| ACT V SCENE III | Bosworth Field. | |
| | Enter KING RICHARD III in arms, with NORFOLK,SURREY, and others | |
| KING RICHARD III | Here pitch our tents, 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 III | My Lord of Norfolk,-- | 5 |
| NORFOLK | Here, most gracious liege. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we not? | |
| NORFOLK | We must both give and take, my gracious lord. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Up with my tent there! here will I lie tonight; | |
| | But where to-morrow? Well, all's one for that. | 10 |
| | Who hath descried the number of the foe? | |
| NORFOLK | Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Why, our battalion trebles that account: | |
| | Besides, the king's name is a tower of strength, | |
| | Which they upon the adverse party want. | 15 |
| | Up with my tent there! Valiant gentlemen, | |
| | Let us survey the vantage of the field | |
| | Call for some men of sound direction | |
| | Let's want no discipline, make no delay, | |
| | For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. | 20 |
| | Exeunt | |
| | Enter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND,Sir William Brandon, OXFORD, and others. Some ofthe Soldiers pitch RICHMOND's tent | |
| RICHMOND | The weary sun hath made a golden set, | |
| | And by the bright track of his fiery car, | |
| | Gives signal, of a goodly day to-morrow. | |
| | Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard. | |
| | Give me some ink and paper in my tent | 25 |
| | I'll draw the form and model of our battle, | |
| | Limit each leader to his several charge, | |
| | And part in just proportion our small strength. | |
| | My Lord of Oxford, you, Sir William Brandon, | |
| | And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me. | 30 |
| | 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 Blunt, before thou go'st, | 35 |
| | Where is Lord Stanley quarter'd, dost thou know? | |
| BLUNT | Unless I have mista'en his colours much, | |
| | Which well I am assured I have not done, | |
| | His regiment lies half a mile at least | |
| | South from the mighty power of the king. | 40 |
| RICHMOND | If without peril it be possible, | |
| | Good Captain Blunt, bear my good-night to him, | |
| | And give him from me this most needful scroll. | |
| BLUNT | Upon my life, my lord, I'll under-take it; | |
| | And so, God give you quiet rest to-night! | 45 |
| RICHMOND | Good night, good Captain Blunt. Come gentlemen, | |
| | Let us consult upon to-morrow's business | |
| | In to our tent; the air is raw and cold. | |
| | They withdraw into the tent | |
| | Enter, to his tent, KING RICHARD III, NORFOLK,RATCLIFF, CATESBY, and others | |
| KING RICHARD III | What is't o'clock? | |
| CATESBY | It's supper-time, my lord; | 50 |
| | It's nine o'clock. | |
| KING RICHARD III | 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? | 55 |
| CATESBY | If is, my liege; and all things are in readiness. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; | |
| | Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels. | |
| NORFOLK | I go, my lord. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk. | 60 |
| NORFOLK | I warrant you, my lord. | |
| | Exit | |
| KING RICHARD III | Catesby! | |
| CATESBY | My lord? | |
| KING RICHARD III | Send out a pursuivant at arms | |
| | To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power | 65 |
| | 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. | 70 |
| | Ratcliff! | |
| RATCLIFF | My lord? | |
| KING RICHARD III | Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland? | |
| RATCLIFF | Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself, | |
| | Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop | 75 |
| | Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers. | |
| KING RICHARD III | 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? | 80 |
| RATCLIFF | It is, my lord. | |
| KING RICHARD III | 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. | |
| | Exeunt RATCLIFF and the other Attendants | |
| | Enter DERBY to RICHMOND in his tent, Lords andothers attending | |
| DERBY | Fortune and victory sit on thy helm! | 85 |
| 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: | 90 |
| | 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 | 95 |
| | 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 | 100 |
| | 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, | 105 |
| | 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! | |
| RICHMOND | Good lords, conduct him to his regiment: | |
| | I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a nap, | 110 |
| | 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; | 115 |
| | 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! | 120 |
| | 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 Prince Edward, son to King Henry VI | |
| Ghostof Prince Edward | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! | |
| | Think, how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth | 125 |
| | 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 King Henry VI | |
| Ghostof King Henry VI | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | When I was mortal, my anointed body | 130 |
| | 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, | 135 |
| | Doth comfort thee in thy sleep: live, and flourish! | |
| | Enter the Ghost of CLARENCE | |
| Ghost of CLARENCE | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! | |
| | I, that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine, | |
| | Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death! | |
| | To-morrow in the battle think on me, | 140 |
| | 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, GRAY, and VAUGHAN | |
| Ghost of RIVERS | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow, | 145 |
| | Rivers. that died at Pomfret! despair, and die! | |
| Ghost of GREY | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair! | |
| Ghost of VAUGHAN | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | 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 | 150 |
| | Will conquer him! awake, and win the day! | |
| | Enter the Ghost of HASTINGS | |
| Ghost of HASTINGS | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | 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! | 155 |
| | Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake! | |
| | Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes | |
| Ghostsof young Princes | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | 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! | 160 |
| | 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 | |
| Ghost of LADY ANNE | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife, | 165 |
| | 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 | 170 |
| | Dream of success and happy victory! | |
| | Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee. | |
| | Enter the Ghost of BUCKINGHAM | |
| Ghostof BUCKINGHAM | To KING RICHARD III | |
| | The last was I that helped thee to the crown; | |
| | The last was I that felt thy tyranny: | |
| | O, in the battle think on Buckingham, | 175 |
| | 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: | 180 |
| | God and good angel fight on Richmond's side; | |
| | And Richard falls in height of all his pride. | |
| | The Ghosts vanish | |
| | KING RICHARD III starts out of his dream | |
| KING RICHARD III | Give me another horse: bind up my wounds. | |
| | Have mercy, Jesu!--Soft! I did but dream. | |
| | O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me! | 185 |
| | 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: | 190 |
| | 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 | 195 |
| | 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, | 200 |
| | And every tale condemns me for a villain. | |
| | Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree | |
| | Murder, stem murder, in the direst degree; | |
| | All several sins, all used in each degree, | |
| | Throng to the bar, crying all, Guilty! guilty! | 205 |
| | I shall despair. There is no creature loves me; | |
| | And if I die, no soul shall pity me: | |
| | Nay, wherefore should they, since that I myself | |
| | Find in myself no pity to myself? | |
| | Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd | 210 |
| | 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 III | 'Zounds! who is there? | |
| RATCLIFF | Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village-cock | 215 |
| | Hath twice done salutation to the morn; | |
| | Your friends are up, and buckle on their armour. | |
| KING RICHARD III | O Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream! | |
| | What thinkest thou, will our friends prove all true? | |
| RATCLIFF | No doubt, my lord. | 220 |
| KING RICHARD III | O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,-- | |
| RATCLIFF | Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows. | |
| KING RICHARD III | By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night | |
| | Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard | |
| | Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers | 225 |
| | 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 see if any mean to shrink from me. | |
| | Exeunt | |
| | Enter the Lords to RICHMOND, sitting in his tent | |
| LORDS | Good morrow, Richmond! | 230 |
| 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 enter'd in a drowsy head, | 235 |
| | 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. | 240 |
| | 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 | 245 |
| | 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 | 250 |
| | Had rather have us win than him they follow: | |
| | For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen, | |
| | A bloody tyrant and a homicide; | |
| | One raised in blood, and one in blood establish'd; | |
| | One that made means to come by what he hath, | 255 |
| | And slaughter'd those that were the means to help him; | |
| | Abase 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, | 260 |
| | 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 fat shall pay your pains the hire; | 265 |
| | 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 quit it in your age. | |
| | Then, in the name of God and all these rights, | 270 |
| | 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. | 275 |
| | Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully; | |
| | God and Saint George! Richmond and victory! | |
| | Exeunt | |
| | Re-enter KING RICHARD, RATCLIFF, Attendantsand Forces | |
| KING RICHARD III | What said Northumberland as touching Richmond? | |
| RATCLIFF | That he was never trained up in arms. | |
| KING RICHARD III | He said the truth: and what said Surrey then? | 280 |
| RATCLIFF | He smiled and said 'The better for our purpose.' | |
| KING RICHARD III | He was in the right; and so indeed it is. | |
| | Clock striketh | |
| | Ten the clock there. Give me a calendar. | |
| | Who saw the sun to-day? | |
| RATCLIFF | Not I, my lord. | 285 |
| KING RICHARD III | 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. Ratcliff! | |
| RATCLIFF | My lord? | |
| KING RICHARD III | The sun will not be seen to-day; | 290 |
| | 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. | 295 |
| | Enter NORFOLK | |
| NORFOLK | Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field. | |
| KING RICHARD III | 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: | 300 |
| | 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. | 305 |
| | 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. | 310 |
| | This found I on my tent this morning. | |
| | He sheweth him a paper | |
| KING RICHARD III | Reads | |
| | 'Jockey of Norfolk, be not too bold, | |
| | For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.' | |
| | A thing devised by the enemy. | |
| | Go, gentleman, every man unto his charge | 315 |
| | Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls: | |
| | Conscience is but a word that cowards use, | |
| | Devised at first to keep the strong in awe: | |
| | Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law. | |
| | March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell | 320 |
| | 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 Bretons, and base lackey peasants, | 325 |
| | Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth | |
| | To desperate ventures and assured destruction. | |
| | You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest; | |
| | You having lands, and blest with beauteous wives, | |
| | They would restrain the one, distain the other. | 330 |
| | And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow, | |
| | Long kept in Bretagne 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; | 335 |
| | Lash hence these overweening 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 conquer'd, let men conquer us, | 340 |
| | And not these bastard Bretons; 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? | 345 |
| | Drum afar off | |
| | Hark! I hear their drum. | |
| | Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yoemen! | |
| | Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! | |
| | Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood; | |
| | Amaze the welkin with your broken staves! | 350 |
| | Enter a Messenger | |
| | What says Lord Stanley? will he bring his power? | |
| Messenger | My lord, he doth deny to come. | |
| KING RICHARD III | Off with his son George's head! | |
| NORFOLK | My lord, the enemy is past the marsh | |
| | After the battle let George Stanley die. | 355 |
| KING RICHARD III | 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. | 360 |
| | Exeunt | |
