Give me some ink and paper.

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.

Nor. I go, my lord.

50

55

[Exit.

K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.
Nor. I warrant you, my lord.

K. Rich:

Send out a pursuivant at arms

To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power

60

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.

Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff!

65

Rat. My lord?

K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northum

berland?

Rat. Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself,

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?

70

It is, my lord.

75

Rat.

K. Rich. Bid my guard watch. Leave me. Ratcliff, About the mid of night come to my tent

[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!
Richm. All comfort that the dark night can afford

Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!

Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

80

Der. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,

85

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 the 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.

76. Leave me. Ratcliff,] and leave me. Pope. So leave me. Keightley conj. 77. mid] midst Q6Q7Q8.

78. arm me] arme F3. arm F4. arm me, Ratcliff Capell.

Leave me] Leave me now Pope. [Exeunt......] Edd. Exit Ratcliffe. QqFf. K. Richard retires into his tent. Exeunt Ratcliffe and Catesby. Malone.

Enter...attending.] Edd. Enter Darby to Richmond in his tent. QqFf (Derby Ff).

79. SCENE III. Pope (ed. 1). SCENE IV. Pope (ed. 2).

conj.

fares] fares it with Hanmer.
loving] QiQ2 noble the rest.
mother] mother now Keightley

85. that. The] Ff. that the Q, that: the the rest.

86. And] A Q6Q7.

90. mortal-staring] Steevens mortall staring QqFf. mortal-fearing Capell. mortal-scaring Malone conj. mortal starry Becket conj. mortalstaving Jackson conj. mortal-stabbing Staunton conj. mortal-daring Anon. conj.

95. brother, tender] Ff. brother tender Q1Q2 Q3 Q4Q5. tender brother Q6Q7Q8.

90

95

Farewell: the leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
And ample interchange of sweet discourse
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,
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;
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!
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!

97. Farewell: the leisure] Farewell: The lack of leisure Anon. conj.

leisure] lesion Becket conj. 100. sunder'd] sundred FfQ7Qg. sundried QiQ2 sundired Q3Q4. sundered Q5Q6.

101. us] on Q7Q8• for] of Q7Q8.

eunt. the rest.

109. on] one Q7.

forces with a gracious eye] force with thy gracious eyes Q6Q7Q8. III. a] om. Q7Q8.

112. helmets] helmet Q5Q6Q7Q8.

114 the] QQ2Q6Q7Q8. thy Qз

Q4Q5Ff.

117. [Sleeps.] Ff. om. Qq.

Enter...]Enter...young Prince
Edward, sonne Harry the sixt, to
Ri. Q. yoong Prince Edward,... to
Ri. Q2

118. SCENE IV. Between the
Tents of Richard and Richmond:
They sleeping. Pope (ed. 1). SCENE
v. Pope (ed. 2).

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

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

120

125

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!

130

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,

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!

135

Enter the Ghosts of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN.

Ghost of R. [To Richard] Let me sit heavy on thy
soul to-morrow,

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

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!

140

145

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!

139. Ghost of R.] King. Q.Q2
Riu. the rest.

on] in QxQ2 Q3 Q4. one Q7.
143. lance] hurtless lance Capell.
pointless lance Collier (Collier MS.).
despair] Richard, despair

Pope.
144. Richard's] Q,FfQg. Ri. Q2
Q3Q4Q5. Ric. Q6. Rich. Q7.

145. Will Wel Qr

him] QqF, om. F2F3F4.
Hastings.] Q.Q2 L. Hast-

ings. the other Quartos. Lord Hast-
ings. Ff. See note (XXIV).

146. guiltily] QqF, guilty F
F2
F3F4-

148. despair] and despair Pope.
so despair Collier (Collier MS.).

149. Quiet...awake!] One line in
Qq. Two in Ff.

151. Dream... Tower:] One line in
Qq. Two in Ff.

152. lead] Q. laid or layd the

rest.

153. thee] the Q6F3.

154. souls bid] Qq F4. soule bids
F,F2F3.

150