Richard III by William Shakespeare (good novels to read txt) 📕

thought that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore. King Richard

Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of Norfolk:
Ratcliff, thyself, or Catesby; where is he?

Catesby Here, my lord. King Richard

Fly to the duke: To Ratcliff. Post thou to Salisbury:
When thou comest thither⁠—To Catesby. Dull, unmindful villain,
Why stand’st thou still, and go’st not to the duke?

Catesby

First, mighty sovereign, let me know your mind,
What from your grace I shall deliver to him.

King Richard

O, true, good Catesby: bid him levy straight
The greatest strength and power he can make,
And meet me presently at Salisbury.

Catesby I go. Exit. Ratcliff

What is’t your highness’ pleasure I shall do
At Salisbury?

King Richard Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go? Ratcliff Your highness told me I should post before. King Richard My mind is changed, sir, my mind is changed. Enter Lord Stanley. How now, what news with you? Stanley

None good, my lord, to please you with the hearing;
Nor none so bad, but it may well be told.

King Richard

Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!
Why dost thou run so many mile about,
When thou mayst tell thy tale a nearer way?
Once more, what news?

Stanley Richmond is on the seas. King Richard

There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver’d runagate, what doth he there?

Stanley I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess. King Richard Well, sir, as you guess, as you guess? Stanley

Stirr’d up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Ely,
He makes for England, there 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 doth he upon the sea?

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, mighty liege; therefore mistrust me not. King Richard

Where is thy power, then, to beat him back?
Where are thy tenants and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships!

Stanley No, my good lord, my friends are in the north. King Richard

Cold friends to Richard: what do they in the north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

Stanley

They have not been commanded, mighty sovereign:
Please it 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:
I will not trust you, sir.

Stanley

Most mighty sovereign,
You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful:
I never was nor never will be false.

King Richard

Well,
Go muster men; but, hear you, leave behind
Your son, George Stanley: look your faith be firm,
Or else his head’s assurance is but frail.

Stanley So deal with him as I prove true to you. Exit. Enter a Messenger. Messenger

My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertised,
Sir Edward Courtney, and the haughty prelate
Bishop of Exeter, his brother there,
With many more confederates, are in arms.

Enter another Messenger. Second Messenger

My liege, in Kent the Guildfords are in arms;
And every hour more competitors
Flock to their aid, and still their power increaseth.

Enter another Messenger. Third Messenger My lord, the army of the Duke of Buckingham⁠— King Richard

Out on you, owls! nothing but songs of death? He striketh him.
Take that, until thou bring me 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 dispersed and scatter’d;
And he himself wander’d 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 liege. Enter another Messenger. Fourth Messenger

Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis Dorset,
’Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
Yet this good comfort bring I to your grace,
The Breton navy is dispersed by tempest:
Richmond, in Yorkshire, sent out a boat
Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks
If they were his assistants, yea or no;
Who answer’d him, they came from Buckingham
Upon his party: he, mistrusting them,
Hoisted sail and made away for Brittany.

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 V

Lord Derby’s house.

Enter Derby and Sir Christopher Urswick. Derby

Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
That in the sty of this most bloody boar
My son George Stanley is frank’d up in hold:
If I revolt, off goes young George’s head;
The fear of that withholds my present aid.
But, tell me, where is princely Richmond now?

Christopher At Pembroke, or at Ha’rford-west, in Wales. Derby 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 more of noble fame and worth:
And towards London they do bend their course,
If by the way they be not fought withal.

Derby

Return unto thy lord; commend me to him:
Tell him the queen hath heartily consented
He shall espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
These letters will resolve him of my mind.
Farewell. Exeunt.

Act V Scene I

Salisbury. An open place.

Enter