Toolbox



Textual Analysis

[ Go ]

Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
More Performances…
‌

Richard II (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Catherine Lisak
Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie of
The plate, coine, reuenewes, and moueables
Whereof our Vnckle Gaunt did stand possest.
810Yorke How long shal I be patient? ah how long
Shall tender duty make me suffer wrong?
Not Glocesters death, nor Herefords banishment,
Nor Gauntes rebukes, nor Englands priuate wrongs,
Nor the preuention of poore Bullingbrooke,
815About his mariadge, nor my owne disgrace,
Haue euer made me sower my patient cheeke,
Or bende one wrinckle on my soueraignes face:
I am the last of noble Edwards sonnes,
Of whom thy father Prince of Wales was first
820In warre was neuer Lyon ragde more fierce,
In peace was neuer gentle lambe more milde,
Then was that young and princely Gentleman:
His face thou hast, for euen so lookt he,
Accomplisht with a number of thy howers;
825But when he frowned it was against the french,
And not against his friends: his noble hand
Did win what he did spende, and spent not that
Which his triumphant fathers hand had wonne:
His hands were guilty of no kinred bloud,
830But bloudie with the enemies of his kinne:
Oh Richard: Yorke is too far gone with griefe,
Or else he neuer would compare betweene.
King Why Vnckle whats the matter?
835Yorke Oh my liege, pardone me if you please,
If not I pleasd not to be pardoned, am content with all,
Seeke you to seaze and gripe into your hands
The roialties and rights of banisht Hereford:
Is not Gaunt dead? and doth not Hereford liue?
840Was not Gaunt iust? and is not Harrie true?
Did not the one deserue to haue an heire?
Is not his heire a well deseruing sonne?
Take Herefordes rightes away, and take from time
His charters, and his customarie rightes;
845Let not to morrow then ensue to daie:
Be not thy selfe. For how ait thou a King
But