First folio
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| Enter Henry the sixt, and Richard, with | Enter King Henry the Sixth and Richard below, with | | 3H6 V.vi.1.1 | |
| the Lieutenant on the Walles. | the Lieutenant of the Tower on the walls | | 3H6 V.vi.1.2 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Good day, my Lord, what at your Booke so hard? | Good day, my lord. What! At your book so hard? | | 3H6 V.vi.1 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| I my good Lord: my Lord I should say rather, | Ay, my good lord – ‘ my lord,’ I should say rather. | | 3H6 V.vi.2 | |
| Tis sinne to flatter, Good was little better: | 'Tis sin to flatter; ‘ good ’ was little better. | | 3H6 V.vi.3 | |
| 'Good Gloster, and good Deuill, were alike, | ‘ Good Gloucester ’ and ‘ good devil ’ were alike, | | 3H6 V.vi.4 | |
| And both preposterous: therefore, not Good Lord. | And both preposterous; therefore, not ‘ good lord.’ | preposterous (adj.) contrary to the natural order, monstrous, perverted | 3H6 V.vi.5 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Sirra, leaue vs to our selues, we must conferre. | Sirrah, leave us to ourselves; we must confer. | | 3H6 V.vi.6 | |
| Exit Lieutenant | | 3H6 V.vi.6 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| So flies the wreaklesse shepherd from ye Wolfe: | So flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf; | reckless (adj.)negligent, thoughtless, careless | 3H6 V.vi.7 | |
| So first the harmlesse Sheepe doth yeeld his Fleece, | So first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, | | 3H6 V.vi.8 | |
| And next his Throate, vnto the Butchers Knife. | And next his throat unto the butcher's knife. | | 3H6 V.vi.9 | |
| What Scene of death hath Rossius now to Acte? | What scene of death hath Roscius now to act? | Roscius (n.)[pron: 'rosius] most famous actor of ancient Rome, 2nd-c BC | 3H6 V.vi.10 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Suspition alwayes haunts the guilty minde, | Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind; | suspicion (n.)anxiety, apprehension, trepidation | 3H6 V.vi.11 | |
| The Theefe doth feare each bush an Officer, | The thief doth fear each bush an officer. | | 3H6 V.vi.12 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| The Bird that hath bin limed in a bush, | The bird that hath been limed in a bush, | lime (v.)trap, snare, catch [as if by using birdlime] | 3H6 V.vi.13 | |
| With trembling wings misdoubteth euery bush; | With trembling wings misdoubteth every bush; | misdoubt (v.)distrust, suspect, have misgivings about | 3H6 V.vi.14 | |
| And I the haplesse Male to one sweet Bird, | And I, the hapless male to one sweet bird, | male (n.)father, parent, begetter | 3H6 V.vi.15 | |
| | hapless (adj.)luckless, unfortunate, unlucky | | |
| Haue now the fatall Obiect in my eye, | Have now the fatal object in my eye | fatal (adj.)death-dealing, death-boding | 3H6 V.vi.16 | |
| Where my poore yong was lim'd, was caught, and kill'd. | Where my poor young was limed, was caught and killed. | lime (v.)trap, snare, catch [as if by using birdlime] | 3H6 V.vi.17 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Why what a peeuish Foole was that of Creet, | Why, what a peevish fool was that of Crete, | peevish (adj.)silly, foolish; or: headstrong, impulsive | 3H6 V.vi.18 | |
| | Crete (n.)Mediterranean island, known for its dogs | | |
| That taught his Sonne the office of a Fowle, | That taught his son the office of a fowl! | office (n.)task, service, duty, responsibility | 3H6 V.vi.19 | |
