Richard III

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Original text
Act V, Scene I
Enter Buckingham with Halberds, led
to Execution.

Buc.
Will not King Richard let me speake with him?

Sher.
No my good Lord, therefore be patient.

Buc.
Hastings, and Edwards children, Gray & Riuers,
Holy King Henry, and thy faire Sonne Edward,
Vaughan, and all that haue miscarried
By vnder-hand corrupted foule iniustice,
If that your moody discontented soules,
Do through the clowds behold this present houre,
Euen for reuenge mocke my destruction.
This is All-soules day (Fellow) is it not?

Sher.
It is.

Buc.
Why then Al-soules day, is my bodies doomsday
This is the day, which in King Edwards time
I wish'd might fall on me, when I was found
False to his Children, and his Wiues Allies.
This is the day, wherein I wisht to fall
By the false Faith of him whom most I trusted.
This, this All-soules day to my fearfull Soule,
Is the determin'd respit of my wrongs:
That high All-seer, which I dallied with,
Hath turn'd my fained Prayer on my head,
And giuen in earnest, what I begg'd in iest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turne their owne points in their Masters bosomes.
Thus Margarets curse falles heauy on my necke:
When he (quoth she) shall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a Prophetesse:
Come leade me Officers to the blocke of shame,
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.
Exeunt Buckingham with Officers.
Original text
Act V, Scene II
Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert,
and others, with drum and colours.

Richm
Fellowes in Armes, and my most louing Frends
Bruis'd vnderneath the yoake of Tyranny,
Thus farre into the bowels of the Land,
Haue we marcht on without impediment;
And heere receiue we from our Father Stanley
Lines of faire comfort and encouragement:
The wretched, bloody, and vsurping Boare,
(That spoyl'd your Summer Fields, and fruitfull Vines)
Swilles your warm blood like wash, & makes his trough
In your embowel'd bosomes: This foule Swine
Is now euen in the Centry of this Isle,
Ne're to the Towne of Leicester, as we learne:
From Tamworth thither, is but one dayes march.
In Gods name cheerely on, couragious Friends,
To reape the Haruest of perpetuall peace,
By this one bloody tryall of sharpe Warre.

Oxf.
Euery mans Conscience is a thousand men,
To fight against this guilty Homicide.

Her.
I doubt not but his Friends will turne to vs.

Blunt.
He hath no friends, but what are friends for fear,
Which in his deerest neede will flye from him.

Richm.
All for our vantage, then in Gods name march,
True Hope is swift, and flyes with Swallowes wings,
Kings it makes Gods, and meaner creatures Kings.
Exeunt Omnes.
Original text
Act V, Scene III
Enter King Richard in Armes with Norfolke, Ratcliffe,
and the Earle of Surrey.

Rich.
Here pitch our Tent, euen here in Bosworth field,
My Lord of Surrey, why looke you so sad?

Sur.
My heart is ten times lighter then my lookes.

Rich.
My Lord of Norfolke.

Nor.
Heere most gracious Liege.

Rich.
Norfolke, we must haue knockes: / Ha, must we not?

Nor.
We must both giue and take my louing Lord.

Rich.
Vp with my Tent, heere wil I lye to night,
But where to morrow? Well, all's one for that.
Who hath descried the number of the Traitors?

Nor.
Six or seuen thousand is their vtmost power.

Rich.
Why our Battalia trebbles that account:
Besides, the Kings name is a Tower of strength,
Which they vpon the aduerse Faction want.
Vp with the Tent: Come Noble Gentlemen,
Let vs suruey the vantage of the ground.
Call for some men of sound direction:
Let's lacke no Discipline, make no delay,
For Lords, to morrow is a busie day.
Exeunt
Enter Richmond, Sir William Brandon, Oxford,
and Dorset.

Richm.
The weary Sunne, hath made a Golden set,
And by the bright Tract of his fiery Carre,
Giues token of a goodly day to morrow.
Sir William Brandon, you shall beare my Standard:
Giue me some Inke and Paper in my Tent:
Ile draw the Forme and Modell of our Battaile,
Limit each Leader to his seuerall Charge,
And part in iust proportion our small Power.
My Lord of Oxford, you Sir William Brandon,
And your Sir Walter Herbert stay with me:
The Earle of Pembroke keepes his Regiment;
Good Captaine Blunt, beare my goodnight to him,
And by the second houre in the Morning,
Desire the Earle to see me in my Tent:
Yet one thing more (good Captaine) do for me:
Where is Lord Stanley quarter'd, do you know?

