The unity, the king thy brother made,
Had not been broken, nor my brother slain.
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him,
The imperial metal, circling now thy head,
Had grac'd the tender temples of my child;
And both the princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender bed-fellows for dust,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?
By the time to come. Q. Eliz. That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast;
For I myself have many tears to wash
Hereafter time, for time past, wrong'd by thee.
The children live, whose parents thou hast slaugh-
ter'd,
Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their age:
The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher'd,
Old barren plants, to wail it with their age.
Swear not by time to come: for that thou hast
Misus'd ere us'd, by times ill-us'd o'erpast.
K. Rich. As I intend to prosper and repent!
So thrive I in my dangerous attempt
Of hostile arms! myself myself confound!
Heaven, and fortune, bar me happy hours!
Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest!
Be opposite all planets of good luck
To my proceeding, if, with pure heart's love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter!
In her consists my happiness, and thine;
Without her, follows to myself, and thee,
Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul,
Death, desolation, ruin, and decay:
It cannot be avoided but by this;
It will not be avoided, but by this.
Therefore, dear mother (I must call you so,)
Be the attorney of my love to her.
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve:
Urge the necessity and state of times,
And be not peevish' found in great designs.
Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
K. Rich. Ay, if the devil tempt thee to do good.
Q. Eliz. Shall I forget myself, to be myself?
K. Rich. Ay, if yourself's remembrance wrong
yourself.
Q. Eliz. But thou didst kill my children.
K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them:
Where, in that nest of spicery, they shall breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.
Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed.
Q. Eliz. I go.-Write to me very shortly,
And you shall understand from me her mind.
K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so
farewell. [Kissing her. Exit Q. Eliz.
Relenting fool, and shallow, changing-woman!
How now? what news?
Enter Ratcliff; Catesby following. Rat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends, Unarm'd, and unresolv'd to beat them back: "Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral; And there they hull, expecting but the aid Of Buckingham, to welcome them ashore.
K. Rich. Some light-foot friend post to the duke of Norfolk:
Ratcliff, thyself,
(1) Foolish.
-or Catesby; where is he?
Cate. Here, my good lord. K. Rich.
Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. I will, my lord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither: Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither,-Dull unmindful villain, [To Catesby.
Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke? Cate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure,
What from your grace I shall deliver to him.
K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby;-Bid him levy,
straight
The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.
Rat. What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury!
K. Rich. Why, what would'st thou do there, before I go.
Rat. Your highness told me, I should post before. Enter Stanley.
K. Rich. My mind is chang'd.Stanley, what news with you?
Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing;
Nor none so bad, but well may be reported.
K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor
What need'st thou run so many miles about, When thou may'st tell thy tale the nearest way? Once more, what news?
Richmond is on the seas. K. Rich. There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?
Stan. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
K. Rich. Well, as you guess?
Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and
Morton,
He makes for England, here to claim the crown. K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword un sway'd?
Is the king dead? the empire unpossess'd?
What heir of York is there alive, but we?
And who is England's king, but great York's heir?
Then, tell me, what makes he upon the seas?
Stan. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess,
K. Rich. Unless for that he comes to be your
Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave,
I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace,
Where, and what time, your majesty shall please.
K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou would'st be gone to join
with Richmond:
I will not trust you, sir.
Most mighty sovereign, You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; I never was, nor never will be, false.
K. Rich. Well, go, muster men. But, hear you,
leave behind
Your son, George Stanley; look your heart be firm,
Or else his head's assurance is but frail.
Stan. So deal with him, as I prove true to you.
[Exit Stanley.
Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertised,
Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
With many more confederates, are in arms.
Enter another Messenger.
2 Mess. In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are in
And every hour more competitors'
My son George Stanley is frank'd up in hold;
If I revolt, off goes young George's head;
The fear of that withholds my present aid.
But, tell me, where is princely Richmond now?
Chris. At Pembroke, or at Ha'rford-west, in
Wales.
Stan. What men of name resort to him?
Chris. Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier;
Sir Gilbert Talbot, sir William Stanley;
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, sir James Blunt,
And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant crew;
And many other of great fame and worth:"
And towards London do they bend their course,
If by the way they be not fought withal.
Stan. Well, hie thee to thy lord; commend me
to him;
Tell him, the queen hath heartily consented
He shall espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong. These letters will resolve him of my mind.
Enter another Messenger.
3 Mess. My lord, the army of great Bucking
O, I cry you mercy:
There is my purse, to cure that blow of thine.
Hath any well-advised friend proclaim'd
Reward to him that brings the traitor in ?
