Richard the Third (Modern)
Not Peer Reviewed
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[5.2]
¶Richmond Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends
¶Bruised underneath the yoke of tyranny,
¶Thus far into the bowels of the land
¶Have we marched on without impediment;
3410[Shows the letters.] And here receive we from our father Stanley
¶Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
¶The wretched, bloody and usurping boar
¶That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines,
¶Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough
3415In your embowelled bosoms, this foul swine
¶Lies now even in the center of this isle,
¶Near to the town of Leicester as we learn;
¶From Tamworth thither is but one day's march.
¶In God's name, cheerly on, courageous friends,
3420To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
¶By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
¶1 Lord Every man's conscience is a thousand swords
¶To fight against that bloody homicide.
¶2 Lord I doubt not but his friends will fly to us.
34253 Lord He hath no friends but who are friends for fear,
¶Which in his greatest need will shrink from him.
¶Richmond All for our vantage then, in God's name, march!
¶True hope is swift, and flies with swallows' wings;
¶Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
3430
Exeunt.
