Will I withal endow a child of thine; So in the Lethe of thy angry soul Thou drown the sad remembrance of those wrongs, Your children were vexation to your youth, Q. Eliz. Be brief, lest that the process of thy I cannot make you what amends I would, Last longer telling than thy kindness' date. Therefore accept such kindness as I can. K. Rich. Then know, that, from my soul, I love Leads discontented steps in foreign soil, thy daughter. This fair alliance quickly shall call home Q. Eliz. My daughter's mother thinks it with her To high promotions and great dignity: soul. K. Rich. What do you think? Q. Eliz. That thou dost love my daughter, from So, from thy soul's love, didst thou love her brothers; K. Rich. Even he, that makes her queen; Who Q. Eliz. What thou? The king, that calls your beauteous daughter, Familiarly shall call thy Dorset-brother; Even so: What think you Put in her tender heart the aspiring flame of it, madam? That I would learn of you, Madam, with all my heart. Q. Eliz. Send to her, by the man that slew her ers, A pair of bleeding hearts; thereon engrave, To win your daughter. Q. Eliz. Having bought love with such a bloody spoil. K. Rich. Look, what is done cannot be now Men shall deal unadvisedly sometimes, Of golden sov'reignty; acquaint the princess Q. Eliz. What were I best to say? her father's Would be her lord? Or shall I say, her uncle? alliance. Q. Eliz. Which she shall purchase with still lasting war. K. Rich. Tell her, the king, that may command, entreats. Q. Eliz. That at her hands, which the king's K. Rich. Say, she shall be a high and mighty queen. K. Rich. As long as heaven, and nature, length- Q. Eliz. As long as hell, and Richard, likes of it. K. Rich. Say, I, her sovereign, am her subject low. Q. Eliz. But she, your subject, loaths such K. Rich. Be eloquent in my behalf to her. told. K. Rich. Then, in plain terms tell her my loving tale. Q. Eliz. Plain, and not honest, is too harsh a style. quick. K. Rich. Why then, by God, K. Rich. For I myself have many tears to wash K. Rich. As I intend to prosper, and repent! I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! Plead what I will be, not what I have been ; Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following. 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. K. Rich. Some light-foot friend post to the duke of Norfolk: Ratcliff, thyself,- or Catesby; where is he? Catesby, fly to the duke. Cate. 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? Cate. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness' pleasure, What from your grace I shall deliver to him. straight 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! White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there? Stan. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and He makes for England, here to claim the crown. K. Rich. Is the chair empty? Is the sword un sway'd? 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? 3 Mess. Such proclamation hath been made, m、 liege. Enter another Messenger. 4 Mess. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord marquis Dorset, 'Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms. If not to fight with foreign enemies, Yet to beat down these rebels here at home. That, in the sty of this most woody boar, Stan. What men of name resort to him? Tell him the queen hath heartily consented [Gives papers to CHRISTOPHER Sher. No, my good lord: therefore be patient. Holy king Henry, and thy fair son Edward, Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Buck. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's doomsday. This is the day, which, in king Edward's time, By the false faith of him whom most I trusted: Blunt. He hath no friends, but who are friends for fear; Which, in his dearest need, will fly from him. Richm. 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 III.- Bosworth Field. Enter KING RICHARD and Forces; the DUKE OF NORFOLK, EARL OF SURREY, and others. K. Rich. Here pitch our tents, even here in Bosworth field. My lord of Surrey, why look you so sad? Here, most gracious liege. K. Rich. Norfolk, we must have knocks; Ha! must we not? Nor. We must both give and take, my loving lord. K. Rich. Up with my tent: Here will I lie tonight; [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? Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. K. Rich. 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 want no discipline, make no delay; For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. Enter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND, Sir WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, and other Lords. Some of the Soldiers pitch RICHMOND'S tent. [Exeunt. Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set, And, by the bright track of his fiery car, Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow. — Richm. Fellows in arms, and my most loving Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard. friends, Bruis'd underneath the yoke of tyranny, Thus far into the bowels of the land In your embowell'd bosoms, this foul swin Give me some ink and paper in my tent; Oxf. Every man's conscience is a thousand swords, Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with To fight against that bloody homicide. Herb. I doubt not, but his friends will turn to us. him, And give him from me this most needful note. Let us consult upon to-morrow's business; Come, [They withdraw into the tent. Enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK, K. Rich. What is't o'clock ? Cate. It's nine o'clock. K. Rich. It's supper time, my lord; I will not sup to-night. Blunt. Upon my life, my lord, I'll undertake it; | Of bloody strokes, and mortal-staring war, And so, God give you quict rest to-night! I, as I may, (that which I would, I cannot,) Richm. Good night, good captain Blunt. With best advantage will deceive the time, And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms: gentlemen, 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 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 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. 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. K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk. Nor. I warrant you, my lord. Rat. My lord? [Exit. K. Rich. Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow. 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! Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster, [To RICHMOND. 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 de spair! [To KING RICHARD |