Blunt.
Vnlesse I haue mistane his Colours much,
(Which well I am assur'd I haue not done)
His Regiment lies halfe a Mile at least
South, from the mighty Power of the King.

Richm.
If without perill it be possible,
Sweet Blunt, make some good meanes to speak with him
And giue him from me, this most needfull Note.

Blunt.
Vpon my life, my Lord, Ile vndertake it,
And so God giue you quiet rest to night.

Richm.
Good night good Captaine Blunt:
Come Gentlemen,
Let vs consult vpon to morrowes Businesse;
Into my Tent, the Dew is rawe and cold.
They withdraw into the Tent.
Enter Richard, Ratcliffe, Norfolke,
& Catesby.

Rich.
What is't a Clocke?

Cat.
It's Supper time my Lord,
it's nine a clocke.

King.
I will not sup to night,
Giue me some Inke and Paper:
What, is my Beauer easier then it was?
And all my Armour laid into my Tent?

Cat.
It is my Liege: and all things are in readinesse.

Rich.
Good Norfolke, hye thee to thy charge,
Vse carefull Watch, choose trusty Centinels,

Nor.
I go my Lord.

Rich.
Stir with the Larke to morrow, gentle Norfolk.

Nor.
I warrant you my Lord.
Exit

Rich.
Ratcliffe.

Rat.
My Lord.

Rich.
Send out a Pursuiuant at Armes
To Stanleys Regiment: bid him bring his power
Before Sun-rising, least his Sonne George fall
Into the blinde Caue of eternall night.
Fill me a Bowle of Wine: Giue me a Watch,
Saddle white Surrey for the Field to morrow:
Look that my Staues be sound, & not too heauy.
Ratcliff.

Rat.
My Lord.

Rich.
Saw'st the melancholly Lord Northumberland?

Rat.
Thomas the Earle of Surrey, and himselfe,
Much about Cockshut time, from Troope to Troope
Went through the Army, chearing vp the Souldiers.

King.
So, I am satisfied: Giue me a Bowle of Wine,
I haue not that Alacrity of Spirit,
Nor cheere of Minde that I was wont to haue.
Set it downe. Is Inke and Paper ready?

Rat.
It is my Lord.

Rich.
Bid my Guard watch. Leaue me. / Ratcliffe,
about the mid of night come to my Tent
And helpe to arme me. Leaue me I say.
Exit Ratclif.
Enter Derby to Richmond in his Tent.

Der.
Fortune, and Victory sit on thy Helme.

Rich.
All comfort that the darke night can affoord,
Be to thy Person, Noble Father in Law.
Tell me, how fares our Noble Mother?

Der.
I by Attourney, blesse thee from thy Mother,
Who prayes continually for Richmonds good:
So much for that. The silent houres steale on,
And flakie darkenesse breakes within the East.
In breefe, for so the season bids vs be,
Prepare thy Battell early in the Morning,
And put thy Fortune to th' Arbitrement
Of bloody stroakes, and mortall staring Warre:
I, as I may, that which I would, I cannot,
With best aduantage will deceiue thet ime,
And ayde thee in this doubtfull shocke of Armes.
But on thy side I may not be too forward,
Least being seene, thy Brother, tender George
Be executed in his Fathers sight.
Farewell: the leysure, and the fearfull time
Cuts off the ceremonious Vowes of Loue,
And ample enterchange of sweet Discourse,
Which so long sundred Friends should dwell vpon:
God giue vs leysure for these rites of Loue.
Once more Adieu, be valiant, and speed well.

Riehm.
Good Lords conduct him to his Regiment:
Ile striue with troubled noise, to take a Nap,
Lest leaden slumber peize me downe to morrow,
When I should mount with wings of Victory:
Once more, good night kinde Lords and Gentlemen.
Exeunt.
Manet Richmond.
O thou, whose Captaine I account my selfe,
Looke on my Forces with a gracious eye:
Put in their hands thy bruising Irons of wrath,
That they may crush downe with a heauy fall,
Th'vsurping Helmets of our Aduersaries:
Make vs thy ministers of Chasticement,
That we may praise thee in thy victory:
To thee I do commend my watchfull soule,
Ere I let fall the windowes of mine eyes:
Sleeping, and waking, oh defend me still.
Sleeps.
Enter the Ghost of Prince Edward, Sonne to Henry the
sixt.

Gh. to Ri.
Let me sit heauy on thy soule to morrow:
Thinke how thou stab'st me in my prime of youth
At Teukesbury: Dispaire therefore, and dye.
Ghost to Richm.
Be chearefull Richmond,
For the wronged Soules
Of butcher'd Princes, fight in thy behalfe:
King Henries issue Richmond comforts thee.
Enter the Ghost of Henry the sixt.

