring； bold； and venturous； Thy age confirm'd； proud； subtle；
sly； and bloody； More mild； but yet more harmful…kind in hatred。 What
comfortable hour canst thou name That ever grac'd me with thy company？
KING RICHARD。 Faith； none but Humphrey Hour； that call'd your Grace
To breakfast once forth of my company。 If I be so disgracious in your eye；
Let me march on and not offend you； madam。 Strike up the drum。
DUCHESS。 I prithee hear me speak。 KING RICHARD。 You speak too
bitterly。 DUCHESS。 Hear me a word； For I shall never speak to thee again。
KING RICHARD。 So。 DUCHESS。 Either thou wilt die by God's just
ordinance Ere from this war thou turn a conqueror； Or I with grief and
extreme age shall perish And never more behold thy face again。 Therefore
take with thee my most grievous curse； Which in the day of battle tire thee
more Than all the complete armour that thou wear'st！ My prayers on the
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adverse party fight； And there the little souls of Edward's children Whisper
the spirits of thine enemies And promise them success and victory。 Bloody
thou art； bloody will be thy end。 Shame serves thy life and doth thy death
attend。 Exit QUEEN ELIZABETH。 Though far more cause； yet much less
spirit to curse Abides in me； I say amen to her。 KING RICHARD。 Stay；
madam； I must talk a word with you。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。 I have no
moe sons of the royal blood For thee to slaughter。 For my daughters；
Richard； They shall be praying nuns； not weeping queens； And therefore
level not to hit their lives。 KING RICHARD。 You have a daughter call'd
Elizabeth。 Virtuous and fair； royal and gracious。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。
And must she die for this？ O； let her live； And I'll corrupt her manners；
stain her beauty； Slander myself as false to Edward's bed； Throw over her
the veil of infamy； So she may live unscarr'd of bleeding slaughter； I will
confess she was not Edward's daughter。 KING RICHARD。 Wrong not her
birth； she is a royal Princess。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。 To save her life I'll
say she is not so。 KING RICHARD。 Her life is safest only in her birth。
QUEEN ELIZABETH。 And only in that safety died her brothers。 KING
RICHARD。 Lo； at their birth good stars were opposite。 QUEEN
ELIZABETH。 No； to their lives ill friends were contrary。 KING
RICHARD。 All unavoided is the doom of destiny。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。
True； when avoided grace makes destiny。 My babes were destin'd to a
fairer death； If grace had bless'd thee with a fairer life。 KING RICHARD。
You speak as if that I had slain my cousins。 QUEEN ELIZABETH。
Cousins； indeed； and by their uncle cozen'd Of comfort； kingdom； kindred；
freedom； life。 Whose hand soever lanc'd their tender hearts； Thy head； an
indirectly； gave direction。 No doubt the murd'rous knife was dull and blunt
Till it was whetted on thy stone…hard heart To revel in the entrails of my
lambs。 But that stiff use of grief makes wild grief tame； My tongue should
to thy ears not name my boys Till that my nails were anchor'd in thine eyes；
And I； in such a desp'rate bay of death； Like a poor bark； of sails and
tackling reft； Rush all to pieces on thy rocky bosom。 KING RICHARD。
Madam； so thrive I in my enterprise And dangerous success of bloody
wars； As I intend more good to you and yours Than ever you or yours by
me were harm'd！ QUEEN ELIZABETH。 What good is cover'd with the
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face of heaven； To be discover'd； that can do me good？ KING RICHARD。
advancement of your