Rob Roy Quotes
In the highlands of Scotland in the 1700s, Rob Roy tries to lead his small town to a better future, by borrowing money from the local nobility to buy cattle to herd to market. When the ... See full summary »
Son: Father, will the MacGregors ever be kings again?
Robert Roy MacGregor: All men with honor are kings. But not all kings have honor.
Son: What is honor?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Honor is...
[Mary looking on]
Robert Roy MacGregor: what no man can give ya. And none can take away. Honor is a man's gift to himself.
Son: Do women have it?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Women have the heart of honor. And we cherish and protect it in them. You must never mistreat a woman, or a lame man. Or stand by a see another do so.
Son: How do you know if you have it?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Never worry on the getting of it. It grows in you, and speaks to you. All you need do is listen.
Robert Roy MacGregor: All men with honor are kings. But not all kings have honor.
Son: What is honor?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Honor is...
[Mary looking on]
Robert Roy MacGregor: what no man can give ya. And none can take away. Honor is a man's gift to himself.
Son: Do women have it?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Women have the heart of honor. And we cherish and protect it in them. You must never mistreat a woman, or a lame man. Or stand by a see another do so.
Son: How do you know if you have it?
Robert Roy MacGregor: Never worry on the getting of it. It grows in you, and speaks to you. All you need do is listen.
Archibald Cunningham: He's a fair hand with a cleaver, it must be said.
Duke of Argyll: Oh, you do not think much of our highland weapons?
Archibald Cunningham: If I had to slaughter an ox, your grace, a Claymore would be my first choice.
Will Guthrie: You'd best use a musket. Save the beast a slow dying.
Archibald Cunningham: I would not need a musket for you, Guthrie.
Duke of Argyll: Oh, you do not think much of our highland weapons?
Archibald Cunningham: If I had to slaughter an ox, your grace, a Claymore would be my first choice.
Will Guthrie: You'd best use a musket. Save the beast a slow dying.
Archibald Cunningham: I would not need a musket for you, Guthrie.
Duke of Argyll: So, Mr. Cunningham, what are these principle sins that distress your mother? Dice? Drink? Or are you a buggerer of boys?
Archibald Cunningham: It is years, Your Grace, since I buggered a boy... And in my own defense, I must add, I thought him a girl at the moment of entry.
Duke of Argyll: [laughs] Do you hear that, Will? Young Cunningham here was unable to tell arse from quim. What say you to that?
Will Guthrie: I've heard that many Englishmen have that same difficulty.
Archibald Cunningham: It is years, Your Grace, since I buggered a boy... And in my own defense, I must add, I thought him a girl at the moment of entry.
Duke of Argyll: [laughs] Do you hear that, Will? Young Cunningham here was unable to tell arse from quim. What say you to that?
Will Guthrie: I've heard that many Englishmen have that same difficulty.
Referee: You are here on a matter of honor. I am here to see that you settle it honorably. There will be no back-stabbing, you will not throw your blades, nor will you use weapons other than those agreed. If quarter should be asked...
Robert Roy MacGregor: No quarter will be asked.
Archibald Cunningham: Or given.
Robert Roy MacGregor: No quarter will be asked.
Archibald Cunningham: Or given.
Robert Roy MacGregor: You should have told me, Mary.
Mary MacGregor: Oh Robert, I should have but I could not. You were right.
Robert Roy MacGregor: No, you were right. I must have my own way too often. I should have packed my pride and given Montrose his way!
Mary MacGregor: No, Robert!
Robert Roy MacGregor: And all this has come on us. Craigrostan would still be ours, Alasdair and Coll would be alive...
Mary MacGregor: And wrong would have been done you!
Robert Roy MacGregor: And what about the wrong done you? Wrong past bearing.
Mary MacGregor: No, not past bearing! Not past bearing. Not if I have my Robert, and he has himself. And you would not, not if you had done a lesser man's bidding.
[Robert is silent]
Mary MacGregor: "Honor is the gift a man gives himself." You told our boys that. Would you have stolen from yourself that which makes you Robert Roy MacGregor?
Mary MacGregor: Oh Robert, I should have but I could not. You were right.
Robert Roy MacGregor: No, you were right. I must have my own way too often. I should have packed my pride and given Montrose his way!
Mary MacGregor: No, Robert!
Robert Roy MacGregor: And all this has come on us. Craigrostan would still be ours, Alasdair and Coll would be alive...
Mary MacGregor: And wrong would have been done you!
Robert Roy MacGregor: And what about the wrong done you? Wrong past bearing.
Mary MacGregor: No, not past bearing! Not past bearing. Not if I have my Robert, and he has himself. And you would not, not if you had done a lesser man's bidding.
[Robert is silent]
Mary MacGregor: "Honor is the gift a man gives himself." You told our boys that. Would you have stolen from yourself that which makes you Robert Roy MacGregor?
Duke of Argyll: You promised MacGregor amnesty from his debts if he would lay charges against me.
Montrose: So! That is how he cozened you into giving him shelter.
Duke of Argyll: Oh, I know the truth when I hear it.
Montrose: Oh! And here was me, thinking that was God's gift alone.
Duke of Argyll: Do not think that all sins go unpaid in this life, Montrose.
Montrose: Well... I see one set soon to be paid for.
Montrose: So! That is how he cozened you into giving him shelter.
Duke of Argyll: Oh, I know the truth when I hear it.
Montrose: Oh! And here was me, thinking that was God's gift alone.
Duke of Argyll: Do not think that all sins go unpaid in this life, Montrose.