Ghost.
When I was mortall, my Annointed body
By thee was punched full of holes;
Thinke on the Tower, and me: Dispaire, and dye,
Harry the sixt, bids thee dispaire, and dye.
To Richm. Vertuous and holy be thou Conqueror:
Harry that prophesied thou should'st be King,
Doth comfort thee in sleepe: Liue, and flourish.
Enter the Ghost of Clarence.

Ghost.
Let me sit heauy in thy soule to morrow.
I that was wash'd to death with Fulsome Wine:
Poore Clarence by thy guile betray'd to death:
To morrow in the battell thinke on me,
And fall thy edgelesse Sword, dispaire and dye.
To Richm. Thou off-spring of the house of Lancaster
The wronged heyres of Yorke do pray for thee,
Good Angels guard thy battell, Liue and Flourish.
Enter the Ghosts of Riuers, Gray, and Vaughan.

Riu
Let me sit heauy in thy soule to morrow,
Riuers, that dy'de at Pomfret: dispaire, and dye.

Grey.
Thinke vpon Grey, and let thy soule dispaire.

Vaugh.
Thinke vpon Vaughan, and with guilty feare
Let fall thy Lance, dispaire and dye.

All to Richm.
Awake, / And thinke our wrongs in Richards Bosome,
Will conquer him. Awake, and win the day.
Enter the Ghost of Lord Hastings.

Gho.
Bloody and guilty: guiltily awake,
And in a bloody Battell end thy dayes.
Thinke on Lord Hastings: dispaire, and dye.
Hast. to Rich. / Quiet vntroubled soule, / Awake, awake:
Arme, fight, and conquer, for faire Englands sake.
Enter the Ghosts of the two yong Princes.

Ghosts.
Dreame on thy Cousins / Smothered in the Tower:
Let vs be laid within thy bosome Richard,
And weigh thee downe to ruine, shame, and death,
Thy Nephewes soule bids thee dispaire and dye.
Ghosts to Richm.
Sleepe Richmond, / Sleepe in Peace, and wake in Ioy,
Good Angels guard thee from the Boares annoy,
Liue, and beget a happy race of Kings,
Edwards vnhappy Sonnes, do bid thee flourish.
Enter the Ghost of Anne, his Wife.

Ghost to Rich.
Richard, thy Wife, / That wretched Anne thy Wife,
That neuer slept a quiet houre with thee,
Now filles thy sleepe with perturbations,
To morrow in the Battaile, thinke on me,
And fall thy edgelesse Sword, dispaire and dye:
Ghost to Richm. Thou quiet soule, / Sleepe thou a quiet sleepe:
Dreame of Successe, and Happy Victory,
Thy Aduersaries Wife doth pray for thee.
Enter the Ghost of Buckingham.

Ghost to Rich.
The first was I / That help'd thee to the Crowne:
That last was I that felt thy Tyranny.
O, in the Battaile think on Buckingham,
And dye in terror of thy guiltinesse.
Dreame on, dreame on, of bloody deeds and death,
Fainting dispaire; dispairing yeeld thy breath.
Ghost to Richm. I dyed for hope / Ere I could lend thee Ayde;
But cheere thy heart, and be thou not dismayde:
God, and good Angels fight on Richmonds side,
And Richard fall in height of all his pride.
Richard starts out of his dreame.

Rich.
Giue me another Horse, bind vp my Wounds:
Haue mercy Iesu. Soft, I did but dreame.
O coward Conscience! how dost thou afflict me?
The Lights burne blew. It is not dead midnight.
Cold fearefull drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What? do I feare my Selfe? There's none else by,
Richard loues Richard, that is, I am I.
Is there a Murtherer heere? No; Yes, I am:
Then flye; What from my Selfe? Great reason: why?
Lest I Reuenge. What? my Selfe vpon my Selfe?
Alacke, I loue my Selfe. Wherefore? For any good
That I my Selfe, haue done vnto my Selfe?
O no. Alas, I rather hate my Selfe,
For hatefull Deeds committed by my Selfe.
I am a Vlllaine: yet I Lye, I am not.
Foole, of thy Selfe speake well: Foole, do not flatter.
My Conscience hath a thousand seuerall Tongues,
And euery Tongue brings in a seuerall Tale,
And euerie Tale condemnes me for a Villaine;
Periurie, in the high'st Degree,
Murther, sterne murther, in the dyr'st degree,
All seuerall sinnes, all vs'd in each degree,
Throng all to'th'Barre, crying all, Guilty, Guilty.
I shall dispaire, there is no Creature loues me;
And if I die, no soule shall pittie me.
Nay, wherefore should they? Since that I my Selfe,
Finde in my Selfe, no pittie to my Selfe.
Me thought, the Soules of all that I had murther'd
Came to my Tent, and euery one did threat
To morrowes vengeance on the head of Richard.
Enter Ratcliffe.

