Home
This site uses cookies
log out

Richard III: Act V, Scene 3

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.

Richard III
Act V, Scene 3

Bosworth Field.

Richard III terrified by nightmarish visions

Richard III terrified by nightmarish visions

Nicolai Abildgaard, unknown date

  1. Enter at one door King Richard, in arms, with
  2. Norfolk, Ratcliffe, and the Earl of Surrey, with
  3. others.

King Richard III

1 - 2
  1. Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth field.
  2. My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?

Surrey

3
  1. My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.

King Richard III

4
  1. My Lord of Norfolk—

Norfolk

5
  1. Here, most gracious liege.

King Richard III

6
  1. Norfolk, we must have knocks. Ha, must we not?

Norfolk

7
  1. We must both give and take, my loving lord.

King Richard III

8 - 10
  1. Up with my tent! Here will I lie tonight
  2. Soldiers begin to set up the King’s tent.
  3. But where tomorrow? Well, all’s one for that.
  4. Who hath descried the number of the traitors?

Norfolk

11
  1. Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.

King Richard III

12 - 19
  1. Why, our battalia trebles that account;
  2. Besides, the King’s name is a tower of strength,
  3. Which they upon the adverse faction want.
  4. Up with the tent! Come, noble gentlemen,
  5. Let us survey the vantage of the ground.
  6. Call for some men of sound direction:
  7. Let’s lack no discipline, make no delay,
  8. For, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.
  1. Exeunt.
  1. Enter at the other door Richmond, Sir William Brandon,
  2. Oxford, and Dorset, Blunt, Herbert,
  3. and others. Some of the soldiers pitch
  4. Richmond’s tent.

Richmond

20 - 35
  1. The weary sun hath made a golden set,
  2. And by the bright tract of his fiery car
  3. Gives token of a goodly day tomorrow.
  4. Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.
  5. Give me some ink and paper in my tent;
  6. I’ll draw the form and model of our battle,
  7. Limit each leader to his several charge,
  8. And part in just proportion our small power.
  9. My Lord of Oxford—you, Sir William Brandon—
  10. And you, Sir Walter Herbert—stay with me.
  11. The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment;
  12. Good Captain Blunt, bear my good-night to him,
  13. And by the second hour in the morning
  14. Desire the Earl to see me in my tent.
  15. Yet one thing more, good captain, do for me—
  16. Where is Lord Stanley quarter’d, do you know?

Blunt

36 - 39
  1. Unless I have mista’en his colors much
  2. (Which well I am assur’d I have not done),
  3. His regiment lies half a mile at least
  4. South from the mighty power of the King.

Richmond

40 - 42
  1. If without peril it be possible,
  2. Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him,
  3. And give him from me this most needful note.

Blunt

43 - 44
  1. Upon my life, my lord, I’ll undertake it,
  2. And so God give you quiet rest tonight!

Richmond

45 - 48
  1. Good night, good Captain Blunt.
  2. Exit Blunt.
  3.                                 Come, gentlemen,
  4. Let us consult upon tomorrow’s business.
  5. In to my tent, the dew is raw and cold.
  1. They withdraw into the tent.
  1. Enter to his tent King Richard, Ratcliffe, Norfolk,
  2. and Catesby.

King Richard III

49
  1. What is’t a’ clock?

Catesby

50 - 51
  1.                     It’s supper-time, my lord,
  2. It’s nine a’ clock.

King Richard III

52 - 55
  1.                     I will not sup tonight.
  2. Give me some ink and paper.
  3. What? Is my beaver easier than it was?
  4. And all my armor laid into my tent?

Catesby

56
  1. It is, my liege, and all things are in readiness.

King Richard III

57 - 58
  1. Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge,
  2. Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.

Norfolk

59
  1. I go, my lord.

King Richard III

60
  1. Stir with the lark tomorrow, gentle Norfolk.

Norfolk

61
  1. I warrant you, my lord.
  1. Exit.

King Richard III

62
  1. Catesby!

Catesby

63
  1. My lord?

