DRAMATIS PERSONÆ1.

KING RICHARD the Second.

JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster,

}

uncles to the King.

HENRY, surnamed BOLINGBROKE Duke of Hereford, son to

John of Gaunt; afterwards KING HENRY IV.

DUKE OF AUMERLE, son to the Duke of York.

THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk.

Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, two Gardeners, Keeper, Messenger,

Groom, and other Attendants".

SCENE: England and Wales.

1 First given imperfectly by Rowe.
2 Lord Berkley.] Earl Berkley. Ca-

pell. om. Rowe. See note (1).

3 Lord Marshal] Capell. om. Rowe.

4 Captain...] Capell. om. Rowe. 5 Lords...] Rowe and Capell.

6 and Wales] Capell. om. Rowe.

THE TRAGEDY OF

KING RICHARD II.

ACT I.

SCENE I. London. KING RICHARD'S palace.

Enter KING RICHARD, JOHN OF GAUNT, with other Nobles and
Attendants.

K. Rich. Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster,
Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,
Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son,
Here to make good the boisterous late appeal,

Which then our leisure would not let us hear,

Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Gaunt. I have, my liege.

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?

5

10

Gaunt. As near as I could sift him on that argument, 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:
High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire,
In rage deaf as the

sea, hasty as fire.

Enter BOLINGBROKE and MOWBRAY.

Boling. Many years of happy days befal
My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!
Mow. Each day still better other's happiness;
Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,
Add an immortal title to your crown!

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20

K. Rich. We thank you both: yet one but flatters us, 25 As well appeareth by the cause you come;

Namely, to appeal each other of high treason.

Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object

Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Boling. First, heaven be the record to my speech!

In the devotion of a subject's love,

Tendering the precious safety of my prince,
And free from other misbegotten hate,
Come I appellant to this princely presence.
Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,
And mark my greeting well; for what I speak
My body shall make good upon this earth,
Or my divine soul answer it in heaven.
Thou art a traitor and a miscreant,

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35

40

Too good to be so and too bad to live,
Since the more fair and crystal is the sky,
The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly.
Once more, the more to aggravate the note,
With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat;

And wish, so please my sovereign, ere I move,

45

What my tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove.
Mow. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal:

'Tis not the trial of a woman's war,

The bitter clamour of two eager tongues,
Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain;
The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this:
Yet can I not of such tame patience boast
As to be hush'd and nought at all to say:

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First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me
From giving reins and spurs to my free speech;
Which else would post until it had return'd

55

These terms of treason doubled down his throat.
Setting aside his high blood's royalty,
And let him be no kinsman to my liege,

I do defy him, and I spit at him;

60

Call him a slanderous coward and a villain:

Which to maintain I would allow him odds,

And meet him, were I tied to run afoot
Even to the frozen ridges of the Alps,
Or any other ground inhabitable,
Where ever Englishman durst set his foot.
Mean time let this defend my loyalty,
By all my hopes, most falsely doth he lie.

40-46. Too good...prove] Put in the margin as spurious by Pope.

43. the note thy note S. Walker conj.

47. cold] QQ2Q3Q4Fr coole F2

Q5. cool F3F4.

53. nought] naught QQ2Q3.

56. else] once Q5.

57. doubled] doubly FfQ5.

59. And let him] Let him but Pope.

60. I do] And I Pope.

and I] and Q2Q3 Q4.

63. tied] Q tide Q2Q3Q4FfQ5. ty'd Rowe (ed. 2).

65. inhabitable] unhabitable Theobald.

66. Where ever] Where-ever Rowe. Where never Pope.

Englishman] Q,Ff. English

man Q2Q3Q4Q5.

67. Mean time] F3 F4. Meane time Q1Q2Q3F,F2Q5.

Meant time

Q4.

loyalty] royalty Q5.

65

Boling. Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage,
Disclaiming here the kindred of the king;
And lay aside my high blood's royalty,
Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except.
If guilty dread have left thee so much strength
As to take up mine honour's pawn, then stoop:
By that and all the rites of knighthood else,
Will I make good against thee, arm to arm,
What I have spoke, or thou canst worse devise.

Mow. I take it up; and by that sword I swear,

Which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder,
I'll answer thee in any fair degree,

80

Or chivalrous design of knightly trial:

And when I mount, alive may I not light,

K. Rich. What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge?

85

If I be traitor or unjustly fight!

It must be great that can inherit us

So much as of a thought of ill in him.

Boling. Look, what I speak, my life shall prove it true;
That Mowbray hath received eight thousand nobles

In name of lendings for your highness' soldiers,
The which he hath detain'd for lewd employments,
Like a false traitor and injurious villain.
Besides I say and will in battle prove,

Or here or elsewhere to the furthest verge

That ever was survey'd by English eye,

That all the treasons for these eighteen years

Complotted and contrived in this land

Fetch from false Mowbray their first head and spring.
Further I say and further will maintain

70. kindred] Q3Q4FfQ5. kinred QiQ2.

Q3Q4Ff.

the king] QiQ5. a king Q2

73. have] Qq. hath Ff.

75. rites] Q.QaQ3Q4F1 rights F2Q5F3F4

77. spoke, or thou canst worse devise] Q spoke, or thou canst devise Q2 spoke, or what thou canst devise Q3Q4. spoken, or thou canst devise Ff

Q5. spoke, as what thou hast devis'd
Hanmer.

81. Or] O Q2.

82. mount, alive] mount aliue, aliue Q3Q4.

85. inherit] inhabit Warburton.

87. speak] speake Q1. sayd Q2 Q3 Q5. said Q4Ff. say Grant White conj. 95. for] of Q5.

97. Fetch] Q. Fetcht Q2Q3Q4F2 Q5F3F4. Fetch'd F.

95