King Richard III

  MESSENGER. 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 moe confederates, are in arms.

Enter another MESSENGER

  SECOND MESSENGER. In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in    arms;    And every hour more competitors    Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Enter another MESSENGER

  THIRD MESSENGER. My lord, the army of great Buckingham-  KING RICHARD. Out on you, owls! Nothing but songs of    death? [He strikes him]    There, take thou that till thou bring better news.  THIRD MESSENGER. 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 wand'red away alone,    No man knows whither.  KING RICHARD. I cry thee mercy.    There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.    Hath any well-advised friend proclaim'd    Reward to him that brings the traitor in?  THIRD MESSENGER. Such proclamation hath been made,    my Lord.

Enter another MESSENGER

  FOURTH MESSENGER. Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis    Dorset,    'Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.    But this good comfort bring I to your Highness-    The Britaine 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 answer'd him they came from Buckingham    Upon his party. He, mistrusting them,    Hois'd sail, and made his course again for Britaine.  KING RICHARD. 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.

Re-enter CATESBY

  CATESBY. 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 tidings, yet they must be told.  KING RICHARD. 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.    Flourish. Exeunt

SCENE 5

LORD DERBY'S house

Enter STANLEY and SIR CHRISTOPHER URSWICK

  STANLEY. Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:    That in the sty of the most deadly boar    My son George Stanley is frank'd up in hold;    If I revolt, off goes young George's head;    The fear of that holds off my present aid.    So, get thee gone; commend me to thy lord.    Withal say that the Queen hath heartily consented    He should espouse Elizabeth her daughter.    But tell me, where is princely Richmond now?  CHRISTOPHER. At Pembroke, or at Ha'rford west in Wales.  STANLEY. What men of name resort to him?  CHRISTOPHER. Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier;  SIR Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley,  OXFORD, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,    And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant crew;    And many other of great name and worth;    And towards London do they bend their power,    If by the way they be not fought withal.  STANLEY. Well, hie thee to thy lord; I kiss his hand;    My letter will resolve him of my mind.    Farewell. Exeunt

ACT V. SCENE 1

Salisbury. An open place

Enter the SHERIFF and guard, with BUCKINGHAM, led to execution

  BUCKINGHAM. Will not King Richard let me speak with    him?  SHERIFF. No, my good lord; therefore be patient.  BUCKINGHAM. Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey, and    Rivers,    Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward,    Vaughan, and all that have miscarried    By underhand corrupted foul injustice,    If that your moody discontented souls    Do through the clouds behold this present hour,    Even for revenge mock my destruction!    This is All-Souls' day, fellow, is it not?  SHERIFF. It is, my lord.  BUCKINGHAM. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's    doomsday.    This is the day which in King Edward's time    I wish'd might fall on me when I was found    False to his children and his wife's allies;    This is the day wherein I wish'd to fall    By the false faith of him whom most I trusted;    This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul    Is the determin'd respite of my wrongs;    That high All-Seer which I dallied with    Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head    And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.    Thus doth He force the swords of wicked men    To turn their own points in their masters' bosoms.    Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my neck.    'When he' quoth she 'shall split thy heart with sorrow,    Remember Margaret was a prophetess.'    Come lead me, officers, to the block of shame;    Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.Exeunt

SCENE 2

Camp near Tamworth

Enter RICHMOND, OXFORD, SIR JAMES BLUNT, SIR WALTER HERBERT, and others, with drum and colours

  RICHMOND. Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,    Bruis'd underneath the yoke of tyranny,    Thus far into the bowels of the land    Have we march'd on without impediment;    And here receive we from our father Stanley    Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.    The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,    That spoil'd your summer fields and fruitful vines,    Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough    In your embowell'd bosoms-this foul swine    Is now even in the centre of this isle,    Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.    From Tamworth thither is but one day's march.    In God's name cheerly on, courageous friends,    To reap the harvest of perpetual peace    By this one bloody trial of sharp war.  OXFORD. Every man's conscience is a thousand men,    To fight against this guilty homicide.  HERBERT. I doubt not but his friends will turn to us.  BLUNT. He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,    Which in his dearest need will fly from him.  RICHMOND. All for our vantage. Then in God's name march.    True hope is swift and flies with swallow's wings;    Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings. Exeunt

SCENE 3

Bosworth Field

Enter KING RICHARD in arms, with NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, the EARL of SURREYS and others