[Gives papers to Sir Christopher. [Exeunt.
SCENE I-Salisbury. An open place. Enter the Sheriff, and Guard, with Buckingham, led to execution.
Buck. Will not king Richard let me speak with
him?
Sher. No, my good lord; therefore be patient.
Buck. Hastings, and Edward's children, Rivers,
Grey,
Holy king Henry, and thy fair son Edward,
3 Mess. Such proclamation hath been made, my Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
Enter another Messenger.
4 Mess. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord marquis
Dorset,
Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
But this good comfort bring I to your highness,-
The Bretagne navy is dispers'd by tempest:
Richmond, in Dorsetshire, sent out a boat
Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks,
If they were his assistants, yea, or no;
Who answer'd him, they came from Buckingham
Upon his party: he, mistrusting them,
Hois'd sail, and made his course again for Bretagne.
K. Rich. March on, march on, since we are up
in arms;
If not to fight with foreign enemies,
Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.
Cate, My liege, the duke of Buckingham is taken,
That is the best news; That the earl of Richmond
Is, with a mighty power, landed at Milford,
Is colder news, but yet they must be told.
By underhand corrupted foul injustice;
If that your moody discontented souls
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
This is All-Souls' day, fellows, is it not?
Sher. It is, my lord.
Buck. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's
doomsday.
This is the day, which, in king Edward's time,
I wish'd might fall on me, when I was found
False to his children, or his wife's allies:
This is the day, wherein I wish'd to fall
By the false faith of him whom most I trusted;
This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul,
Is the determin'd respite of my wrongs."
That high All-seer which I dallied with,
Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head,
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points on their masters' bosoms:
Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my neck,-
When he, quoth she, shall split thy heart with
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.—
K. Rich. Away, towards Salisbury; while we Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame;
A royal battle might be won and lost :-
Some one take order, Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury;-the rest march on with me. [Exe.
SCENE V.-A room in Lord Stanley's house.
Enter Stanley and Sir Christopher Urswick."
Stan. Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. [Exeunt Buckingham, &c.
SCENE II.-Plain near Tamworth. Enter, with drum and colours, Richmond, Oxford, Sir James Blunt, Sir Walter Herbert, and others, with forces, marching.
Richm. Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
Bruis'd underneath the yoke of tyranny,
(4) A sty in which hogs are set apart for fattening, (5) Injurious practices,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we march'd on without impediment;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoil'd your summer fields, and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his
trough
In your embowell'd bosoms, this foul swine
Lies now even in the centre of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn:
From Tamworth thither, is but one day's march.
In God's name, cheerly on, courageous friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
Oxf. Every man's conscience is a thousand swords, To fight against that bloody homicide.
Herb. I doubt not, but his friends will turn to us.
Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me;
Where is lord Stanley quarter'd, do you know?
Blunt. Unless I have mista'en his colours much
(Which, well I am assur'd, I have not done,)
His regiment lies half a mile at least
South from the mighty power of the king.
Richm. If without peril it be possible, Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him,
And give him from me this most needful note.
Blunt. Upon my life, my lord, I'll undertake it;
And so, God give you quiet rest to-night!
Richm. Good night, good captain Blunt. Come,
gentlemen,
Let us consult upon to-morrow's business;
In to my tent, the air is raw and cold.
[They withdraw into their tent.
Blunt. He hath no friends, but who are friends Enter, to his tent, King Richard, Norfolk, Ratcliff,
Which, in his dearest need, will fly from him.
Richm. All for our vantage. Then, in God's
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings,
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III.-Bosworth Field. Enter King
Richard, and forces; the Duke of Norfolk,
Earl of Surrey, and others.
K. Rich. Here pitch our tents, even here in
Bosworth field.-
My lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?
Sur. My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.
K. Rich. My lord of Norfolk,-
Nor.
K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks; Ha!
Here, most gracious liege.
Nor. We must both give and take, my loving lord. K. Rich. Up with my tent: Here will I lie tonight;
[Soldiers begin to set up the king's tent. But where, to-morrow?-Well, all's one for that.Who hath descried the number of the traitors?
Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. K. Rich. Why, our battalia trebles that account: Besides, the king's name is a tower of strength, Which they upon the adverse faction want. Up with the tent.-Come, noble gentlemen, Let us survey the vantage of the ground;Call for some men of sound direction:Let's want no discipline, make no delay; For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. [Exeunt. Enter, on the other side of the field, Richmond, Sir William Brandon, Oxford, and other Lords. Some of the soldiers pitch Richmond's tent. Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set, And, by the bright track of his fiery car. Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow.Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.Give me some ink and paper in my tent;I'll draw the form and model of our battle, Limit' each leader to his several charge, And part in just proportion our small power. My lord of Oxford,-you, sir William Brandon,And you, sir Walter Herbert, stay with me: The earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment ;Good captain Blunt, bear my good-night to him, And by the second hour in the morning Desire the earl to see me in my tent:
![[blocks in formation]](https://books.google.com.br/books/content?id=K0NAAAAAIAAJ&hl=de&output=html_text&pg=PA112&img=1&zoom=3&q=fool&cds=1&sig=ACfU3U0562bGeq6PsPtEywLxcfmT_bSASw&edge=0&edge=stretch&ci=96,1464,453,56)
Rut. Thomas the earl of Surrey, and himself, Much about cock-shut' time, from troop to troop, Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.
K. Rich. I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine: I have not that alacrity of spirit, Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.So, set it down.-Is ink and paper ready? Rat. It is, my lord. K. Rich. Bid my guard watch; leave me. About the mid of night, come to my tent And help to arm me.-Leave me, I say.
[King Richard retires into his tent. Exeunt Ratcliff and Catesby.
Richmond's tent opens, and discovers him and his officers, &c. Enter Stanley.
Stan. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm! Richm. All comfort that the dark night can afford, Be to thy person, noble father-in-law! Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
Stan. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother Who prays continually for Richmond's good: So much for that.-The silent hours steal on,
And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
In brief, for so the season bids us be,
Prepare thy battle early in the morning;
And put thy fortune to the arbitrement
Of bloody strokes, and mortal-staring war.
I, as I may (that which I would, I cannot,)
With best advantage will deceive the time,
And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms:
But on thy side I may not be too forward,
Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George,
Be executed in his father's sight.
Farewell: The leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love,
And ample interchange of sweet discourse,
Which so long sunder'd friends should dwell upon:
God give us leisure for these rites of love!
Once more, adieu :-Be valiant, and speed well!
Richm. Good lords, conduct him to his regiment:
I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a nap;
Lest leaden slumber peise' me down to-morrow,
When I should mount with wings of victory:
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
[Exeunt Lords, &c. with Stanley.
O Thou! whose captain I account myself,
Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with a heavy fall
The usurping helmets of our adversaries!
Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise thee in thy victory!
To thee I do commend my watchful soul,
Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes;
Sleeping, and waking, O, defend me still!
The Ghost of Prince Edward, son to Henry the
Sixth, rises between the two tents.
Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!
[To King Richard.
Think, how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury; Despair therefore, and die!-
Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
The Ghost of King Henry the Sixth rises.
Ghost. When I was mortal, my anointed body
[To King Richard.
By thee was punched full of deadly holes:
Think on the Tower, and me; Despair, and die;
Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.-
Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
[To Richmond.
Harry, that prophesy'd thou should'st be king,
Doth comfort thee in thy sleep; Live, and flourish!
The Ghost of Clarence rises.
Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!
[To King Richard.
I, that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine,
Poor Clarence, by thy guile betray'd to death!
To-morrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword; Despair, and die!-
Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster,
[To Richmond.
The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee;
Good angels guard thy battle! Live, and flourish!
The Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, rise.
Riv. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow,
[To King Richard.
Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair, and die!
(1) Weigh.
113 Grey. Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair! [To King Richard. Vaugh. Think upon Vaughan; and, with guilty
Let fall thy lance! Despair, and die!
[To King Richard. All. Awake! and think, our wrongs in Richard's [To Richmond. Will conquer him ;-awake, and win the day!
The Ghost of Hastings rises.
Ghost. Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake;
[To King Richard.
And in a bloody battle end thy days!
Think on lord Hastings; and despair, and die !—
Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake!
[To Richmond.
Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!
The Chosts of the two young Princes rise.
Ghosts. Dream on thy cousins smother'd in the
Tower;
Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard,
And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death!
Thy nephews' souls bid thee despair and die.-
Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake in joy ;
Good angels guard thee from the boar's annoy!
Live, and beget a happy race of kings!
Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.
The Ghost of Queen Anne rises.
Ghost. Richard thy wife, that wretched Anne
thy wife,
Now fills thy sleep with perturbations:
That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
To-morrow, in the battle, think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword; Despair, and die !-
Thou, quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep:
Dream of success and happy victory;
[To Richmond.
Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.
The Ghost of Buckingham rises.
Ghost. The first was I, that help'd thee to the
[To King Richard.
The last was I that felt thy tyranny:
O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
And die in terror of thy guiltiness!
Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and death;
Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!-
I died for hope, ere I could lend thee aid:
But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay'd:
[To Richmond.