King Richard III

64 - 71
  1.          Send out a pursuivant-at-arms
  2. To Stanley’s regiment, bid him bring his power
  3. Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
  4. Into the blind cave of eternal night.
  5. Exit Catesby.
  6. Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.
  7. Saddle white Surrey for the field tomorrow.
  8. Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
  9. Ratcliffe!

Ratcliffe

72
  1. My lord?

King Richard III

73
  1. Saw’st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?

Ratcliffe

74 - 76
  1. Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
  2. Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop
  3. Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.

King Richard III

77 - 80
  1. So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine.
  2. I have not that alacrity of spirit
  3. Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have.
  4. Wine brought.
  5. Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

Ratcliffe

81
  1. It is, my lord.

King Richard III

82 - 84
  1.                 Bid my guard watch; leave me.
  2. Ratcliffe, about the mid of night come to my tent
  3. And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.
  1. Exit Ratcliffe. Richard sleeps.
  1. Enter Stanley the Earl of Derby to Richmond in
  2. his tent, Lords and others attending.

Byam Shaw, 1901

Stanley

85
  1. Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!

Richmond

86 - 88
  1. All comfort that the dark night can afford
  2. Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
  3. Tell me, how fares our loving mother?

Stanley

89 - 108
  1. I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,
  2. Who prays continually for Richmond’s good.
  3. So much for that. The silent hours steal on,
  4. And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
  5. In brief—for so the season bids us be—
  6. Prepare thy battle early in the morning,
  7. And put thy fortune to the arbitrement
  8. Of bloody strokes and mortal-staring war.
  9. I, as I may—that which I would I cannot—
  10. With best advantage will deceive the time,
  11. And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms;
  12. But on thy side I may not be too forward,
  13. Lest being seen, thy brother, tender George,
  14. Be executed in his father’s sight.
  15. Farewell! The leisure and the fearful time
  16. Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
  17. And ample interchange of sweet discourse
  18. Which so long sund’red friends should dwell upon.
  19. God give us leisure for these rites of love!
  20. Once more, adieu! Be valiant, and speed well!

Richmond

109 - 123
  1. Good lords, conduct him to his regiment.
  2. I’ll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap,
  3. Lest leaden slumber peize me down tomorrow,
  4. When I should mount with wings of victory.
  5. Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
  6. Exeunt. Manet Richmond.
  7. O Thou whose captain I account myself,
  8. Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
  9. Put in their hands thy bruising irons of wrath,
  10. That they may crush down with a heavy fall
  11. The usurping helmets of our adversaries;
  12. Make us thy ministers of chastisement,
  13. That we may praise thee in the victory!
  14. To thee I do commend my watchful soul
  15. Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes:
  16. Sleeping and waking, O, defend me still!
  1. Sleeps.
  1. Enter the Ghost of young Prince Edward of
  2. Lancaster, son to Henry the Sixth, to Richard.

Ghost of Prince Edward

124 - 129
  1. To Richard.
  2. Let me sit heavy on thy soul tomorrow!
  3. Think how thou stab’st me in my prime of youth
  4. At Tewksbury. Despair therefore and die!
  5. To Richmond.
  6. Be cheerful, Richmond, for the wronged souls
  7. Of butchered princes fight in thy behalf.
  8. King Henry’s issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
  1. Enter the Ghost of King Henry the Sixth.

Ghost of King Henry VI

130 - 136
  1. To Richard.
  2. When I was mortal, my anointed body
  3. By thee was punched full of deadly holes.
  4. Think on the Tower and me. Despair and die!
  5. Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.
  6. To Richmond.
  7. Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
  8. Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be king,
  9. Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live and flourish!
  1. Enter the Ghost of Clarence.

Ghost of Clarence

137 - 144
  1. To Richard.
  2. Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
  3. I that was wash’d to death with fulsome wine,
  4. Poor Clarence, by thy guile betray’d to death!
  5. Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
  6. And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
  7. To Richmond.
  8. Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster,
  9. The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee.
  10. Good angels guard thy battle! Live and flourish!
  1. Enter the Ghosts of Rivers, Grey, Vaughan.

