More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
I have heard that fearful commenting Is leaden servitor to dull delay; Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary:246 Then fiery expedition247 be my wing, Jove’s Mercury,248 and herald for a king! Come, muster men: my counsel is my shield; We must be brief when traitors brave the field.249
K. RICH.
Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
Than Buckingham and his rash-levied army.
Come, I have heard that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary: 246
Then fiery expedition247 be my wing,
Jove’s Mercury, 248 and herald for a king!
Come, muster men: my counsel is my shield;
We must be brief when traitors brave the field. 249
[Exeunt.]
Footnotes
246 fearful ... beggary] timorous reflection serves the slow purpose of sluggish procrastination; procrastination superinduces feeble and creeping beggary.
247 fiery expedition] rapidity of fire or lightning.
248 Mercury] the swift messenger of Jove.
249 brave the field] vauntingly challenge (us) to the battlefield.
Plantagenet doth quit252 Plantagenet, Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.
Q. MAR.
Plantagenet doth quit 252 Plantagenet,
Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.
Footnote
252 quit] requite.
Blind sight, dead life, poor mortal living ghost, Woe’s scene, world’s shame, grave’s due by life usurp’d, Brief abstract and record of tedious days, Rest thy unrest on England’s lawful earth,
DUCH.
Blind sight, dead life, poor mortal living ghost,
Woe’s scene, world’s shame, grave’s due by life usurp’d,
Brief abstract and record of tedious days,
Rest thy unrest on England’s lawful earth,
[Sitting down.]
Unlawfully made drunk with innocents’ blood!
I had an Edward, till a Richard kill’d him; I had a Harry, till a Richard kill’d him: Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard kill’d him; Thou hadst a Richard, till a Richard kill’d him.
Q. MAR.
It ancient sorrow be most reverend,
Give mine the benefit of seniory,
And let my woes frown on the upper hand.
If sorrow can admit society,
[Sitting down with them.]
Tell o’er your woes again by viewing mine:
I had an Edward, till a Richard kill’d him;
I had a Harry, till a Richard kill’d him:
Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard kill’d him;
Thou hadst a Richard, till a Richard kill’d him.
DUCH.
I had a Richard too, and thou didst kill him;
I had a Rutland too, thou holp’st to kill him.
Q. MAR.
Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard kill’d him.
From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept A hell-hound that doth hunt us all to death: That dog, that had his teeth255 before his eyes, To worry lambs and lap their gentle blood, That foul defacer of God’s handiwork, That excellent grand tyrant of the earth, That reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls, Thy womb let loose, to chase us to our graves.
Q. MAR.
Thou hadst a Clarence too, and Richard kill’d him.
From forth the kennel of thy womb hath crept
A hell-hound that doth hunt us all to death:
That dog, that had his teeth 255 before his eyes,
To worry lambs and lap their gentle blood,
That foul defacer of God’s handiwork,
That excellent grand tyrant of the earth,
That reigns in galled eyes of weeping souls,
Thy womb let loose, to chase us to our graves.
O upright, just, and true-disposing God,
How do I thank thee, that this carnal 256 cur
Preys on the issue of his mother’s body,
And makes her pew-fellow257 with others’ moan!
Decline all this,264 and see what now thou art:
Q. MAR. . . .
Decline all this, 264 and see what now thou art:
For happy wife, a most distressed widow;
For joyful mother, one that wails the name;
For queen, a very caitiff 265 crown’d with care;
For one being sued to, one that humbly sues;
For one that scorn’d at me, now scorn’d of me;
For one being fear’d of all, now fearing one;
For one commanding all, obey’d of none.
Farewell, York’s wife, and queen of sad mischance: These English woes will make me smile in France.
Q. ELIZ. O thou well skill’d in curses, stay awhile, And teach me how to curse mine enemies! Q. MAR. Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days; Compare dead happiness with living woe; Think that thy babes were fairer than they were, And he that slew them fouler than he is: Bettering thy loss266 makes the bad causer worse: Revolving this will teach thee how to curse. Q. ELIZ. My words are dull; O, quicken them with thine! Q. MAR. Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine. [Exit.] DUCH. Why should calamity be full ot words? Q. ELIZ. Windy attorneys to their client woes, Airy
...more
Q. ELIZ.
O thou well skill’d in curses, stay awhile,
And teach me how to curse mine enemies!
Q. MAR.
Forbear to sleep the nights, and fast the days;
Compare dead happiness with living woe;
Think that thy babes were fairer than they were,
And he that slew them fouler than he is:
Bettering thy loss 266 makes the bad causer worse:
Revolving this will teach thee how to curse.
Q. ELIZ.
My words are dull; O, quicken them with thine!
Q. MAR.
Thy woes will make them sharp and pierce like mine.
[Exit.]
DUCH.
Why should calamity be full ot words?
Q. ELIZ.
Windy attorneys to their client woes,
Airy succeeders of intestate joys, 267
Poor breathing orators of miseries!
Let them have scope: though what they do impart
Help not at all, yet do they ease the heart.
DUCH.