  KING RICHARD. Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth    field.    My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?  SURREY. My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.  KING RICHARD. My Lord of Norfolk!  NORFOLK. Here, most gracious liege.  KING RICHARD. Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we    not?  NORFOLK. We must both give and take, my loving lord.  KING RICHARD. Up With my tent! Here will I lie to-night;                      [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?  NORFOLK. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.  KING RICHARD. 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 lack no discipline, make no delay;    For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. ExeuntEnter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND, SIR WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, DORSET, and others. Some pitch RICHMOND'S tent  RICHMOND. The weary sun hath made a golden set,    And by the bright tract 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 keeps 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.    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.  RICHMOND. 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.  BLUNT. Upon my life, my lord, I'll undertake it;    And so, God give you quiet rest to-night!  RICHMOND. Good night, good Captain Blunt. Come,    gentlemen,    Let us consult upon to-morrow's business.    In to my tent; the dew is raw and cold.                                   [They withdraw into the tent]Enter, to his-tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, and CATESBY  KING RICHARD. What is't o'clock?  CATESBY. It's supper-time, my lord;    It's nine o'clock.  KING RICHARD. I will not sup to-night.    Give me some ink and paper.    What, is my beaver easier than it was?    And all my armour laid into my tent?  CATESBY. It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness.  KING RICHARD. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge;    Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.  NORFOLK. I go, my lord.  KING RICHARD. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.  NORFOLK. I warrant you, my lord. Exit  KING RICHARD. Catesby!  CATESBY. My lord?  KING RICHARD. 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. 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!  RATCLIFF. My lord?  KING RICHARD. Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord    Northumberland?  RATCLIFF. Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,    Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop    Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.  KING RICHARD. 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?  RATCLIFF. It is, my lord.  KING RICHARD. Bid my guard watch; leave me.  RATCLIFF, about the mid of night come to my tent    And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.                                   Exit RATCLIFF. RICHARD sleepsEnter DERBY to RICHMOND in his tent; LORDS attending  DERBY. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!  RICHMOND. All comfort that the dark night can afford    Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!    Tell me, how fares our loving mother?  DERBY. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,    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.    Farewell; the leisure and the fearful time    Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love    And ample interchange of sweet discourse    Which so-long-sund'red friends should dwell upon.    God give us leisure for these rites of love!    Once more, adieu; be valiant, and speed well!  RICHMOND. 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 YOUNG PRINCE EDWARD, son to HENRY THE SIXTH  GHOST. [To 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    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    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,    Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live and flourish!

Enter the GHOST of CLARENCE

  GHOST. [To RICHARD] Let me sit heavy in thy soul    to-morrow! 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!

Enter the GHOSTS of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN

  GHOST OF RIVERS. [To RICHARD] Let me sit heavy in thy    soul to-morrow,    Rivers that died at Pomfret! Despair and die!  GHOST OF GREY. [To RICHARD] Think upon Grey, and let    thy soul despair!  GHOST OF VAUGHAN. [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!    Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!

Enter the GHOSTS of the two young PRINCES

  GHOSTS. [To RICHARD] Dream on thy cousins smothered 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.    [To RICHMOND] 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.

Enter the GHOST of LADY ANNE, his wife

  GHOST. [To 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.

Enter the GHOST of BUCKINGHAM

  GHOST. [To 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;    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 falls in height of all his pride.            [The GHOSTS vanish. RICHARD starts out of his dream]  KING RICHARD. 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 upon myself!    Alack, 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!    I am a villain; yet I lie, I am not.    Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.    My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,    And every tongue brings in a several tale,    And every tale condemns me for a villain.    Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree;    Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree;    All several sins, all us'd in each degree,    Throng to the bar, crying all 'Guilty! guilty!'    I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;    And if I die no soul will pity me:    And wherefore should they, since that I myself    Find in myself no pity to myself?    Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd    Came to my tent, and every one did threat    To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.

Enter RATCLIFF

  RATCLIFF. My lord!  KING RICHARD. Zounds, who is there?  RATCLIFF. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village-cock    Hath twice done salutation to the morn;    Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.  KING RICHARD. O Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream!    What think'st thou-will our friends prove all true?  RATCLIFF. No doubt, my lord.  KING RICHARD. O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear.  RATCLIFF. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.  KING RICHARD By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night    Have stuck more terror to the soul of Richard    Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers    Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.    'Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me;    Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper,    To see if any mean to shrink from me. Exeunt

Enter the LORDS to RICHMOND sitting in his tent

  LORDS. Good morrow, Richmond!  RICHMOND. Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,    That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.  LORDS. How have you slept, my lord?  RICHMOND. The sweetest sleep and fairest-boding dreams    That ever ent'red in a drowsy head    Have I since your departure had, my lords.    Methought their souls whose bodies Richard murder'd    Came to my tent and cried on victory.    I promise you my soul is very jocund    In the remembrance of so fair a dream.    How far into the morning is it, lords?  LORDS. Upon the stroke of four.  RICHMOND. Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction.

