By heaven, I think there’s no man is secure But the queen’s kindred and night-walking heralds That trudge betwixt the king and Mistress Shore. Heard ye not what an humble suppliant Lord hastings was to her for his delivery?
By heaven, I think no man is safe Except the queen’s family and the night-walking heralds Who move between the king and Mistress Shore. Did you not hear how humbly Lord Hastings pleaded with her for his release?
George, Duke of Clarence · Act 1, Scene 1
Clarence observes that only the queen's relatives and those close to Mistress Shore enjoy the king's favor, painting a court ruled by sexual and familial influence. The line matters because it shows how Richard uses suspicion and gossip to isolate his brother, turning court politics into a weapon. It demonstrates that Richard's greatest gift is not murder but the ability to make men distrust one another.
Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower, And was embark’d to cross to Burgundy; And, in my company, my brother Gloucester; Who from my cabin tempted me to walk Upon the hatches: thence we looked toward England, And cited up a thousand fearful times, During the wars of York and Lancaster That had befall’n us. As we paced along Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Gloucester stumbled; and, in falling, Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard, Into the tumbling billows of the main. Lord, Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown! What dreadful noise of waters in mine ears! What ugly sights of death within mine eyes! Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks; Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw’d upon; Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl, Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels, All scatter’d in the bottom of the sea: Some lay in dead men’s skulls; and, in those holes Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept, As ’twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems, Which woo’d the slimy bottom of the deep, And mock’d the dead bones that lay scatter’d by.
I dreamed that I had escaped from the Tower, And was about to sail to Burgundy; And with me was my brother Gloucester; Who urged me to come up on deck with him, To walk on the ship’s hatches: from there, we looked toward England, And remembered all the terrible times, From the York and Lancaster wars That had happened to us. As we walked along The slippery deck, I thought Gloucester tripped, and, in falling, He knocked me into the sea, Into the crashing waves. Oh, Lord! I thought, how painful it would be to drown! The deafening sound of the water in my ears! The horrible sights of death before my eyes! I thought I saw a thousand wrecked ships; Ten thousand men being eaten by fish; Wedges of gold, huge anchors, piles of pearls, Priceless stones, and jewels, all scattered at the bottom of the sea: Some were lying in the skulls of dead men; and in those empty eye-sockets, Gems seemed to crawl, mocking the eyes that once were there, As if they were showing off to the slimy bottom of the sea, And mocking the scattered bones of the dead.
George, Duke of Clarence · Act 1, Scene 4
Clarence recounts a drowning dream in which he sees jewels scattered on the sea floor and dead men's skulls, with gems where eyes once were. The passage endures because it is one of Shakespeare's most vivid interior visions, turning death into a landscape of terrible beauty. It shows Clarence's conscience active even in sleep, his mind conjuring punishments he fears deserve him.
It is too heavy for your grace to wear.
It’s too heavy for you to wear, your grace.
George, Duke of Clarence · Act 3, Scene 1
Richard refuses to give young York his sword, saying it is too heavy for the boy to wear. The line lodges because it is Richard deflecting a child's innocent request with a lie—the sword is not too heavy, but Richard will not arm anyone who might one day challenge him. It shows Richard's mind already at work, seeing threat even in a boy.
