Ric.
Here pitch our tent ^note, [to some Officers.] even here in Bosworth field.—
My lord of Surrey, why look you so ^note sad?

Sur.
My heart is ten times lighter than my looks. ^note

Ric.
My lord of Norfolk ^note,—

Nor.
Here, most gracious liege.

Ric.
Norfolk, we must have knocks; Ha! must we not?

Nor.
We must both give and take, my loving lord ^note.

Ric.
Up with my tent:—[Tent set up.] Here ^note will I lye to-night;
But where, to-morrow?—Well, all's one for that.—
Who hath descry'd the number of the traitors? ^note

Nor.
Six or seven thousand is their utmost power ^note.

Ric.
Why, our battalion ^note trebles that account:
Besides, the king's ^note name is a tower of strength,
Which they upon the adverse faction ^note want.—
Up with the tent.—Come, noble gentlemen ^note,
Let us survey the vantage of the ground ^note;—
Call for some men of sound direction:—
Let's lack no ^note discipline, make no delay;
For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. [Exeunt. Drums. Enter, on the other Side of the Field, Soldiers of Richmond's Army, and set up his Tent: Then, Enter Henry, Blunt, Oxford, Herbert, Sir William Brandon, and Others.

Hen.
The weary sun hath made a golden set ^note,
And, by the bright track ^note of his fiery car,
Gives token of ^note a goodly day to-morrow.—
Sir William Brandon, you shall ^note bear my standard.—
Give me some ink and paper in my tent;— ^note
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.— ^note
My lord of Oxford,—you, sir William Brandon,— ^note
And you, sir Walter Herbert, stay with me:—
The earl of Pembroke keeps ^note 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; ^note
Where is lord Stanley quarter'd, do you ^note know?

Blu.
Unless I have mista'en his colours much,
(Which, well I am assur'd, I have not done)
His regiment lies ^note half a mile at least
South from the mighty power of the king.

Hen.
If without peril it be possible,
Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him ^note,
And give him from me this most needful ^note &dagger2; note.

Blu.
Upon my life, ^note my lord, I'll undertake it;
And so God give you quiet rest to-night! ^note,

Hen.
Good night, good captain Blunt. ^note—[Exit Blu. Come, gentlemen ^note,
Let us consult upon to-morrow's business;
In to ^note my tent ^note, the air is ^note raw and cold. [Exeunt. Enter, to his Tent, King Richard, Norfolk, Ratcliff, and Catesby.

Ric.
What is't ^note o'clock?

Cat.
It's supper-time, my lord; ^note
It's nine o'clock.

Ric.
I will not sup to-night. ^note14Q0897
What, is my beaver easier than it was?
And all my armour lay'd into my tent?

Cat.
It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness.

Ric.
Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge, away;
Use careful watch, choose trusty centinels ^note.

Nor.
I go, my lord.

Ric.
Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.

Nor.
I warrant you, my lord. [Exit Nor.

Ric.
Ratcliff ^note,—

Rat.
My lord?

Ric.
Send out a pursuivant at arms
To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sun-rising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.—
Fill me a bowl of wine:—[to Cat.] Give me a watch:—
Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow:
Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.—
Ratcliff,—

Rat.
My lord?

Ric.
Saw'st thou ^note the melancholy lord Northumberland?

Rat.
Thomas the earl of Surrey, and himself,
Much about cock-shut ^note time, from troop to troop
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.

Ric.
I am satisfy'd. Give me a bowl of wine:
I have not that alacrity of spirit,
Nor cheer of ^note mind, that I was wont to have.— [Wine brought.
So, set it down.—Is ink and paper ready?14Q0898

Rat.
It is, my lord.

Ric.
Bid my guard watch, and leave me.
About the mid ^note of night, come to my tent
And help to arm me, Ratcliff. Leave me, I say. [Exeunt Rat. and Cat. Richmond's Tent opens; discovering him, and his Friends, conferring: to them, Stanley.

Sta.
Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

Hen.
All comfort that the dark night can afford
Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares it with our loving mother ^note?

