Cuts for Act 5, Scene 3

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Page 131 - Top of Scene

KING RICHARD III

Here pitch our tents, even here in Bosworth field.
My Lord of <Norfolk>, why look you so sad?
 

My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.

[My Lord of Norfolk,--]

[Here, most gracious liege.]

Page 131 - after line 10

KING RICHARD III

Why, our battalia 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! 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.

KING RICHARD III

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?]
 

[If is, my liege; and all things are in readiness.]

[Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge;
Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.]
 

[I go, my lord.]

Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.

I warrant you, my lord.

Exit

Catesby!

My lord?

Send out a pursuivant at arms
To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.

Exit CATESBY

[Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.]
Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.
Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff!
 

[My lord?]

[Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?]

[Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself,
Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.]
 

[So, 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.
Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?
 

It is, my lord.

Page 134 - after line 82

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 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!

RATCLIFF

Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I.
[The early village-cock
Hath twice done salutation to the morn;]
Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.
 

KING RICHARD III

By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night
Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard
Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
[Armed in proof, and led by shallow Richmond.]
'Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me;
Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper,
To see if any mean to shrink from me.
 

RICHMOND

Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction.

His oration to his soldiers

More than I have said, loving countrymen,
The leisure and enforcement of the time
Forbids to dwell upon: yet remember this,
God and our good cause fight upon our side;
The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,
Like high-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our faces;
Richard except, those whom we fight against
Had rather have us win than him they follow:
For what is he they follow? truly, gentlemen,
A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
One raised in blood, and one in blood establish'd;
One that made means to come by what he hath,
And slaughter'd those that were the means to help him;
Abase foul stone, made precious by the foil
Of England's chair, where he is falsely set;
One that hath ever been God's enemy:
Then, if you fight against God's enemy,
God will in justice ward you as his soldiers;
[If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,
You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;
If you do fight against your country's foes,
Your country's fat shall pay your pains the hire;
If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,
Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;
If you do free your children from the sword,
Your children's children quit it in your age.]
Then, in the name of God and all these rights,
Advance your standards, draw your willing swords.
For me, the ransom of my bold attempt
Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face;
But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt
The least of you shall share his part thereof.
Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully;
God and Saint George! Richmond and victory!
 

KING RICHARD III

Come, bustle, bustle; caparison my horse.
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.
They thus directed, we will follow
In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.]
This, and Saint George to boot! What think'st thou, Norfolk?
 

A good direction, warlike sovereign.
This found I on my tent this morning.
 

He sheweth him a paper

[Reads]
'Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,
For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.'
A thing devised by the enemy.
Go, gentleman, every man unto his charge
Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls:
Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe:
Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.
March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
 

His oration to his Army

What shall I say more than I have inferr'd?
Remember whom you are to cope withal;
A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
A scum of Bretons, and base lackey peasants,
[Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth
To desperate ventures and assured destruction.
You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
You having lands, and blest with beauteous wives,
They would restrain the one, distain the other.]
And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
[Long kept in Bretagne at our mother's cost?]
A milk-sop, one that never in his life
Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?
[Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again;
Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives;
Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit,
For want of means, poor rats, had hang'd themselves:]
If we be conquer'd, let men conquer us,
And not these bastard Bretons; whom our fathers
Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd,
[And in record, left them the heirs of shame.]
Shall these enjoy our lands? lie with our wives?
Ravish our daughters?
 

Drum afar off

[Hark! I hear their drum.]
Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yoemen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood;
[Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!]
 

Enter a Messenger

What says Lord Stanley? will he bring his power?