Be the attorney of my love to her;

Plead what I will be, not what I have been,
Not my deserts, but what I will deferve:
Urge the neceffity and state of times,

And be not peevish found in great defigns.

QUEEN. Shall I be tempted of the Devil thus ?
K. RICH. Ay, if the Devil tempt thee to do good.
QUEEN. Shall I forget myself to be myself?

K. RICH. Ay, if yourself's remembrance wrong yourself.
QUEEN. But thou didst kill my children,

K. RICH. But in your daughter's womb I bury them; Where in that neft of spicery they shall breed

Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.

QUEEN. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
K. RICH. And be a happy mother by the deed.

QUEEN. Igo, write to me fhortly.

K. RICH. Bear her my true love's kifs, and fo farewel. Relenting fool, and fhallow, changing woman!

[Kiffing her. [Exit Queen.

SCENE VI. Enter Ratcliff.

RAT. Moft mighty fovereign, on the western coaft

Rideth a puiffant navy; to our fhores

Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm'd, and unrefolv'd to beat them back;
'Tis thought that Richmond is their adrniral,
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham, to welcome them afhore.

K. RICH. Some light-foot friend poft to the duke of Norfolk,

Ratcliff, thyself; or Catefby; where is he?

CATES. Here, my good lord.

K. RICH. Catesby, fly to the duke.

CATES. I will, my lord, with all convenient hafte. K. RICH. Ratcliff, come hither, poft to Salisbury; When thou com'ft thither- -dull unmindful villain,

To Catesby.

Why ftay'st thou here, and go'ft not to the duke?

[fure,

CATES. First, mighty liege, tell me your highness pleaWhat from your grace I fhall deliver to him.

K. RICH. O true, good Catefby. Bid him levy strait The greatest strength and power he can make, And meet me fuddenly at Salisbury.

CATES. I go.

[Exit.

RAT. What, may it please you, fhall I do at Salisbury?
K. RICH. Why, what wouldft thou do there, before I go?
RAT. Your highness told me, I should post before,
K. RICH. My mind is chang'd-

Enter Lord Stanley.

Stanley, what news with you?

STANL. None good, my liege, to please you with the hearing;

Nor none fo bad, but well may be reported.

K. RICH. Heyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad.
Why dost thou run fo many miles about,

When thou may'ft tell thy tale the nearest way;
Once more what news?

STANL. Richmond is on the feas.

K. RICH. There let him fink, and be the feas on him? White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?

STANL. I know not, mighty fovereign, but by guess. K. RICH. Well, as you guefs.

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

K. RICH. Is the chair empty? is the fword unfway'd? Is the King dead? the empire unpoffefs'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 sea ?

STANL. Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.
K. RICH. Unless for that he comes to be your liege,
You cannot guefs wherefore the Welsh-man comes.
Thou will revolt, and fly to him, I fear.

STANL. No, mighty liege, therefore mistrust me not. K. RICH. 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?

STANL. No, my good lord, my friends are in the North. K. RICH. Cold friends to me. What do they in the

When they should ferve their fov'reign in the Weft ?

STANL. They have not been commanded, mighty king; Please it your majefty to give me leave,

I'll mufter up my friends and meet your grace,
Where and what time your majefty fhall please.

K. RICH. Ay, thou would'ft fain be gone to join with
Richmond.

But I'll not truft thee.

STANL. Mighty fovereign,

You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful.

I never was, nor never will be falfe.

K. RICH. Go then, and mufter men; but leave behind Your fon George Stanley: look, your heart be firm, Or elfe his head's affurance is but frail.

STANL. So deal with him, as I prove true to you!

[Exit Stanley,

VOL. IV.

M m

Enter a Meffenger.

MES. My gracious fov'reign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am very well advertised,
Sir Edmund Courtney, and the haughty prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,

With many more confed'rates, are in arms.

Enter another Meffenger.

MES. In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in arms, And every hour more competitors

Flock to the rebels, and their power grows ftrong.

Enter another Meffenger.

MES. My lord the army of the duke of Buckingham.K. RICH. Out on ye, owls! nothing but fongs of death! [He ftrikes him. There, take thou that, 'till thou bring better news.

MES. The news I have to tell your majefty, Is, that, by fudden floods and fall of waters, Buckingham's army is dispers'd and scatter'd ; And he himself wander'd away alone,

No man knows whither.

K. RICH. O! 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 ?

MES. Such proclamation hath been made, my liege.
Enter another Meffenger.

MES. Sir Thomas Lovel, and lord marquis Dorset,
'Tis faid, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms;
But this good comfort bring I to your highness,

The Bretagne navy is difpers'd, by tempest.
Richmond in Dorfetshire fent out a boat
Unto the shore, to ask thofe on the banks,
If they were his affistants, yea, or no:
Who answer'd him, they came from Buckingham
Upon his party; he mistrusting them,

Hois'd fail, and made his course for Bretagny.

K. RICH. March on; march on, fince we are up in arms, If not to fight with foreign enemies,

Yet to beat down thefe rebels here at home,

Enter Catesby.

CATES. My liege, the duke of Buckingham is taken, That is the best news, That the earl of Richmond Is with a mighty pow'r landed at Milford,

Is colder news, but yet it must be told.

K. RICH. Away tow'rds Salisbury; while we reafon here, A royal battle might he won and loft. Some one take order, Buckingham be brought

To Salisbury; the reft march on with me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Changes to the Lord Stanley's house.
Enter Lord Stanley, and fir Christopher Urfwick,
STANL. Sir Chriftopher, tell Richmond this from me ;
That in the fty of this most bloody Boar,

My fon George Stanley is frankt 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.
Say too, the queen hath heartily confented
He should espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
But tell me where is princely Richmond now ?
CHRI. At Pembroke, or at Hartford-west in Wales,