Chamber's Household Edition of the Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, Ed. by R. Carruthers and W. Chambers

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1862 edition. Excerpt: ...pass away the time, Unless to see my shadow in the sun, And descant on mine own deformity: And therefore, since I cannot prove a lover To entertain these fair well-spoken days, I am determined to prove a villain, And hate the idle pleasures of these days. Plots have I laid, inductions dangerous, By drunken prophecies, libels, and dreams, To set my brother Clarence and the king In deadly hate the one against the other: And, if King Edward be as true and just As I am subtle, false, and treacherous, This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up--About a prophecy, which says that G Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be. Dive, thoughts, down to my soul: --here Clarence comes. Enter Clarence, guarded, and Brakenbury. Brother, good-day. What means this armed guard That waits upon your grace 1 Clar. His majesty, Tendering my person's safety, hath appointed This conduct to convey me to the Tower. Glo. Upon what cause? Clar. Because my name is George. Glo. Alack, my lord, that fault is none of yours; He should, for that, commit your godfathers: --O, belike his majesty hath some intent That you shall be new christen'd in the Tower. But what's the matter, Clarence? may I know Clar. Yea, Bichard, when I know; for I protest As yet I do not: but, as I can learn, He hearkens after prophecies and dreams; And from the cross-row plucks the letter G, And says a wizard told him that by G His issue disinherited should be; And, for my name of George begins with G, It follows in his thought that I am he: These, as I learn, and such-like toys as these, Have moVd his highness to commit me now. Glo. Why, this it is when men ore rul'd by women: 'Tis not the king that sends you to the Tower; My Lady Grey his wife, Clarence, 'tis she That tempers bim to this extremity....