Rat.
My Lord.

King
Who's there?

Rat.
Ratcliffe my Lord, 'tis I: the early Village Cock
Hath twice done salutation to the Morne,
Your Friends are vp, and buckle on their Armour.

King.
O Ratcliffe, I feare, I feare.

Rat.
Nay good my Lord, be not affraid of Shadows.

King.
By the Apostle Paul, shadowes to night
Haue stroke more terror to the soule of Richard,
Then can the substance of ten thousand Souldiers
Armed in proofe, and led by shallow Richmond.
'Tis not yet neere day. Come go with me,
Vnder our Tents Ile play the Ease-dropper,
To heare if any meane to shrinke from me.
Exeunt Richard & Ratliffe,
Enter the Lords to Richmond sittingin his Tent.

Richm.
Good morrow Richmond.

Rich.
Cry mercy Lords, and watchfull Gentlemen,
That you haue tane a tardie sluggard heere?

Lords.
How haue you slept my Lord?

Rich.
The sweetest sleepe, / And fairest boading Dreames,
That euer entred in a drowsie head,
Haue I since your departure had my Lords.
Me thought their Soules, whose bodies Rich. murther'd,
Came to my Tent, and cried on Victory:
I promise you my Heart is very iocond,
In the remembrance of so faire a dreame,
How farre into the Morning is it Lords?

Lor.
Vpon the stroke of foure.

Rich.
Why then 'tis time to Arme, and giue direction.
His Oration to his Souldiers.
More then I haue said, louing Countrymen,
The leysure and inforcement of the time
Forbids to dwell vpon: yet remember this,
God, and our good cause, fight vpon our side,
The Prayers of holy Saints and wronged soules,
Like high rear'd Bulwarkes, stand before our Faces,
( Richard except) those whom we fight against,
Had rather haue vs win, then him they follow.
For, what is he they follow? Truly Gentlemen,
A bloudy Tyrant, and a Homicide:
One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd;
One that made meanes to come by what he hath,
And slaughter'd those that were the meanes to help him:
A base foule Stone, made precious by the soyle
Of Englands Chaire, where he is falsely set:
One that hath euer beene Gods Enemy.
Then if you fight against Gods Enemy,
God will in iustice ward you as his Soldiers.
If you do sweare to put a Tyrant downe,
You sleepe in peace, the Tyrant being slaine:
If you do fight against your Countries Foes,
Your Countries Fat shall pay your paines the hyre.
If you do fight in safegard of your wiues,
Your wiues shall welcome home the Conquerors.
If you do free your Children from the Sword,
Your Childrens Children quits it in your Age.
Then in the name of God and all these rights,
Aduance your Standards, draw your willing Swords.
For me, the ransome of my bold attempt,
Shall be this cold Corpes on the earth's cold face.
But if I thriue, the gaine of my attempt,
The least of you shall share his part thereof.
Sound Drummes and Trumpets boldly, and cheerefully,
God, and Saint George, Richmond, and Victory.
Enter King Richard, Ratcliffe, and Catesby.

K.
What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

Rat.
That he was neuer trained vp in Armes.

King.
He said the truth: and what said Surrey then?

Rat.
He smil'd and said, the better for our purpose.

King.
He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
Clocke strikes.
Tell the clocke there. / Giue me a Kalender:
Who saw the Sunne to day?

Rat.
N t I my Lord.

King.
Then he disdaines to shine: for by the Booke
He should haue brau'd the East an houre ago,
A blacke day will it be to somebody.
Ratcliffe.

Rat.
My Lord.

King.
The Sun will not be seene to day,
The sky doth frowne, and lowre vpon our Army.
I would these dewy teares were from the ground.
Not shine to day? Why, what is that to me
More then to Richmond? For the selfe-same Heauen
That frownes on me, lookes sadly vpon him.
Enter Norfolke.

Nor.
Arme, arme, my Lord: the foe vaunts in the field.

King.
Come, bustle, bustle. Caparison my horse.
Call vp Lord Stanley, bid him bring his power,
I will leade forth my Soldiers to the plaine,
And thus my Battell shal be ordred.
My Foreward shall be drawne in length,
Consisting equally of Horse and Foot:
Our Archers shall be placed in the mid'st;
Iohn Duke of Norfolke, Thomas Earle of Surrey,
Shall haue the leading of the Foot and Horse.
They thus directed, we will fllow
In the maine Battell, whose puissance on either side
Shall be well-winged with our cheefest Horse:
This, and Saint George to boote. / What think'st thou Norfolke.

