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Alarum. Enter RICHARD and RICHMOND. They fight. RICHARD is slain. Retreat and flourish. Enter RICHMOND, STANLEY bearing the crown, with divers other lords and soldiers |
Blasts of military music (trumpets and drums). RICHARD and RICHMOND enter; they fight. RICHARD is killed. The trumpet sounds to signal a retreat. RICHMOND retreats. RICHMOND and STANLEY, bearing the crown, return with several lords. |
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RICHMOND
God and your arms be praised, victorious friends! The day is ours; the bloody dog is dead. |
RICHMOND
God and your work be praised, victorious friends. The day is ours. The bloody dog is dead. |
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STANLEY
(offering him the crown) Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee. Lo, here this long-usurpèd royalty From the dead temples of this bloody wretch Have I plucked off, to grace thy brows withal. Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it. |
STANLEY
(offering him the crown) Courageous Richmond, you fought well. Here, I’ve taken back the stolen crown from that violent lowlife so it can grace your brows. Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it. |
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RICHMOND
Great God of heaven, say amen to all! But tell me, is young George Stanley living? |
RICHMOND
Great God of heaven, say amen to all this! But, tell me, is young George Stanley alive? |
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STANLEY
He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town, Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us. |
STANLEY
He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester, where, if you’d like, we can retreat to. |
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RICHMOND
What men of name are slain on either side? |
RICHMOND
Which gentlemen on each side have been killed? |
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STANLEY
John Duke of Norfolk, Walter, Lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon. |
STANLEY
John Duke of Norfolk, Walter Lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon. |
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RICHMOND
Inter their bodies as becomes their births. Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled That in submission will return to us. And then, as we have ta’en the sacrament, We will unite the white rose and the red. Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, That long have frowned upon their enmity. What traitor hears me and says not “Amen?” England hath long been mad and scarred herself. The brother blindly shed the brother’s blood. The father rashly slaughtered his own son. The son, compelled, been butcher to the sire. All this divided York and Lancaster, Divided, in their dire division. O, now let Richmond and Elizabeth, The true succeeders of each royal house, By God’s fair ordinance conjoin together, And let their heirs, God, if thy will be so. Enrich the time to come with smooth-faced peace, With smiling plenty and fair prosperous days! Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord, That would reduce these bloody days again, And make poor England weep in streams of blood! Let them not live to taste this land’s increase, That would with treason wound this fair land’s peace. Now civil wounds are stopped, peace lives again. That she may long live here, God say amen. |
RICHMOND
Bury them in a manner appropriate to their noble births. Proclaim that I’ll pardon the soldiers who fled if they will return and submit to my rule. As I vowed, I will unite the York and Lancaster families. Heaven, for a long time you have frowned upon the hatred between them. Smile, then, on this beautiful union. What traitor hears me and doesn’t say amen? England has long been so crazy that she was willing to hurt herself, brothers blindly shed their brothers’ blood, fathers rashly slaughtered their own sons, sons were forced to butcher their fathers. All this further divided the two families, which were already so badly divided. Now let Richmond and Elizabeth, the true heirs of each royal house, be joined together! And let their heirs, if you are willing, God, enrich the future with peace and plenty! Gracious Lord, blunt the swords of those traitors who mean to tear poor England apart again! Let those who would mar this fair land’s peace with treason die before they can enjoy its wealth. Civil wounds now can heal, and peace can live again. So that England may live a long life like this, let God say amen! |
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Exeunt |
They all exit. |