play, and in that play, there being set forth the killing of the king upon the stage; the Friday before, sir Gilly Merick and some others of the earl's train having an humour to see a play, they must needs have The Play of HENRY IV. The players told them that was stale; they should get nothing by playing that; but no play else would serve: and sir Gilly Merick gives forty shillings to Philips the player to play this, besides whatsoever he could get.” Augustine Philippes was one of the patentees of the Globe playhouse with Shakspeare, in 1603: but the play here described was certainly not Shakspeare's HENRY IV. as that commences above a year after the death of Richard. TYRRWHITT. This play of Shakspeare was first entered at Stationers' Hall by Andrew Wise, Aug. 29, 1597. STEEVENS. Mr. Malone thinks that this play was written in 1593, that it was Shakspeare's first tragic performance, and is as manifestly his production as his more highly wrought and finished pieces. Mr. M. wonders that Dr. Farmer should give any countenance to the idle notion entertained by Mr. Pope, that "some of the rhyming parts in this tragedy were of a different hand." PERSONS REPRESENTED. King RICHARD the Second. EDMUND of Langley, Duke of York; JOHN of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Uncles to the King. HENRY, surnamed Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, Son Duke of SURREY. Earl of SALISBURY. Earl BERKLEY. 2 BUSHY, BAGOT, GREEN, Creatures to King Richard. Earl of NORTHUMBERLAND: HENRY PERCY, his Son. Lord Ross 3. Lord WILLOUGHBY. Lord FITZWATER. Bishop of CARLISLE. Abbot of Westminster. Lord Marshal; and another Lord. Sir PIERCE of Exton. Sir STEPHEN SCROOP. Queen to King Richard. Duchess of GLOster. Duchess of YORK. Lady attending on the Queen. Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Two Gardeners, Keeper, Messenger, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE, dispersedly in ENGLAND and Wales. 1 Duke of Aumerle,] Aumerle, or Aumale, is the French for what we now call Albemarle, which is a town in Normandy. The old historians generally use the French title. STEEVENS. 2 Earl Berkley.] It ought to be Lord Berkley. There was no Earl Berkley till some ages after. STEEVENS. • Lord Ross.] Now spelt Roos, one of the duke of Rutland's titles. STEEVENS. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD II. ACT I. SCENE I.- London. A Room in the Palace. Enter King RICHARD, attended; JOHN of GAUNT, and other Nobles, with him. K. Richard. OLD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster,+ K. Rich. Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him, If he appeal the duke on ancient malice; Or worthily as a good subject should, On some known ground of treachery in him? + Our ancestors appear to have considered men as old, whom we should esteem middle-aged. John of Gaunt was at this time only 58 years old. thy oath and band,] i. e. bond. Gaunt. As near as I could sift him on that argu ment, On some apparent danger seen in him, Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice. K. Rich. Then call them to our presence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear The accuser, and the accused, freely speak: [Exeunt some Attendants. High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire, Re-enter Attendants, with BOLINGBROKE and NORFOLK. My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege! K. Rich. We thank you both yet one but flatters us, As well appeareth by the cause you come; Namely, to appeal each other of high treason. Tendering the precious safety of my prince, My body shall make good upon this earth, Or my divine soul answer it in heaven. Thou art a traitor, and a miscreant; and too bad to live; Too good to be so, And wish, (so please my sovereign,) ere I move, prove. Nor. Let not my cold words here accuse my 'Tis not the trial of a woman's war, zeal : The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, I do defy him, and I spit at him; Call him—a slanderous coward, and a villain: 3 Where ever Englishman durst set his foot. Boling. Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage, Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except: 2 right-drawn.] Drawn in a right or just cause. 3 inhabitable-] That is, not habitable, uninhabitable. |