King Richard III Part 21

King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.

Enter the GHOST of HENRY THE SIXTH

GHOST. [To RICHARD] When I was mortal, my anointed body By thee was punched full of deadly holes.

Think on the Tower and me. Despair, and die.

Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.

[To RICHMOND] Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!

Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be King, Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live and flourish!

Enter the GHOST of CLARENCE

GHOST. [To RICHARD] Let me sit heavy in thy soul to-morrow! I that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine, Poor Clarence, by thy guile betray'd to death!

To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!

[To RICHMOND] Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster, The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee.

Good angels guard thy battle! Live and flourish!

Enter the GHOSTS of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN

GHOST OF RIVERS. [To RICHARD] Let me sit heavy in thy soul to-morrow, Rivers that died at Pomfret! Despair and die!

GHOST OF GREY. [To RICHARD] Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!

GHOST OF VAUGHAN. [To RICHARD] Think upon Vaughan, and with guilty fear Let fall thy lance. Despair and die!

ALL. [To RICHMOND] Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard's bosom Will conquer him. Awake and win the day.

Enter the GHOST of HASTINGS

GHOST. [To RICHARD] b.l.o.o.d.y and guilty, guiltily awake, And in a b.l.o.o.d.y battle end thy days!

Think on Lord Hastings. Despair and die.

[To RICHMOND] Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake!

Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!

Enter the GHOSTS of the two young PRINCES

GHOSTS. [To RICHARD] Dream on thy cousins smothered in the Tower.

Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard, And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death!

Thy nephews' souls bid thee despair and die.

[To RICHMOND] Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake in joy; Good angels guard thee from the boar's annoy!

Live, and beget a happy race of kings!

Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.

Enter the GHOST of LADY ANNE, his wife

GHOST. [To RICHARD] Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife That never slept a quiet hour with thee Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.

To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die.

[To RICHMOND] Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep; Dream of success and happy victory.

Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.

Enter the GHOST of BUCKINGHAM

GHOST. [To RICHARD] The first was I that help'd thee to the crown; The last was I that felt thy tyranny.

O, in the battle think on Buckingham, And die in terror of thy guiltiness!

Dream on, dream on of b.l.o.o.d.y deeds and death; Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!

[To RICHMOND] I died for hope ere I could lend thee aid; But cheer thy heart and be thou not dismay'd: G.o.d and good angels fight on Richmond's side; And Richard falls in height of all his pride.

[The GHOSTS vanish. RICHARD starts out of his dream]

KING RICHARD. Give me another horse. Bind up my wounds.

Have mercy, Jesu! Soft! I did but dream.

O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!

The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.

Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.

What do I fear? Myself? There's none else by.

Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.

Is there a murderer here? No-yes, I am.

Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why- Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself!

Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good That I myself have done unto myself?

O, no! Alas, I rather hate myself For hateful deeds committed by myself!

I am a villain; yet I lie, I am not.

Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.

My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, And every tongue brings in a several tale, And every tale condemns me for a villain.

Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree; Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree; All several sins, all us'd in each degree, Throng to the bar, crying all 'Guilty! guilty!'

I shall despair. There is no creature loves me; And if I die no soul will pity me: And wherefore should they, since that I myself Find in myself no pity to myself?

Methought the souls of all that I had murder'd Came to my tent, and every one did threat To-morrow's vengeance on the head of Richard.

Enter RATCLIFF

RATCLIFF. My lord!

KING RICHARD. Zounds, who is there?

RATCLIFF. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis I. The early village-c.o.c.k Hath twice done salutation to the morn; Your friends are up and buckle on their armour.

KING RICHARD. O Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream!

What think'st thou-will our friends prove all true?

RATCLIFF. No doubt, my lord.

KING RICHARD. O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear.

RATCLIFF. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

KING RICHARD By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night Have stuck more terror to the soul of Richard Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.

'Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me; Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper, To see if any mean to shrink from me. Exeunt

Enter the LORDS to RICHMOND sitting in his tent

LORDS. Good morrow, Richmond!

RICHMOND. Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen, That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here.

LORDS. How have you slept, my lord?

RICHMOND. The sweetest sleep and fairest-boding dreams That ever ent'red in a drowsy head Have I since your departure had, my lords.

Methought their souls whose bodies Richard murder'd Came to my tent and cried on victory.

I promise you my soul is very jocund In the remembrance of so fair a dream.

How far into the morning is it, lords?

LORDS. Upon the stroke of four.

RICHMOND. Why, then 'tis time to arm and give direction.

His ORATION to his SOLDIERS

More than I have said, loving countrymen, The leisure and enforcement of the time Forbids to dwell upon; yet remember this: G.o.d and our good cause fight upon our side; The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls, Like high-rear'd bulwarks, stand before our faces; Richard except, those whom we fight against Had rather have us win than him they follow.