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Richard II (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Catherine Lisak
Peer Reviewed
The Tragedie
Complotted and contriued in this land:
Fetch from false Mowbray their first head and spring,
Further I say and further will maintaine
Vpon his bad life to make all this good,
105That he did plotte the Duke of Glocesters death,
Suggest his soone beleeuing aduersaries,
And eonsequently like a taitour coward,
Slucte out his innocent soule through streames of bloud,
Which bloud, like sacrificing Abels cries,
110Euen from the tounglesse Cauernes of the earth,
To me for iustice and rough chastisement:
And, by the glorious worth of my descent,
This arme shall do it, or this life be spent.
King. How high a pitch his resolution soares,
115Thomas of Norfolke what saist thou to this ?
Mowb. Oh let my soueraigne turne awaie his face,
And bid his eares a little while be deafe.
Till I haue tolde this slaunder of his bloud,
How God and good men hate so foule a lier.
120King. Mowbray impartiall are our eies and eares,
Were he my brother, nay, my kingdomes heire,
As he is but my fathers brothers sonne,
Now by scepters awe I make a vowe,
Such neighbour neerenes to our sacred bloud
125Should nothing priuiledge him nor partialize
The vnstooping firmenesse of my vpright soule,
He is our subiect Mowbray so art thou,
Free speech and fearelesse I to thee allowe.
Mowb. Then Bullingbrooke as lowe as to thy heart
130Through the false passage of thy throate thou liest.
Three partes of that receipte I had for Callice,
Disburst I duely to his highnesse souldiers,
The other part reserude I by consent,
For that my soueraigne liege was in my debt.
135Vpon remainder of a deare account:
Since last I went to France to fetch his Queene:
Now swallow downe that lie. For Glocesters death,
I slew