Doth comfort thee in sleep: live thou,' and flourish. The Ghost of CLARENCE rises. Ghost. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow. [To King RICHARD. 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.Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster, [TO RICHMOND. The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee; Good angels guard thy battle! Live and flourish. The Ghosts of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN rise. Riv. Let me sit heavy on thy soul to-morrow; Rivers, that died at Pomfret. [To King RICHARD. Despair, and die. let thy soul despair. [To King RICHARD. and with guilty fear Despair, and die.— [To King RICHARD. Vaugh. Think upon Vaughan, Let fall thy pointless2 lance. All. Awake! and think our wrongs in Richard's bosom [TO RICHMOND. Will conquer him.-Awake, and win the day! The Ghost of HASTINGS rises. Ghost. Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake; [To King RICHARD. And in a bloody battle end thy days. Think on lord Hastings: so3 despair, and die. [TO RICHMOND. Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake. The Ghosts of the two young Princes rise. Ghosts. Dream on thy cousins smother'd in the Tower: Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard, And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death. Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish. 1 2 Not in f. e. 3 and in f. e. 4 So the quarto, 1597; the other old copies laid. The Ghost of Queen ANNE rises. Ghost. Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife, That never slept a quiet hour with thee, And fall thy powerless arm.1 Despair, and die.- Dream of success and happy victory: [TO RICHMOND. Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee. Ghost. The first was I that help'd thee to the crown; [To King RICHARD. The last was I that felt thy tyranny. Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and death: [TO RICHMOND. [The Ghosts vanish. King RICHARD starts K. Rich. Give me another horse!-bind up my wounds! Have mercy, Jesu!-Soft! I did but dream.- Is there a murderer here? No;-yes; I am: O! no alas! I rather hate myself, Fool, of thyself speak well:-Fool, do not flatter. 1 edgeless sword: in f. e. My conscience hath a thousand several tongues, Nay, wherefore should they? since that I myself Methought, the souls of all that I had murder'd Rat. My lord. K. Rich. Who's there? Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; 't is I. The early village cock Hath twice done salutation to the morn: Your friends are up, and buckle on their armour. K. Rich. O Ratcliff! I have dream'd a fearful dream. What think'st thou ? will our friends prove all true? Rat. No doubt, my lord. K. Rich. O Ratcliff! I fear, I fear Rat. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows. K. Rich. By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard, Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers, Armed in proof, and led by shallow Richmond. It is not yet near day. Come, go with me: Under our tents I'll play the eaves-dropper, To hear if any mean to shrink from me. [Exeunt King RICHARD and RATCLIFF. Enter OXFORD and others. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond. Richm. Cry mercy, lords, [Waking.] and watchful gentlemen, That you have ta'en a tardy sluggard here. Lords. How have you slept, my lord? Richm. The sweetest sleep, and fairest-boding dreams, That ever enter'd in a drowsy head, 1 perjury in f. e. 2 Zounds, who 's there: in quartos. 3 This and the previous speech, are not in the folios. Have I since your departure had, my lords. Methought, their souls, whose bodies Richard murder'd, I promise you, my heart' is very jocund tion. Richm. Why, then 't is time to arm, and give direc- One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd ; Shall be this cold corpse on the earth's cold face; The least of you shall share his part thereof. God, and Saint George! Richmond, and victory! [Exeunt. Re-enter King RICHARD, RATCLIFF, Attendants, and Forces. K. Rich. What said Northumberland, as touching Rat. That he was never trained up in arms. K. Rich. He said the truth: and what said Surrey Rat. He smil'd and said, the better for our purpose. [Clock strikes. Tell the clock there.-Give me a calendar. Who saw the sun to-day? Rat. [Calendar brought.' Not I, my lord. K. Rich. Then he disdains to shine; for, by the book, He should have brav'd the east an hour ago: A black day will it be to somebody. Ratcliff! Rat. My lord. K. Rich. The sun will not be seen to-day: The sky doth frown and lour upon our army. Enter NORFOLK. Nor. Arm, arm, my lord! the foe vaunts in the field. horse. Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power. I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain, And thus my battle shall be ordered. In the main battle; whose puissance on either side 1 Not in f... 2 My foreward shall be drawn out all in length: in f. e. |