The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 447

White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?

STANLEY. I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.

KING RICHARD. Well, as you guess?

STANLEY. Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton, He makes for England here to claim the crown.

KING RICHARD. Is the chair empty? Is the sword unsway'd?

Is the King dead, the empire unpossess'd?

What heir of York is there alive but we?

And who is England's King but great York's heir?

Then tell me what makes he upon the seas.

STANLEY. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

KING RICHARD. Unless for that he comes to be your liege, You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.

Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.

STANLEY. No, my good lord; therefore mistrust me not.

KING RICHARD. Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where be thy tenants and thy followers?

Are they not now upon the western sh.o.r.e, Safe-conducting the rebels from their s.h.i.+ps?

STANLEY. No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.

KING RICHARD. Cold friends to me. What do they in the north, When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

STANLEY. 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.

KING RICHARD. Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with Richmond; But I'll not trust thee.

STANLEY. Most mighty sovereign, You have no cause to hold my friends.h.i.+p doubtful.

I never was nor never will be false.

KING RICHARD. Go, then, and muster men. But leave behind Your son, George Stanley. Look your heart be firm, Or else his head's a.s.surance is but frail.

STANLEY. So deal with him as I prove true to you. Exit

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER. My gracious sovereign, now in Devons.h.i.+re, As I by friends am well advertised, Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate, Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother, With many moe confederates, are in arms.

Enter another MESSENGER

SECOND MESSENGER. In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in arms; And every hour more compet.i.tors Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.

Enter another MESSENGER

THIRD MESSENGER. My lord, the army of great Buckingham- KING RICHARD. Out on you, owls! Nothing but songs of death? [He strikes him]

There, take thou that till thou bring better news.

THIRD MESSENGER. 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 wand'red away alone, No man knows whither.

KING RICHARD. I cry thee 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?

THIRD MESSENGER. Such proclamation hath been made, my Lord.

Enter another MESSENGER

FOURTH MESSENGER. Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis Dorset, 'Tis said, my liege, in Yorks.h.i.+re are in arms.

But this good comfort bring I to your Highness- The Britaine navy is dispers'd by tempest.

Richmond in Dorsets.h.i.+re sent out a boat Unto the sh.o.r.e, to ask those on the banks If they were his a.s.sistants, yea or no; Who answer'd him they came from Buckingham Upon his party. He, mistrusting them, Hois'd sail, and made his course again for Britaine.

KING RICHARD. 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.

Re-enter CATESBY

CATESBY. My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken- That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond Is with a mighty power landed at Milford Is colder tidings, yet they must be told.

KING RICHARD. 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.

Flourish. Exeunt

SCENE 5.

LORD DERBY'S house

Enter STANLEY and SIR CHRISTOPHER URSWICK

STANLEY. Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me: That in the sty of the most deadly boar My son George Stanley is frank'd up in hold; If I revolt, off goes young George's head; The fear of that holds off my present aid.

So, get thee gone; commend me to thy lord.

Withal say that the Queen hath heartily consented He should espouse Elizabeth her daughter.

But tell me, where is princely Richmond now?

CHRISTOPHER. At Pembroke, or at Ha'rford west in Wales.

STANLEY. What men of name resort to him?

CHRISTOPHER. Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier; SIR Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley, OXFORD, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James 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 withal.

STANLEY. Well, hie thee to thy lord; I kiss his hand; My letter will resolve him of my mind.

Farewell. Exeunt

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ACT V. SCENE 1.

Salisbury. An open place

Enter the SHERIFF and guard, with BUCKINGHAM, led to execution

BUCKINGHAM. Will not King Richard let me speak with him?

SHERIFF. No, my good lord; therefore be patient.

BUCKINGHAM. Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey, and Rivers, Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward, Vaughan, and all that have miscarried By underhand corrupted foul injustice, If that your moody discontented souls Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Even for revenge mock my destruction!

This is All-Souls' day, fellow, is it not?

SHERIFF. It is, my lord.

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

This is the day which in King Edward's time I wish'd might fall on me when I was found False to his children and 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 turn'd 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 in their masters' bosoms.

Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my neck.

'When he' quoth she 'shall split thy heart with sorrow, Remember Margaret was a prophetess.'