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Richard II (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Catherine Lisak
Peer Reviewed
2260
Enter the Queene with her attendants.
Quee. This way the King will come, this is the way,
To Iulius Cæsars ill erected Tower,
To wohse flint bosome, my condemned Lord,
Is doomde a prisoner by proud Bullingbrooke.
2265Heere let vs rest, if this rebellious earth,
Haue any resting for her true Kings Queene.
( Enter Ric.
But soft, but see, or rather doe not see,
My faire Rose wither, yet looke vp, behold,
2270That you in pittie may dissolue to deaw,
And wash him fresh againe with true loue teares.
Ah thou the modle where olde Troy did stand!
Thou mappe of honour, thou King Richards tombe,
And not King Richard: thou most beauteous Inne,
2275Why should hard fauourd greife be lodged in thee,
When triumph is become an alehouse guest?
Rich. ioyne not with greife faire woman, doe not so,
To make my end too sudden, learne good soule,
To thinke our former state a happie dreame,
2280From which awakt the trueth of what we are
Shewes vs but this: I am sworne brother (sweet)
To grim necessitie, and he and I,
Will keepe a league till death. Hie thee to Fraunce,
And cloister thee in some religious house,
2285Our holy liues must win a new worlds crowne,
VVhich our prophane houres heere haue throwne downe.
Quee. what is my Richard both in shape and minde
Transformd and weakned? hath Bullingbrooke,
Deposde thine intellect? hath he been in thy hart?
2290The Lyon dying thrusteth foorth his pawe,
And woundes the earth if nothing else with rage,
To be ore-powr'd, and wilt thou pupill-like
Take the correction, mildly kisse the rod,
And fawne on Rage with base humilitie,
2295VVhich art a Lion and the king of beasts.
King. a King of beasts indeed, if aught but beasts,
I had been still a happie King of men.
Good (sometimes Queene) prepare thee hence for France,
Thinke I am dead, and that euen here thou takest
2300As from my death bed thy last liuing leaue;
In winters tedious nights sit by the fire,
with good old folkes, and let them tell the tales,
Of woefull ages long agoe betidde:
And ere thou bid good night to quite their griefes,
2305Tell thou the lamentable tale of me,
And send the hearers weeping to their beds:
For why, the senslesse brands will simpathize
The heauy accent of thy moouing tong,
And in compassion weepe the fire out,
2310And some wil mourne in ashes, some cole blacke,
For the deposing of a rightfull King.
Enter Northum.
North. My Lord, the minde of Bullingbrooke is changde,
You must to Pomfret, not vnto the Tower.
2315And Madam, there is order tane for you,
With al swift speede you must away to France.
King Northumberland, thou ladder wherewithall
The mounting Bullingbrooke ascends my throne,
The time shall not be many houres of age
2320More than it is, ere foule sinne gathering head
Shall breake into corruption, thou shalt thinke,
Though he diuide the realme and giue thee halfe,
It is too little helping him to all.
He shall thinke that thou which knowest the way
2325To plant vnrightfull kings, wilt know againe,
Being nere so little vrgde another way,
To plucke him headlong from the vsurped throne:
The loue of wicked men conuerts to feare,
That feare to hate, and hate turnes one or both
2330To worthy daunger and deserued death.
North. My guilt be on my head, and there an end:
Take leaue and part, for you must part forthwith.
King Doubly diuorst (bad men) you violate
A two-fold marriage twixt my crowne and me,
2335And then betwixt me and my married wife.
Let me vnkisse the oathe twixt thee and me:
And yet not so, for with a kisse twas made.
Part vs Northumberland, I towardes the north,
Where shiuering cold and sickenesse pines the clime:
2340My wife to Fraunce, from whence set forth in pomp
She came adorned hither like sweete Maie,
Sent backe like Hollowmas or shortst of day.
Queene And must we be diuided? must we part?
King I hand from hand (my loue) and heart from heart.
2345Queene Banish vs both, and send the King with me.
King That were some loue, but little pollicie.
Queene Then whither he goes, thither let me go.
King So two togither weeping make one woe,
Weepe thou for me in Fraunce, I for thee heere,
2350Better far off than neere be nere the neare,
Go count thy way with sighes, I mine with groanes.
Queene So longest way shall haue the longest moanes.
King Twise for one step Ile grone the way being short
And peece the way out with a heauy heart.
2355Come come in wooing sorrow lets be briefe,
Since wedding it, there is such length in griefe;
One kisse shall stop our mouths, and dumbly part,
Thus giue I mine, and thus take I thy heart.
Queene Giue me mine owne againe, twere no good part
2360To take on me to keepe, and kill thy heart:
So now I haue mine owne againe, be gone,
That I may striue to kill it with a groane.
King We make woe wanton with this fond delay,
Once more adue, the rest let sorrow say.
Exeunt.