The dramatic works of William Shakspere, from the text of Johnson, Stevens [sic] & Reed, with glossarial notes, his life, etc. by N. Rowe

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Swear then by something that thou hast not | Relenting fool, and shallow, changing--wo

wrong'd.

K. Rich. Now by the world,

Q. Eliz. "Tis full of thy foul wrongs.
K. Rich. My father's death,-

Q. Eliz. Thy life hath that dishonour'd.
K. Rich. Then, by myself,-
Q. Eliz. Thyself is self-misus'd.
K.Rich. Why then, by God,-

Q. Eliz. God's wrong is most of all.

If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him,
The unity, the king thy brother made,
Had not been broken, nor my brother slain:
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by him,
The imperial metal, circling now thy head,
Had grac'd the tender temples of my child;
And both the princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender bed-fellows for dust,
Thy broken faith hath made a prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?

K. Rich. By the time to come.

Q. Eliz. That thou hast wrong'd in the time o'erpast;

For I myself have many tears to wash Hereafter time, for time past, wrong'd by thee. The children live, whose parents thou hast slaughter'd,

Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their age: The parents live, whose children thou hast butcher'd,

Old barren plants, to wail it with their age. Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast Misus'd ere used, by times ill-us'd o'erpast.

K. Rich. As I intend to prosper, and repent! So thrive I in my dangerous attempt Of hostile arms! myself myself confound! Heaven, and fortune, bar me happy hours! Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy Be opposite all planets of good luck [rest! To my proceeding, if, with pure heart's love, Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts, I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter! In her consists my happiness, and thine; Without her, follows to myself, and thee, Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul, Death, desolation, ruin, and decay: It cannot be avoided but by this; It will not be avoided but by this. Therefore, dear mother, (I must call you so,) Be the attorney of my love to her, Plead what I will be, not what I have been ; Not my deserts, but what I will deserve: Urge the necessity and state of times, And be not peevish* found in great designs. Q. Eliz. Shall I be tempted of the devil thus? K. Rich. Ay, if the devil tempt thee to do good.

Q. Eliz. Shall I forget myself, to be myself? K. Rich. Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong yourself.

Q. Eliz. But thou didst kill my children. K. Rich. But in your daughter's womb I bury them: [breed Where, in that nest of spicery, they shall Selves of themselves, to your recomforture. Q. Eliz. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?

K. Rich. And be a happy mother by the deed.

Q. Eliz. I go.-Write to me very shortly, And you shall understand from me her mind. K. Rich. Bear her my true love's kiss, and so farewell.

* Foolish.

Kissing her. Exit Q. ELIZABETH.

+ The phoenix's nest.

man! How now? what news?

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? Cate. Here, my good lord.

K. Rich. 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 highWhat from your grace I shall deliver to him. ness' pleasure. K. Rich. O, true, good Catesby;-Bid him levy straight

The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.
Cate. I go.

[Exit. Rat. What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?

K. Rich. Why, what would'st thou do there, before I go?

Rat. Your highness told me, I should post before.

Stan. No, mighty liege; therefore mistrust | Unto the snore, to ask those on the banks,

me not.

K. Rich. Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where be thy tenants, and thy followers? Are they not now upon the western shore, Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships? Stan. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.

K. Rich. Cold friends to me: what do they in the north, [west? When they should serve their sovereign in the Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty king:

Pleaseth your majesty to give me leave,
I'll muster up my friends; and meet your grace,
Where, and what time, your majesty shall
please.

K. Rich. Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond:

I will not trust you, Sir.

Stan. Most mighty sovereign,

You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful;

I never was, nor never will be, false.

K. Rich. Well, go, muster men. But, hear you, leave behind

Your son, George Stanley; look your heart be Or else his head's assurance is but frail. [firm, Stan. So deal with him, as I prove true to you. [Exit STANLEY.

Enter a MESSENGER.

If they were his assistants, yea, or no;
Who answer'd him, they came from Bucking-
Upon his party: he, mistrusting them, [ham
Hois'd sail, and made his course again for
Bretagne.

K. Rich. March on, march on, since we are up in arms;

If not to fight with foreign enemies,
Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.
Enter CATESBY.

Cate. My liege, the duke of Buckingham is taken, [mona That is the best news; That the earl of RichIs with a mighty power landed at Milford, Is colder news, but yet they must be told.

