Bosworth Field.
 Enter KING RICHARD in arms, with NORFOLK, RATCLIFFE,
 and the EARL OF SURREY, with SOLDIERS.

King Richard	Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth field.
									  [SOLDIERS pitch RICHARD's tent
											  on one side of the stage.

	My lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?

Surrey	My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.

King Richard	My lord of Norfolk!

Norfolk							Here, most gracious liege.

King Richard	Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! - must we not?

Norfolk	We must both give and take, my loving lord.

King Richard	Up with my tent! Here will I lie tonight-
	But where tomorrow? Well, all's one for that.
	Who hath descried the number of the traitors?

Norfolk	Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.

King Richard	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 lack no discipline, make no delay;
	For, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.
														[Exeunt.

               Enter RICHMOND, SIR WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD,
                      HERBERT, BLUNT, and SOLDIERS.
    The SOLDIERS pitch Richmond's tent on the other side of the stage.

Richmond	The weary sun hath made a golden set,
	And by the bright track of his fiery car
	Gives token of a goodly day tomorrow.
	Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.
	Give me some ink and paper in my tent;
	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.
	My lord of Oxford, you, Sir William Brandon,
	And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me;
	The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment-
	Good captain Blunt, bear my goodnight 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-
	Where is Lord Stanley quartered, do you 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.

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

Blunt	Upon my life, my lord, I'll undertake it;
	And so God give you quiet rest tonight.

Richmond	Good night, good captain Blunt.
														[Exit BLUNT.
										Come, gentlemen;
	Let us consult upon tomorrow's business.
	Into my tent; the dew is raw and cold.
										[They withdraw into the tent.

         Enter RICHARD, RATCLIFFE, NORFOLK, CATESBY and SOLDIERS.

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 tonight.
	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 tomorrow, 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 tomorrow.
	Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
	Ratcliffe!

Ratcliffe	My lord?

King Richard	Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?

Ratcliffe	Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
	Much about cockshut 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.
														[Wine is brought.
	Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

Ratcliffe	It is, my lord.

King Richard							Bid my guard watch. Leave me.
	Ratcliffe, about the mid of night come to my tent,
	And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.
														[Exit RATCLIFFE.
						  [RICHARD retires into his tent, and sleeps.

               Enter LORD STANLEY to RICHMOND in his tent.

Stanley	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?

Stanley	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 th' 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 sundered 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 tomorrow,
	When I should mount with wings of victory.
	Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
														[Exeunt.
                             Manet RICHMOND.

	[Kneels.] 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
	Th' 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 PRINCE EDWARD, son to Henry the Sixth.

Ghost of Prince Edward

	[To RICHARD.]
	Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow:
	Think how thou stabb'st me in my prime of youth
	At Tewkesbury. Despair therefore, and die!

	[To RICHMOND.]
	Be cheerful, Richmond, for the wrongd souls
	Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf.
	King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
														[Exit.
                   Enter the GHOST OF HENRY THE SIXTH.

Ghost of Henry	[To RICHARD.]
	When I was mortal, my anointed body
	By thee was punchd 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!
														[Exit.
                       Enter the GHOST OF CLARENCE.

Ghost of Clarence		[To RICHARD.]
			Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow-
			I, that was washed to death with fulsome wine,
			Poor Clarence, by thy guile betrayed to death.
			Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
			And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!

			[To RICHMOND.]
			Thou offspring of the House of Lancaster,
			The wrongd heirs of York do pray for thee.
			Good angels guard thy battle. Live and flourish!
														[Exit.

              Enter the GHOSTS OF RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN.

Ghost of Rivers		[To RICHARD.]
		Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
		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!
														[Exeunt GHOSTS.

                    Enter the GHOST OF LORD HASTINGS.

Ghost of Hastings	[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.
														[Exit.

                Enter the GHOSTS OF THE TWO YOUNG PRINCES.

Ghosts of the princes	[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.
														[Exeunt GHOSTS.

                 Enter the GHOST OF LADY ANNE, his wife.

Ghost of Anne	[To RICHARD.]
	Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
	That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
	Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
	Tomorrow 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.
														[Exit.

                      Enter the GHOST OF BUCKINGHAM.

Ghost of Buckingham	[To RICHARD.]
			The first was I that helped thee to the crown;
			The last was I that felt thy tyranny.
			O, in the battle think of Buckingham,
			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 dismayed.
			God and good angels fight on Richmond's side,
			And Richard falls in height of all his pride.
														[Exit.
								   [RICHARD starts out of his dream.