His ORATION to his SOLDIERS

    More than I have said, loving countrymen,    The leisure and enforcement of the time    Forbids to dwell upon; yet remember this:    God and our good cause fight upon our side;    The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,    Like high-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our faces;    Richard except, those whom we fight against    Had rather have us win than him they follow.    For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,    A bloody tyrant and a homicide;    One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd;    One that made means to come by what he hath,    And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;    A base foul stone, made precious by the foil    Of England's chair, where he is falsely set;    One that hath ever been God's enemy.    Then if you fight against God's enemy,    God will in justice ward you as his soldiers;    If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,    You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;    If you do fight against your country's foes,    Your country's foes shall pay your pains the hire;    If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,    Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;    If you do free your children from the sword,    Your children's children quits it in your age.    Then, in the name of God and all these rights,    Advance your standards, draw your willing swords.    For me, the ransom of my bold attempt    Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face;    But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt    The least of you shall share his part thereof.    Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully;    God and Saint George! Richmond and victory! ExeuntRe-enter KING RICHARD, RATCLIFF, attendants, and forces  KING RICHARD. What said Northumberland as touching    Richmond?  RATCLIFF. That he was never trained up in arms.  KING RICHARD. He said the truth; and what said Surrey    then?  RATCLIFF. He smil'd, and said 'The better for our purpose.'  KING He was in the right; and so indeed it is.                                                 [Clock strikes]    Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar.    Who saw the sun to-day?  RATCLIFF. Not I, my lord.  KING RICHARD. Then he disdains to shine; for by the book    He should have brav'd the east an hour ago.    A black day will it be to somebody.    Ratcliff!  RATCLIFF. My lord?  KING RICHARD. The sun will not be seen to-day;    The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.    I would these dewy tears were from the ground.    Not shine to-day! Why, what is that to me    More than to Richmond? For the selfsame heaven    That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.

Enter NORFOLK

  NORFOLK. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field.  KING RICHARD. Come, bustle, bustle; caparison my horse;    Call up Lord Stanley, bid him bring his power.    I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,    And thus my battle shall be ordered:    My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,    Consisting equally of horse and foot;    Our archers shall be placed in the midst.    John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,    Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.    They thus directed, we will follow    In the main battle, whose puissance on either side    Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.    This, and Saint George to boot! What think'st thou,    Norfolk?  NORFOLK. A good direction, warlike sovereign.    This found I on my tent this morning.                                        [He sheweth him a paper]  KING RICHARD. [Reads]    'Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,    For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.'    A thing devised by the enemy.    Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge.    Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls;    Conscience is but a word that cowards use,    Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe.    Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.    March on, join bravely, let us to it pell-mell;    If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.

His ORATION to his ARMY

    What shall I say more than I have inferr'd?    Remember whom you are to cope withal-    A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,    A scum of Britaines, and base lackey peasants,    Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth    To desperate adventures and assur'd destruction.    You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;    You having lands, and bless'd with beauteous wives,    They would restrain the one, distain the other.    And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,    Long kept in Britaine at our mother's cost?    A milk-sop, one that never in his life    Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?    Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again;    Lash hence these over-weening rags of France,    These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives;    Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,    For want of means, poor rats, had hang'd themselves.    If we be conquered, let men conquer us,    And not these bastard Britaines, whom our fathers    Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd,    And, in record, left them the heirs of shame.    Shall these enjoy our lands? lie with our wives,    Ravish our daughters? [Drum afar off] Hark! I hear their    drum.    Fight, gentlemen of England! Fight, bold yeomen!    Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!    Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood;    Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!

Enter a MESSENGER

    What says Lord Stanley? Will he bring his power?  MESSENGER. My lord, he doth deny to come.  KING RICHARD. Off with his son George's head!  NORFOLK. My lord, the enemy is pass'd the marsh.    After the battle let George Stanley die.  KING RICHARD. 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 4

Another part of the field

Alarum; excursions. Enter NORFOLK and forces; to him CATESBY

  CATESBY. 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,    Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.    Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost.

Alarums. Enter KING RICHARD