Ghost of Rivers

145 - 146
  1. To Richard.
  2. Let me sit heavy in thy soul tomorrow,
  3. Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair and die!

Ghost of Lord Grey

147
  1. To Richard.
  2. Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair!

Ghost of Vaughan

148 - 149
  1. To Richard.
  2. Think upon Vaughan, and with guilty fear
  3. Let fall thy lance. Despair and die!

All Ghosts

150 - 151
  1. To Richmond.
  2. Awake and think our wrongs in Richard’s bosom
  3. Will conquer him! Awake and win the day!
  1. Enter the Ghosts of the two young Princes.

Ghosts of Princes

152 - 159
  1. To Richard.
  2. Dream on thy cousins smothered in the Tower.
  3. Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard,
  4. And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death!
  5. Thy nephews’ souls bid thee despair and die!
  6. To Richmond.
  7. Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace and wake in joy.
  8. Good angels guard thee from the boar’s annoy!
  9. Live and beget a happy race of kings!
  10. Edward’s unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.
  1. Enter the Ghost of Hastings.

Ghost of Lord Hastings

160 - 164
  1. To Richard.
  2. Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake,
  3. And in a bloody battle end thy days!
  4. Think on Lord Hastings. Despair and die!
  5. To Richmond.
  6. Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake!
  7. Arm, fight, and conquer for fair England’s sake!
  1. Enter the Ghost of Lady Anne, his wife.

Ghost of Lady Anne

165 - 172
  1. To Richard.
  2. Richard, thy wife, that wretched Anne thy wife,
  3. That never slept a quiet hour with thee,
  4. Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
  5. Tomorrow in the battle think on me,
  6. And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
  7. To Richmond.
  8. Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep,
  9. Dream of success and happy victory!
  10. Thy adversary’s wife doth pray for thee.
  1. Enter the Ghost of Buckingham.

Ghost of Buckingham

173 - 182
  1. To Richard.
  2. The first was I that help’d thee to the crown;
  3. The last was I that felt thy tyranny.
  4. O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
  5. And die in terror of thy guiltiness!
  6. Dream on, dream on, of bloody deeds and death;
  7. Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!
  8. To Richmond.
  9. I died for hope ere I could lend thee aid,
  10. But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay’d.
  11. God and good angels fight on Richmond’s side,
  12. And Richard falls in height of all his pride!
  1. The Ghosts vanish. Richard starteth up out of a
  2. dream.
Richard III and the ghosts of those murdered by him

Richard III and the ghosts of those murdered by him

Alexandre Bida, 19th century

King Richard III

183 - 212
  1. Give me another horse! Bind up my wounds!
  2. Have mercy, Jesu! Soft, I did but dream.
  3. O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
  4. The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
  5. Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
  6. What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by.
  7. Richard loves Richard, that is, I am I.
  8. Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.
  9. Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why—
  10. Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself?
  11. Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
  12. That I myself have done unto myself?
  13. O no! Alas, I rather hate myself
  14. For hateful deeds committed by myself.
  15. I am a villain; yet I lie, I am not.
  16. Fool, of thyself speak well; fool, do not flatter:
  17. My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
  18. And every tongue brings in a several tale,
  19. And every tale condemns me for a villain.
  20. Perjury, perjury, in the highest degree;
  21. Murder, stern murder, in the direst degree;
  22. All several sins, all us’d in each degree,
  23. Throng to the bar, crying all, “Guilty! Guilty!”
  24. I shall despair; there is no creature loves me,
  25. And if I die no soul will pity me.
  26. And wherefore should they, since that I myself
  27. Find in myself no pity to myself?
  28. Methought the souls of all that I had murder’d
  29. Came to my tent, and every one did threat
  30. Tomorrow’s vengeance on the head of Richard.
  1. Enter Ratcliffe.

Ratcliffe

213
  1. My lord!

King Richard III

214
  1. ’Zounds, who is there?

Ratcliffe

215 - 217
  1. Ratcliffe, my lord, ’tis I. The early village cock
  2. Hath twice done salutation to the morn,
  3. Your friends are up and buckle on their armor.

