King Richard The Third

1 Enter King Richard in arms, with Norfolk, Ratcliffe and the Earl of
2 Surrey with others.
3 KING RICHARD.
4 Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth field.
5 My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?
6 SURREY.
7 My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.
8 KING RICHARD.
9 My lord of Norfolk.
10 NORFOLK.
11 Here, most gracious liege.
12 KING RICHARD.
13 Norfolk, we must have knocks, ha, must we not?
14 NORFOLK.
15 We must both give and take, my loving lord.
16 KING RICHARD.
17 Up with my tent! Here will I lie tonight.
18 But where tomorrow? Well, all’s one for that.
19 Who hath descried the number of the traitors?
20 NORFOLK.
21 Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.
22 KING RICHARD.
23 Why, our battalia trebles that account.
24 Besides, the King’s name is a tower of strength
25 Which they upon the adverse faction want.
26 Up with the tent! Come, noble gentlemen,
27 Let us survey the vantage of the ground.
28 Call for some men of sound direction;
29 Let’s lack no discipline, make no delay,
30 For, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.
31 [_The tent is now ready. Exeunt._]
32 Enter Richmond, Sir William Brandon, Oxford, Herbert, Blunt, and others
33 who pitch Richmond’s tent.
34 RICHMOND.
35 The weary sun hath made a golden set,
36 And by the bright track of his fiery car
37 Gives token of a goodly day tomorrow.
38 Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.
39 Give me some ink and paper in my tent;
40 I’ll draw the form and model of our battle,
41 Limit each leader to his several charge,
42 And part in just proportion our small power.
43 My Lord of Oxford, you, Sir William Brandon,
44 And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me.
45 The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment.—
46 Good Captain Blunt, bear my goodnight to him,
47 And by the second hour in the morning
48 Desire the Earl to see me in my tent.
49 Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me.
50 Where is Lord Stanley quartered, do you know?
51 BLUNT.
52 Unless I have mista’en his colours much,
53 Which well I am assured I have not done,
54 His regiment lies half a mile at least
55 South from the mighty power of the King.
56 RICHMOND.
57 If without peril it be possible,
58 Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him,
59 And give him from me this most needful note.
60 BLUNT.
61 Upon my life, my lord, I’ll undertake it;
62 And so God give you quiet rest tonight.
63 RICHMOND.
64 Good night, good Captain Blunt.
65 [_Exit Blunt._]
66 Come, gentlemen,
67 Let us consult upon tomorrow’s business;
68 Into my tent. The dew is raw and cold.
69 [_Richmond, Brandon Herbert, and Oxford withdraw into the tent. The
70 others exeunt._]
71 Enter to his tent, King Richard, Ratcliffe, Norfolk and Catesby with
72 Soldiers.
73 KING RICHARD.
74 What is’t o’clock?
75 CATESBY.
76 It’s supper time, my lord. It’s nine o’clock.
77 KING RICHARD.
78 I will not sup tonight. Give me some ink and paper.
79 What, is my beaver easier than it was?
80 And all my armour laid into my tent?
81 CATESBY.
82 It is, my liege, and all things are in readiness.
83 KING RICHARD.
84 Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge;
85 Use careful watch; choose trusty sentinels.
86 NORFOLK.
87 I go, my lord.
88 KING RICHARD.
89 Stir with the lark tomorrow, gentle Norfolk.
90 NORFOLK.
91 I warrant you, my lord.
92 [_Exit._]
93 KING RICHARD.
94 Catesby!
95 CATESBY.
96 My lord?
97 KING RICHARD.
98 Send out a pursuivant-at-arms
99 To Stanley’s regiment. Bid him bring his power
100 Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
101 Into the blind cave of eternal night.
102 [_Exit Catesby._]
103 Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.
104 Saddle white Surrey for the field tomorrow.
105 Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
106 Ratcliffe!
107 RATCLIFFE.
108 My lord?
109 KING RICHARD.
110 Saw’st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?
111 RATCLIFFE.
112 Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
113 Much about cockshut time, from troop to troop
114 Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.
115 KING RICHARD.
116 So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine.
117 I have not that alacrity of spirit
118 Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have.
119 Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?
120 RATCLIFFE.
121 It is, my lord.
122 KING RICHARD.
123 Bid my guard watch; leave me.
124 Ratcliffe, about the mid of night come to my tent
125 And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.
126 [_Exit Ratcliffe. Richard withdraws into his tent; attendant soldiers
127 guard it_.]
128 Enter Stanley Earl of Derby to Richmond in his tent.
129 STANLEY.
130 Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!
131 RICHMOND.
132 All comfort that the dark night can afford
133 Be to thy person, noble father-in-law.
134 Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
135 STANLEY.
136 I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,
137 Who prays continually for Richmond’s good.
138 So much for that. The silent hours steal on,
139 And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
140 In brief, for so the season bids us be,
141 Prepare thy battle early in the morning,
142 And put thy fortune to the arbitrement
143 Of bloody strokes and mortal-staring war.
144 I, as I may—that which I would I cannot—
145 With best advantage will deceive the time,
146 And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms.
147 But on thy side I may not be too forward,
148 Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George,
149 Be executed in his father’s sight.
150 Farewell; the leisure and the fearful time
151 Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
152 And ample interchange of sweet discourse,
153 Which so-long-sundered friends should dwell upon.
154 God give us leisure for these rites of love!
155 Once more, adieu. Be valiant, and speed well.
156 RICHMOND.
157 Good lords, conduct him to his regiment.
158 I’ll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap,
159 Lest leaden slumber peise me down tomorrow
160 When I should mount with wings of victory.
161 Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
162 [_All but Richmond leave his tent._]
163 [_Kneels_.] O Thou, whose captain I account myself,
164 Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
165 Put in their hands Thy bruising irons of wrath,
166 That they may crush down with a heavy fall
167 Th’ usurping helmets of our adversaries;
168 Make us Thy ministers of chastisement,
169 That we may praise Thee in the victory.
170 To Thee I do commend my watchful soul
171 Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes.
172 Sleeping and waking, O, defend me still!
173 [_Sleeps._]
174 Enter the Ghost of young Prince Edward, son to Harry the Sixth.
175 GHOST OF EDWARD.
176 [_To King Richard._] Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow.
177 Think how thou stabbed’st me in my prime of youth
178 At Tewksbury; despair therefore, and die!
179 [_To Richmond._] Be cheerful, Richmond, for the wronged souls
180 Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf.
181 King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
182 [_Exit._]
183 Enter the Ghost of Henry the Sixth.
184 GHOST OF HENRY.
185 [_To King Richard._] When I was mortal, my anointed body
186 By thee was punched full of deadly holes.
187 Think on the Tower and me. Despair, and die;
188 Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.
189 [_To Richmond._] Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror.
190 Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be King,
191 Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live, and flourish!
192 [_Exit._]
193 Enter the Ghost of Clarence.
194 GHOST OF CLARENCE.
195 [_To King Richard._] Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
196 I, that was washed to death with fulsome wine,
197 Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death.
198 Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
199 And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair, and die!
200 [_To Richmond._] Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster,
201 The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee.
202 Good angels guard thy battle; live, and flourish.
203 [_Exit._]
204 Enter the Ghosts of Rivers, Grey and Vaughan.
205 GHOST OF RIVERS.
206 [_To King Richard._] Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
207 Rivers that died at Pomfret. Despair and die!
208 GHOST OF GREY.
209 [_To King Richard._] Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!
210 GHOST OF VAUGHAN.
211 [_To King Richard._] Think upon Vaughan, and with guilty fear
212 Let fall thy lance. Despair and die!
213 ALL THREE.
214 [_To Richmond._] Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard’s bosom
215 Will conquer him. Awake, and win the day.
216 [_Exeunt._]
217 Enter the Ghost of Hastings.
218 GHOST OF HASTINGS.
219 [_To King Richard._] Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake,
220 And in a bloody battle end thy days.
221 Think on Lord Hastings. Despair and die!
222 [_To Richmond._] Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake.
223 Arm, fight, and conquer for fair England’s sake.
224 [_Exit._]
225 Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes.
226 GHOSTS OF PRINCES.
227 [_To King Richard._] Dream on thy cousins smothered in the Tower.