And Richard falls in height of all his pride.
God and good angels fight on Richmond's side;
[The Ghosts vanish. King Richard starts out
of his dream.
K. Rich. Give me another horse,-bind up my
wounds,-
Have mercy, Jesu !-Soft; I did but dream;
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!-
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
The lights burn blue.-It is now dead midnight.
What do I fear? myself? there's none else by:
Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No;-Yes; I am:
Then fly,-What, from myself? Great reason
Lest I revenge. What? Myself on myself?
Why?
I love myself. Wherefore? for any good,
That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no: alas, I rather hate myself,
For hateful deeds committed by myself,
I am a villain: Yet I lie, I am not,
Fool, of thyself speak well :-Fool, do not flatter.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree;
Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree;
All several sins, all us'd in cach degree,
Throng to the bar, crying all,-Guilty! guilty!
I shall despair.-There is no creature loves me;
And, if I die, no soul will pity me:--
Nay, wherefore should they? since that I myself
Find in myself no pity to myself.
Methought, the souls of all that I had murder'd
Came to my tent: and every one did threat
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.
Of England's chair,' where he is falsely set;
One that hath ever been God's enemy:
Then, if you fight against God's enemy,
God will, in justice, ward you as his soldiers;
If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,
You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;
If you do fight against your country's foes,
Your country's fat shall pay your pains the hire;
If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,
Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;
If you do free your children from the sword,
Your children's children quit it in your age.
Then, in the name of God, and all these rights,
Advance your standards, draw your willing swo.ds;
For me, the ransom of my bold attempt
Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face;
But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt
The least of you shall share his part thereof.
Sound, drums and trumpets, boldly and cheerfully;
Rat. Rateliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village God, and Saint George! Richmond, and victory!
Hath twice done salutation to the morn;
Your friends are up, and buckle on their armour.
K. Rich. O, Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful
dream!
What thinkest thou? will our friends prove all true?
Rat. No doubt, my lord.
K. Rich.
Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,-
Rat. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.
K. Rich. By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night
Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard,
Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers,
Armed in proof, and led by shallow Richmond.
It is not yet near day. Come, go with me;
Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper,
To hear, if any mean to shrink from me.
[Exeunt King Richard and Ratcliff.
Richmond wakes. Enter Oxford and others. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond.
Richm. 'Cry mercy, lords, and watchful gentle
That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.
Lords. How have you slept, my lord?
Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding
dreams,
That ever enter'd in a drowsy head,
Have I since your departure had, my lords.
Methought, their souls, whose bodies Richard mur-
der'd,
Came to my tent, and cried-On! victory!
I promise you, my heart is very jocund
In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
How far into the morning is it, lords?
Lords. Upon the stroke of four.
Richm. Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give di-
rection.- [He advances to the troops.
More than I have said, loving countrymen,
The leisure and enforcement of the time
Forbids to dwell on: Yet remember this,-
God, and our good cause, fight upon our side;
The prayers of holy saints, and wronged souls,
Like high-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our faces;
Richard except, those, whom we fight against,
Had rather have us win, than him they follow.
For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen,
A bloody tyrant, and a homicide;
One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd;
One that made means to come by what he hath,
And slaughter'd those that were the means to help
him;
A base foul stone, made precious by the foil
(1) Throne, (2) Guard. (3) Requite.
[Exeunt. Re-enter King Richard, Ratcliff, attendants, and forces.
K. Rich. What said Northumberland, as touch-
ing Richmond?
Rat. That he was never trained up in arms.
K. Rich. He said the truth: And what said
Surrey then?
Rat. He smil'd and said, the better for our pur
![[blocks in formation]](https://books.google.com.br/books/content?id=K0NAAAAAIAAJ&hl=de&output=html_text&pg=PA114&img=1&zoom=3&q=fool&cds=1&sig=ACfU3U2IXhAPnROJn8oSn4r2gPSJ1oVuSw&edge=0&edge=stretch&ci=519,678,444,401)
K. Rich. Come, bustle, bustle;-Caparison my
horse;-
Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power:-
I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,
And thus my battle shall be ordered.
My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
Consisting equally of horse and foot;
Our archers shall be placed in the midst:
John duke of Norfolk, Thomas earl of Surrey,
Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.
They thus directed, we ourself will follow
In the main battle; whose puissance on either side
Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.
This, and Saint George to boot!-What think'st
thou, Norfolk?
Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign.-
This found I on my tent this morning,
[Giving a scroll. K. Rich, Jocky of Norfolk, be not too bold, [Reads. For Dickon thy master is bought and sold,
(4) Made it splendid.
(5) The ancient familiarization of Richard,
|