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  • Title: Richard II (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: Catherine Lisak

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-436-3

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Catherine Lisak
    Peer Reviewed

    Richard II (Folio 1, 1623)

    Scena Quarta.
    Enter the Queene, and two Ladies.
    Qu. What sport shall we deuise here in this Garden,
    To driue away the heauie thought of Care?
    1810La. Madame, wee'le play at Bowles.
    Qu. 'Twill make me thinke the World is full of Rubs,
    And that my fortune runnes against the Byas.
    La. Madame, wee'le Dance.
    Qu. My Legges can keepe no measure in Delight,
    1815When my poore Heart no measure keepes in Griefe.
    Therefore no Dancing (Girle) some other sport.
    La. Madame, wee'le tell Tales.
    Qu. Of Sorrow, or of Griefe?
    La. Of eyther, Madame.
    1820Qu. Of neyther, Girle.
    For if of Ioy, being altogether wanting,
    It doth remember me the more of Sorrow:
    Or if of Griefe, being altogether had,
    It addes more Sorrow to my want of Ioy:
    1825For what I haue, I need not to repeat;
    And what I want, it bootes not to complaine.
    La. Madame, Ile sing.
    Qu. 'Tis well that thou hast cause:
    But thou should'st please me better, would'st thou weepe.
    1830La. I could weepe, Madame, would it doe you good.
    Qu. And I could sing, would weeping doe me good,
    And neuer borrow any Teare of thee.
    Enter a Gardiner, and two Seruants.
    But stay, here comes the Gardiners,
    1835Let's step into the shadow of these Trees.
    My wretchednesse, vnto a Rowe of Pinnes,
    They'le talke of State: for euery one doth so,
    Against a Change; Woe is fore-runne with Woe.
    Gard. Goe binde thou vp yond dangling Apricocks,
    1840Which like vnruly Children, make their Syre
    Stoupe with oppression of their prodigall weight:
    Giue some supportance to the bending twigges.
    Goe thou, and like an Executioner
    Cut off the heads of too fast growing sprayes,
    1845That looke too loftie in our Common-wealth:
    All must be euen, in our Gouernment.
    You thus imploy'd, I will goe root away
    The noysome Weedes, that without profit sucke
    The Soyles fertilitie from wholesome flowers.
    1850Ser. Why should we, in the compasse of a Pale,
    Keepe Law and Forme, and due Proportion,
    Shewing as in a Modell our firme Estate?
    When our Sea-walled Garden, the whole Land,
    Is full of Weedes, her fairest Flowers choakt vp,
    1855Her Fruit-trees all vnpruin'd, her Hedges ruin'd,
    Her Knots disorder'd, and her wholesome Hearbes
    Swarming with Caterpillers.
    Gard. Hold thy peace.
    He that hath suffer'd this disorder'd Spring,
    1860Hath now himselfe met with the Fall of Leafe.
    The Weeds that his broad-spreading Leaues did shelter,
    That seem'd, in eating him, to hold him vp,
    Are pull'd vp, Root and all, by Bullingbrooke:
    I meane, the Earle of Wiltshire, Bushie, Greene.
    d Ser. What,
    38The Life and Death of Richard the Second.
    1865Ser. What are they dead?
    Gard. They are,
    And Bullingbrooke hath seiz'd the wastefull King.
    Oh, what pitty is it, that he had not so trim'd
    Aad drest his Land, as we this Garden, at time of yeare,
    1870And wound the Barke, the skin of our Fruit-trees,
    Least being ouer-proud with Sap and Blood,
    With too much riches it confound it selfe?
    Had he done so, to great and growing men,
    They might haue liu'd to beare, and he to taste
    1875Their fruites of dutie. Superfluous branches
    We lop away, that bearing boughes may liue:
    Had he done so, himselfe had borne the Crowne,
    Which waste and idle houres, hath quite thrown downe.
    Ser. What thinke you the King shall be depos'd?
    1880Gar. Deprest he is already, and depos'd
    'Tis doubted he will be. Letters came last night
    To a deere Friend of the Duke of Yorkes,
    That tell blacke tydings.
    Qu: Oh I am prest to death through want of speaking:
    1885Thou old Adams likenesse, set to dresse this Garden:
    How dares thy harsh rude tongue sound this vnpleasing (newes
    What Eue? what Serpent hath suggested thee,
    To make a second fall of cursed man?
    Why do'st thou say, King Richard is depos'd,
    1890Dar'st thou, thou little better thing then earth,
    Diuine his downfall? Say, where, when, and how
    Cam'st thou by this ill-tydings? Speake thou wretch.
    Gard. Pardon me Madam. Little ioy haue I
    To breath these newes; yet what I say, is true;
    1895King Richard, he is in the mighty hold
    Of Bullingbrooke, their Fortunes both are weigh'd:
    In your Lords Scale, is nothing but himselfe,
    And some few Vanities, that make him light:
    But in the Ballance of great Bullingbrooke,
    1900Besides himselfe, are all the English Peeres,
    And with that oddes he weighes King Richard downe.
    Poste you to London, and you'l finde it so,
    I speake no more, then euery one doth know.
    Qu. Nimble mischance, that art so light of foote,
    1905Doth not thy Embassage belong to me?
    And am I last that knowes it? Oh thou think'st
    To serue me last, that I may longest keepe
    Thy sorrow in my breast. Come Ladies goe,
    To meet at London, Londons King in woe.
    1910What was I borne to this: that my sad looke,
    Should grace the Triumph of great Bullingbrooke.
    Gard'ner, for telling me this newes of woe,
    I would the Plants thou graft'st, may neuer grow. Exit.
    G Poore Queen, so that thy State might be no worse,
    1915I would my skill were subiect to thy curse:
    Heere did she drop a teare, heere in this place
    Ile set a Banke of Rew, sowre Herbe of Grace:
    Rue, eu'n for ruth, heere shortly shall be seene,
    In the remembrance of a Weeping Queene. Exit.
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