228 Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard,
229 And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death;
230 Thy nephews’ souls bid thee despair and die.
231 [_To Richmond._] Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake in joy;
232 Good angels guard thee from the boar’s annoy.
233 Live, and beget a happy race of kings;
234 Edward’s unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.
235 [_Exeunt._]
236 Enter the Ghost of Lady Anne, his wife.
237 GHOST OF ANNE.
238 [_To King Richard._] Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
239 That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
240 Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
241 Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
242 And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
243 [_To Richmond._] Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep;
244 Dream of success and happy victory.
245 Thy adversary’s wife doth pray for thee.
246 [_Exit._]
247 Enter the Ghost of Buckingham.
248 GHOST OF BUCKINGHAM.
249 [_To King Richard._] The first was I that helped thee to the crown;
250 The last was I that felt thy tyranny.
251 O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
252 And die in terror of thy guiltiness.
253 Dream on, dream on of bloody deeds and death.
254 Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath.
255 [_To Richmond._] I died for hope ere I could lend thee aid,
256 But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismayed.
257 God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side;
258 And Richard fall in height of all his pride.
259 [_Exit._]
260 [_King Richard starts up out of his dream._]
261 KING RICHARD.
262 Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
263 Have mercy, Jesu!—Soft! I did but dream.
264 O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
265 The lights burn blue; it is now dead midnight.
266 Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
267 What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by.
268 Richard loves Richard, that is, I am I.
269 Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.
270 Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why,
271 Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself?
272 Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
273 That I myself have done unto myself?
274 O, no, alas, I rather hate myself
275 For hateful deeds committed by myself.
276 I am a villain. Yet I lie, I am not.
277 Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.
278 My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
279 And every tongue brings in a several tale,
280 And every tale condemns me for a villain.
281 Perjury, perjury, in the highest degree;
282 Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree;
283 All several sins, all used in each degree,
284 Throng to the bar, crying all “Guilty, guilty!”
285 I shall despair. There is no creature loves me,
286 And if I die no soul will pity me.
287 And wherefore should they, since that I myself
288 Find in myself no pity to myself?
289 Methought the souls of all that I had murdered
290 Came to my tent, and everyone did threat
291 Tomorrow’s vengeance on the head of Richard.
292 Enter Ratcliffe.
293 RATCLIFFE.
294 My lord!
295 KING RICHARD.
296 Zounds! Who’s there?
297 RATCLIFFE.
298 Ratcliffe, my lord; ’tis I. The early village cock
299 Hath twice done salutation to the morn;
300 Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.
301 KING RICHARD.
302 O Ratcliffe, I have dreamed a fearful dream!
303 What think’st thou, will our friends prove all true?
304 RATCLIFFE.
305 No doubt, my lord.
306 KING RICHARD.
307 O Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear!
308 RATCLIFFE.
309 Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.
310 KING RICHARD.
311 By the apostle Paul, shadows tonight
312 Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard
313 Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
314 Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.
315 ’Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me.
316 Under our tents I’ll play the eavesdropper,
317 To see if any mean to shrink from me.
318 [_Exeunt Richard and Ratcliffe._]
319 Enter the Lords to Richmond in his tent.
320 LORDS.
321 Good morrow, Richmond.
322 RICHMOND.
323 Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
324 That you have ta’en a tardy sluggard here.
325 LORDS.
326 How have you slept, my lord?
327 RICHMOND.
328 The sweetest sleep and fairest-boding dreams
329 That ever entered in a drowsy head
330 Have I since your departure had, my lords.
331 Methought their souls whose bodies Richard murdered
332 Came to my tent and cried on victory.
333 I promise you, my heart is very jocund
334 In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
335 How far into the morning is it, lords?
336 LORDS.
337 Upon the stroke of four.
338 RICHMOND.
339 Why, then ’tis time to arm and give direction.
340 His oration to his soldiers.
341 More than I have said, loving countrymen,
342 The leisure and enforcement of the time
343 Forbids to dwell upon. Yet remember this:
344 God, and our good cause, fight upon our side;
345 The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,
346 Like high-reared bulwarks, stand before our faces.
347 Richard except, those whom we fight against
348 Had rather have us win than him they follow.
349 For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,
350 A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
351 One raised in blood, and one in blood established;
352 One that made means to come by what he hath,
353 And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;
354 A base foul stone, made precious by the foil
355 Of England’s chair, where he is falsely set;
356 One that hath ever been God’s enemy.
357 Then, if you fight against God’s enemy,
358 God will, in justice, ward you as his soldiers;
359 If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,
360 You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;
361 If you do fight against your country’s foes,
362 Your country’s fat shall pay your pains the hire;
363 If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,
364 Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;
365 If you do free your children from the sword,
366 Your children’s children quits it in your age.
367 Then, in the name of God and all these rights,
368 Advance your standards, draw your willing swords.
369 For me, the ransom of my bold attempt
370 Shall be this cold corpse on the earth’s cold face;
371 But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt
372 The least of you shall share his part thereof.
373 Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully!
374 God, and Saint George! Richmond and victory!
375 [_Exeunt._]
376 Enter King Richard, Ratcliffe and Soldiers.
377 KING RICHARD.
378 What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?
379 RATCLIFFE.
380 That he was never trained up in arms.
381 KING RICHARD.
382 He said the truth. And what said Surrey then?
383 RATCLIFFE.
384 He smiled, and said, “The better for our purpose.”
385 KING RICHARD.
386 He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
387 [_The clock striketh._]
388 Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar.
389 Who saw the sun today?
390 RATCLIFFE.
391 Not I, my lord.
392 KING RICHARD.
393 Then he disdains to shine, for by the book
394 He should have braved the east an hour ago.
395 A black day will it be to somebody.
396 Ratcliffe!
397 RATCLIFFE.
398 My lord?
399 KING RICHARD.
400 The sun will not be seen today!
401 The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.
402 I would these dewy tears were from the ground.
403 Not shine today? Why, what is that to me
404 More than to Richmond? For the selfsame heaven
405 That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.
406 Enter Norfolk.
407 NORFOLK.
408 Arm, arm, my lord. The foe vaunts in the field.
409 KING RICHARD.
410 Come, bustle, bustle! Caparison my horse.
411 Call up Lord Stanley; bid him bring his power.
412 I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,
413 And thus my battle shall be ordered:
414 My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
415 Consisting equally of horse and foot;
416 Our archers shall be placed in the midst.
417 John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,
418 Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.
419 They thus directed, we will follow
420 In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
421 Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.
422 This, and Saint George to boot! What think’st thou, Norfolk?
423 NORFOLK.
424 A good direction, warlike sovereign.
425 [_He sheweth him a paper._]
426 This found I on my tent this morning.
427 KING RICHARD.
428 [_Reads_.] “Jockey of Norfolk, be not too bold.
429 For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.”
430 A thing devised by the enemy.
431 Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge.
432 Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls;
433 Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
434 Devised at first to keep the strong in awe.
435 Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.
436 March on. Join bravely. Let us to it pell-mell,
437 If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
438 His oration to his army.
439 What shall I say more than I have inferred?
440 Remember whom you are to cope withal,
441 A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
442 A scum of Bretons and base lackey peasants,
443 Whom their o’er-cloyed country vomits forth
444 To desperate adventures and assured destruction.
445 You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
446 You having lands, and blessed with beauteous wives,
447 They would restrain the one, distain the other.
448 And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
449 Long kept in Brittany at our mother’s cost?
450 A milksop, one that never in his life
451 Felt so much cold as over-shoes in snow?
452 Let’s whip these stragglers o’er the seas again,
453 Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
454 These famished beggars, weary of their lives,
455 Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
456 For want of means, poor rats, had hanged themselves.
457 If we be conquered, let men conquer us,
458 And not these bastard Bretons, whom our fathers
459 Have in their own land beaten, bobbed, and thumped,
460 And in record left them the heirs of shame.
461 Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives,
462 Ravish our daughters?
463 [_Drum afar off._]
464 Hark, I hear their drum.
465 Fight, gentlemen of England! Fight, bold yeomen!
466 Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
467 Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood!
468 Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
469 Enter a Messenger.
470 What says Lord Stanley? Will he bring his power?
471 MESSENGER.
472 My lord, he doth deny to come.
473 KING RICHARD.
474 Off with his son George’s head!
475 NORFOLK.
476 My lord, the enemy is past the marsh.
477 After the battle let George Stanley die.
478 KING RICHARD.
479 A thousand hearts are great within my bosom.
480 Advance our standards! Set upon our foes!
481 Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
482 Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
483 Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.
484 [_Exeunt._]