Harry, that prophecy'd thou should'st be king', 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! [To King RICHARD. Rivers, that died at Pomfret! Despair, and die! Grey. Think upon Grey, and let thy soul despair! [To King RICHARD. Vaugh. Think upon Vaughan; and, with guilty fear, Let fall thy lance! Despair, and die !— [To King RICHARD. 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. 9 Harry, that prophecy'd thou should'st be king,] The prophecy to which this allusion is made, is uttered in one of the parts of Henry the Sixth. 1 And fall thy edgeless sword;] Fall, in the present instance, is a verb active, signifying to drop, or let fall. And in a bloody battle end thy days! [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! 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 edgeless sword; Despair, and die!— Dream of success and happy victory; Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee. [TO RICHMOND. The Ghost of BUCKINGHAM rises. Ghost. The first was I, that help'd thee to the crown; The last was I that felt thy tyranny: [To King RICHARD. 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. But cheer thy heart, and be thou not dismay'd: [The Ghosts vanish. King RICHARD starts K. Rich. Give me another horse',-bind up my wounds, Have mercy, Jesu !-Soft; I did but dream.- I am a villain: Yet I lie, I am not. Fool, of thyself speak well :-Fool, do not flatter. 2 I died for hope,] i. e. I died for wishing well to you. 3 Give me another horse,] There is in this, as in many of our author's speeches of passion, something very trifling and something very striking. Richard's debate, whether he should quarrel with himself, is too long continued, but the subsequent exaggeration of his crimes is truly tragical. JOHNSON. + "Alack! I love myself."-Malone. Throng to the bar, crying all,—Guilty! guilty! Nay, wherefore should they? since that I myself Methought, the souls of all that I had murder'd Rat. My lord, Enter RATCLIFF. K. Rich. Who's there? Rat. Ratcliff, my lord; 'tis 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 thinkest thou? will our friends prove all true? Rat. No doubt, my lord. K. Rich. 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. RICHMOND wakes. Enter OXFORD and Others. Lords. Good morrow, Richmond. Richm. 'Cry mercy, lords, 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, Have I since your departure had, my lords. Methought, their souls, whose bodies Richard murder'd, I promise you, my heart is very jocund How far into the morning is it, lords? Richm. Why, then 'tis time to arm, and give direc[He advances to the Troops. tion. More than I have said, loving countrymen, . One rais'd in blood, and one in blood establish'd; Of England's chair,] England's chair, means England's throne. quit] i. e. requite. VOL. VI. K |