Page:Richard III (1927) Yale.djvu/35

Richard the Third, I. iii

What may she not? She may,—ay, marry, may she,—

Riv. What, marry, may she?

Rich. What, marry, may she! marry with a king,

A bachelor and a handsome stripling too.

I wis your grandam had a worser match.

Q. Eliz. My Lord of Gloucester, I have too long borne

Your blunt upbraidings and your bitter scoffs;

By heaven, I will acquaint his majesty

Of those gross taunts that oft I have endur'd.

I had rather be a country servant-maid

Than a great queen, with this condition,

To be so baited, scorn'd, and stormed at:

Small joy have I in being England's queen.

Q. Mar. [Aside.] And lessen'd be that small, God, I beseech him!

Thy honour, state, and seat is due to me.

Rich. What! threat you me with telling of the king?

[Tell him, and spare not: look, what I have said]

I will avouch 't in presence of the king:

I dare adventure to be sent to the Tower.

'Tis time to speak; my pains are quite forgot.

Q. Mar. [Aside.] Out, devil! I do remember them too well:

Thou kill'dst my husband Henry in the Tower,

And Edward, my poor son, at Tewkesbury.

Rich. Ere you were queen, ay, or your husband king,

I was a pack-horse in his great affairs,

A weeder-out of his proud adversaries,

A liberal rewarder of his friends;

To royalize his blood I spent mine own.

 109 baited: harassed

114–116 Cf. n.

115 avouch: maintain

116 adventure: venture

117 pains: labors

121 Ere king; cf. n.

125 royalize: make royal