If so, then be not tongue-tied: go with me,
And in the breath of bitter words let’s smother
My damned son, which thy two sweet sons smother’d.
I hear his drum: be copious in exclaims.
For I shall never speak to thee again.
DUCH.
Hear me a word; For I shall never speak to thee again.
K. RICH.
So.
DUCH.
Either thou wilt die, by God’s just ordinance,
Ere from this war thou turn a conqueror,
Or I with grief and extreme age shall perish
And never look upon thy face again.
Therefore take with thee my most heavy curse;
Which, in the day of battle, tire thee more
Than all the complete armour that thou wear’st!
My prayers on the adverse party fight;
And there the little souls of Edward’s children
Whisper the spirits of thine enemies,
And promise them success and victory.
Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end;
Shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend.
[Exit.]
Bloody thou art, bloody will be thy end; Shame serves thy life and doth thy death attend.
RICH.
what is done cannot be now amended:
Plain and not honest is too harsh a style.
Therefore, good mother,—I must call you so— Be the attorney of my love to her: Plead what I will be, not what I have been; Not my deserts, but what I will deserve: Urge the necessity and state of times, And be not peevish-fond288 in great designs.
K. RICH. . . .
Therefore, good mother,—I must call you so—
Be the attorney of my love to her:
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve:
Urge the necessity and state of times,
And be not peevish-fond288 in great designs.
on the western coast Rideth a puissant291
RAT.
My gracious sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant291 navy; to the shore
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm’d, and unresolved to beat them back:
’Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, 292 expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
Is the king dead? the empire unpossess’d?
STAN.
Richmond is on the seas.
K. RICH.
There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver’d runagate, 296 what doth he there?
STAN.
I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
K. RICH.
Well, sir, as you guess, as you guess?
STAN.
Stirr’d up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Ely,
He makes for England, there to claim the crown.
K. RICH.
Is the chair empty? is the sword unsway’d?
Is the king dead? the empire unpossess’d?
What heir of York is there alive but we?
And who is England’s king but great
York’s heir? Then, tell me, what doth he upon the sea?
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.
True hope is swift, and flies with swallow’s wings; Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
Let’s want no discipline, make no delay; For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day.
What is’t o’clock?
But on thy side I may not be too forward, Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George, Be executed in his father’s sight.
Think, how thou stab’dst me in my prime of youth At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die!
Enter the Ghost of PRINCE EDWARD, son to HENRY THE SIXTH
GHOST. [To RICHARD]
Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow!
Think, how thou stab’dst me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury: despair, therefore, and die!
[To RICHMOND] Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged souls
Of butcher’d princes fight in thy behalf:
King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
Think on the Tower and me: despair, and die! Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die!
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!
To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword: despair, and die!
Enter the Ghost of CLARENCE
GHOST. [To RICHARD]
Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow!
I, that was wash’d to death with fulsome wine, 327
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!
Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow, Rivers, that died at Pomfret! despair, and die!
Enter the Ghosts of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN
GHOST OF R. [To RICHARD]
Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow,
Rivers, that died at Pomfret! despair, and die!
Think upon Vaughan, and, with guilty fear, Let fall thy lance: despair, and die!
GHOST OF G. [To RICHARD]
Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!
GHOST OF V. [To RICHARD]
Think upon Vaughan, and, with guilty fear,
Let fall thy lance: despair, and die!
Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard’s bosom Will conquer him! awake, and win the day!
ALL. [To RICHMOND]
Awake, and think our wrongs in Richard’s bosom
Will conquer him! awake, and win the day!
And in a bloody battle end thy days! Think on Lord Hastings: despair, and die!
Enter the Ghost of HASTINGS
GHOST. [To RICHARD]
Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake,
And in a bloody 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!
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!
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! 328
Live, and beget a happy race of kings!
Edward’s unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.
To-morrow in the battle think on me, And fall thy edgeless sword: despair, and die!
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.
0, in the battle think on Buckingham, And die in terror of thy guiltiness!
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 bloody deeds and death:
Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!
[To RICHMOND] I died for hope 329 ere I could lend thee aid:
But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay’d:
God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side;
And Richard falls in height of all his pride.
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me; And if I die, no soul will pity me: Nay, wherefore should they, since that I myself Find in myself no pity to myself?
[The Ghosts vanish. KING RICHARD starts out of his dream.]
K. RICH.
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. 330 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 direst degree;
All several sins, all used in each degree,
Throng to the bar, 331 crying all “Guilty!
guilty!”
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;
And if I die, no soul will pity me:
Nay, 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.
Conscience is but a word that cowards use, Devised at first to keep the strong in awe:
K. RICH. [Reads]
“Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,
For Dickon343 thy master is bought and sold.”
A thing devised by the enemy.
Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge:
Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls:
Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
Devised at first to keep the strong in awe:
Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law.
March on, join bravely, let us to’t pell-mell;
If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
I have set my life upon a cast, And I will stand the hazard of the die.
A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
What traitor hears me, and says not amen?
Now civil wounds are stopp’d, peace lives again: That she may long live here, God say amen!
