KING RICHARD THE SECOND. Uncles to the King. EDMUND of LANGLEY, Duke of York, JOHN of GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster, HENRY, furnamed BOLINGBROKE, Duke of Hereford, afterwards King Henry the Fourth, Son to JOHN of GAUNT. DUKE of AUMERLE, now Albermarle, a Town in Normandy, Son to the Duke of York. MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk. EARL of NORTHUMBERLAND. PERCY, Son to NORTHUMBERLAND. LORD ROSS, now Roos, one of the Duke of Rutland's Titles, LORD WILLOUGHBY. LORD FITZWATER. BISHOP of CARLISLE. SIR STEPHEN SCROOP. LORD MARSHAL; and another Lord. ABBOT of WESTMINSTER. SIR PIERCE of EXTON. Captain of a Band of Welchmen. QUEEN to KING RICHARD. DUTCHESS of YORK. Ladies, attending on the Queen. Heralds, two Gardiners, Keeper, Meffenger, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE, difperfedly, in ENGLAND and WALES. THIS PLAY, like the former, was taken from our old English Historians, chiefly from Holized, whofe very language, as well as arguments, Shakspeare fometimes adopts, with very fmall variation: It was written about the year 1597, and comprifes little more than the tranfactions of the two laft years of this Prince's reign. THE THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD II. ACT I. SCENE I. The Court. Enter King Richard, John of Gaunt, with other nobles and attendants. K. Rich. Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancafter, Haft thou, according to thy oath and a band, Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold fon; Here to make good the boisterous late appeal, Which then our leifure would not let us hear, Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? Gaunt. I have, my liege. K. Rich. Tell me moreover, haft thou founded him, b If he appeal the duke on ancient malice; Or worthily, as a good fubject fhould, On fome known ground of treachery in him? Gaunt. As near as I could fift him on that argument,On fome apparent danger feen in him, Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice. K. Rich. Then call them to our prefence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear The accufer, and the accufed, freely speak High-ftomach'd are they both, and full of ire, Enter Bolingbroke and Mowbray. Boling. May many years of happy days befal My gracious fovereign, my most loving liege! Mowb. Each day ftill better other's happiness; Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap, Add an immortal title to your crown! K. Rich. We thank you both: yet one but flatters us, Tendering the precious fafety of my prince, c prove. right-drawn]-drawn in a right, or just cause. Mowb Mowb. Let not my cold words here accufe my zeal: Tis not the trial of a woman's war, The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, Can arbitrate this caufe betwixt us twain ; First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me, I do defy him, and I spit at him; Call him-a flanderous coward, and a villain; Where 'ever Englishman durft fet his foot. Boling. Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage Disclaiming here the kindred of a king; And lay afide my high blood's royalty, Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except: What I have spoken, or thou "canft devife. ridges of the Alps,]-the Alps lying in ridges. e unbabitable. fever]-never. gage,]-glove, gauntlet, carneft of challenging.. 上 canft worje devije-imagine more infamous. Mcwb. |