Doc Sherwood's Richard III, Act IV
By William Shakespeare
Cast:
(Of the House of York)
King RICHARD the Third
CATESBY
RATCLIFFE
Their SOLDIERS
(Of the House of Tudor)
Henry RICHMOND
DORSET
Their SOLDIERS
(Ghosts)
George of CLARENCE
KING Edward the Fourth
King EDWARD the Fifth
The Duke of YORK
BUCKINGHAM
SCENE 1. The battlefield.
Stage-lighting to indicate sunset. Enter RICHMOND, DORSET and their SOLDIERS.
RICHMOND: Brothers in arms, we have marched this far, and here we’ll make our stand — at Bosworth Field by the town of Leicester, so I’m told. Have courage, my friends, for we fight for what’s right. That tyrant who’s washed the realm in blood awaits us. Let’s resolve to reap the harvest of peace through one last trial of war.
Exit RICHMOND, DORSET and their SOLDIERS.
The lights dim further, to indicate night-time. Enter RICHARD, CATESBY, RATCLIFFE and their SOLDIERS.
RICHARD: Survey the battlefield, men, and make a good job of it. For let’s not forget, tomorrow is a busy day.
Exit SOLDIERS.
RICHARD: No wine for me this evening. I’m strangely apprehensive, though I can’t say why. Command my guard to watch, and at daybreak come to my tent and help me with my armour. Now go.
Exit CATESBY and RATCLIFFE.
RICHARD: What’s the matter with me tonight? How many battles have I fought, and won? Why should Bosworth Field be any different?
A pause.
RICHARD: Well, it’s beyond me why I’m so on edge. Ha! Anyone would think there’s a murderer around here!
Another pause.
RICHARD: Well, I guess there is. Me.
RICHARD sits.
RICHARD: But what of that? I’m not going to kill myself, am I? No, here and now I’m safe, until morning anyway. Nothing at all to fear…
RICHARD goes to sleep. Silence for a short time. And then:
Enter the GHOST of CLARENCE.
CLARENCE: Let me sit heavy in your soul, poor Clarence who you drowned in a barrel of wine. Tomorrow in the battle, despair and die.
Enter the GHOST of the KING.
KING: Your wicked scheming stopped my breath, as surely as it stopped our brother’s. Tomorrow in the battle, despair and die.
Enter the GHOSTS of EDWARD and YORK.
BOTH: Dream on your nephews smothered in the Tower, and may we be the weight that drags you to your doom. Tomorrow in the battle, despair and die.
Enter the GHOST of BUCKINGHAM.
BUCKINGHAM: I was the first to help you the crown, and the last to feel your tyranny. Tomorrow in the battle, despair and die!
RICHARD wakes with a start, and screams. Exit the GHOSTS, as RICHARD falls to the floor.
RICHARD: Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds! Have mercy! Jesu!
Enter CATESBY and RATCLIFFE, alarmed by the noise.
CATESBY: My lord!
RICHARD: Who's there?
RATCLIFFE: It’s only us, sire. Morning’s here. We were going to help you arm, as instructed.
RICHARD: Oh, Ratcliffe, I’ve dreamed a fearful dream! Do you think we’ll survive this? Our soldiers aren’t going to fail us, are they?
RATCLIFFE: They’ll do their job, my lord.
RICHARD: Yet I fear, I fear — !
CATESBY: My liege, don’t be afraid of shadows.
RICHARD: You don’t know what shadows I've seen.
RICHARD, helped by RATCLIFFE and CATESBY, rises to his feet.
RICHARD: You’re right. You’re right. Let’s not allow babbling dreams to fright our souls, now of all times. Conscience is just a word that cowards use. Let our weapons be our conscience — let our swords decide the law! March on, men, and let’s get down to it. If it’s too late for Heaven, I’ll see Richmond in Hell!
Exit all.
SCENE 2. The battlefield.
A fully-lit stage, indicating daylight.
Enter RICHMOND and DORSET.
RICHMOND: Advance your standards, draw your swords! Sound the drums and trumpets boldly. For the sake of our nation, onward!
Exit RICHMOND and DORSET.
Enter all SOLDIERS, half of them from one side of the stage and half from the other. A war is fought.
Exit SOLDIERS.
Enter CATESBY and RATCLIFFE.
RATCLIFFE: We must regroup! Richard fights like a man possessed, but his horse is down, and he can’t last long on foot. Regroup and withdraw, or the day is lost!
Enter RICHARD.
RICHARD: A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
CATESBY: I'll help you to a horse, my lord. We’ll retreat, and plan anew!
RICHARD: Never! I have made a wager with my life, so let the chips fall where they may. A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
Enter RICHMOND and DORSET. Exit CATESBY and RATCLIFFE.
RICHMOND and DORSET surround RICHARD.
A pause, as RICHARD looks from one to the other.
Then, with a yell, RICHARD attacks. They fight. DORSET stabs RICHARD, then RICHMOND stabs him again.
RICHARD falls and dies.
DORSET: God and our swords be praised, victorious friend! The day is ours! The bloody dog is dead!
DORSET kneels.
DORSET: Long live Henry the Seventh, rightwise King of England!
RICHMOND: My gracious lord of Dorset, I thank you. May there be no more tyrants, and may we never again see such dark days as these! No longer shall our fair land weep tears of blood. The civil wars are over, and peace lives again!
Curtain.
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Comments (4)
Excellent as usual. I managed to find Larry on some streaming service and have watched most of his Richard. He was such a great actor. Enjoyed your version of this, Doc, very much and I notice that you've been writing a series of chapters so will check those out too at some point. No plans to visit Bosworth Field as yet but I will keep you posted.
Now this is a way to learn, if had learnt history this way I pretty sure I wouldn't forget it easily. I must give my compliments to costume designers, I am guessing that there was not a lot budget for this show but the way the costumes were made showed that no effort was spared there. The last picture captures the moments of fun they had playing the show.
Look at all those smiling faces; they had so much fun. This was great. Thank you for sharing this with us, Doc.
This was fun 🙂🫶🏽