The last was I that felt thy tyranny; Richm. 'Cry mercy, lords, and watchful gen. Oh ! in the battle thiuk on Buckingham, tlemen, And die in terror of thy guiltiness! That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard bere. Dream ort, dream on, of bloody deeds and Lords. How bave you slept, my lord ? death; Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding Fainting, despair ; desparing, yield thy breath - dreams, I died for hope, ere I could lend thec aid : That ever enter'd in a drowsy head, (TO RICHMOND. Have I since your departure had, my lords. But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay'd : Methoright, their souls, whose bodies Richard God and good angels fight on Richmond's murder'd, side; Came to my tent, and cried-On! victory! And Richard falls in height of all his pride. I promise you, my heart is very jocund (The Ghosts vanish. King RICHARD starts in the remembrance of so fair a dream. out of his dream. How far into the morning is it, lords 8 K. Rich. Give me another horse,-bind up Lords. Upon the stroke of four. my wounds, Richm. Wby, then 'tis time to arm, and give Have mercy, Jesu !-Soft ; I did but dream. direction.0 coward conscience, how dost thou afflict (He advances to the troops. mel More than I bave said, loving countrymen, The lights burn blue.-It is now dead mid- The leisure and enforcement of the time night. Forbids to dwell on. Yet remember this,Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. God, and our good cause, fight upon our What do I fear? myself? there's none else side ; by : The prayers of holy saints, and wronged souls, Richard loves Richard ; that is, I am I. Like bigh-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our Is there a murderer here? No?-Yes ; I am : faces ; Then fiy, -What, from myself? Great reason : Richard except, those whom we fight against Why ? Had rather have us win, than him they follow. Lest I revenge, What? Myself on myself? For wbat is he they follow? truly, gentlemen, I love myself. Wherefore I for any good, A bloody tyrant, and a homicide; That I myself have done unto myself? One rais'd in blood, and one in blood estaO no : alas, I rather bate myself, blish'd ; For bateful seeds committed by myself. One that made mcans to come by what he I am a villain ; Yet I lie, I am not. hath, Fool, of thyself speak well :-Fool, do not And slaughter'd those that were the means to datter. help him : My conscience bath a thousand several tougues, A base foul stone, made precious by the foil And every tonguc brings in a several tale, Of England's chair, where he is falsely set; And every tale condemns me for a villain. One that hath ever been God's enemy : Perjury, perjury, in the bigh’st degree ; Then, if you fight against God's enemy, Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree ; God will, in justice, ward + you as bis solAll several sins, all us'd in each degree ; diers ; Throng to the bar, crying all,-Guilty i guilty! If you do sweat to put a tyrant down, I shall despair. There is no creature loves You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain ; me : If you do fight against your country's foes, And, if I die, no soul will pity me : Your country's fat shall pay your pains the Nan wherefore should they? since that I my. hire; sell If you do tight in safeguard of your wives, Find in myself no pity to myself. Your wives shall welcome home the conMethought, the souls of all that I had mur querors ; der'd If you do free your children from the sword, Came to my tent: and every one did threat Your children's children quit I it in your age. To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard. Then in the name of God, and all these rights, Enter RATCLIFF. Advance your standards, draw your willing Rat. My lord, swords. K. Rich. Who's there? For me, the rausom of my bold attempt Rat. Ratcliff, my lord ; 'tis I. The early Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face; village cock Hath twice done salutation to the morn; But, if I thrive, the gain of my attempt Your friends are up, and buckle on their ar. Sound, drums and trumpets, boldly and cheer. The least of you shall share bis part thereof. mour. K. Rich. O Ratcliff, i have dream'd a fearful God and Saint George ! Richmond and victory! fully : dream! What thinkest thou? will our friends prove (Exeunt. all true ? Re-enter King RICHARD, RATCLIFF, atten. Rat. No doubt, my lord. dants, and Forces: K. Rich. Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,Rat. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of sha K. Rich. What said Northumberland, as touchdows. ing Richmond ? K. Rich. By the apostle Paul, shadows to Rat. That he was never trained up in arms. nigbt K. Rich. He said the truth : And what said Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard, Surrey then ? Than can the substance of ten thousand sol Rat. He smil'd, and said the better for our diers, purpose. Armed in proof, and led by shallow Richmond. K. Rich. He was i'the right; and so, indeed, it is. It is not yet near day. Come, go with me; (Clock strikes. Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper, Tell the clock there.