K. Rich. Cold friends to Richard: what do they in the north,

When they should serve their sovereign in the west? Stan. They have not been commanded, mighty sovereign:

Please it 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 faith be firm,

Or else his head's assurance is but frail.

Stan. So deal with him as I prove true to you.

ACT V

SCENE III. Bosworth Field.

[Exit.

Bosworth Field. Enter King Richard in arms with Norfolk, the 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 gracious lord.

K. Rich. Up with my tent there! here will I lie to-night:

But where to-morrow?

Well, all's one for that.

Who hath descried the number of the foe?

Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. K. Rich. Why, our battalion trebles that account: Besides, the king's name is a tower of strength, Which they upon the adverse party want. Up with my tent there! Valiant gentlemen, Let us survey the vantage of the field; Call for some men of sound direction : Let's want no discipline, make no delay; For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day.

[Exeunt.

(Reënter King Richard, Ratcliff, Attendants, and

Forces.)

K. Rich. What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

Rat. That he was never trainèd up in arms.

K. Rich. He said the truth: and what said Surrey, then?

Rat. He smiled and said, "The better for our purpose."

K. Rich. He was in the right; and so indeed it is. (The clock striketh.)

Tell the clock there.

Give me a calendar.

Who saw the sun to-day?

Rat.

Not I, my lord.

K. Rich. Then he disdains to shine; for by the book

He should have brav'd1 the east an hour ago:

A black day will it be to somebody.

Ratcliff!

Rat. My lord?

K. Rich.

The sun will not be seen to-day;

The sky doth frown and lour upon our army.
I would these dewy tears were from 2 the ground.
Not shine to-day! Why, what is that to me
More than to Richmond? for the selfsame heaven
That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.

(Reënter Norfolk.)

Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field.

K. Rich. Come, bustle, bustle.

horse.

Caparison my

Call up Lord Stanley, bid him bring his power:
I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,

And thus my battle shall be ordered:
My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
Consisting equally of horse and foot;

Our archers shall be placed in the midst:
John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,
Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.

1 made glorious.

2 away from.

They thus directed, we will follow

In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
Shall be well wingèd with our chiefest horse.

This, and Saint George to boot! What think'st thou,
Norfolk ?

Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign.

SCENE IV. Another part of the field.

Alarum;

excursions. Enter Norfolk and forces fighting; to him Catesby.

Cate. Rescue, my Lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue!
The king enacts more wonders than a man,
Daring an opposite1 to every danger:

His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights,
Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.
Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost!

(Alarums. Enter King Richard.)

K. Rich. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

Cate. Withdraw, my lord; I'll help you to a horse. K. Rich. Slave, I have set my life upon a cast, And I will stand the hazard of the die.

I think there be six Richmonds in the field;
Five have I slain to-day instead of him.
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

1 daring to oppose himself.

[Exeunt.

various pretenders.

PERKIN WARBECK

JOHN FORD

HENRY VII. had much ado to keep the crown upon his head. Richard III. had left no heir, but the Yorkist party gave their support to The most notable of these was Perkin Warbeck, a Flemish trader of courtly face and manners, who succeeded in convincing the Irish friends of the House of York that he was Richard, the younger son of Edward IV. He landed in Cornwall (1497), and attempted to rouse the English in his behalf, but he met with little encouragement. The people had grown weary of bloodshed and were too well content with a king who was able to restore law and order to be willing to renew the dynastic controversy. Parliament had made good all defects in the hereditary title of the Tudors by vesting the crown in Henry VII. and his heirs, and men gladly accepted this settlement as final.

ACT V
SCENE II.

(Enter Lord Dawbeney, with a Guard, leading in Perkin Warbeck and his Followers, chained.)

Daw. Life to the king, and safety fix his throne! I here present you, royal sir, a shadow Of majesty, but in effect a substance Of pity; a young man, in nothing grown To ripeness but the ambition of your mercy,— Perkin, the Christian world's strange wonder.

K. Hen.

Dawbeney,

We observe no wonder: I behold, 'tis true,
An ornament of nature, fine and polished,
A handsome youth indeed, but not admire him.
How came he to thy hands?