K. Rich. Away towards Salisbury; while we reason here,

A royal battle might be won and lost :-
Some one take order, Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury; the rest march on with me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-A Room in Lord STANLEY'S
House.

Enter STANLEY and Sir CHRISTOPHER
URSWICK.+

Stan. Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this
from me:-
x
That, in the sty of this most bloody boar,
My son George Stanley is frank'd‡ up in hold;
If I revolt, off goes young George's head;

Mess. My gracious sovereign, now in De-The fear of that withholds my present aid.

vonshire,

3 Mess. The news I have to tell your majesty,

Is, that, by sudden floods and fall of waters,
Buckingham's army is dispers'd and scatter'd;
And he himself wander'd away alone,
No man knows whither.

K. Rich. O, I cry you mercy: 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, my liege.

Enter another MESSENGER.

4 Mess. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord marquis Dorset,

'Tic said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms. But this good comfort bring I to your high

But, tell me, where is princely Richmond now Chris. At Pembroke, or at Ha'rford-west, in

SCENE I.-Salisbury.—An open pauce. Enter the SHERIFF, and Guard, with BUCKINGHAM, led to execution.

Buck. Will not king Richard let me speak with him?

Sher. No, my good lord; therefore be patient. Buck. Hastings, and Edward's children

Rivers, Grey,

Holy king Henry, and thy fair son Edward,
Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
By underhand corrupted foul injustice;
Do through the clouds behold this present hour
If that your moody discontented souls
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
This is All-Souls' day, fellows, is it not?
Sher. It is, my lord."

Buck. Why, then All-Souls' day is my body
doomsday.

* Force. + Chaplain to the countess of Richmond. A sty in which hogs are set apart for fattening.

The been c.e. Rich 3. had kept & Stand as hostage for his father.

This is the day, which, in king Edward's time,
I wish'd night fall on me, when I was found
False to his children, or his wife's allies.
This is the day, wherein I wish'd to fall
By the false faith of him whom most I trusted;
This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul,
Is the determin'd respite of my wrongs.*
That high All-seer which I dallied with,
Hath turned my feigned prayer on my head,
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points on their masters'
bosoms:
[neck,-
Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my
When he, quoth she, shall split thy heart with

sorrow,

Remember Margaret was a prophetess.-
Come, Sirs, convey me to the block of shame;
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of

blame. [Exeunt BUCKINGHAM, &c.

SCENE II.-Plain near Tamworth.
Enter, with drum and colours, RICHMOND, OX-
FORD, Sir JAMES BLUNT, Sir WALTER HER-
BERT, and others, with forces, marching.
Richm. Fellows in arms, and my most loving
friends,

Bruis'd underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land

Have we march'd on without impediment;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoil'd your summer fields, and fruitful
vines,

Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes
his trough

In your embowell'd bosoms, this foul swine
Lies now even in the centre of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn:
From Tamworth thither, is but one day's march.
In God's name, cheerly on, courageous friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
Oxf. Every man's conscience is a thousand
swords,

To fight against that bloody homicide.

Herb. I doubt not, but his friends will turn to us.

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:
[wings,
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's
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?
Sur. My heart is ten times lighter than my
looks.

K. Rich. My lord of Norfolk,-
Nor. Here, most gracious liege.

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

Nor. We must both give and take, my lov-
ing lord.

* Injurious practices.

X Rim 8th crest.

593

count:

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. [Exeunt.
Enter, on the other side of the field, RICHMOND,
Sir WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, and other
Lords. Some of the soldiers pitch RICHMOND'S
tent.

And, by the bright track of his fiery car, [set,
Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden
Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow.
Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my stan-
dard.-

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 Bran-
don,-

And you, Sir Walter Herbert, stay with me:
The earl of Pembroke keepst 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;
Where is lord Stanley quarter'd, do you know?
Blunt. Unless I have mista'en his colours

much,

(Which, well I am assur'd, I have not done,)
His regiment lies half a mile at least
South from the mighty power of the king.

Richm. If without peril it be possible,
Sweet Blunt, make good some 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 to-night!
Richm. Good night, good captain Blunt.
Come, gentlemen,

Let us consult upon to-morrow's business;
In to my tent, the air is raw and cold.

[They withdraw into the Tent. Enter, to his Tent, King RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, and CATESBY.