-Give me a calendar. To hear, if any mean to shrink from me. Who saw the sun to-day? (Ereunt King RICHARD, and RATCLIFF. Rat. Not I, my lord. K. Rich. Then he disdains to shine ; for, by RICHMOND wakes. Enter OXFORD and the book, others. Guard. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond. • Throne. * Requite. (Exeunt. He should have bray'd the east an hour ago : | Fight, gentlemen of England ! fight, bold yea A black day will it be to somebody. men ! Ratcliff,- Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head I Rat. My lord ? Spur your proud horses bard, aud ride in K. Rich. The sun will not be seen to-day; blood ; The sky doth frown and lour upon our army ; Amaze the welkin with your broken staves ! • I would, these dewy tears were from the Enter a MESSENGER. ground. Not sbine to-day! Why, what is that to me, What says lord Stapley ? will he bring his More than to Richmond ? for the self-same puwer? heaven, Mess. My lord, he doth deny to come. That frowns on me, looks sadly upon bim. K. Rich. Ofr instantly with his son George's bead. Enter NORFOLK. Nor. My lord, the enemy is passid the Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the fue vaunts in marsh; the field. After the battle let George Stanley die. K. Rich. Coine, bustle, bustle ;-Caparison K. Rich. A thousand bearts are great withia my horse ; my bosom: Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power :- Advance our standards, set upou our foes ; I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain, Our ancient word, of courage, fair Saint And thus my battle shall be ordered. George, My foreward shall be drawn out all in length, Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons ! Consisting equally of horse and foot ; Upon them! Victory sits ou our helps. Our archers shall be placed in the midst : Joba duke of Norfolk, Thomas earl of Surrey, Shall bave the leading of this foot and horse. SCENE IV.-Another part of the field. They thus directed, we ourself will follow In the main battle; whose puissance on either llarum : Ercursions. Enter NORFOLK and side Forces ; to him CaTES BY. Shall be well winged with our cbierest horse. Cate. Rescue, my lord of Norfolk, rescue, This, and Saint George to boot !- What think'st rescue ! thou, Norfolk ? The king enacts more wonders than a man, Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign. Daring an opposite to every danger ; This found I on my tent this morning. His borse is slain, and all on foot be fights, (Giving a scroll. K. Rich. Jocky of Norfolk, be not too bold, Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost ! Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death : (reads. For Dickon thy master, is bought and Alarum. Enter King RICHARD. soli. R. Rich. A horse! a horse I my kingdom for A thing devised by the enemy.-. a horse! Go, geotlemen, every inan unto his charge : Cate. Withdraw, my lord, I'll help you to a Let not our babbling dreams affright our horse. souls ; K. Rich. Slave, I have set my life upou a Conscience is but a word that cowards use, cast, Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe; And I will stand the hazard of the dic : Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our i think there be six Richmonds in the field ; law. March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell ; Fire have I slain to day, instead of him : A borse ! a borsel my kingdom for a horse ; If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell. (Eseunl. What shall' I say more than I have inferr'd ? Remember whom you are to cope witbal ;- Alarums. Enter King RICHARD and Rica. A sort I of vagabonds, rascals, and run-aways, A scum of Bretagnes, and base lackey pea MOND: and exeunt fighting. Retreat, and flourish. Then enter RICHMOND, STANLEY, sants, bearing the crown, with divers other Lords, Whom their o'er-cloyed country vomits forth and Forces. To desperate ventures and assur'd destruction. You sleeping safe, they bring you to unrest ; Richm. God and your arms be prais'd, victoYou baving lands, and bless'd with beauteous rious friends; wives, The day is ours, the bloody dog is dead. They would restrain the one, distain the other. Stan. Courageous Richmond, well hast thog And who doth lead them, but a paltry fellow, acquit thee! Long kept in Bretagne at our mother's cost ? Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty, A milk-sop, one that never in his life From the dead temples of this bloody wretch Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow ? Have I pluck'll off, to grace thy brows withal; Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it. again ; Richin. Great God of heaven, say, Amen, to Lash bence these over-weening rags of France, "hese famish'd beggars, weary of their lives; But tell me first, is young George Stanley lis. nho, but for dreaining on this fond exploit, ing? or want of means, poor rats, bad hang'd them. Stan. