And, if I die, no soul will pity me: Nay, wherefore should they? since that I myself Methought the souls of all that I had murdered Rat. My lord, Enter RATCLIFF. K. Rich. Who's there? Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village cock Hath twice done salutation to the morn. Your friends are up, and buckle on their armor. K. Rich. O, Ratcliff, I have dreamed a fearful dream! What thinkest thou? will our friends prove all true? Rat. No doubt, my lord. K. Rich. Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,Rat. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows. K. Rich. By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard, Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers, Armed in proof, and led by shallow Richmond. It is not yet near day. Come, go with me; Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper, To hear if any mean to shrink from me. [Exeunt KING RICHARD and RATCLIFF. RICHMOND wakes. Enter OXFORD and others. Lords. Good-morrow, Richmond. Richm. 'Cry mercy, lords, and watchful gentlemen, That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here. Lords. How have you slept, my lord? Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding dreams, That ever entered in a drowsy head, Have I since your departure had, my lords. Methought their souls, whose bodies Richard murdered, I promise you, my heart is very jocund Richm. Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give direction.— [He advances to the troops. More than I have said, loving countrymen, The leisure and enforcement of the time God, and our good cause, fight upon our side: One raised in blood, and one in blood established; Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face; The least of you shall share his part thereof. Rat. That he was never trained up in arms. Tell the clock there.- Give me a Calendar.- Rat. Not I, my lord.— K. Rich. Then he disdains to shine; for, by the book, He should have braved the east an hour ago: A black day will it be to somebody.— Rat. My lord? K. Rich. Enter NORFolk. Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field. K. Rich. 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 forward shall be drawn out all in length, In the main battle; whose puissance on either side This, and saint George to boot!-What think'st thou, Norfolk ? [Reads. Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign.- Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge: They would restrain the one, distain the other. And not these bastard Bretagnes; whom our fathers. [Drum afar off. Fight, gentlemen of England, fight, bold yeomen! Enter a Messenger. What says lord Stanley? will he bring his power? K. Rich. Off instantly with his son George's head. Nor. My lord, the enemy is passed the marsh; After the battle let George Stanley die. K. Rich. A thousand hearts are great within my bosom. Advance our standards, set upon our foes; Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George, [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Alarum. Excursions. Enter NORFOLK, and Forces; to him CATESBY. Cate. 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, Alarum. Enter KING RICHARD. K. Rich. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! I think there be six Richmonds in the field; [Exeunt. Alarums. Enter KING RICHARD and RICHMOND; and exeunt fighting. Retreat and flourish. Then enter RICHMOND, STANLEY, bearing the crown, with divers other Lords, and Forces. Richm. God, and your arms, be praised, victorious friends; The day is ours; the bloody dog is dead. Stan. Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee! Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty, From the dead temples of this bloody wretch Richm. Great God of heaven, say, Amen, to all!But, tell me first, is young George Stanley living? Stan. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town; Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us. Richm. What men of name are slain on either side? Stan. John duke of Norfolk, Walter lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon. Richm. Inter their bodies as becomes their births. Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled, That in submission will return to us; And then, as we have ta'en the sacrement, We will unite the white rose with the red.Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, That long hath frowned upon their enmity!What traitor hears me, and says not,- Amen? England hath long been mad, and scarred herself; The brother blindly shed the brother's blood, The father rashly slaughtered his own son, The son, compelled, been butcher to the sire; All this divided York and Lancaster, Divided, in their dire division. |