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.
Here, most gracious liege.
K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks.

must we not?

Ha!

Nor. We must both give and take, my loving lord. K. Rich. Up with my tent. Here will I lie tonight;1

2

[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,

1 Richard is reported not to have slept in his tent on the night before the battle, but in the town of Leicester.

2 Richmond's forces are said to have been only five thousand; and Richard's army consisted of about twelve thousand. But lord Stanley lay

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.

Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me;
Where is lord Stanley quartered, do you know?
Blunt. Unless I have mista'en his colors much,
(Which, well I am assured, 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 the tent.

Enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF,

and CATESBY.

K. Rich. What is't o'clock?

Cate.

It's nine o'clock.

It's supper time, my lord;

at a small distance with three thousand men, and Richard may be supposed to have reckoned on them as his friends, though the event proved otherwise.

1 Remains with.

K. Rich.

I will not sup to-night.

Give me some ink and

paper.

What, is my beaver easier than it was?—

And all my armor laid into my tent?

Cate. It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness. K. Rich. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.

Nor. I go, my lord.

K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Nor

folk.

Nor. I warrant you, my lord.

K. Rich. Ratcliff,

Rat. My lord?

K. Rich.

[Exit.

Send out a pursuivant at arms

To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sun-rising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.-

Fill me a bowl of wine.-Give me a watch.1

[To CATESBY. Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy. Ratcliff,

Rat. My lord?

K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy lord Northumberland ? 3

4

Rat. 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. So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine;

1 By a watch is most probably meant a watch-light.

2 i. e. the staves or poles of his lances.

3 Richard calls him melancholy, because he did not join heartily in his

cause.

4 i. e. twilight. A cock-shut was a large net stretched across a glade, and so suspended upon poles as easily to be drawn together, and was employed to catch woodcocks. These nets were chiefly used in the twilight of the evening, when woodcocks "take wing to go and get water, flying generally low; and when they find any thoroughfare through a wood or range of trees, they venture through." The artificial glade made for them to pass through were called cock-roads. Hence cock-shut time and cock-shut light were used to express the evening twilight.

have not that alacrity of spirit,

Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.-
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 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 leisure1 and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love,

And ample interchange of sweet discourse,
Which so long-sundered friends should dwell upon :

1 We have still a phrase equivalent to this, however harsh it may seem. "I would do this if leisure would permit."

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 peise1 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.

[Sleeps.

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 [To RICHMOND. Of butchered 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!

1 Weigh.

[TO RICHMOND.

2 The hint for this scene is furnished by Holinshed, who copies from Polydore Virgil.