Q. Eliz. That thou hast wronged in the time o'erpast; The parents live whose children thou hast butcher'd, K. Rich. As I intend to prosper and repent, To my proceeding, if, with pure heart's love, I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! And be not peevish found in great designs. Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? K. Rich. Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong your- [self. K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them; Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will? And you shall understand from me her mind. Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman! 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 unresolved 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 Ratcliff, thyself, -or Catesby: where is he? [Norfolk!Cate. Here, my good lord. K. Rich. Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. I will, mydord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither; post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither, -[TO CATESBY.] Dull unmindful villain, Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke? Cate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleaWhat from your grace I shall deliver to him. [sure, K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby; -bid him levy straight The greatest strength and power he can make, And meet me suddenly at Salisbury. K. Rich. My mind is changed. Stanley, what news with you? Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with the Nor none so bad but well may be reported. [hearing; K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad! What need'st thou run so many miles about, When thou mayst tell thy tale the nearest way? Once more, what news? Stan. 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 tuakes for England, here to claim the crown. K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway'di 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 liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes. Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear. Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not. K. Rich. Where is thy power, then, to beat him backi Where be thy tenants and thy followers? Are they not now upon the western shore, Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships? Stan. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north. K. Rich. Cold friends to me: what do they in the north, When they should serve their sovereign in the west? Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty king: Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave, I'll muster up my friends, and meet your grace, K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with I will not trust you, Sir. [Richmond: Stan. Most mighty sovereign, You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; I never was, nor never will be false. [behind Enter another Messenger. 3 Mess. My lord, the army of great BuckinghamK. Rich. Out on ye, owls! nothing but songs of death! [He strikes him There, take thou that, till thou bring better news. K. Rich. 0, I cry you mercy: 3 Mess. Such proclamation hath been made, my liege. 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 dispersed 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 If not to fight with foreign enemies, Yet to beat down these rebels here at home. Enter CATESBY. [arms; 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. These letters will resolve him of my mind. Farewell. [Gives papers to Sir CHRISTOPHER. Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE T.-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, Vaughan, and all that have miscarried By underhand corrupted foul injustice; If that your moody discontented souls Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Even for revenge mock my destruction!This is All-Souls' day, fellows, is it not? Sher. It is, my lord. [day. Buck. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's doomsThis 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 determined 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 sorRemember Margaret was a prophetess."Come, Sirs, convey me to the block of shame; Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM, ỨC. SCENE II.-Plain near TAMWORTH. [row, 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, Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny, That spoil'd your summer fields and fruitful vines, Ozf. 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. Blunt. He hath no friends but what are friends for Which in his dearest need will fly from him. [fear; Richm. All for our vantage. Then, in God's name, march: True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings, SCENA III.-Bosworth Field. [Exeunt. K. Rich. My lord of Norfolk, [not? Nor. Here, most gracious liege. K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha' must we But where to-morrow? Well, all's one for that.- Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power [Exeunt. Enter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND, Sir W LIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, and other Lords. Some of the Soldiers pitch RICHMOND'S tent. Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set, And part in just proportion our small power. - Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me. - Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him, 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, Let us consult upon to-morrow's business: [gentlemen, In to my tent, the air is raw and cold. [They withdraw into the lent. Enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, and CATESBY. K. Rich. What is 't o'clock? K. Rich. I will not sup to-night.- Cate. It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels. Nor. I go, my lord. 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. Erruni RATCLIFF and CATESBY. [ACT V RICHMOND'S tent opens, and discovers him and his officers, &c. Enter STANLEY. Stan. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm! Stan. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother, Richm. Good lords, conduct him to his regiment: [Exeunt Lords, &c., with STANLEY. O Thou, whose captain I account myself, 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! [Steeps. Think, how thou stabb'dst me in my prime of youth The Ghost of KING HENRY THE SIXTH rises. [TO RICHMOND.] Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror! Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be king, Doth comfort thee in thy sleep: live, and flourish ! The Ghost of CLARENCE rises. Ghost. [TO KING R.] Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! The Ghosts 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, That never slept a quiet hour with thee, Now fills thy sleep with perturbations; To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword; despair, and die! [TO RICHMOND.] Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet Dream of success and happy victory: | Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee. The Ghost of BUCKINGHAM rises. [sleep; Ghost. [TO KING R.] The first was I that help'd thee to the crown; The last was I that felt thy tyranny: [TO RICHMOND.] I died for hope ere I could lend thee [The Ghosts vanish. KING RICHARD starts out of his dream. K. Rich. Give me another horse I-bind up my wounds! Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft; I did but dream.- For hateful deeds committed by myself! Fool, of thyself speak well:-Fool, do not flatter. Nay, wherefore should they, -since that I mysel Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The eariy village cock 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 Ilave struck more terror to the soul of Richard, Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers, Armed in proof, and led by shallow RichmondIt 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 RATOLIFF. Enter OXFORD and others. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond. Richm. [Waking.] 'Cry mercy, lords, and watchful That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here. [gentlemen, Lords. How have you slept, my lord? Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding dreams SCENE IV.] That ever enter'd in a drowsy head, KING BICHARD III. Have I since your departure had, my lords. Methought their souls, whose bodies Richard murder'd, How far into the morning is it, lords? Lords. Upon the stroke of four. Richm. Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give direc- More than I have said, loving countrymen, For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen, A bloody tyrant and a homicide; : One raised in blood, and one in blood establish'd; One that made means to come by what he hath, A base foul stone, made precious by the foil 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, If you do sweat to put a tyrant down, Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge: And slaughter'd those that were the means to help him; These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives; God will, in justice, ward you as his soldiers; You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain; Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit, [Drum afar of Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen! Enter a Messenger. K. Rich. Off instantly with his son George's head! After the battle let George Stanley die. Advance your standards, draw your willing swords. Shall be this cold corse on the earth's cold face; What says lord Stanley? will he bring his power? 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; God and Saint George! Richmond and victory! [Exeunt. Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the fi ld. Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power:- In the main battle; whose puissance on either side This found I on my tent this morning. [Giving a scrol. [bosom: K. Rich. A thousand hearts are great within my [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-Another part of the Field. Cate. Rescue, my lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue! Alarum. Enter KING RICHARD. K. Rich. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! And I will stand the hazard of the die: I think there be six Richmonds in the field; A horsel a horset my kingdom for a horse! [Exeunt. Alarums. Enter KING RICHARD and RICHMOND; and exeunt fighting. Retreat and flourish. Then enter RICHMOND, STANLEY, bearing the crown, with divers other Lords, and forces. Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it. Richm. Great God of heaven, say Amen to all!- Stan. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, By God's fair ordinance conjoin together! I COME no more to make you lough; things now The play may pass, if they be still and willing, As they were living; think you see them great, Of what I saw there. Buck. An untimely ague Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde: Buck. All the whole time I was my chamber's prisoner. Nor. Then you lost [weighed The view of earthly glory: men might say, Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story. Buck. O, you go far. In honour honesty, the tract of everything |