ACT 5
Richard III Act 5, Scene 2: Retold in Modern English Verse
Richmond marches on the boar
Richmond addresses his captains on the march. They have come through the heart of England unopposed, Stanley has sent letters of encouragement, and the usurping boar that spoils the country lies near Leicester, a day’s march from Tamworth. Oxford, Herbert and Blunt agree that Richard’s friends are friends only for fear and will desert him in his need.
Characters appearing: Henry, Earl of Richmond | Oxford | Herbert | Blunt
Key themes: Fate vs Free Will | Conscience and Guilt | Power and Ambition
THE CAMP NEAR TAMWORTH.
[ENTER RICHMOND, OXFORD, SIR JAMES BLUNT, SIR WALTER HERBERT, AND OTHERS, WITH DRUM AND COLOURS.]
HENRY, EARL OF RICHMOND
Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
My fellow soldiers, and my dearest friends,
Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Who’ve suffered under Richard’s tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
We’ve made it to this land’s interior
Have we marched on without impediment;
And marched here without any opposition;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
And we’ve got news from my stepfather, Stanley,
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
That brings us comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
The boar that stole this land unlawfully,
That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines,
That wrecked your summer fields and fertile vineyards,
Swills your warm blood like wash and makes his trough
That gargles with your blood and makes a trough
In your embowelled bosoms – this foul swine
By disembowelling you – that rotten pig
Is now even in the centre of this isle,
Is now right in the centre of this island,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.
Near to the town of Leicester, so we’ve learned.
From Tamworth thither is but one day’s march.
From Tamworth, it is just a day of marching.
In God’s name cheerly on, courageous friends,
In God’s name, let’s march happily, brave friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
So we’ll achieve an ever-lasting peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
By fighting once in this ferocious war.
EARL OF OXFORD
Every man’s conscience is a thousand men,
Each guiltless man is worth a thousand men
To fight against this guilty homicide.
When fighting with this guilty murderer.
SIR WALTER HERBERT
I doubt not but his friends will turn to us.
I’m confident his friends will join our side.
SIR JAMES BLUNT
He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,
He has no friends except those friends that fear him,
Which in his dearest need will fly from him.
Who, in his hour of need, will all desert him.
HENRY, EARL OF RICHMOND
All for our vantage. Then in God’s name march!
That’s going to help us. Then in God’s name, march!
True hope is swift and flies with swallow’s wings,
True hope flies fast upon a swallow’s wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
Kings rise to God-like status, folk to kings.
[EXEUNT OMNES.]