King Richard	Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
	Have mercy, Jesu! - Soft, I did but dream.
	O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
	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 and I.
	Is there a murderer here? No - Yes, I am.
	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
	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,
	And every tale condemns me for a villain.
	Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree;
	Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree;
	All several sins, all used in each degree,
	Throng to the bar, crying all "Guilty, guilty!"
	I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
	And if I die, no soul will 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 murdered
	Came to my tent, and every one did threat
	Tomorrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.

                             Enter RATCLIFFE.

Ratcliffe	My lord?

King Richard	Zounds! - who is there?

Ratcliffe	Ratcliffe, my lord, 'tis I. The early village cock
	Hath twice done salutation to the morn.
	Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.

King Richard	O Ratcliffe, I have dreamed a fearful dream.
	What thinkest thou - will our friends prove all true?

Ratcliffe	No doubt, my lord.

King Richard							O Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear!

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

King Richard	By the Apostle Paul, shadows tonight
	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.
	'Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me;
	Under our tents I'll play the eavesdropper,
	To see if any mean to shrink from me.
									  [Exeunt RICHARD and RATCLIFFE.

             Enter the LORDS to RICHMOND sitting in his tent.

Lords	Good morrow, Richmond

Richmond	Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
	That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.

1st Lord	How have you slept, my lord?

Richmond	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
	Came to my tent and cried on victory.
	I promise you my soul is very jocund
	In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
	How far into the morning is it, lords?

1st Lord	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
	Forbids to dwell upon. Yet remember this:
	God and our good cause fight upon our side;
	The prayers of holy saints and wrongd souls,
	Like high-reared 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 raised in blood, and one in blood establishd;
	One that made means to come by what he hath,
	And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;
	A base 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,
	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;
	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 quits in it 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 boldly and cheerfully!
	God and Saint George! Richmond and victory!
														[Exeunt.

               Enter KING RICHARD, RATCLIFFE, and SOLDIERS.

King Richard	What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

Ratcliffe	That he was never traind up in arms.

King Richard	He said the truth. And what said Surrey then?

Ratcliffe	He smiled and said "The better for our purpose".

King Richard	He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
														[Clock strikes.
	Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar-
	Who saw the sun today?

Ratcliffe								Not I, my lord.

King Richard	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.
	Ratcliffe!

Ratcliffe	My lord?

King Richard				The sun will not be seen today;
	The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.
	I would these dewy tears were from the ground.
	Not shine today? - Why, what is that to me
	More than to Richmond? For the selfsame heaven
	That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.

                              Enter NORFOLK.

Norfolk	Arm, arm, my lord! The foe vaunts in the field.

King Richard	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 orderd:
	My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
	Consisting equally of horse and foot;
	Our archers shall be placd in the midst.
	John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,
	Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.
	They thus directed, we will follow
	In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
	Shall be well wingd with our chiefest horse.
	This, and Saint George to boot! What think'st thou,
	Norfolk?

Norfolk	A good direction, warlike sovereign.
												[He showeth him a paper.
	This found I on my tent this morning.

King Richard	[Reads.]	"Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,
					For Dickon thy master is bought and sold."

	A thing devisd by the enemy.
	Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge.
	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-
	If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.

                         His Oration to his Army.

	What shall I say more than I have inferred?
	Remember whom you are to cope withal:
	A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
	A scum of Britaines and base lackey peasants,
	Whom their o'ercloyd country vomits forth
	To desperate adventures and assured destruction.
	You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
	You having lands, and blessed with beauteous wives,
	They would restrain the one, distain the other.
	And who doth lead them? - but a paltry fellow
	Long kept in Britaine at our mother's cost,
	A milksop, 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,
	Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
	These famished beggars, weary of their lives,
	Who but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
	For want of means, poor rats, had hanged themselves.
	If we be conquered, let men conquer us,
	And not these bastard Britaines whom our fathers
	Have in their own land beaten, bobbed, and thumped,
	And, in record, left them the heirs of shame.
	Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives?
	Ravish our daughters?
														[Drum afar off.
								Hark, I hear their drum.
	Fight, gentlemen of England. Fight, bold 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?

Messenger	My lord, he doth deny to come.

King Richard	Off with his son George's head!

Norfolk	My lord, the enemy is past the marsh:
	After the battle let George Stanley die.

King Richard	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.
														[Exeunt.
