fec SCENE III. Bosworth Field.

Enter KING RICHARD in arms with NORFOLK, the 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.
5 K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we not?
♦ Nor. We must both give and take, my gracious lord.
♦ K. Rich. Up with my tent there! here will I lie to night:
♦ But where to-morrow? Well, all’s one for that.
♦ Who hath descried the number of the foe?
10 Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.
♦ K. Rich. Why, our battalion trebles that account:
♦ Besides, the king’s name is a tower of strength,
♦ Which they upon the adverse party want.
♦ Up with my tent there! Valiant gentlemen,
15 Let us survey the vantage of the field;
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 others. Some of the Soldiers pitch Richmond’s tent.
Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set,
20 And by the bright track of his fiery car
♦ Gives signal 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,
25 Limit each leader to his several charge,
♦ And part in just proportion our small strength.
♦ My Lord of Oxford, you, Sir William Brandon,
And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me.
♦ The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment:
30 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 Blunt, before thou go’st,
♦ Where is Lord Stanley quarter’d, dost thou know?
35 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.
Richm. If without peril it be possible,
40 Good Captain Blunt, bear my good-night to him,
♦ And give him from me this most needful scroll.
♦ 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,
45 Let us consult upon to-morrow’s business:
♦ In to our tent! the air is raw and cold. [They withdraw into the tent.
Enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, CATESBY, and others.
K. Rich. What is’t o’clock?
♦ Cate.   It’s supper-time, my lord;
It’s nine o’clock.
♦ K. Rich. I will not sup to-night.
♦ Give me some ink and paper.
50 What, is my beaver easier than it was?
And all my armour 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.
55 Nor. I go, my lord.
K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.
♦ Nor. I warrant you, my lord. [Exit.
♦ K. Rich. Catesby!
Cate. My lord?
K. Rich.   Send out a pursuivant at arms
60 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 to-morrow.
65 Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff!
Rat.   My lord?
♦ K. Rich. Saw’st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?
Rat. Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself,
70 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:
I have not that alacrity of spirit,
♦ Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.
Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?
75 Rat.   It is, my lord.
♦ K. Rich. Bid my guard watch. Leave me. Ratcliff,
♦ About the mid of night come to my tent
♦ And help to arm me. Leave me, I say. [Exeunt Ratcliff and the other attendants.
Enter DERBY to RICHMOND in his tent, Lords and others attending.
♦ Der. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!
80 Richm. All comfort that the dark night can afford
Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
♦ Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
Der. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,
Who prays continually for Richmond’s good:
85 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
90 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,
95 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
100 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,
105 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 all but Richmond.
O Thou, whose captain I account myself,
♦ Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
110 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 the victory!
115 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 to-morrow!
♦ Think, how thou stab’dst me in my prime of youth
120 At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die!
♦ [To Richmond] Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
♦ Of butcher’d princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
Enter the Ghost of HENRY the Sixth.
Ghost. [To Richard] When I was mortal, my anointed body
125 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,
130 Doth comfort thee in thy sleep: live, and flourish!
Enter the Ghost of CLARENCE.
♦ Ghost. [To Richard] Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!
♦ I, that was wash’d to death with fulsome wine,
Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death.
To-morrow in the battle think on me,
135 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!
Enter the Ghosts of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN.
♦ Ghost of R. [To Richard] Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow,
140 Rivers, that died at Pomfret! despair, and die!
Ghost of G. [To Richard] Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!
Ghost of V. [To Richard] 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
145 Will conquer him! awake, and win the day!
Enter the Ghost of 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!
150 Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England’s sake!
Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes.
♦ Ghosts. [To Richard] 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!
155 [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.
Enter the Ghost of LADY ANNE.
♦ Ghost. [To Richard] Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
160 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 sleep:
165 Dream of success and happy victory!
♦ Thy adversary’s wife doth pray for thee.
Enter the Ghost of BUCKINGHAM.
♦ Ghost. [To Richard] The first was I that help’d thee to the crown;
♦ The last was I that felt thy tyranny:
O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
170 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 dismay’d:
175 God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side;
♦ And Richard falls in height of all his pride. [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!
180 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:
185 Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why:
♦ Lest I revenge. What, 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
190 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,
195 And every tale condemns me for a villain.
♦ Perjury, perjury, in the high’st degree;
Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree;
All several sins, all used in each degree,
♦ Throng to the bar, crying all ‘Guilty! guilty!’
200 I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
And if I die, no soul shall 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
205 Came to my tent, and every one did threat
To-morrow’s vengeance on the head of Richard.
Enter RATCLIFF.
Rat. My lord!
♦ K. Rich. ’Zounds! who is there?
♦ Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; ’tis I. The early village-cock
210 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.   O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,—
215 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.
220 It is not yet near day. Come, go with me;
♦ Under our tents I’ll play the eaves-dropper,
♦ To see if any mean to shrink from me. [Exeunt.
Enter the Lords to RICHMOND, sitting in his tent.
♦ Lords. Good morrow, Richmond!
♦ Richm. Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
225 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.
230 Methought their souls, whose bodies Richard murder’d,