K. Rich. What is't o'clock?
Cate. It's supper time, my lord:
It's nine o'clock.

K. Rich. 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?

Cute. 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 | Once more good night, kind lords and gentle-
Norfolk.

Nor. warrant you, my lord.
K. Rich. Ratcliff,-

Rat. My lord?

[Exit.

K. Rich. 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.-Give me a watch:
Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.
[To CATESBY.
Look that my stavest be sound, and not too
heavy.

Ratcliff,

Rat. My lord?

K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy lord
Northumberland?

Rat. Thomas the earl of Surrey, and himself,
Much about cock-shut‡ time, from troop to
troop,
Went through the army, cheering up the sol-
[diers.
K. Rich. 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.-
So, set it down.-Is ink and paper ready?
Rat. It is, my lord.

K. Rich. Bid my guard watch; leave me.
About the mid of night, come to my tent
And help to arm me.-Leave me, I
[King RICHARD retires into his Tent. Exeunt
say.
RATCLIFF and CATESBY.

afford,

Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

Stan. 1, 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 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;

[nap;

I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a
Lest leaden slumber peisel me down to-mor-

row,

When I should mount with wings of victory:

men.

[Exeunt LORDS, &c. with STANLEY.
(Thou! whose captain I account myself,
Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
That they may crush down with a heavy fa!!
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath
The usurping helmets of our adversaries?
Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
To Thee I do commend my watchful soul.
That we may praise thee in thy victory!
Sleeping, and waking, O, defend me still!
Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes;

The GHOST of King HENRY the sixth rises.
Ghost. When I was mortal, my anointed
body
[To King RICHARD.
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.-
Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
[To RICHMOND.
Harry, that prophesy'd thou should'st be king,
Doth comfort thee in thy sleep; Live, and
flourish!

The GHOST of CLARENCE rises.

Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to[To King RICHARD.

morrow!

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, The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee; [To RICHMOND. Good angels guard thy battle! Live, and flourish!

Riv. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair, and [To King RICHARD die!

Grey. Think upon Grey, and let thy soul
despair!
[To King RICHARD.
Vaugh. Think upon Vaughan; and, with
guilty fear,

Let fall thy lance! Despair, and die!—
[To King RICHARD
All. Awake! and think, our wrongs in Rich-
Will conquer him;-awake, and win the day!
ard's bosom
[To RICHMOND.

The GHOST of HASTINGS rises.
Ghost. Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake.
[To King RICHARD.
And in a bloody battle end thy days!

Think on lord Hastings; and despair, and Throng to the bar, crying all,-Guilty! guilty die!I shall despair.-There is no creature loves

Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake! [To RICHMOND. Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!

The GHOSTS of the two young PRINCES rise. Ghosts. Dream on thy cousins smother'd in

the Tower;

The GHOST of BUCKINGHAM rises. Ghost. The first was I, that help'd thee to the crown; [To King RICHARD. The last was I that felt thy tyranny: O, in the battle think on Buckingham, And die in terror of thy guiltiness! Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and death; [breath!Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy I died for hope, ere I could lend thee aid: [To RICHMOND. But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay'd: God, and good angels, fight on Richmond's side;

And Richard falls in height of all his pride. [The GHOSTS vanish. King RICHARD starts out of his dream.

K. Rich. Give me another horse,-bind up my wounds,

Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft; I did but dream.-
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict
me!-
[night.
The lights burn blue.-It is now dead mid-
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:
Then fly,—What, from myself? Great reason:
Why?

[ter.

Lest I revenge. What? Myself on myself?
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 flat-
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 dir'st degree;
All several sins, all us'd in each degree;

night

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. It is not yet near day. Come, go with me; Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper, To hear, if any mean to shrink from me."

[Exeunt King RICHARD and RATCLIFF. RICHMOND wakes. Enter OXFORD and others. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond.

Richm. 'Cry mercy, lords, and watchful gentlemen,

That yea have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.
Lords. How have you slept, my lord?
Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-bod-
ing dreams,

That ever enter'd in a drowsy head,
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 heart is very jocund
In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
How far into the morning is it, lords?
Lords. Upon the stroke of four.
Richm. Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give

direction.-[He advances to the troops. More than I have said, loving countrymen, The leisure and enforcement of the time Forbids to dwell on. 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; [blish'd;
One rais'd in blood, and one in blood esta
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
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, wardt you as his soldiers;

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The dramatic works of William Shakspere, from the text of Johnson, Stevens ...