Sta.
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 ^note 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-fearing ^note 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 tender brother ^note George
Be executed in his father's sight.
Farewel: the leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love,
And ample enterchange of sweet discourse,
Which so long sundred ^note friends should dwell upon;
God give us leisure for these rites ^note of love!
Once more, adieu: Be valiant, and speed well!

Hen.
Good lords, conduct him to his regiment:
I'll strive, with troubl'd thoughts, to ^note take a nap;
Lest leaden slumber peize 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, [going towards a Couch, and kneeling.
Look on my forces with a gracious eye ^note;
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with a ^note heavy fall
The usurping helmets ^note of our adversaries;
Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise thee in the victory ^note!
To thee I do commend my watchful soul,

Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes;
Sleeping, and waking, o defend me still! [throws himself upon the Couch, and sleeps. Lightning, and hollow Sounds.14Q0899 Suddenly, is seen rising, betweon ^note the Tents, the Ghost of Prince Edward, Son to Henry the sixth.

Edw.
Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! [to Richard, sitting asleep in his Chair.
Think, how thou stab'dst ^note me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury; Despair therefóre ^note, and die!—
  Be chearful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee. Ghost of Henry the sixth rises.

Hen.
When I was mortal, my anointed body
By thee was punched full of deadly holes:
Think on the tower, and me; Despair, and die;
Henry ^note the sixth bids thee despair and die!—
  Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
Harry, that prophesy'd thou should'st be king,
Doth comfort thee in sleep ^note; Live thou, and flourish! Ghost of Clarence rises.

Cla.
Let me sit heavy on thy ^note soul to-morrow;
I, that was wash'd to death with fulsom 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 off-spring of the house of Lancaster,
The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee;
Good angels guard thy battle! live, and flourish! Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, and Vaughan, rise.

Riv.
Let me sit heavy on thy ^note soul to-morrow,

Rivers, that dy'd at Pomfret! Despair, and die!

Gre.
Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!

Vau.
Think upon Vaughan; and, with guilty fear,
Let fall thy hurtless lance, despair, and die!—

all.
Awake; and think, our wrongs in Richard's bosom
Will conquer him ^note; awake, and win the day! Ghost of Hastings rises.

Has.
Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake ^note;
And in a bloody battle end thy days!
Think on lord Hastings; and despair, and die!—
  Quiet untroubl'd soul, awake, awake;
Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake! Ghosts of the two young Princes rise.

Pri.
Dream on thy cousins smother'd in the tower;
Let us be lay'd within thy bosom, Richard,
And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death!
Thy nephews' souls bid ^note 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. Ghost of Lady Anne rises.

Ann.
Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
That never slept a quite 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;
Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee. Ghost of Buckingham rises.

Buc.
The first was I, that help'd thee to the crown;
The last was I, that felt thy tyranny ^note:
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 dy'd forsook, ere ^note 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 ^note in height of all his pride. [Lightning; and the Ghosts vanish.

Ric.
Give me another horse,—14Q0900 bind up my wounds,— [starting wildly out of his Sleep.
Have mercy, Jesu!—Soft; I did but dream.—
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!—
The lights burn blue. Is it ^note not dead midnight?
Cold fearful drops stand ^note 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 murtherer here? No; Yes, I am:
Then fly,—What, from myself? Great reason: Why?
Left I revenge. Myself upon myself?14Q0901
I love myself. Wherefore? for any good,
That I ^note myself have ^note done unto myself?
O, no: alas, I rather hate myself,
For hateful deeds committed by myself.
I am a villain: Yet I ^note 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 ^note, in the highest degree;

Murther, stern murther, in the dir'st degree;
All several sins, all us'd in each degree,
Throng to ^note the bar, crying all—Guilty! guilty!
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
And, if I die, no soul shall ^note pity me:—
Nay, wherefore ^note should they? since that I myself
Find in myself no pity to myself.
Methought, the souls of all that I have murther'd ^note
Came to ^note my tent; and every one did threat
To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard. Enter Ratcliff.

Rat.
My lord,—

Ric.
'Zouns, who is there? ^note [starting.

