Act 2, Scene 4: A camp in Wales

SCENE IV. A camp in Wales.

    Enter EARL OF SALISBURY and a Welsh Captain

Captain

    My lord of Salisbury, we have stay'd ten days,
    And hardly kept our countrymen together,
    And yet we hear no tidings from the king;
    Therefore we will disperse ourselves: farewell.

EARL OF SALISBURY

    Stay yet another day, thou trusty Welshman:
    The king reposeth all his confidence in thee.

Captain

    'Tis thought the king is dead; we will not stay.
    The bay-trees in our country are all wither'd
    And meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven;
    The pale-faced moon looks bloody on the earth
    And lean-look'd prophets whisper fearful change;
    Rich men look sad and ruffians dance and leap,
    The one in fear to lose what they enjoy,
    The other to enjoy by rage and war:
    These signs forerun the death or fall of kings.
    Farewell: our countrymen are gone and fled,
    As well assured Richard their king is dead.

    Exit

EARL OF SALISBURY

    Ah, Richard, with the eyes of heavy mind
    I see thy glory like a shooting star
    Fall to the base earth from the firmament.
    Thy sun sets weeping in the lowly west,
    Witnessing storms to come, woe and unrest:
    Thy friends are fled to wait upon thy foes,
    And crossly to thy good all fortune goes.

    Exit