King Richard III Part 23

RICHMOND. G.o.d and your arms be prais'd, victorious friends; The day is ours, the b.l.o.o.d.y dog is dead.

DERBY. Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee!

Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty From the dead temples of this b.l.o.o.d.y wretch Have I pluck'd off, to grace thy brows withal.

Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.

RICHMOND. Great G.o.d of heaven, say Amen to all!

But, teLL me is young George Stanley living.

DERBY. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town, Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us.

RICHMOND. What men of name are slain on either side?

DERBY. John Duke of Norfolk, Walter Lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon.

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 frown'd upon their emnity!

What traitor hears me, and says not Amen?

England hath long been mad, and scarr'd herself; The brother blindly shed the brother's blood, The father rashly slaughter'd his own son, The son, compell'd, 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 G.o.d's fair ordinance conjoin together!

And let their heirs, G.o.d, if thy will be so, Enrich the time to come with smooth-fac'd peace, With smiling plenty, and fair prosperous days!

Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord, That would reduce these b.l.o.o.d.y 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 stopp'd, peace lives again- That she may long live here, G.o.d say Amen! Exeunt

THE END