Richard III Translation Act 3, Scene 6
Enter a SCRIVENER, with paper
SCRIVENER
This is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings, Which in a set hand fairly is engrossed, That it may be today read o'er in Paul’s. And mark how well the sequel hangs together: Eleven hours I have spent to write it over, For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me; The precedent was full as long a-doing, And yet within these five hours Hastings lived, Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty. Here’s a good world the while. Who is so gross That cannot see this palpable device? Yet who so bold but says he sees it not? Bad is the world, and all will come to naughtWhen such ill dealing must be seen in thought.
SCRIVENER
This here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings. It's been written neatly in a formal, legal hand, so that it can be read aloud today in Saint Paul's Cathedral. But see how well the sequence of events holds together: last night, Catesby brought me the indictment, and it took me eleven hours to copy it all out. The original indictment must have taken just as long to write. And yet, five hours, earlier Lord Hastings was alive, innocent, free, and at liberty. What a world we live in now! Who is so stupid that he can't see this obvious trickery? And yet who is bold enough to speak out against it? It's a bad world. And it'll come to a bad end, when such wickedness can't be spoken of.
Exit
