But where, to-morrow ?-Well, all's one for that.— Nor. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power. : [Exeunt. Enter, on the other Side of the Field, RICHMOND, Sir WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, and other Some of the Soldiers pitch RICHMOND'S Tent. Richm. The weary sun hath made a golden set, Lords. Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.— 5 7 sound direction:] True judgment; tried military skill. Limit] i. e. appoint. keeps his regiment ;] i. e. remains with it. His regiment lies half a mile at least 8 Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him, And give him from me this most needful note. gentlemen, Let us consult upon to-morrow's business; Come, [They withdraw into the Tent. Enter, to his Tent, King RICHARD, NORFOLK, RATCLIFF, 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 readiness. K. Rich. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge; Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels. Nor. I go, my lord. K. Rich. Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Nor folk. Nor. I warrant you, my K. Rich. Ratcliff, Rat. My lord? lord. [Exit. 8 make some good means—] i. e. adopt some convenient measure. ' 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. Mr. Malone reads six, and "full supper time." K. Rich. Send out a pursuivant at arms To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power Fill me a bowl of wine.-Give me a watch' [TO CATESBY. Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.- Rat. My lord? K. Rich. Saw'st thou the melancholy lord Northumberland? 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 t. wine: I have not that alacrity of spirit, Give me a bowl of Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have. So, set it down t.-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. 1 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. 2 Look that my staves -] Staves are the wood of the lances. 3 the melancholy lord Northumberland ?] Richard calls him melancholy, because he did not join heartily in his cause. cock-shut time,] i. e. twilight. 4 +"So, I am satisfied."-MALONE. "Set it down."-MALONE. S Ratcliff, bid my," &c.- MALONE. A reading which he censured in his first edition. 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. 1, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother, Farewell: The leisure and the fearful time And ample interchange of sweet discourse, 5 by attorney,] By deputation. 6 mortal-staring war.] I suppose, by mortal-staring war is meant-war that looks big, or stares fatally on its victims. 7 I, as I may, STEEVENS. With best advantage will deceive the time,] I will take the best opportunity to elude the dangers of this conjuncture. I'll strive, with troubled thoughts, to take a nap ; [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 wrath, 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! To thee I do commend my watchful soul, Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes; Sleeping, and waking, O, defend me still! [Sleeps. The Ghost of Prince EDWARD, Son to HENRY the Sixth, rises between the two Tents. Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow! [To King RICHARD. Think, how thou stab'dst me in my prime of youth At Tewksbury; Despair therefore, and die!— Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf: King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee. The Ghost of King HENRY the Sixth rises. Ghost. When I was mortal, my anointed body [To King RICHARD. By thee was punched full of deadly holes : 8 [TO RICHMOND. peise me down to-morrow,] To peize, i. e. to weigh down, from peser, French. |