Nor.
A good direction warlike Soueraigne,
This found I on my Tent this Morning.

King.
Iockey of Norfolke, be not so bold,
For Dickon thy maister is bought and sold.
A thing deuised by the Enemy.
Go Gentlemen, euery man to his Charge,
Let not our babling Dreames affright our soules:
For Conscience is a word that Cowards vse,
Deuis'd at first to keepe the strong in awe,
Our strong armes be our Conscience, Swords our Law.
March on, ioyne brauely, let vs too't pell mell,
If not to heauen, then hand in hand to Hell.

What shall I say more then I haue inferr'd?
Remember whom you are to cope withall,
A sort of Vagabonds, Rascals, and Run-awayes,
A scum of Brittaines, and base Lackey Pezants,
Whom their o're-cloyed Country vomits forth
To desperate Aduentures, and assur'd Destruction.
You sleeping safe, they bring you to vnrest:
You hauing Lands, and blest with beauteous wiues,
They would restraine the one, distaine the other,
And who doth leade them, but a paltry Fellow?
Long kept in Britaine at our Mothers cost,
A Milke-sop, one that neuer in his life
Felt so much cold, as ouer shooes in Snow:
Let's whip these straglers o're the Seas againe,
Lash hence these ouer-weening Ragges of France,
These famish'd Beggers, weary of their liues,
Who (but for dreaming on this fond exploit)
For want of meanes (poore Rats) had hang'd themselues.
If we be conquered, let men conquer vs,
And not these bastard Britaines, whom our Fathers
Haue in their owne Land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd,
And on Record, left them the heires of shame.
Shall these enioy our Lands? lye with our Wiues?
Rauish our daughters? Drum afarre off / Hearke, I heare their Drumme,
Right Gentlemen of England, fight boldly yeomen,
Draw Archers draw your Arrowes to the head,
Spurre your proud Horses hard, and ride in blood,
Amaze the welkin with your broken staues.
Enter a Messenger.
What sayes Lord Stanley, will he bring his power?

Mes.
My Lord, he doth deny to come.

King.
Off with his sonne Georges head.

Nor.
My Lord, the Enemy is past the Marsh:
After the battaile, let George Stanley dye.

King.
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom.
Aduance our Standards, set vpon our Foes,
Our Ancient word of Courage, faire S. George
Inspire vs with the spleene of fiery Dragons:
Vpon them, Victorie sits on our helpes.

Original text
Act V, Scene IV
Alarum, excursions. Enter Catesby.

Cat.
Rescue my Lord of Norfolke, / Rescue, Rescue:
The King enacts more wonders then a man,
Daring an opposite to euery danger:
His horse is slaine, and all on foot he fights,
Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death:
Rescue faire Lord, or else the day is lost.
Alarums. Enter Richard.

Rich.
A Horse, a Horse, my Kingdome for a Horse.

Cates.
Withdraw my Lord, Ile helpe you to a Horse

Rich.
Slaue, I haue set my life vpon a cast,
And I will stand the hazard of the Dye:
I thinke there be sixe Richmonds in the field,
Fiue haue I slaine to day, in stead of him.
A Horse, a Horse, my Kingdome for a Horse.
Original text
Act V, Scene V
Alatum,Enter Richard and Richmond, they
fight, Richard is slaine.
Retreat, and Flourish. Enter Richmond,
Derby bearing the Crowne, with diuers other Lords.

Richm.
God, and your Armes / Be prais'd Victorious Friends;
The day is ours, the bloudy Dogge is dead.

Der.
Couragious Richmond, / Well hast thou acquit thee:
Loe, / Heere these long vsurped Royalties,
From the dead Temples of this bloudy Wretch,
Haue I pluck'd off, to grace thy Browes withall.
Weare it, and make much of it.

Richm.
Great God of Heauen, say Amen to all.
But tell me, is yong George Stanley liuing?

Der.
He is my Lord, and safe in Leicester Towne,
Whither (if you please) we may withdraw vs.

Richm.
What men of name are slaine on either side?

Der.
Iohn Duke of Norfolke, Walter Lord Ferris,
Sir Robert Brokenbury, and Sir William Brandon.

