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Richard III - Act 2, scene 3
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Richard III - Act 2, scene 3Act 2, scene 3
Scene 3
Synopsis:
Three citizens discuss the possibly tumultuous succession of Prince Edward.
Enter one Citizen at one door, and another at the other.FIRST CITIZEN
1428 Good morrow, neighbor, whither away so fast?
SECOND CITIZEN
1429 I promise you I scarcely know myself.
1430 Hear you the news abroad?
FIRST CITIZEN 1431 Yes, that the King is dead.
SECOND CITIZEN
1432 5 Ill news, by ’r Lady. Seldom comes the better.
1433 I fear, I fear, ’twill prove a giddy world.
Enter another Citizen.
THIRD CITIZEN
1434 Neighbors, God speed.
FIRST CITIZEN 1435 Give you good morrow, sir.
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THIRD CITIZEN 1436 Doth the news hold of good King Edward’s death?
SECOND CITIZEN
1437 10 Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while.
THIRD CITIZEN
1438 Then, masters, look to see a troublous world.
FIRST CITIZEN
1439 No, no, by God’s good grace, his son shall reign.
THIRD CITIZEN
1440 Woe to that land that’s governed by a child.
SECOND CITIZEN
1441 In him there is a hope of government,
1442 15 Which, in his nonage, council under him,
1443 And, in his full and ripened years, himself,
1444 No doubt shall then, and till then, govern well.
FIRST CITIZEN
1445 So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
1446 Was crowned in Paris but at nine months old.
THIRD CITIZEN
1447 20 Stood the state so? No, no, good friends, God wot,
1448 For then this land was famously enriched
1449 With politic grave counsel; then the King
1450 Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.
FIRST CITIZEN
1451 Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.
THIRD CITIZEN
1452 25 Better it were they all came by his father,
1453 Or by his father there were none at all,
1454 For emulation who shall now be nearest
1455 Will touch us all too near if God prevent not.
1456 O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,
1457 30 And the Queen’s sons and brothers haught and
1458 proud,
1459 And were they to be ruled, and not to rule,
1460 This sickly land might solace as before.
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FIRST CITIZEN 1461 Come, come, we fear the worst. All will be well.
THIRD CITIZEN
1462 35 When clouds are seen, wise men put on their
1463 cloaks;
1464 When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
1465 When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?
1466 Untimely storms makes men expect a dearth.
1467 40 All may be well; but if God sort it so,
1468 ’Tis more than we deserve or I expect.
SECOND CITIZEN
1469 Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.
1470 You cannot reason almost with a man
1471 That looks not heavily and full of dread.
THIRD CITIZEN
1472 45 Before the days of change, still is it so.
1473 By a divine instinct, men’s minds mistrust
1474 Ensuing danger, as by proof we see
1475 The water swell before a boist’rous storm.
1476 But leave it all to God. Whither away?
SECOND CITIZEN
1477 50 Marry, we were sent for to the Justices.
THIRD CITIZEN
1478 And so was I. I’ll bear you company.
They exit.