Harp on it still shall I till heart-strings break.
KING RICHARD III
Now, by my George, my garter, and my crown,--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Profaned, dishonour'd, and the third usurp'd.
KING RICHARD III
I swear--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
By nothing; for this is no oath:
The George, profaned, hath lost his holy honour;
The garter, blemish'd, pawn'd his knightly virtue;
The crown, usurp'd, disgraced his kingly glory.
if
something
thou
wilt swear
to
be
believed,
Swear then by something that thou hast not wrong'd.
KING RICHARD III
Now, by the world--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
'Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
KING RICHARD III
My father's death--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Thy life hath that dishonour'd.
KING RICHARD III
Then, by myself--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
Thyself thyself misusest.
KING RICHARD III
Why then, by God--
QUEEN ELIZABETH
God's wrong is most of all.
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by Him,
The unity the king thy brother made
Had not been broken, nor my brother slain:
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by Him,
The imperial metal, circling now thy brow,
Had graced the tender temples of my child,
And both the princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender playfellows to dust,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?
KING RICHARD III
The time to come.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast;
For I myself have many tears to wash
Hereafter time, for time past wrong'd by thee.
The children live, whose parents thou hast
slaughter'd,
Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in
their
age;
The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher'd,
Old wither'd plants, to wail it with their age.
Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast
Misused ere used, by time misused o'erpast.
KING RICHARD III
As I intend to prosper and repent,
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt