SCENE III. Bosworth field.

[Enter KING RICHARD and Forces, the DUKE OF NORFOLK, EARL OF SURREY, RATCLIFF, and others.

K. Rich. Here pitch our tent, 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; ha! must we not?

Nor. We must both give and take, my lov

ing lord.

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, to-morrow is a busy day. [Exeunt.]

Enter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND,
SIR WILLIAM BRANDON, SIR WALTER HER-
BERT, Oxford, and others. Some of the Sol-
diers pitch RICHMOND's tent.

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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

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
[Exit 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.

Re-enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK,
RATCLIFF, CATESBY, and others.

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

It's nine o'clock.

K. Rich.

It's supper-time, my lord;

I will not sup to-night.— Give me some ink and paper.— What, is my beaver3 easier than it was? 50 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.
Nor. I go, my lord.

K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle
Norfolk.

Nor. I warrant you, my lord.
K. Rich. Catesby,-

Cate. My lord?

K. Rich.

[Exit.

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.

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[Exit Catesby.

[To various attendants] Fill me a bowl of wine. -Give me a watch.4

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?

2 Make some good means, i.e. contrive some opportunity. 3 Beaver, properly the vizor of the helmet; here the helmet itself. 4 Watch, i.e. watch-light.

5 Staves, the shafts of lances.

K. Rich. I'm satisfied.]-Give me a bowl of wine:

I have not that alacrity of spirit,

Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.
[Wine brought.
So, set it down.-Is ink and paper ready?
Rat. It is, my lord.

K. Rich. Bid my guard watch; [to the attendants] leave me.-Ratcliff,

About the mid of night come to my tent
And help to arm me.--]
.--Leave me, I say.

[King Richard retires into his tent, and
sleeps. Exeunt Ratcliff and others.

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

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Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
Stan. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy
mother,

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Who prays continually for Richmond's good:
So much for that.-The silent hours steal on,
And flaky2 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-staring3 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

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!

[Neeps. [The Ghost of PRINCE EDWARD, son to KING HENRY THE SIXTH, rises between the two tents. Ghost. [To King Richard] Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!

Think, how thou stabb'dst me in my prime of youth

At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die![To Richmond] Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls

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Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee..

The Ghost of KING HENRY THE SIXTH rises. Ghost. [To King 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, Thee in thy sleep doth comfort: live and flourish!]

5 Peise, weigh.

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Rivers, that died at Pomfret! despair, and die! Ghost of Grey. [To King Richard] Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair! Ghost of Vaugh. [To King Richard] Think upon Vaughan, and, with guilty fear, Let fall thy lance: despair, and die! All three. [To Richmond] Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard's bosom Will conquer him!-awake, and win the day!]

The Ghost of HASTINGS rises.

Ghost. [To King 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!]

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| Live, and beget a happy race of kings! Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.

160

The Ghost of QUEEN ANNE rises. Ghost. [To King Richard] Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife, 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;

Dream of success and happy victory!
Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.]

The Ghost of BUCKINGHAM rises.
Ghost. [To King 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,
And die in terror of thy guiltiness!
Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and
death:

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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: God and good angels fight on Richmond's side; And Richard fall" 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,

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Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft! I did but dream.—
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!-
The lights burn blue.-It is now dead mid-
night.
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

5 For hope, i.e. as far as all hope was concerned; or, elliptically, for want of hope.

• Richard fall, i.e. may Richard fall.