Richm.
Interre their Bodies, as become their Births,
Proclaime a pardon to the Soldiers fled,
That in submission will returne to vs,
And then as we haue tane the Sacrament,
We will vnite the White Rose, and the Red.
Smile Heauen vpon this faire Coniunction,
That long haue frown'd vpon their Enmity:
What Traitor heares me, and sayes not Amen?
England hath long beene mad, and scarr'd her selfe;
The Brother blindely shed the Brothers blood;
The Father, rashly slaughtered his owne Sonne;
The Sonne compell'd, beene Butcher to the Sire;
All this diuided Yorke and Lancaster,
Diuided, in their dire Diuision.
O now, let Richmond and Elizabeth,
The true Succeeders of each Royall House,
By Gods faire ordinance, conioyne together :
And let thy Heires (God if thy will be so)
Enrich the time to come, with Smooth-fac'd Peace,
With smiling Plenty, and faire Prosperous dayes.
Abate the edge of Traitors, Gracious Lord,
That would reduce these bloudy dayes againe,
And make poore England weepe in Streames of Blood;
Let them not liue to taste this Lands increase,
That would with Treason, wound this faire Lands peace.
Now Ciuill wounds are stopp'd, Peace liues agen;
That she may long liue heere, God say, Amen.
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene I
Enter Buckingham with halberds and the Sheriff, led
to execution

BUCKINGHAM
Will not King Richard let me speak with him?

SHERIFF
No, my good lord; therefore be patient.

BUCKINGHAM
Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey and Rivers,
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, fellow, is it not?

SHERIFF
It is.

BUCKINGHAM
Why, then All Souls' Day is my body's doomsday.
This is the day which in King Edward's time
I wished might fall on me when I was found
False to his children and his wife's allies;
This is the day wherein I wished 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 turned my feigned prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I begged in jest.
Thus doth He force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points in their masters' bosoms;
Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my neck:
‘ When he,’ quoth she, ‘ shall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.’
– Come lead me, officers, to the block of shame.
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.
Exeunt Buckingham with officers
Modern text
Act V, Scene II
Enter Richmond, Oxford, Sir James Blunt, Sir
Walter Herbert, and others, with drum and colours

RICHMOND
Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends
Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we marched on without impediment;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough
In your embowelled bosoms – this foul swine
Is 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.

OXFORD
Every man's conscience is a thousand men,
To fight against this guilty homicide.

HERBERT
I doubt not but his friends will turn to us.

BLUNT
He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,
Which in his dearest need will fly from him.

RICHMOND
All for our vantage. Then in God's name march!
True hope is swift and flies with swallow's wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene III
Enter King Richard in arms, with Norfolk, Ratcliffe,
and the Earl of Surrey, and soldiers

KING RICHARD
Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth field.
My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?

SURREY
My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.

KING RICHARD
My Lord of Norfolk –

NORFOLK
Here, most gracious liege.

KING RICHARD
Norfolk, we must have knocks. Ha! Must we not?

NORFOLK
We must both give and take, my loving lord.

KING RICHARD
Up with my tent! Here will I lie tonight.
Soldiers begin to set up the King's tent
But where tomorrow? Well, all's one for that.
Who hath descried the number of the traitors?

NORFOLK
Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.

KING RICHARD
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 lack no discipline, make no delay,
For, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.
Exeunt
Enter Richmond, Sir William Brandon, Oxford,
Dorset, Herbert, and Blunt. Some of the soldiers pitch
Richmond's tent

RICHMOND
The weary sun hath made a golden set
And by the bright track of his fiery car
Gives token of a goodly day tomorrow.
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 colours 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.

RICHMOND
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 tonight!

RICHMOND
Good night, good Captain Blunt.
Exit Blunt
Come, gentlemen,
Let us consult upon tomorrow's business.
Into my tent; the dew is raw and cold.
They withdraw into the tent
Enter, to his tent, King Richard, Ratcliffe, Norfolk,
and Catesby

KING RICHARD
What is't a clock?

CATESBY
It's supper-time, my lord;
It's nine a clock.

KING RICHARD
I will not sup tonight.
Give me some ink and paper.
What, is my beaver easier than it was?
And all my armour laid into my tent?

CATESBY
It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness.

KING RICHARD
Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge;
Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.

NORFOLK
I go, my lord.

KING RICHARD
Stir with the lark tomorrow, gentle Norfolk.

NORFOLK
I warrant you, my lord.
Exit

KING RICHARD
Catesby!

CATESBY
My lord?

KING RICHARD
Send out a pursuivant-at-arms
To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.
Exit Catesby
Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.
Saddle white Surrey for the field tomorrow.
Look that my staves be sound and not too heavy.
Ratcliffe!

RATCLIFFE
My lord?

KING RICHARD
Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?