Rat.
My ^note lord, 'tis I: The early village cock
Hath twice ^note done salutation to the morn;
Your friends are up, and buckle on their armour.

Ric.
O, Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream!— ^note
What thinkest thou? will our friends prove all true?

Rat.
No doubt, my lord.

Ric.
Ratcliff ^note, I fear, I fear.

Rat.
Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

Ric.
By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night
Have strook 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 ^note any mean to shrink from me. [Exeunt. Richmond wakes. Enter Oxford, and Others, to him.

Oxf.
Good morrow, Richmond.

Hen.
'Cry mercy ^note, lords, and watchful gentlemen,

That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.

Oxf.
How have you slept, my lord?

Hen.
The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding dreams
That ever enter'd in a drowzy head,
Have I since your departure had, my lords.
Methought, their souls, whose bodies ^note Richard murther'd,
Came to my tent, and cry'd on victory:
I promise you, my heart is ^note very jocund
In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
How far into the morning is it, lords?

1. L.
Upon the stroke of four.

Hen.
Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give direction. [arms, and comes forth.
More than I have said, loving countrymen, [to his Troops; who now gather about the Tent.
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 slaughter'd those that were the means to help him;
A base foul stone, made precious by the foil ^note
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 ^note you as his soldiers;

If you do ^note sweat ^note 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;
If you do fight in safe-guard of your wives,
Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;
If you do free your children from the sword,
Your children's children quit ^note 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 ^note, boldly, chearfully ^note;
God, and saint George! Richmond, and victory! [Shouts, &c. and Exeunt. Re-enter Richard, and Ratcliff; Attendants, and Forces, with them.

Ric.
What said Northumberland, as touching Richmond?

Rat.
That he was never trained up in arms.

Ric.
He said the truth: And what said Surrey then?

Rat.
He smil'd and said, the better for our purpose.

Ric.
He was i'the right; and so, indeed, it is. [Clock strikes.
Tell the clock there.—Give me a kalendar.—
Who saw the sun to-day?

Rat.
Not I, my lord.

Ric.
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.—
Ratcliffe,— ^note

Rat.
My lord?

Ric.
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 self-same heaven,
That frowns on me, looks sadly upon him. Enter Norfolk, and Others, hastily.

Nor.
Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field.

Ric.
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 ^note and horse.
They thus directed, we ourself will follow
In the main battle; which, on ^note either side,
Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.
This, and saint George to boot ^note,—What think'st thou, ^note Norfolk?

Nor.
A good direction, warlike sovereign.
This &dagger2; paper found I on my tent this morning.

Ric.

Jockey of Norfolk,14Q0902 be not too ^note bold; [reads.
For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.
A thing devised by the enemy.— [throws it away.
Go, gentlemen, every man unto ^note his charge:
Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls;
For ^note conscience is a ^note word that cowards use,
Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe;
Our strong arms be our conscience ^note, swords our ^note law.

March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell;
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.—
  What shall I say more than I have infer'd? [turning to his Troops.
Remember whom you ^note are to cope withal;—
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, runaways ^note;
A scum of Bretons, and base lackey peasants,
Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth
To desperate 'ventures ^note and assur'd destruction:
You sleeping safe, they bring you to unrest;
You having lands, and blest with beauteous wives,
They would distrain ^note the one, distain the other.
And who doth lead them, but a paltry fellow,
Long kept in Bretagne at our brother's ^note cost?
A milk-sop, one that never in his life
Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?
Let's whip these straglers o'er the seas again;
Lash hence these over-weaning 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,
And not these bastard Bretons; whom our fathers
Have in their own land beaten, bob'd, and thump'd,
And, on record, left them the heirs ^note of shame.
Shall these enjoy our lands ^note? lye with our wives?
Ravish our daughters?—Hark, I hear their drum. [Drum afar off.
Fight, gentlemen ^note of England! fight, bold ^note 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?

Mes.
My lord, he doth deny to come to you.

Ric.
Off instantly with his son George's head.

Nor.
My lord, the enemy is past the marsh;
After the battle let George Stanley die.

Ric.
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 ^note. [Drums, and Exeunt.

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