Shakespeare's First Folio Part 433

He striketh him.

There, take thou that, till thou bring better newes

Mess. The newes I haue to tell your Maiestie, Is, that by sudden Floods, and fall of Waters, Buckinghams Armie is dispers'd and scatter'd, And he himselfe wandred away alone, No man knowes whither

Rich. I cry thee mercie: There is my Purse, to cure that Blow of thine.

Hath any well-aduised friend proclaym'd Reward to him that brings the Traytor in?

Mess. Such Proclamation hath been made, my Lord.

Enter another Messenger.

Mess. Sir Thomas Louell, and Lord Marquesse Dorset, 'Tis said, my Liege, in Yorkes.h.i.+re are in Armes: But this good comfort bring I to your Highnesse, The Brittaine Nauie is dispers'd by Tempest.

Richmond in Dorsets.h.i.+re sent out a Boat Vnto the sh.o.r.e, to aske those on the Banks, If they were his a.s.sistants, yea, or no?

Who answer'd him, they came from Buckingham, Vpon his partie: he mistrusting them, Hoys'd sayle, and made his course againe for Brittaine

Rich. March on, march on, since we are vp in Armes, If not to fight with forraine Enemies, Yet to beat downe these Rebels here at home.

Enter Catesby.

Cat. My Liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken, That is the best newes: that the Earle of Richmond Is with a mighty power Landed at Milford, Is colder Newes, but yet they must be told

Rich. Away towards Salsbury, while we reason here, A Royall battell might be wonne and lost: Some one take order Buckingham be brought To Salsbury, the rest march on with me.

Florish. Exeunt

Scena Quarta.

Enter Derby, and Sir Christopher.

Der. Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me, That in the stye of the most deadly Bore, My Sonne George Stanley is frankt vp in hold: If I reuolt, off goes yong Georges head, The feare of that, holds off my present ayde.

So get thee gone: commend me to thy Lord.

Withall say, that the Queene hath heartily consented He should espouse Elizabeth hir daughter.

But tell me, where is Princely Richmond now?

Chri. At Penbroke, or at Hertford West in Wales

Der. What men of Name resort to him

Chri. Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned Souldier, Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley, Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir Iames Blunt, And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant Crew, And many other of great name and worth: And towards London do they bend their power, If by the way they be not fought withall

Der. Well hye thee to thy Lord: I kisse his hand, My Letter will resolue him of my minde.

Farewell.

Exeunt.

Actus Quintus. Scena Prima.

Enter Buckingham with Halberds, led to Execution.

Buc. Will not King Richard let me speake with him?

Sher. No my good Lord, therefore be patient

Buc. Hastings, and Edwards children, Gray & Riuers, Holy King Henry, and thy faire Sonne Edward, Vaughan, and all that haue miscarried By vnder-hand corrupted foule iniustice, If that your moody discontented soules, Do through the clowds behold this present houre, Euen for reuenge mocke my destruction.

This is All-soules day (Fellow) is it not?

Sher. It is

Buc. Why then Al-soules day, is my bodies doomsday This is the day, which in King Edwards time I wish'd might fall on me, when I was found False to his Children, and his Wiues Allies.

This is the day, wherein I wisht to fall By the false Faith of him whom most I trusted.

This, this All-soules day to my fearfull Soule, Is the determin'd respit of my wrongs: That high All-seer, which I dallied with, Hath turn'd my fained Prayer on my head, And giuen in earnest, what I begg'd in iest.

Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men To turne their owne points in their Masters bosomes.

Thus Margarets curse falles heauy on my necke: When he (quoth she) shall split thy heart with sorrow, Remember Margaret was a Prophetesse: Come leade me Officers to the blocke of shame, Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.

Exeunt. Buckingham with Officers.

Scena Secunda.

Enter Richmond, Oxford, Blunt, Herbert, and others, with drum and colours.

Richm. Fellowes in Armes, and my most louing Frends Bruis'd vnderneath the yoake of Tyranny, Thus farre into the bowels of the Land, Haue we marcht on without impediment; And heere receiue we from our Father Stanley Lines of faire comfort and encouragement: The wretched, b.l.o.o.d.y, and vsurping Boare, (That spoyl'd your Summer Fields, and fruitfull Vines) Swilles your warm blood like wash, & makes his trough In your embowel'd bosomes: This foule Swine Is now euen in the Centry of this Isle, Ne're to the Towne of Leicester, as we learne: From Tamworth thither, is but one dayes march.

In G.o.ds name cheerely on, couragious Friends, To reape the Haruest of perpetuall peace, By this one b.l.o.o.d.y tryall of sharpe Warre

Oxf. Euery mans Conscience is a thousand men, To fight against this guilty Homicide

Her. I doubt not but his Friends will turne to vs

Blunt. He hath no friends, but what are friends for fear, Which in his deerest neede will flye from him

Richm. All for our vantage, then in G.o.ds name march, True Hope is swift, and flyes with Swallowes wings, Kings it makes G.o.ds, and meaner creatures Kings.

Exeunt. Omnes.

Enter King Richard in Armes with Norfolke, Ratcliffe, and the Earle of Surrey.

Rich. Here pitch our Tent, euen here in Bosworth field, My Lord of Surrey, why looke you so sad?

Sur. My heart is ten times lighter then my lookes

Rich. My Lord of Norfolke

Nor. Heere most gracious Liege

Rich. Norfolke, we must haue knockes: Ha, must we not?

Nor. We must both giue and take my louing Lord

Rich. Vp with my Tent, heere wil I lye to night, But where to morrow? Well, all's one for that.

Who hath descried the number of the Traitors?

Nor. Six or seuen thousand is their vtmost power

Rich. Why our Battalia trebbles that account: Besides, the Kings name is a Tower of strength, Which they vpon the aduerse Faction want.

Vp with the Tent: Come n.o.ble Gentlemen, Let vs suruey the vantage of the ground.

Call for some men of sound direction: Let's lacke no Discipline, make no delay, For Lords, to morrow is a busie day.