Enter RATCLIFF, and CATESBY.

Rat. Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast Rideth a puissant navy; to the shore

Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm'd, and unresolv'd to beat them back:
'Tis thought, that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham, to welcome them ashore.

740

K. Rich. Some light-foot friend post to the duke of Norfolk ;

Ratcliff, thyself-or Catesby; where is he?
Cates. Here, my good lord.

K. Rich. Catesby, fly to the duke.

Cates. I will, my lord, with all convenient haste. K. Rich. Ratcliff, come hither: Post to Salisbury; When thou com'st thither-Dull unmindful villain, [To CATESBY. Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the duke ? Cates. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure,

What from your grace I shall deliver to him.

752

K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby;-Bid him levy

straight

The greatest strength and power he can make,

And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.

Cates. I go.

[Exit.

Rat. What, may it please you, shall I do at Salis

bury?

2

K. Rich.

K. Rich. Why, what wouldst thou do there, before

I go?

Rat. Your highness told me, I should post before.

Enter Lord STANLEY.

K. Rich. My mind is chang'd.-Stanley, what news with you?

761

Stan. None good, my liege, to please you with the

hearing;

Nor none so bad, but well may be reported.

K. Rich. Heyday, a riddle! neither good, nor bad! What need'st thou run so many miles about, When thou may'st tell thy tale the nearest way? Once more, what news?

Stan. Richmond is on the seas.

K. Rich. There let him sink, and be the seas on

him!

770

White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?
Stan. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
K. Rich. Well, as you guess ?:

Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and
Morton,

He makes for England, here to claim the crown.
K. Rich. Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway'd?
Is the king dead? the empire unpossess'd? ·
What heir of York is there alive, but we ?
And who is England's king, but great York's heir?
Then, tell me, what makes he upon the seas?
Stan. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

Mij

779

K. Rich

K. Rich. Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welchman comes. Thou wilt revolt, and fly to him, I fear.

Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not. K. Rich. Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where be thy tenants, and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

Stan. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.

K. Rich. Cold friends to me: What do they in the

north,

790

When they should serve their sovereign in the west ? Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty king:

Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave,

I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace,
Where, and what time, your majesty shall please.
K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with
Richmond:

But I'll not trust you, sir.

Stan. Most mighty sovereign,

You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; I never was, nor never will be false.

850

K. Rich. Well go, muster thy men. But, hear you,

leave behind

Your son, George Stanley: look your heart be firm, Or else his head's assurance is but frail.

Stan.

Stan. So deal with him, as I prove true to you.

Enter a Messenger.

[Exit STANLEY.

Mes. My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire, As I by friends am well advertised,

Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
With many more confederates, are in arms.

Enter another Messenger.

2 Mes. In Kent, my liege, the Guildfords are in

arms;

And every hour more competitors

810

Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Enter another Messenger.

3 Mes. My lord, the army of great Bucking

ham

death?

K. Rich. Out on ye, owls! nothing but songs of [He strikes him. There, take thou that, 'till thou bring better news. 3 Mes. The news I have to tell your majesty, Is-that, by sudden floods and fall of waters, Buckingham's army is dispers'd and scatter'd ; And he himself wander'd away alone,

No man knows whither.

K. Rich. Oh, I cry you mercy :

There is my purse, to cure that blow of thine.
Hath any well-advised friend proclaim'd

Miij

820

Reward

Reward to him that brings the traitor in

3 Mes. Such proclamation hath been made, my liege.

Enter another Messenger.

830

4 Mes. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord marquis Dorset, 'Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms. But this good comfort bring I to your highnessThe Bretagne navy is dispers'd by tempest: Richmond, in Dorsetshire, sent out a boat Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks, If they were his assistants, yea, or no; Who answered him, they came from Buckingham Upon his party: he, mistrusting them,

Hois'd sail, and made his course again for Bretagne. K. Rich. March on, march on, since we are up in

arms;

If not to fight with foreign enemies,

Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.

Enter CATESBY.

Cates. My liege, the duke of Buckingham is taken, That is the best news; That the earl of Richmond Is with a mighty power landed at Milford,

Is colder news, but yet it must be told.

841

K. Rich. Away towards Salisbury; while we reason

here,

A royal battle might be won and lost:

Some one take order, Buckingham be brought

To Salisbury; the rest march on with me. [Exeunt.

3

SCENE