No Fear Shakespeare
Richard III
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 3, Scene 5, Page 3
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RICHARD
What, think you we are Turks or infidels?
Or that we would, against the form of law,
Proceed thus rashly in the villain’s death,
But that the extreme peril of the case,
The peace of England and our persons' safety
Enforced us to this execution?
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RICHARD
What, do you think we’re Turks or savages, instead of Christians? You think we would have disobeyed the law and proceeded to kill this villain if England’s peace and our own lives hadn’t been at stake?
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LORD MAYOR
Now fair befall you! He deserved his death,
And your good Graces both have well proceeded
To warn false traitors from the like attempts.
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LORD MAYOR
I hope nothing else like this ever happens to you! This man deserved his death. And you, my good lords, were right to warn other traitors from trying the same.
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BUCKINGHAM
I never looked for better at his hands
After he once fell in with Mistress Shore.
Yet had we not determined he should die
Until your Lordship came to see his end
(Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
Something against our meaning, have prevented),
Because, my lord, I would have had you heard
The traitor speak, and timorously confess
The manner and the purpose of his treasons,
That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who haply may
Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.
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BUCKINGHAM
I didn’t expect any better from him once he got involved with Mistress Shore. But we had decided that he shouldn’t die until you were able to come witness his execution. (Which was prevented by the haste of our friends, Lovell and Ratcliffe here, who went against what we intended somewhat in their hurry to protect us). If you could have heard the traitor speak for himself and confess the exact way he planned to murder us, you could have told the citizens what terrible intentions he had, though now they’re likely to misconstrue what we did and wail over his death.
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LORD MAYOR
But, my good lord, your Graces' words shall serve
As well as I had seen and heard him speak;
And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I’ll acquaint our duteous citizens
With all your just proceedings in this case.
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LORD MAYOR
But, my good lord, the words of you and Lord Buckingham are as trustworthy to me as if I had seen and heard him speak myself. And do not doubt, you honest, noble princes, that I’ll let our citizens know how fairly you proceeded in this case.
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RICHARD
And to that end we wished your Lordship here
T' avoid the censures of the carping world.
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RICHARD
That is exactly why we wanted you here, your lordship—to avoid the public carping and complaints.
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