Our ancient word of courage, fair St George,
Infpire us with the fpleen of fiery dragons.
Upon them! Victory fits on our helms.

SCENE

Alarm. Excurfions

[Exeunt.

VIII.

Enter Catesby.

Catef Refcue, my Lord of Norfolk! refcue! refcue! The King enacts more wonders than a man, Daring an oppofite to every danger!

His horse is flain, and all on foot he fights,
Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.
-Refcue, fair Lord, or elfe the day is loft.

Alarm. Enter King Richard.

K. Rich. A horfe! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! Catef. Withdraw, my Lord, I'll help you to a horse. K. Rich. Slave, I have fet my life upon a cast, And I will stand the hazard of the dye.

I think there be fix Richinonds in the field;
Five have I flain to-day instead of him.
-A horfe! a horfe! my kingdom for a horfe!

[Exeunt.

Alarms. Enter King Richard and Richmond: they fight: Richard is flain.

Retreat and flourish. Enter Richmond, Stanley bearing the crown, with divers other Lords.

Rich. God and your arms be prais'd, victorious The day is ours! the bloody dog is dead. [friends, Stan. Couragious Richmond, well haft thou acquit Lo, here thefe long-ufurped royalties, [thee: From the dead temples of this bloody wretch Have I pluck'd off, to grace thy brows withal. Wear it, enjoy it, and make use of it.

Rich. Great God of heaven, fay Amen to all! But tell me, firft, is young George Stanley living? Stan. He is, my Lord, and fafe in Lei'fter town; Whither, if you fo pleafe, we may withdraw us.

Rich. What men of name are flain on either fide? Stan. John Duke of Norfolk, Walter the Lord Ferris,

Sir Robert Brakenbury, Sir William Brandon
Rich. Inter their bodies as becomes their births.
Proclaim a pardon to the foldiers fled,
That in fubmiffion will return to us.
And then, as we have ta'en the facrament,
We will unite the White rofe and the Red.
Smile, Heav'n, upon this fair conjunction,
That long hath frown'd upon their enmity!
What traitor hears me, and fays not Amen?
England hath long been mad, and fcarr'd herself;
The brother blindly fhed the brother's blood,
The father rafhly flaughter'd his own fon,
The fons, compell'd, been butchers to their fires:
All this divided York and Lancaster,
Divided in their dire divifion.

O now let Richmond and Elizabeth,
.The true fucceeders of each royal house,
By God's fair ordinance conjoin together!
And let their heirs, God, if thy will be fo,
Enrich the time to come with fmooth-fac'd Peace,
With fmiling Plenty, and fair profp'rous days.
Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord!
That would reduce thefe bloody days again,
And make poor England weep in ftreams of blood.
Let them not live to taste this land's increafe,
That would with treafon wound this fair land's

peace.

Now civil wounds are flop'd, Peace lives agen; That he may long live here, God, fay Amen! [Exeunt *.

This is one of the most celebrated of our author's performances; yet I know not whether it has not happened to him as to others, to be praised most when praife is not most deserved. That this play has scenes noble in themfelves, and very well contrived to strike in the exhibition, cannot be denied: but fome parts are trifling, others fhocking, and fome improbable.

Johnfon

THE END OF VOLUME SIXTH.