True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings, 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 Bos

worth 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 loving lord. K. Rich. Up with my tent: Here will I lie to

night;

Soldiers begin to set up the King's Tent. But where, to-morrow? Well, all's one for that.Who hath descried the number of the traitors ?

Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.

K. Rich. 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 want no discipline, make no delay; For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day. [Exeunt.

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sound direction;] True judgment; tried military skill.

Enter, on the other side of the Field, RICHMOND,

Sir WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, and other Lords. Some of the Soldiers pitch RICHMOND'S Tent.

Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set, And, by the bright track of his fiery car, Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow.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 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 some good means to speak with

him, And give him from me this most needful note.

Blunt. Upon iny life, my lord, I'll undertake it; And so, God give you quiet rest to-night! Richm. Good night, good captain Blunt. Come,

gentlemen, 6 Limit-] i. e. appoint.

keeps his regiment;] i. e. remains with it.

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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? Cate. It is, my liege; and all things are in rea

diness. K. Rich. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.

Nor. I go, my
K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle

Norfolk.
Nor. I warrant you, my lord.

[Exit. K. Rich. Ratcliff, Rat. My lord?

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:

[To Catesby.

go, my lord.

It's nine o'clock.) I think, we ought to read-six instead of nine, as in the quarto edition. A supper at so late an hour as nine o'clock, in the year 1485, would have been a prodigy. STEEVENS.

Give me a watch:) A watch has many significations, but I should believe that it means in this place not a sentinel, which would be regularly placed at the king's tent; nor an instrument to measure time, which was not used in that age; but a watchlight, a candle to burn by him; the light that afterwards burnt blue. Johnson.

Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.
Look that my staves? be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff,

Rat. My lord:
K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy lord Nor-

thumberland ?
Rat. Thomas the earl of Surrey, and himself,
Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop,
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.

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 say.
[King RICHARD retires into his Tent. Exeunt

RATCLIFF and CATESBY.

RICHMOND's Tent opens, and discovers him and his

Officers, &c.

Enter STANLEY.
Stan. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

Richm. All comfort that the dark night can afford,
Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
Stan. I, by attorney,' bless thee from thy mo-

ther, Who prays continually for Richinond's good: So much for that.-The silent hours steal on,

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? Look that my staves —] Staves are the wood of the lances.

- the melancholy lord Northumberland?] Richard calls him melancholy, because he did not join heartily in his cause. 4 Cock-shut time,) i. e. twilight.

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:
I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a nap;
Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow,
When I should mount with wings of victory:
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.

[Exeunt Lords, &c. with STANLEY. O Thou! whose captain I account myself, Look on my forces with a gracious eye; Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wratlı, That they may crush down with a heavy fall The usurping helmets of our adversaries! Make us thy ministers of chastisement, That we may praise thee in thy victory!

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* — mortal-staring war,) I suppose, by mortal-staring war is meant-war that looks big, or stares fatally on its rictims.

STEEVENS. 1 1, as I may,

With best advantage will deceive the time,] I will take the best opportunity to elude the dangers of this conjuncture.

- peise me down to-morrow,] To peize, i. e. to weigh down, from peser, French.