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 af

ford,

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

Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

Stan. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mo

Who

ther,

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.

Farewel: 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 regi

ment:

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 Lords, &c. with Stanley.
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 thy 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.

The Ghost of Prince Edward, son to Henry the Sixth, rises between the two tents.

Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! [To King Richard.

Think, how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury; Despair therefore, and die!-
Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.

The Ghost of King Henry the Sixth rises.
Ghost. When I was mortal, my anointed body
[To King Richard.
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!— Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!

[To Richmond.

Harry, that prophecy'd thou should'st be king, Doth comfort thee in thy sleep; Live, and flourish!

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!-
[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!

The Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, rise. Riv. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow, [To King Richard. Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair, and die! Grey. Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair! [To King Richard.

Vaugh. Think upon Vaughan; and, with guilty

fear,

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 led within thy bosom, Richard,
And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death'
Thy nephews' souls bid thee despair and die.-

Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake in joy;
Good angels guard thee from the boar's annoy!
Live, and beget a happy race of kings!
Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.

The Ghost of Queen Anne rises.

Ghost. 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!—
Thou, quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep;

Dream of success and happy victory;

[To Richmond.

Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.

The Ghost of Buckingham rises.

Ghost. The first was I, that help'd thee to the

crown;

[To King Richard.

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;
Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!-
I died for hope, ere I could lend thee aid:

[To Richmond. But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay'd: God, and good angels, fight on Richmond's side; And Richard falls 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,

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

What? Myself on myself?
I love myself. Wherefore? for any good,
That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no: alas, I rather hate myself,

For hateful deeds committed by myself.