Speeches (Lines) for Sir Richard Ratcliff in "History of Richard III"

Lord Hastings. I'll wait upon your lordship.

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Come, bring forth the prisoners.

Sir Thomas Vaughan. You live that shall cry woe for this after.

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Dispatch; the limit of your lives is out.

Lord (Earl) Rivers. Then cursed she Hastings, then cursed she Buckingham,
Then cursed she Richard. O, remember, God
To hear her prayers for them, as now for us
And for my sister and her princely sons,
Be satisfied, dear God, with our true blood,
Which, as thou know'st, unjustly must be spilt.

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Make haste; the hour of death is expiate.

Lord Hastings. Woe, woe for England! not a whit for me;
For I, too fond, might have prevented this.
Stanley did dream the boar did raze his helm;
But I disdain'd it, and did scorn to fly:
Three times to-day my foot-cloth horse did stumble,
And startled, when he look'd upon the Tower,
As loath to bear me to the slaughter-house.
O, now I want the priest that spake to me:
I now repent I told the pursuivant
As 'twere triumphing at mine enemies,
How they at Pomfret bloodily were butcher'd,
And I myself secure in grace and favour.
O Margaret, Margaret, now thy heavy curse
Is lighted on poor Hastings' wretched head!

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Dispatch, my lord; the duke would be at dinner:
Make a short shrift; he longs to see your head.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. Bear her my true love's kiss; and so, farewell.
[Exit QUEEN ELIZABETH]
Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!
[Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following]
How now! what news?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. My gracious sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant 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, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

Sir William Catesby. I go.

Sir Richard Ratcliff. What is't your highness' pleasure I shall do at
Salisbury?

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. Why, what wouldst thou do there before I go?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Your highness told me I should post before.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. Send out a pursuivant at arms
To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.
[Exit CATESBY]
Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.
Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.
Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff!

Sir Richard Ratcliff. My lord?

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord Northumberland?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Thomas the Earl of Surrey, and himself,
Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine:
I have not that alacrity of spirit,
Nor cheer of mind, that I was wont to have.
Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. It is, my lord.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. 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, stem murder, in the direst degree;
All several sins, all used 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 shall 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.

Sir Richard Ratcliff. My lord!

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. 'Zounds! who is there?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. 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.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. O Ratcliff, I have dream'd a fearful dream!
What thinkest thou, will our friends prove all true?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. No doubt, my lord.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. O Ratcliff, I fear, I fear,--

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Nay, good my lord, be not afraid of shadows.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. What said Northumberland as touching Richmond?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. That he was never trained up in arms.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. He said the truth: and what said Surrey then?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. He smiled and said 'The better for our purpose.'

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. He was in the right; and so indeed it is.
[Clock striketh]
Ten the clock there. Give me a calendar.
Who saw the sun to-day?

Sir Richard Ratcliff. Not I, my lord.

Richard - Duke of Gloucester - Richard III after enthronement. Then he disdains to shine; for by the book
He should have braved the east an hour ago
A black day will it be to somebody. Ratcliff!

Sir Richard Ratcliff. My lord?