| And yet for all his wings, the Foole was drown'd. | And yet, for all his wings, the fool was drowned. | | 3H6 V.vi.20 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| I Dedalus, my poore Boy Icarus, | I, Daedalus; my poor boy, Icarus; | Daedalus (n.)[pron: 'dedalus] legendary Athenian inventor who made the labyrinth for King Minos in Crete; escaped to Sicily with wings made for himsef and his son Icarus | 3H6 V.vi.21 | |
| | Icarus (n.)[pron: 'ikarus] son of Daedalus, who escaped from Crete wearing wings made by his father; ignoring a warning, the wax in his wings melted when he flew too near the Sun, and he fell into the Aegean | | |
| Thy Father Minos, that deni'de our course, | Thy father, Minos, that denied our course; | Minos (n.)['minos] king of Crete, who imprisoned Daedalus and his son Icarus for helping Theseus escape from his labyrinth | 3H6 V.vi.22 | |
| | deny (v.)disallow, forbid, refuse permission [for] | | |
| | course (n.)course of action, way of proceeding | | |
| The Sunne that sear'd the wings of my sweet Boy. | The sun that seared the wings of my sweet boy, | | 3H6 V.vi.23 | |
| Thy Brother Edward, and thy Selfe, the Sea | Thy brother Edward, and thyself, the sea | | 3H6 V.vi.24 | |
| Whose enuious Gulfe did swallow vp his life: | Whose envious gulf did swallow up his life. | envious (adj.)malicious, spiteful, vindictive, full of enmity | 3H6 V.vi.25 | |
| | gulf (n.)whirlpool | | |
| Ah, kill me with thy Weapon, not with words, | Ah, kill me with thy weapon, not with words! | | 3H6 V.vi.26 | |
| My brest can better brooke thy Daggers point, | My breast can better brook thy dagger's point | brook (v.)endure, tolerate, put up with | 3H6 V.vi.27 | |
| Then can my eares that Tragicke History. | Than can my ears that tragic history. | history (n.)story, tale, narrative | 3H6 V.vi.28 | |
| But wherefore dost thou come? Is't for my Life? | But wherefore dost thou come? Is't for my life? | | 3H6 V.vi.29 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Think'st thou I am an Executioner? | Thinkest thou I am an executioner? | | 3H6 V.vi.30 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| A Persecutor I am sure thou art, | A persecutor I am sure thou art; | | 3H6 V.vi.31 | |
| If murthering Innocents be Executing, | If murdering innocents be executing, | | 3H6 V.vi.32 | |
| Why then thou art an Executioner. | Why, then thou art an executioner. | | 3H6 V.vi.33 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Thy Son I kill'd for his presumption. | Thy son I killed for his presumption. | | 3H6 V.vi.34 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| Hadst thou bin kill'd, when first yu didst presume, | Hadst thou been killed when first thou didst presume, | | 3H6 V.vi.35 | |
| Thou had'st not liu'd to kill a Sonne of mine: | Thou hadst not lived to kill a son of mine. | | 3H6 V.vi.36 | |
| And thus I prophesie, that many a thousand, | And thus I prophesy, that many a thousand, | | 3H6 V.vi.37 | |
| Which now mistrust no parcell of my feare, | Which now mistrust no parcel of my fear, | mistrust (v.)suspect the existence of, apprehend, anticipate | 3H6 V.vi.38 | |
| | parcel (n.)part, piece, portion, bit | | |
| And many an old mans sighe, and many a Widdowes, | And many an old man's sigh, and many a widow's, | | 3H6 V.vi.39 | |
| And many an Orphans water-standing-eye, | And many an orphan's water-standing eye – | water-standing (adj.)flooded with tears | 3H6 V.vi.40 | |
| Men for their Sonnes, Wiues for their Husbands, | Men for their sons', wives for their husbands', | | 3H6 V.vi.41 | |
| Orphans, for their Parents timeles death, | And orphans for their parents' timeless death – | timeless (adj.)untimely, premature, ill-timed | 3H6 V.vi.42 | |
| Shall rue the houre that euer thou was't borne. | Shall rue the hour that ever thou wast born. | | 3H6 V.vi.43 | |
| The Owle shriek'd at thy birth, an euill signe, | The owl shrieked at thy birth, an evil sign; | | 3H6 V.vi.44 | |
| The Night-Crow cry'de, aboding lucklesse time, | The night-crow cried, aboding luckless time; | abode (v.)predict, forebode, portend | 3H6 V.vi.45 | |
| Dogs howl'd, and hiddeous Tempest shook down Trees: | Dogs howled, and hideous tempests shook down trees; | | 3H6 V.vi.46 | |
| The Rauen rook'd her on the Chimnies top, | The raven rooked her on the chimney's top, | rook (v.)crouch, cower, squat | 3H6 V.vi.47 | |
| And chatt'ring Pies in dismall Discords sung: | And chattering pies in dismal discords sung. | pie (n.)magpie | 3H6 V.vi.48 | |
| | dismal (adj.)sinister, ominous, malign | | |
| Thy Mother felt more then a Mothers paine, | Thy mother felt more than a mother's pain, | | 3H6 V.vi.49 | |
| And yet brought forth lesse then a Mothers hope, | And yet brought forth less than a mother's hope, | | 3H6 V.vi.50 | |
| To wit, an indigested and deformed lumpe, | To wit, an indigested and deformed lump, | indigested (adj.)improperly formed, uncompleted | 3H6 V.vi.51 | |
| | wit, to[legal] that is to say | | |
| Not like the fruit of such a goodly Tree. | Not like the fruit of such a goodly tree. | | 3H6 V.vi.52 | |
| Teeth had'st thou in thy head, when thou was't borne, | Teeth hadst thou in thy head when thou wast born, | | 3H6 V.vi.53 | |
| To signifie, thou cam'st to bite the world: | To signify thou camest to bite the world; | | 3H6 V.vi.54 | |
| And if the rest be true, which I haue heard, | And if the rest be true which I have heard, | | 3H6 V.vi.55 | |
| Thou cam'st---- | Thou camest – | | 3H6 V.vi.56 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| Ile heare no more: / Dye Prophet in thy speech, | I'll hear no more; die, prophet, in thy speech! | | 3H6 V.vi.57 | |
| Stabbes him. | He stabs him | | 3H6 V.vi.58 | |
| For this (among'st the rest) was I ordain'd. | For this, amongst the rest, was I ordained. | | 3H6 V.vi.58 | |
| Hen. | KING | | | |
| I, and for much more slaughter after this, | Ay, and for much more slaughter after this. | | 3H6 V.vi.59 | |
| O God forgiue my sinnes, and pardon thee. | O, God forgive my sins, and pardon thee! | | 3H6 V.vi.60 | |
| Dyes. | He dies | | 3H6 V.vi.60 | |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | | |
| What? will the aspiring blood of Lancaster | What! Will the aspiring blood of Lancaster | | 3H6 V.vi.61 | |
| Sinke in the ground? I thought it would haue mounted. | Sink in the ground? I thought it would have mounted. | | 3H6 V.vi.62 | |
| See how my sword weepes for the poore Kings death. | See how my sword weeps for the poor King's death! | | 3H6 V.vi.63 | |
| O may such purple teares be alway shed | O, may such purple tears be alway shed | purple (adj.)bright-red, blood-coloured, bloody | 3H6 V.vi.64 | |
| | alway (adv.)always | | |
| From those that wish the downfall of our house. | From those that wish the downfall of our house! | | 3H6 V.vi.65 | |
| If any sparke of Life be yet remaining, | If any spark of life be yet remaining, | | 3H6 V.vi.66 | |
| Downe, downe to hell, and say I sent thee thither. | Down, down to hell; and say I sent thee thither, | | 3H6 V.vi.67 | |