RATCLIFFE
Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
Much about cockshut-time, from troop to troop
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.

KING RICHARD
So, 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.
A bowl of wine is brought
Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

RATCLIFFE
It is, my lord.

KING RICHARD
Bid my guard watch. Leave me. Ratcliffe,
About the mid of night come to my tent
And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.
Exit Ratcliffe with others
King Richard withdraws into his tent, and sleeps
Enter Earl of Derby to Richmond in his tent, lords
and others attending

DERBY
Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

RICHMOND
All comfort that the dark night can afford
Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

DERBY
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 th' 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 sundered friends should dwell upon.
God give us leisure for these rites of love!
Once more adieu. Be valiant, and speed well!

RICHMOND
Good lords, conduct him to his regiment.
I'll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap,
Lest leaden slumber peise me down tomorrow,
When I should mount with wings of victory.
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
Exeunt
Richmond remains
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
Th' usurping helmets of our adversaries;
Make us Thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise Thee in the 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
Enter the Ghost of Prince Edward, son to Henry the
Sixth

GHOST
(To Richard)
Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow!
Think how thou stab'st me in my prime of youth
At Tewkesbury; despair therefore, and die!
(To Richmond)
Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
Exit
Enter the Ghost of Henry the Sixth

GHOST
(to Richard)
When I was mortal, my anointed body
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!
(To Richmond) Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be king,
Doth comfort thee in thy sleep; live, and flourish!
Exit
Enter the Ghost of Clarence

GHOST
(to Richard)
Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow –
I that was washed to death with fulsome wine,
Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death!
Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword; despair, and die!
(To Richmond) Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster,
The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee;
Good angels guard thy battle! Live, and flourish!
Exit
Enter the Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan

RIVERS
(to Richard)
Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
Rivers, that died at Pomfret; despair, and die!

GREY
Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!

VAUGHAN
Think upon Vaughan and with guilty fear
Let fall thy lance; despair, and die!

ALL
(to Richmond)
Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard's bosom
Will conquer him! Awake, and win the day!
Exeunt Ghosts
Enter the Ghost of Lord Hastings

GHOST
(to Richard)
Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake
And in a bloody battle end thy days!
Think on Lord Hastings; despair, and die!
(To Richmond) Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake!
Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!
Exit
Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes

GHOSTS
(to Richard)
Dream on thy cousins smothered 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!
(To Richmond)
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.
Exit
Enter the Ghost of Anne, his wife

GHOST
(to Richard)
Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword; despair, and die!
(To Richmond) Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep.
Dream of success and happy victory!
Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.
Exit
Enter the Ghost of Buckingham

GHOST
(to Richard)
The first was I that helped thee to the crown;
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!
(To Richmond) I died for hope ere I could lend thee aid,
But cheer thy heart and be thou not dismayed;
God and good angel fight on Richmond's side,
And Richard falls in height of all his pride!
Exit
Richard starts out of his dream

KING RICHARD
Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
Have mercy, Jesu! – Soft! I did but dream.
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
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 why –
Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself?
Alack, 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 highest degree.
Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree,
All several sins, all used in each 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 murdered
Came to my tent, and every one did threat
Tomorrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.
Enter Ratcliffe

RATCLIFFE
My lord!

KING RICHARD
Zounds, who is there?

RATCLIFFE
Ratcliffe, my lord, 'tis I. The early village cock
Hath twice done salutation to the morn;
Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.

KING RICHARD
O Ratcliffe, I have dreamed a fearful dream!
What thinkest thou? Will our friends prove all true?

RATCLIFFE
No doubt, my lord.

KING RICHARD
Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear!

RATCLIFFE
Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

KING RICHARD
By the apostle Paul, shadows tonight
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.
'Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me.
Under our tents I'll play the eavesdropper,
To see if any mean to shrink from me.
Exeunt Richard and Ratcliffe
Enter the Lords to Richmond sitting in his tent

LORDS
Good morrow, Richmond!

RICHMOND
Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.

LORDS
How have you slept, my lord?

RICHMOND
The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding dreams
That ever entered in a drowsy head
Have I since your departure had, my lords.
Methought their souls whose bodies Richard murdered
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.

RICHMOND
Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction.
His oration to his soldiers
More than I have said, loving countrymen,
The leisure and enforcement of the time
Forbids to dwell upon. Yet remember this:
God and our good cause fight upon our side;
The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,
Like high-reared 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 raised in blood and one in blood established;
One that made means to come by what he hath,
And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;
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,
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 quits it in your age.
Then in the name of God and all these rights,
Advance your standards, draw your willing swords.
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:
God and Saint George! Richmond and victory!
Exeunt
Enter King Richard, Ratcliffe, and soldiers

KING RICHARD
What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

RATCLIFFE
That he was never trained up in arms.

