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 sleeps
Enter 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.