Page 1228 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

And wilt thou learn of me?

KING RICHARD

Madam, with all my heart! [270]

ELIZABET H

Send to her, by the man that slew her brothers,
A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave
‘Edward’ and ‘York’. Then haply will she weep;
Therefore present to her - as sometimes Margaret
Did to thy father, steep’d in Rutland’s blood - [275]
A handkerchief: which, say to her, did drain
The purple sap from her sweet brother’s body,
And bid her wipe her weeping eyes withal.
If this inducement move her not to love,
Send her a letter of thy noble deeds; [280]
Tell her thou mad’st away her uncle Clarence,
Her uncle Rivers - ay, and for her sake
Mad’st quick conveyance with her good aunt Anne.

KING RICHARD

You mock me, madam; this is not the way
To win your daughter!

ELIZABET H

There is no other way - [285]
Unless thou couldst put on some other shape,
And not be Richard, that hath done all this.

KING RICHARD

Say that I did all this for love of her?

ELIZABET H

Nay, then indeed she cannot chose but hate thee,
Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. [290]

KING RICHARD

Look what is done cannot be now amended:
Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes,
Which after-hours gives leisure to repent.