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester selves : town; we be conquer'd, let men conqiler us, Wbither, if it please you, we may now withAud not these bastard Bretagnes; whom our draw us. fathers Rick:n. What men of name are slain on Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and either side 1 thump'd, Stan. John duke of Norfolk, Walter lord And, on record, left them the heirs of shame. Ferrers, Shall these enjoy our lands 7 lle with our Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Bran wives ? don. Ravish our daughters 8-Hark, I hear their drum. Richm. Inter their bodies as becomes then (Drum ajar of: births. Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers ded, That in submission will returu to us ; • Fright the skies with he shivens of your lisata all : And then, as we have ta’eu the sacrament, And let their heirs, (God, If thy will be so,). peace, prosperous Wbat traitor bears me, and says itot,-Amen ? days! England hath long been mad, and scarr'd ber- Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord, sell; That would reduce thesc bloody days again, The brother blindly shed the brother's blood, And make poor England weep in streams of 'The father rashly slaughter'd his own son, blood ! The son, compelld, becn butcher to the sire ; Let them not live to taste this land's increase, All this divided York and Lancaster, That would with treason wound this fair land's Divided, in their dire disision. peace! Oh! now let Richmond and Elizabeth, Now civil wounds are stopp'd, peace lives again ; The true succeeders of each royal house, That she may long live here, God say- Ameu. By God's fair ordinance conjoin together (Eseunt. KING HENRY VIII. LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE. TINS historical play was probably written in the year 1601. It comprises a period of twelve years, com mencing in the 12th of Henry's reigu, (1521) and terminating with the baptisin of Elizabeth, 1533. It has always been an easy medium for the display of pageantry and splendoor ; cousequently a great favourite with the generality of audiences. Its most powerfully drawn characters are the Queen and the Cardinal. The dying moments of the former (Act IV. Sc. 2.) are pourtrayed with a mingled majesty and pathos, scarcely ever equalled by auy other poet (Dr. Johnson numbers it, indeed, amongst "the greatest efforts of tragedy :") and the exquisite soliloquy of the latter, at the time of his degradation, would erince tha saperiority of Shakspeare's genius, had he never written another line. (It is a fine philosophical picture o! fallen ambition, brought to reflectiou by a merited reverse of fortune : the assimilation of human greatness to the vegetation of a fruit tree, wi.h the puerility of venturing upon “ a sea of troubles," for burder some and perishable acquisitions, affords a charming specimen of imaginative colouring and didactic morality. Yet this is one of the parts which, according to the Doctor, “ may be easily couceived, and easily writteus." Perhaps Shakspeare found it otherwise. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. DOCTOR BUTTs, Physician to the King BRANDON, and a Sergeant at Arns. Door-KEEPER of the Council-Chamber. QUEEN KATHARINE, Wife to King Henry : ANNE BULLEN, her Maid of Honour ; asterSIR HENRY GUILDFORD SIR THOMAS LO. wards Queen. VELL. AN OLD LADY, Friend to Anne Bullen. Sır ANTHONY DENNY.-Sir Nicholas Vaux. PATIENCE, Woman to Queen Katharine. SECRETARIES to Wolsey. CROMWELL, Servant to Wolsey. Several Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shoa's; GRIFFITH, Gentleman-Usher to Queen Ka- Women attending upon the Queen ; Spirils, tharine. which appear to her ; Scribes, ojficers, THREE OTHER GENTLEMEN. Guards, and other Attendants. we PROLOGUE. Will be deceiv'd : for, gentle hearers, kuow, To rank our chosen truth with such a show I come no more to make you laugh; things As foot and fight is, beside forfeiting now, Our own brains, and the opinion that That bear a weighty and a serious brow, bring, Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe, (To make that only true we now intend, ) Sucb noble scenes as draw the eye to flow, Will leave us never an understanding, friend. We now present. Those that cau pity, here Therefore, for goodness' sake, fanu as you are May, if they think it well, let fall a tear ; known The subject will deserve it. Such, as give The first and happiest hearers of tbe town, Their inoney out of hope they may believe, Be sad, as we would make ye : Think, je May here find truth too. Those, that come to see The very persons of our noble story, Only a show or two, and so agree, As they were living ; tbink, you see them great, The play may pass ; if they be still, and willing, and follow'd with the general throng, and I'll undertake, may see away their shilling sweat, Richly in two short hours. Only they, of thousand friends ; then, iu a moment see Tbat come to hear a merry, bawdy play, How soon this mightiness ineets misery! A noise of targets ; or to see a fellow And, if you can be merry then, I'll say, In a long motley coat, guarded with yellow, A man may weep upon his wedding day. see Wol. You are welcome, my fair guests; that noble lady, [drinks.) Griff. She is asleep; good wench, let's sit down quiet, fear we wake her. Act IV. Scene II. Lady. Now, good angels Act V. Scene I. |
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