Montrose: Well... I see one set soon to be paid for.
[first lines]
Title Card: At the dawn of the 1700's, famine, disease and the greed of great Noblemen were changing Scotland forever. With many emigrating to the Americas, the centuries-old Clan system was slowly being extinguished. This story symbolises the attempt of the individual to withstand these processes and, even in defeat, retain respect and honour.
Title Card: At the dawn of the 1700's, famine, disease and the greed of great Noblemen were changing Scotland forever. With many emigrating to the Americas, the centuries-old Clan system was slowly being extinguished. This story symbolises the attempt of the individual to withstand these processes and, even in defeat, retain respect and honour.
Archibald Cunningham: What did you do with that bag of guts Killearn? Vex me not, McGregor, or I shall have you dragged a while. And I am a man of my word.
Robert Roy MacGregor: You're a thief, a murderer and a violator of women.
Archibald Cunningham: Aah... I had hoped you'd come to me long since on that score.
Robert Roy MacGregor: If I had known earlier you would have been dead sooner.
Archibald Cunningham: I will tell you something, to take with you. Your wife was far sweeter forced than many are willing. And truth put to it, I think not all of her objected...
Robert Roy MacGregor: You're a thief, a murderer and a violator of women.
Archibald Cunningham: Aah... I had hoped you'd come to me long since on that score.
Robert Roy MacGregor: If I had known earlier you would have been dead sooner.
Archibald Cunningham: I will tell you something, to take with you. Your wife was far sweeter forced than many are willing. And truth put to it, I think not all of her objected...
Montrose: I have had a message from His Grace the Duke of Argyll. It seems our MacGregor is holed up with him. He offers us a match: you and the Highlander.
Archibald Cunningham: [rasping whisper] Bring him on.
Montrose: You speak, Archibald! One must never underestimate the healing power of hatred.
Archibald Cunningham: [rasping whisper] Bring him on.
Montrose: You speak, Archibald! One must never underestimate the healing power of hatred.
[on their way to Robert's duel with Cunningham]
Duke of Argyll: Tell me, MacGregor, is this matter of honor concerning your wife?
Robert Roy MacGregor: It's concerning me, Your Grace. Mr. Cunningham and I have matters outstanding.
Duke of Argyll: She will not thank you for making her a widow, honor or no.
Robert Roy MacGregor: Perhaps you'd like to wager a sum for her maintenance.
Duke of Argyll: Well, if it will help you die any the easier, I'll lay twenty guineas for her.
Robert Roy MacGregor: Fifty would go further.
Duke of Argyll: By God, you have a style to you, MacGregor! I like that!
Duke of Argyll: Tell me, MacGregor, is this matter of honor concerning your wife?
Robert Roy MacGregor: It's concerning me, Your Grace. Mr. Cunningham and I have matters outstanding.
Duke of Argyll: She will not thank you for making her a widow, honor or no.
Robert Roy MacGregor: Perhaps you'd like to wager a sum for her maintenance.
Duke of Argyll: Well, if it will help you die any the easier, I'll lay twenty guineas for her.
Robert Roy MacGregor: Fifty would go further.
Duke of Argyll: By God, you have a style to you, MacGregor! I like that!
[Argyll refuses Mary's initial pleas for help]
Mary: Your Grace, Robert finds himself in this position for taking Your Grace's part.
Duke of Argyll: My part? What cause had he to do that? And in what manner?
Mary: He refused to bear false witness against you, when the Marquis asked him to say that you were a Jacobite, to slander your name at court.
Duke of Argyll: Montrose asked this of him?
Mary: In remission of this debt. But Robert refused.
Duke of Argyll: I did not know your husband bore me such goodwill.
Mary: Indeed, Your Grace, I think he favors you no more than any other great man. "As wolves at lambing," that is his word for you all. Robert refused, not for Your Grace, but for his own honor, which he values above his own family, his kin and his clan, and for which I have oft chided him. But were he otherwise, he would not be Robert Roy MacGregor. Robert would not approve of my coming here to ask you for help, nor come himself if he were here.
[stands]
Mary: But I have no choice, unless I give him up entire to his enemies. And though I love his honor, it is but a moon-cast shadow to the love I bear him. By the grace of God, I have his child inside me and I will have a father for it.
Duke of Argyll: [much affected] You do your man no dishonor, Mary. Faith, he is a man much blessed by fortune.
Mary: Your Grace, Robert finds himself in this position for taking Your Grace's part.
Duke of Argyll: My part? What cause had he to do that? And in what manner?
Mary: He refused to bear false witness against you, when the Marquis asked him to say that you were a Jacobite, to slander your name at court.
Duke of Argyll: Montrose asked this of him?
Mary: In remission of this debt. But Robert refused.
Duke of Argyll: I did not know your husband bore me such goodwill.
Mary: Indeed, Your Grace, I think he favors you no more than any other great man. "As wolves at lambing," that is his word for you all. Robert refused, not for Your Grace, but for his own honor, which he values above his own family, his kin and his clan, and for which I have oft chided him. But were he otherwise, he would not be Robert Roy MacGregor. Robert would not approve of my coming here to ask you for help, nor come himself if he were here.
[stands]
Mary: But I have no choice, unless I give him up entire to his enemies. And though I love his honor, it is but a moon-cast shadow to the love I bear him. By the grace of God, I have his child inside me and I will have a father for it.
Duke of Argyll: [much affected] You do your man no dishonor, Mary. Faith, he is a man much blessed by fortune.