King Richard III

218 - 219
  1. O Ratcliffe, I have dream’d a fearful dream!
  2. What think’st thou—will our friends prove all true?

Ratcliffe

220
  1. No doubt, my lord.

King Richard III

221
  1.                    O Ratcliffe, I fear, I fear!

Ratcliffe

222
  1. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

King Richard III

223 - 229
  1. By the apostle Paul, shadows tonight
  2. Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard
  3. Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
  4. Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.
  5. ’Tis not yet near day. Come, go with me,
  6. Under our tents I’ll play the ease-dropper,
  7. To see if any mean to shrink from me.
  1. Exeunt.
  1. Enter the Lords to Richmond sitting in his tent.

First Lord to Richmond

230
  1. Good morrow, Richmond!

Richmond

231 - 232
  1. Cry mercy, lords and watchful gentlemen,
  2. That you have ta’en a tardy sluggard here.

Second Lord to Richmond

233
  1. How have you slept, my lord?

Richmond

234 - 241
  1. The sweetest sleep and fairest-boding dreams
  2. That ever ent’red in a drowsy head
  3. Have I since your departure had, my lords.
  4. Methought their souls whose bodies Richard murder’d
  5. Came to my tent and cried on victory.
  6. I promise you, my soul is very jocund
  7. In the remembrance of so fair a dream.
  8. How far into the morning is it, lords?

First Lord to Richmond

242
  1. Upon the stroke of four.

Richmond

243 - 277
  1. Why, then ’tis time to arm and give direction.
  2. His oration to his Soldiers.
  3. More than I have said, loving countrymen,
  4. The leisure and enforcement of the time
  5. Forbids to dwell upon, yet remember this:
  6. God and our good cause fight upon our side;
  7. The prayers of holy saints and wronged souls,
  8. Like high-rear’d bulwarks, stand before our faces.
  9. Richard except, those whom we fight against
  10. Had rather have us win than him they follow:
  11. For what is he they follow? Truly, gentlemen,
  12. A bloody tyrant and a homicide;
  13. One rais’d in blood, and one in blood established;
  14. One that made means to come by what he hath,
  15. And slaughtered those that were the means to help him;
  16. A base foul stone, made precious by the foil
  17. Of England’s chair, where he is falsely set;
  18. One that hath ever been God’s enemy.
  19. Then if you fight against God’s enemy,
  20. God will in justice ward you as his soldiers;
  21. If you do sweat to put a tyrant down,
  22. You sleep in peace, the tyrant being slain;
  23. If you do fight against your country’s foes,
  24. Your country’s fat shall pay your pains the hire;
  25. If you do fight in safeguard of your wives,
  26. Your wives shall welcome home the conquerors;
  27. If you do free your children from the sword,
  28. Your children’s children quits it in your age.
  29. Then in the name of God and all these rights,
  30. Advance your standards, draw your willing swords.
  31. For me, the ransom of my bold attempt
  32. Shall be this cold corpse on the earth’s cold face;
  33. But if I thrive, the gain of my attempt
  34. The least of you shall share his part thereof.
  35. Sound drums and trumpets boldly and cheerfully.
  36. God and Saint George! Richmond and victory!
  1. Exeunt.
  1. Enter King Richard, Ratcliffe, Attendants, and
  2. forces.

When I was mortal, my anointed body
By thee was punched full of deadly holes.

John & Josiah Boydell, printmakers; W. Martin; W. Bulmer and Co., Shakspeare Printing Office, printer; George Nicol; 1803

King Richard III

278
  1. What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

Ratcliffe

279
  1. That he was never trained up in arms.

King Richard III

280
  1. He said the truth, and what said Surrey then?

Ratcliffe

281
  1. He smil’d and said, “The better for our purpose.”

King Richard III

282 - 284
  1. He was in the right, and so indeed it is.
  2. The clock striketh.
  3. Tell the clock there. Give me a calendar.
  4. Who saw the sun today?

Ratcliffe

285
  1.                        Not I, my lord.

