Who prays continually for Richmond's good:
So much for that. The silent hours steal on,
And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
In brief, for so the season bids us be, 88
Prepare thy battle early in the morning,
And put thy fortune to th' arbitrement
Of bloody strokes and mortal-staring war.
I, as I may,—that which I would I cannot,— 92
With best advantage will deceive the time,
And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms:
But on thy side I may not be too forward,
Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George, 96
Be executed in his father's sight.
Farewell: the leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
And ample interchange of sweet discourse, 100
Which so long sunder'd friends should dwell upon:
God give us leisure for these rites of love!
Once more, adieu: be valiant, and speed well!
Richm. Good lords, conduct him to his regiment. 104
I'll strive, with troubled noise, to take a nap,
Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow,
When I should mount with wings of victory.
Once more, good-night, kind lords and gentlemen. 108
Exeunt. Manet Richmond.
O thou, whose captain I account myself,
Look on my forces with a gracious eye!
Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with a heavy fall 112
Th' usurping helmets of our adversaries!
Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
87 flaky: i.e. broken into flakes of cloud
90 arbitrement: decision
91 mortal-staring: fatal-visaged
93 the time: i.e. those who are about me
96 tender George; cf. n.
98 leisure: duration of opportunity
105 troubled: troublesome
106 peise: weigh
111 bruising . . . wrath; cf. n.
