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Richard III: Act II, Scene 3

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Richard III
Act II, Scene 3

London. A street.

  1. Enter one Citizen at one door and another at
  2. the other.

First Citizen

1
  1. Good morrow, neighbor, whither away so fast?

Second Citizen

2 - 3
  1. I promise you, I scarcely know myself.
  2. Hear you the news abroad?

First Citizen

4
  1.                           Yes, that the King is dead.

Second Citizen

5 - 6
  1. Ill news, by’r ladyseldom comes the better.
  2. I fear, I fear ’twill prove a giddy world.
  1. Enter another Citizen.

Third Citizen

7
  1. Neighbors, God speed!

First Citizen

8
  1.                       Give you good morrow, sir.

Third Citizen

9
  1. Doth the news hold of good King Edward’s death?

Second Citizen

10
  1. Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while!

Third Citizen

11
  1. Then, masters, look to see a troublous world.

First Citizen

12
  1. No, no, by God’s good grace his son shall reign.

Third Citizen

13
  1. Woe to that land that’s govern’d by a child!

Second Citizen

14 - 17
  1. In him there is a hope of government,
  2. Which in his nonage, council under him,
  3. And in his full and ripened years, himself,
  4. No doubt shall then, and till then, govern well.

First Citizen

18 - 19
  1. So stood the state when Henry the Sixth
  2. Was crown’d in Paris but at nine months old.

Third Citizen

20 - 23
  1. Stood the state so? No, no, good friends, God wot,
  2. For then this land was famously enrich’d
  3. With politic grave counsel; then the King
  4. Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.

First Citizen

24
  1. Why, so hath this, both by his father and mother.

Third Citizen

25 - 32
  1. Better it were they all came by his father,
  2. Or by his father there were none at all;
  3. For emulation who shall now be nearest
  4. Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not.
  5. O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester,
  6. And the Queen’s sons and brothers haught and proud!
  7. And were they to be rul’d, and not to rule,
  8. This sickly land might solace as before.

First Citizen

33
  1. Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be well.

Third Citizen

34 - 39
  1. When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks;
  2. When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;
  3. When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?
  4. Untimely storms makes men expect a dearth.
  5. All may be well; but if God sort it so,
  6. ’Tis more than we deserve or I expect.

Second Citizen

40 - 42
  1. Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.
  2. You cannot reason (almost) with a man
  3. That looks not heavily and full of dread.

Third Citizen

43 - 47
  1. Before the days of change, still is it so.
  2. By a divine instinct men’s minds mistrust
  3. Ensuing danger; as by proof we see
    Aug 2, 2021 Miko
    This word as printed in the First and Second Folios is "Pursuing". That is the first word on the page. The signature mark on the previous page indicates that it should be "Ensuing". Modern editions go with "Ensuing".
  4. The water swell before a boist’rous storm.
  5. But leave it all to God. Whither away?

Second Citizen

48
  1. Marry, we were sent for to the justices.

Third Citizen

49
  1. And so was I. I’ll bear you company.
  1. Exeunt.
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