Dramatis Perfonæ. KING Edward IV. Edward Prince of Wales, afterwards Edward V. Sons to Edward IV. Richard, Duke of York. George, Duke of Clarence, brother to Edward IV. Richard, Duke of Glocefter, brother to Edward IV. afterwards King Richard III. Cardinal, Archbishop of York, Duke of Buckingham. Earl of Surrey. Marquifs of Dorfet, Son to Queen Elizabeth, Earl Rivers, brother to the Queen. Lord Gray, Son to Queen Elizabeth. Earl of Richmond, afterwards King Henry VII. Lord Haftings. Sir Thomas Vaughan. Sir Richard Ratcliff, } Friends to the Duke of Glocefter. Sir James Tyrrel, a Villain. Thomas, Lord Stanley, Lord Steward of King Edward IV's Household, afterwards Earl of Derby. Earl of Oxford, Blount, Herbert, Sir William Brandon, Friends to the Earl of Richmond. Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower. Two Children of the Duke of Clarence. Lord Mayor. Sir Chriftopher Urswick, a Priest. Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV. Queen Margaret, Widow of Henry VI. Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to Henry VI. after wards married to the Duke of Glocester. Dutchess of York, Mother to Edward IV. Clarence, and Richard III, Sheriff, Purfuivant, Citizens, Ghofts of those murder'd by Richard III. with Soldiers and other Attendants. The SCENE, in ENGLAND. The The LIFE and DEATH of (1) RICH ARD III. ACT I. SCENE, the Court. Enter Richard Duke of Glocefter, folus. OW is the winter of our discontent NOW Made glorious fummer by this fun of York: And all the clouds, that lowr'd upon our houfe, In the deep bofom of the ocean bury'd. Now (1) The Life and Death of King Richard III.] This tragedy, tho' it is call'd the Life and Death of this Prince, comprifes, at most, but the laft 8 Years of his time: For it opens with George Duke of Clarence being clap'd up in the Tower, which happen'd in the beginning of the Year 1477; and clofes with the death of Richard at Bofworth-field, which battle was fought on the 22d of Auguft in the Year 1485. This short, hiftorical interval, however, is fo crouded with incidents, (if plotted and premeditated murders may bear that title) that it is from the beginning to the end an Oglio of bloody diffimulation and ambitious cruelty. It has been very well obferv'd by the late Mr. Gildon, that Richard, as he is drawn, is not a fit character for the stage; being fhocking in all he does: That tho the ancients had introduc'd an Atreus, Thyeftes, &c. yet the cruelties committed by them have been the fudden effect of anger and revenge : But Richard is a calm villain; and does his murders deliberately, wading thro' a fea of his nearest relations blood to the Crown.Tho' many worthy and wholesome laws were enacted under the protectorship and government of this ufurper, 'tis obvious, that the VOL. V. hiftorians |