KING RICHARD
He said the truth. And what said Surrey then?

RATCLIFFE
He smiled and said, ‘ The better for our purpose.’

KING RICHARD
He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
Clock strikes
Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar.
Who saw the sun today?

RATCLIFFE
Not I, my lord.

KING RICHARD
Then he disdains to shine; for by the book
He should have braved the east an hour ago.
A black day will it be to somebody.
Ratcliffe!

RATCLIFFE
My lord?

KING RICHARD
The sun will not be seen today;
The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.
I would these dewy tears were from the ground.
Not shine today? Why, what is that to me
More than to Richmond? For the selfsame heaven
That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.
Enter Norfolk

NORFOLK
Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field.

KING RICHARD
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 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?

NORFOLK
A good direction, warlike sovereign.
This found I on my tent this morning.
He showeth him a paper

KING RICHARD
(reads)
Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,
For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.
A thing devised by the enemy.
Go, gentleman, every man unto his charge.
(Aside) Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls;
Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe.
Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law!
(To them) March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell,
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
His oration to his army
What shall I say more than I have inferred?
Remember whom you are to cope withal –
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
A scum of Britains and base lackey peasants,
Whom their o'ercloyed country vomits forth
To desperate adventures and assured destruction.
You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
You having lands, and blessed with beauteous wives,
They would distrain the one, distain the other.
And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
Long kept in Britain at our mother's cost?
A milksop, one that never in his life
Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?
Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again,
Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
These famished beggars, weary of their lives,
Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
For want of means, poor rats, had hanged themselves.
If we be conquered, let men conquer us,
And not these bastard Britains, whom our fathers
Have in their own land beaten, bobbed, and thumped,
And, in record, left them the heirs of shame.
Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives?
Ravish our daughters? (Drum afar off) Hark! I hear their drum.
Fight, gentlemen of England! Fight, bold yeomen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood!
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
Enter a Messenger
What says Lord Stanley? Will he bring his power?

MESSENGER
My lord, he doth deny to come.

KING RICHARD
Off with his son George's head!

NORFOLK
My lord, the enemy is past the marsh.
After the battle let George Stanley die.

KING RICHARD
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom!
Advance our standards, set upon our foes.
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene IV
Alarum: excursions. Enter Catesby

CATESBY
Rescue, my Lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue!
The King enacts more wonders than a man,
Daring an opposite to every danger.
His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights,
Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.
Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost!
Alarums. Enter King Richard

KING RICHARD
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!

CATESBY
Withdraw, my lord. I'll help you to a horse.

KING RICHARD
Slave, I have set my life upon a cast,
And I will stand the hazard of the die.
I think there be six Richmonds in the field;
Five have I slain today instead of him.
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
Exeunt
Modern text
Act V, Scene V
Alarum. Enter King Richard and Richmond; they
fight; Richard is slain
Retreat and flourish. Enter Richmond, the Earl of
Derby bearing the crown, with divers other lords

RICHMOND
God and your arms be praised, victorious friends!
The day is ours; the bloody dog is dead.

DERBY
Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee.
Lo, here this long usurped royalty
From the dead temples of this bloody wretch
Have I plucked off, to grace thy brows withal.
Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.

RICHMOND
Great God of heaven, say amen to all!
But tell me, is young George Stanley living?

DERBY
He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town,
Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us.

RICHMOND
What men of name are slain on either side?

DERBY
John Duke of Norfolk, Walter Lord Ferrers,
Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon.

RICHMOND
Inter their bodies as becomes their births.
Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled
That in submission will return to us;
And then, as we have ta'en the sacrament,
We will unite the White Rose and the Red.
Smile, heaven, upon this fair conjunction,
That long have frowned upon their enmity!
What traitor hears me, and says not amen?
England hath long been mad and scarred herself,
The brother blindly shed the brother's blood,
The father rashly slaughtered his own son,
The son, compelled, been butcher to the sire:
All this divided York and Lancaster,
Divided in their dire division;
O, now let Richmond and Elizabeth,
The true succeeders of each royal house,
By God's fair ordinance conjoin together!
And let their heirs, God, if Thy will be so,
Enrich the time to come with smooth-faced peace,
With smiling plenty, and fair prosperous days!
Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord,
That would reduce these bloody days again
And make poor England weep in streams of blood!
Let them not live to taste this land's increase
That would with treason wound this fair land's peace!
Now civil wounds are stopped, peace lives again;
That she may long live here, God say amen!
Exeunt
x

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