Thus far into the bowels of the land In your embowell'd bosoms, this foul swine Orf. 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. Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me; Where is lord Stanley quarter'd, do you know? Blunt. Unless I have mista'en his colours much, (Which, well I am assur'd, 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. Let us consult upon to-morrow's business; [They withdraw into the tent. Blunt. He hath no friends, but who are friends Enter, to his tent, King Richard, Norfolk, Ratcliff, for fear; Which, in his dearest need, will fly from him. Richm. All for our vantage. Then, in God's name, march: True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings, and Catesby. ness. K. Rich. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; K. Rich. Here pitch our tents, even here in Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels. Bosworth field. My lord of Surrey, why look you so sad? Sur. My heart is ten times lighter than my looks. Here, most gracious liege. K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks; Ha! must we not? Nor. We must both give and take, my loving lord. K. Rich. Up with my tent: Here will I lie tonight; [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? [Exeunt. 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. 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, 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 keeps2 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 : Nor. I go, my lord. Nor. [Exit. K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Send out a pursuivant at arms Rat. My lord? K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy lord Northumberland? Rat. Thomas the earl of Surrey, and himself, Much about cock-shuts time, from troop to troop, Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers. K. Rich. 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.So, 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, say. [King Richard retires into his tent. Exeunt Ratcliff and Catesby. Richmond's tent opens, and discovers him and his 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, (6) Deputation. (5) Twilight. And flaky darkness breaks within the east. Richm. Good lords, conduct him to his regiment: The Ghost of King Henry the Sixth rises. Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.- The Ghost of Clarence rises. Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! [To King Richard. I, that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine, Poor Clarence, by thy guile betray'd to death! To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword; Despair, and die!Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster, [To Richmond. The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee; Good angels guard thy battle! Live, and flourish! The Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, rise. Riv. Let me sit heavy on thy sour to-morrow, [To King Richard. Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair, and die! (1) Weigh. Let fall thy lance! Despair, and die! [To King Richard. All. Awake! and think, our wrongs in Richard's bosom [To Richmond. Will conquer him;-awake, and win the day! The Ghost of Hastings rises. Ghost. Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake; [To King Richard. And in a bloody battle end thy days! Think on lord Hastings; and despair, and die!— Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake! [To Richmond. Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake! 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, Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake in joy; The Ghost of Queen Anne rises. Ghost. Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife, That never slept a quiet hour with thee, crown; [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; Is there a murderer here? No;-Yes; I am : Lest I revenge. What? Myself on myself? Fool, of thyseli speak well :-Fool, do not flatter. Methought, the souls of all that I had murder'd Rat. My lord, Enter Ratcliff. K. Rich. Who's there? [Of England's chair, where he is falsely set; Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village God, and Saint George! Richmond, and victory! cock Hath twice done salutation to the morn; What thinkest thou? will our friends prove all true? [Exeunt King Richard and Ratcliff. That men, 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. Came to my tent, and cried-On! victory! One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd; A base foul stone, made precious by the foil (1) Throne. (2) Guard. (3) Requite. VOL, II, [Exeunt. Re-enter King Richard, Ratcliff, attendants, and forces. K. Rich. What said Northumberland, as touch- Rat. That he was never trained up in arms. Rat. He smil'd and said, the better for our pur K. Rich. He was i'the right; and so, indeed, it is. Not I, my lord. K. Rich. Then he disdains to shine; for, by the Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field. K. Rich. Come, bustle, bustle;-Caparison my Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power:- Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign.— [Giving a scroll. K. Rich. Jocky of Norfolk, be not too bold, Reads For Dickons thy master is bought and sold A thing devised by the enemy. Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge: What shall I say more than I have inferr'd? Enter a Messenger. What says lord Stanley? will he bring his power? K. Rich. 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. SCENE IV-Another part of the field. Alarum: Excursions. Enter Norfolk, and forces; to him Catesby. Cate. 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, Alarum. Enter King Richard. K. Rich. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! K. Rich. 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 to-day, instead of him:A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! [Exe. 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. Richm. God, and your arms, be prais'd, victorious friends; The day is ours, the bloody dog is dead. Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty, Richm. Great God of heaven, say, Amen, to all :But, tell me first, is young George Stanley living? Stan. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town; Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us. Richm. What men of name are slain on either side? Stan. John duke of Norfolk, Walter lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and sir William Brandon. Richm. 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 with the red :Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, That long hath frown'd upon their enmity!— What traitor hears me, and says not,-Amen? England hath long been mad, and scarr'd herself, The brother blindly shed the brother's blood, The father rashly slaughter'd his own son, The son, compell'd, 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-fac'd 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 stopp'd, peace lives again; That she may long live here, God say-Amen. [Exeunt. This is one of the most celebrated of our author's performances; yet I know not whether it has not happened to him as to others, to be praised most, when praise is not most deserved. That this play has scenes noble in themselves, and very well contrived to strike in the exhibition, cannot be denied. But some parts are trifling, others shocking, and JOHNSON. some improbable. |