| Stabs him againe. | (He stabs him again) | | 3H6 V.vi.68 | |
| I that haue neyther pitty, loue, nor feare, | I that have neither pity, love, nor fear. | | 3H6 V.vi.68 | |
| Indeed 'tis true that Henrie told me of: | Indeed, 'tis true that Henry told me of; | | 3H6 V.vi.69 | |
| For I haue often heard my Mother say, | For I have often heard my mother say | | 3H6 V.vi.70 | |
| I came into the world with my Legges forward. | I came into the world with my legs forward. | | 3H6 V.vi.71 | |
| Had I not reason (thinke ye) to make hast, | Had I not reason, think ye, to make haste, | | 3H6 V.vi.72 | |
| And seeke their Ruine, that vsurp'd our Right? | And seek their ruin that usurped our right? | right (n.)just claim, rights, title | 3H6 V.vi.73 | |
| The Midwife wonder'd, and the Women cri'de | The midwife wondered and the women cried | wonder (v.)marvel [at], be astonished [at] | 3H6 V.vi.74 | |
| O Iesus blesse vs, he is borne with teeth, | ‘ O, Jesus bless us, he is born with teeth!’ | | 3H6 V.vi.75 | |
| And so I was, which plainly signified, | And so I was, which plainly signified | | 3H6 V.vi.76 | |
| That I should snarle, and bite, and play the dogge: | That I should snarl and bite and play the dog. | | 3H6 V.vi.77 | |
| Then since the Heauens haue shap'd my Body so, | Then, since the heavens have shaped my body so, | | 3H6 V.vi.78 | |
| Let Hell make crook'd my Minde to answer it. | Let hell make crooked my mind to answer it. | answer (v.)live up to, correspond to, be equal to | 3H6 V.vi.79 | |
| I haue no Brother, I am like no Brother: | I have no brother, I am like no brother; | | 3H6 V.vi.80 | |
| And this word (Loue) which Gray-beards call Diuine, | And this word ‘ love,’ which greybeards call divine, | | 3H6 V.vi.81 | |
| Be resident in men like one another, | Be resident in men like one another | like (v.)resemble, look like, take after | 3H6 V.vi.82 | |
| And not in me: I am my selfe alone. | And not in me; I am myself alone. | | 3H6 V.vi.83 | |
| Clarence beware, thou keept'st me from the Light, | Clarence, beware; thou keepest me from the light. | | 3H6 V.vi.84 | |
| But I will sort a pitchy day for thee: | But I will sort a pitchy day for thee; | sort (v.)choose, find, arrange | 3H6 V.vi.85 | |
| | pitchy (adj.)pitch-dark, black, inky, dark | | |
| For I will buzze abroad such Prophesies, | For I will buzz abroad such prophecies | abroad (adv.)in the outside world, freely at large, elsewhere, everywhere | 3H6 V.vi.86 | |
| | buzz (v.)spread, move about, send | | |
| That Edward shall be fearefull of his life, | That Edward shall be fearful of his life, | | 3H6 V.vi.87 | |
| And then to purge his feare, Ile be thy death. | And then, to purge his fear, I'll be thy death. | purge (v.)expel, get rid of, flush out | 3H6 V.vi.88 | |
| King Henry, and the Prince his Son are gone, | King Henry and the Prince his son are gone; | | 3H6 V.vi.89 | |
| Clarence thy turne is next, and then the rest, | Clarence, thy turn is next, and then the rest, | | 3H6 V.vi.90 | |
| Counting my selfe but bad, till I be best. | Counting myself but bad till I be best. | bad (adj.)worthless, lowly, of no value | 3H6 V.vi.91 | |
| Ile throw thy body in another roome, | I'll throw thy body in another room | | 3H6 V.vi.92 | |
| And Triumph Henry, in thy day of day of Doome. | And triumph, Henry, in thy day of doom. | doom, day oflast day of life, death-day | 3H6 V.vi.93 | |
| | triumph (v.)exult, gloat, glory | | |
| Exit. | Exit with the body | | 3H6 V.vi.93 | |