Richard then reveals his plan to manipulate his brother, King Edward IV, into exiling their other brother, George, Duke of Clarence, in order to eliminate any potential threats to his own ascension to the throne. He also hints at his intention to kill anyone who opposes him, including their other brother, the Duke of Somerset.

Richard's soliloquy ends with him expressing his confidence in his own abilities and his belief that he will ultimately succeed in his quest for power. The scene sets the tone for the rest of the play, introducing Richard as a cunning and ruthless character who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Richard then meets with Lady Anne to ask for her hand in marriage, despite having killed her husband and father-in-law in battle. He manipulates her into agreeing to the marriage, causing her to question her own morals and judgment.

As Richard leaves, he encounters Queen Elizabeth and the Duchess of York, who are mourning the death of King Edward IV. Richard pretends to sympathize with their grief, but secretly plots to seize the throne for himself. He also reveals his true intentions to the audience, stating that he will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.

The scene ends with Richard planning to use his charm and deceit to manipulate and deceive those around him in his quest for power.

The second man, Lord Stanley, agrees with Hastings and expresses his concern for his own safety as well. He reveals that he has been receiving threatening messages from Richard, who is suspicious of Stanley's loyalty to the current king. Stanley also mentions that he has heard rumors of Richard's plans to marry the young widow of a former king in order to strengthen his claim to the throne.

The third man, Bishop of Ely, tries to calm Hastings and Stanley down by suggesting that they wait and see what happens. He believes that things will work out in the end and that Richard may not be as dangerous as they think. However, Hastings and Stanley are not convinced and continue to worry about the future of the country.

Next, we see Richard, Duke of Gloucester, discussing his plans with a few of his followers. He reveals that he wants to become king and he needs to eliminate anyone who stands in his way. He decides to manipulate his brother, the king, into believing that Clarence is a traitor. He plans to have Clarence arrested and executed.

In the following scene, we see King Edward IV and his court discussing the state of the kingdom. Richard plants the seed of doubt in the king's mind about Clarence's loyalty. The king orders Clarence's arrest, much to the dismay of his wife and other members of his court.

Clarence is then taken to the Tower of London, where he meets two murderers who have been hired by Richard to kill him. Despite his pleas for mercy, they carry out the deed and Clarence is killed.

The act ends with Richard feigning sadness over Clarence's death and using it as an opportunity to gain favor with the king and further his own ambitions.

Richard then enters and greets the Duchess and Clarence. He tells them that he has been made Lord Protector of England and that he will be in charge of the government until the young Prince Edward is old enough to rule. The Duchess is pleased to hear this news and congratulates Richard. However, Clarence is not happy about Richard's new position of power and tells him that he is not fit to be Lord Protector.

Richard tries to convince Clarence that he will be a good ruler and that he should trust him. He tells Clarence that he has had a vision in which he saw Clarence being crowned king. Clarence is skeptical and asks Richard how he can be sure that this vision will come true. Richard tells him that he has a plan to make it happen, but he cannot reveal it yet.

The scene ends with Richard leaving the Duchess and Clarence to think about his proposal. Clarence is still unsure about trusting Richard, but the Duchess tells him that he should give him a chance. She believes that Richard truly wants what is best for the family and for England.

Queen Elizabeth then speaks with Lord Hastings, a loyal supporter of King Edward IV. She tells him of her fears that Richard is plotting against her family and asks for his help in protecting them. Hastings reassures her that he is on her side and promises to keep an eye on Richard.

Richard enters and begins to charm and manipulate Hastings, hinting that Queen Elizabeth and her family are a threat to the stability of England. Hastings starts to doubt his loyalty to the queen and agrees to help Richard if he becomes king. Richard then reveals his plan to remove anyone who stands in his way, including Queen Elizabeth and her children.

The scene ends with Hastings agreeing to help Richard and the queen feeling more vulnerable than ever. It sets the stage for the upcoming power struggle between Richard and the royal family, which will ultimately lead to a bloody and tragic conclusion.

Lord Rivers attempts to calm her down and assures her that he will try to negotiate with Richard on their behalf. However, Queen Elizabeth is still worried and asks Lord Grey to go to France to seek help from her family there.

As Lord Rivers and Lord Grey leave, Queen Elizabeth is visited by Richard himself. He attempts to charm her and win her trust, but she is not fooled and accuses him of being behind the disappearance of her sons. Richard denies any involvement and tries to convince her that he has her best interests at heart, but Queen Elizabeth remains suspicious and wary of him.

The scene ends with Queen Elizabeth expressing her fear and uncertainty about the future, as she knows that Richard will stop at nothing to gain power and eliminate anyone who stands in his way.