HENRY EARL OF 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.

HENRY EARL OF RICHMOND

Good night, good Captain Blunt.

Exit Blunt

Come, gentlemen.

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.

Let us consult upon tomorrow’s business.

Into my tent: the dew is raw and cold.

They withdraw into the tent

5.5 ⌈A table brought in.⌉ Enter King Richard, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, the Duke of Norfolk, Sir William Catesby, and others

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 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 tomorrow.

Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.

Ratcliffe.

⌈Exit Catesby⌉

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 some wine.

I have not that alacrity of spirit,

Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.

The wine is brought

Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

RATCLIFFE

It is, my lord.

KING RICHARD

Leave me. Bid my guard watch.

About the mid of night come to my tent,

Ratcliffe, and help to arm me. Leave me, I say.

Exit Ratcliffe with others. Richard writes, and later sleeps

Enter Lord Stanley Earl of Derby to Henry Earl of Richmond and the lords in his tent

STANLEY

Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

HENRY EARL OF 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-sharing 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 rights of love.

Once more, adieu. Be valiant, and speed well.

HENRY EARL OF 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 Stanley and the lords

⌈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! He sleeps

Enter the Ghost of young Prince Edward ⌈above⌉

GHOST OF PRINCE EDWARD (to Richard)

Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow,

Prince Edward, son to Henry the Sixth.

Think how thou stabbedst me in my prime of youth

At Tewkesbury. Despair, therefore, and die.

(To Richmond) Be cheerful, Richmond, for the wronged

souls

Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf.

King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee. Exit

Enter ⌈above⌉ the Ghost of King Henry the Sixth

GHOST OF KING HENRY (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.