King Richard III

286 - 289
  1. Then he disdains to shine, for by the book
  2. He should have brav’d the east an hour ago.
  3. A black day will it be to somebody.
  4. Ratcliffe!

Ratcliffe

290
  1. My lord?

King Richard III

291 - 296
  1.          The sun will not be seen today,
  2. The sky doth frown and low’r upon our army.
  3. I would these dewy tears were from the ground.
  4. Not shine today? Why, what is that to me
  5. More than to Richmond? For the self-same heaven
  6. That frowns on me looks sadly upon him.
  1. Enter Norfolk.

Norfolk

297
  1. Arm, arm, my lord, the foe vaunts in the field.

King Richard III

298 - 310
  1. Come, bustle, bustle! Caparison my horse!
  2. Call up Lord Stanley, bid him bring his power.
  3. I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain,
  4. And thus my battle shall be ordered:
  5. My foreward shall be drawn out all in length,
  6. Consisting equally of horse and foot;
  7. Our archers shall be placed in the midst;
  8. John Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Earl of Surrey,
  9. Shall have the leading of this foot and horse.
  10. They thus directed, we will follow
  11. In the main battle, whose puissance on either side
  12. Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse.
  13. This, and Saint George to boot! What think’st thou, Norfolk?

Norfolk

311 - 314
  1. A good direction, warlike sovereign.
  2. He sheweth him a paper.
  3. This found I on my tent this morning.
  4. Reads.
  5. “Jockey of Norfolk, be not so bold,
  6. For Dickon thy master is bought and sold.”

King Richard III

315 - 352
  1. A thing devised by the enemy.
  2. Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge.
  3. Let not our babbling dreams affright our souls;
  4. Conscience is but a word that cowards use,
  5. Devis’d at first to keep the strong in awe:
  6. Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law!
  7. March on, join bravely, let us to it pell-mell;
  8. If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
  9. His oration to his Army.
  10. What shall I say more than I have inferr’d?
  11. Remember whom you are to cope withal:
  12. A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and runaways,
  13. A scum of Britains and base lackey peasants,
  14. Whom their o’ercloyed country vomits forth
  15. To desperate adventures and assur’d destruction.
  16. You sleeping safe, they bring to you unrest;
  17. You having lands, and blest with beauteous wives,
  18. They would restrain the one, distain the other.
  19. And who doth lead them but a paltry fellow,
  20. Long kept in Britain at our mother’s cost?
  21. A milksop, one that never in his life
  22. Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow?
  23. Let’s whip these stragglers o’er the seas again;
  24. Lash hence these overweening rags of France,
  25. These famish’d beggars weary of their lives,
  26. Who (but for dreaming on this fond exploit)
  27. For want of means, poor rats, had hang’d themselves.
  28. If we be conquered, let men conquer us,
  29. And not these bastard Britains, whom our fathers
  30. Have in their own land beaten, bobb’d, and thump’d,
  31. And in record left them the heirs of shame.
  32. Shall these enjoy our lands? Lie with our wives?
  33. Ravish our daughters?
  34. Drum afar off.
  35.                       Hark, I hear their drum.
  36. Fight, gentlemen of England! Fight, bold yeomen!
  37. Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
  38. Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood;
  39. Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
  40. Enter a Messenger.
  41. What says Lord Stanley? Will he bring his power?
Costume designs for archer and billman in Richard III

Costume designs for archer and billman in Richard III

Charles Hamilton Smith, Emma Hamilton Smith, 19th century

Fifth Messenger

353
  1. My lord, he doth deny to come.

King Richard III

354
  1. Off with his son George’s head!

Norfolk

355 - 356
  1. My lord, the enemy is past the marsh,
  2. After the battle let George Stanley die.

King Richard III

357 - 361
  1. A thousand hearts are great within my bosom.
  2. Advance our standards, set upon our foes.
  3. Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
  4. Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
  5. Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.
  1. Exeunt.
Scene and prop design for Charles Kean's production of Richard III.

Scene and prop design for Charles Kean's production of Richard III.

Charles Hamilton Smith, Emma Hamilton Smith, 19th century

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons