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Richard II (Folio 1, 1623)
The life and death of King Richard
the Second.
1Actus Primus, Scaena Prima.
2Enter King Richard, Iohn of Gaunt, with other Nobles
3and Attendants.
5OLd Iohn of Gaunt, time honoured Lancaster,
6Hast thou according to thy oath and band
7Brought hither Henry Herford thy bold son:
8Heere to make good ye boistrous late appeale,
9Which then our leysure would not let vs heare,
10Against the Duke of Norfolke, Thomas Mowbray?
11Gaunt. I haue my Liege.
13If he appeale the Duke on ancient malice,
15On some knowne ground of treacherie in him.
18Aym'd at your Highnesse, no inueterate malice.
20And frowning brow to brow, our selues will heare
22High stomackd are they both, and full of ire,
24Enter Bullingbrooke and Mowbray.
25Bul. Many yeares of happy dayes befall
26My gracious Soueraigne, my most louing Liege.
28Vntill the heauens enuying earths good hap,
29Adde an immortall title to your Crowne.
31As well appeareth by the cause you come,
32Namely, to appeale each other of high treason.
34Against the Duke of Norfolke, Thomas Mowbray?
37Tendering the precious safetie of my Prince,
38And free from other misbegotten hate,
39Come I appealant to rhis Princely presence.
40Now Thomas Mowbray do I turne to thee,
41And marke my greeting well: for what I speake,
42My body shall make good vpon this earth,
44Thou art a Traitor, and a Miscreant;
45Too good to be so, and too bad to liue,
48Once more, the more to aggrauate the note,
53'Tis not the triall of a Womans warre,
54The bitter clamour of two eager tongues,
55Can arbitrate this cause betwixt vs twaine:
56The blood is hot that must be cooI'dfor this.
63Setting aside his high bloods royalty,
64And let him be no Kinsman to my Liege,
66Call him a slanderous Coward, and a Villaine:
67Which to maintaine, I would allow him oddes,
68And meete him, were I tide to runne afoote,
69Euen to the frozen ridges of the Alpes,
70Or any other ground inhabitable,
72Meane time, let this defend my loyaltie,
74Bul. Pale trembling Coward, there I throw my gage,
75Disclaiming heere the kindred of a King,
76And lay aside my high bloods Royalty,
77Which feare, not reuerence makes thee to except.
79As to take vp mine Honors pawne, then stoope.
84Which gently laid my Knight-hood on my shoulder,
85lIe answer thee in any faire degree,
86Or Chiualrous designe of knightly triall:
87And when I mount, aliue may I not light,
90It must be great that can inherite vs,
91So much as of a thought of ill in him.
24The life and death of Richard the Second.
94In name of lendings for your Highnesse Soldiers,
95The which he hath detain'd for lewd employments,
96Like a false Traitor, and iniurious Villaine.
101Complotted, and contriued in this Land,
103Further I say, and further will maintaine
104Vpon his bad life, to make all this good.
105That he did plot the Duke of Glousters death,
107And consequently, like a Traitor Coward,
110(Euen from the toonglesse cauernes of the earth)
112And by the glorious worth of my discent,
116Mow. Oh let my Soueraigne turne away his face,
117And bid his eares a little while be deafe,
118Till I haue told this slander of his blood,
119How God, and good men, hate so foule a lyar.
120King. Mowbray, impartiall are our eyes and eares,
121Were he my brother, nay our kingdomes heyre,
122As he is but my fathers brothers sonne;
123Now by my Scepters awe, I make a vow,
125Should nothing priuiledge him, nor partialize
129Mow. Then Bullingbrooke, as low as to thy heart.
131Threc parts of that receipt I had for Callice,
134For that my Soueraigne Liege was in my debt,
135Vpon remainder of a deere Accompt,
136Since last I went to France to fetch his Queene:
140For you my noble Lord of Lancaster,
141The honourable Father to my foe,
142Once I did lay an ambush for your life,
144But ere I last receiu'd the Sacrament,
146Your Graces pardon, and I hope I had it.
147This is my fault: as for the rest appeal'd,
148It issues from the rancour of a Villaine,
149A recreant, and most degenerate Traitor,
150Which in my selfe I boldly will defend,
151And interchangeably hurle downe my gage
152Vpon this ouer-weening Traitors foote,
153To proue my selfe a loyall Gentleman,
157King. Wrath-kindled Gentlemen be rul'd by me:
158Let's purge this choller without letting blood:
160Deepe malice makes too deepe incision.
161Forget, forgiue, conclude, and be agreed,
163Good Vnckle, let this end where it begun,
164Wee'l calme the Duke of Norfolke; you, your son.
166Throw downe (my sonne) the Duke of Norfolkes gage.
167King. And Norfolke, throw downe his.
168Gaunt. When Harrie when? Obedience bids,
169Obedience bids I should not bid agen.
170King. Norfolke, throw downe, we bidde; there is
171 no boote.
174The one my dutie owes, but my faire name
175Despight of death, that liues vpon my graue
179The which no balme can cure, but his heart blood
180Which breath'd this poyson.
182Giue me his gage: Lyons make Leopards tame.
184And I resigne my gage. My deere, deere Lord,
187Men are but gilded loame, or painted clay.
188A Iewell in a ten times barr'd vp Chest,
190Mine Honor is my life; both grow in one:
191Take Honor from me, and my life is done.
192Then (deere my Liege) mine Honor let me trie,
193In that I liue; and for that will I die.
195Do you begin.
198Or with pale beggar-feare impeach my hight
199Before this out-dar'd dastard? Ere my toong,
200Shall wound mine honor with such feeble wrong;
204Where shame doth harbour, euen in Mowbrayes face.
205 Exit Gaunt.
207Which since we cannot do to make you friends,
209At Couentree, vpon S. Lamberts day: