The Tragedy of King Richard the Second

1.1.45Old John of Gaunt, time-honored Lancaster,

1.1.56Hast thou, according to thy oath and bond,

1.1.67Brought hither Henry Hereford, thy bold son,

1.1.78Here to make good the boist'rous late appeal,

1.1.89Which then our leisure would not let us hear,

1.1.910Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

I have, my liege.

Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him

1.1.1213If he appeal the Duke on ancient malice,

1.1.1314Or worthily, as a good subject should,

1.1.1415On some known ground of treachery in him?

As near as I could sift him on that argument,

1.1.1617On some apparent danger seen in him

1.1.1718Aimed at your highness; no inveterate malice.

Then call them to our presence.

Then call them to our presence. Face to face,

1.1.1920And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear

1.1.2021The accuser and the accusèd freely speak.

1.1.2122High-stomached are they both and full of ire,

1.1.2223In rage, deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.

Many years of happy days befall

1.1.2426My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!

Each day still better other's happiness,

1.1.2628Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,

1.1.2729Add an immortal title to your crown!

We thank you both. Yet one but flatters us,

1.1.2931As well appeareth by the cause you come,

1.1.3032Namely, to appeal each other of high treason. --

1.1.3133Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object

1.1.3234Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

First -- heaven be the record to my speech! --

1.1.3436In the devotion of a subject's love,

1.1.3537Tend'ring the precious safety of my prince,

1.1.3638And free from other misbegotten hate,

1.1.3739Come I appellant to this princely presence. --

1.1.3840Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,

1.1.3941And mark my greeting well; for what I speak

1.1.4042My body shall make good upon this earth,

1.1.4143Or my divine soul answer it in heaven.

1.1.4244Thou art a traitor and a miscreant,

1.1.4345Too good to be so, and too bad to live,

1.1.4446Since the more fair and crystal is the sky,

1.1.4547The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly.

1.1.4648Once more, the more to aggravate the note,

1.1.4749With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat,

1.1.4850And wish -- so please my sovereign -- ere I move,

1.1.4951What my tongue speaks, my right-drawn sword may prove.

Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal.

1.1.5153'Tis not the trial of a woman's war,

1.1.5254The bitter clamor of two eager tongues,

1.1.5355Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain.

1.1.5456The blood is hot that must be cooled for this.

1.1.5557Yet can I not of such tame patience boast

1.1.5658As to be hushed and naught at all to say.

1.1.5759First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me

1.1.5860From giving reins and spurs to my free speech,

1.1.5961Which else would post until it had returned

1.1.6062These terms of treason doubled down his throat.

1.1.6163Setting aside his high blood's royalty,

1.1.6264And let him be no kinsman to my liege,

1.1.6365I do defy him, and I spit at him,

1.1.6466Call him a slanderous coward and a villain;

1.1.6567Which to maintain, I would allow him odds

1.1.6668And meet him, were I tied to run afoot

1.1.6769Even to the frozen ridges of the Alps,

1.1.6870Or any other ground inhabitable,

1.1.6971Wherever Englishman durst set his foot.

1.1.7072Meantime, let this defend my loyalty:

1.1.7173By all my hopes, most falsely doth he lie.

1.1.7274Bolingbroke [Throwing down his gage] Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage,

1.1.7375Disclaiming here the kindred of the King,

1.1.7476And lay aside my high blood's royalty,

1.1.7577Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except.

1.1.7678If guilty dread have left thee so much strength

1.1.7779As to take up mine honor's pawn, then stoop.

1.1.7880By that and all the rites of knighthood else

1.1.7981Will I make good against thee, arm to arm,

1.1.8082What I have spoke or thou canst worse devise.

[Taking up the gage] I take it up; and by that sword I swear

1.1.8284Which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder,

1.1.8385I'll answer thee in any fair degree

1.1.8486Or chivalrous design of knightly trial.

1.1.8587And when I mount, alive may I not light

1.1.8688If I be traitor or unjustly fight!

[To Bolingbroke] What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge?

1.1.8890It must be great that can inherit us

1.1.8991So much as of a thought of ill in him.

Look what I speak, my life shall prove it true:

1.1.9193That Mowbray hath received eight thousand nobles

1.1.9294In name of lendings for your highness' soldiers,

1.1.9395The which he hath detained for lewd employments,

1.1.9496Like a false traitor and injurious villain.

1.1.9597Besides I say, and will in battle prove,

1.1.9698Or here or elsewhere to the furthest verge

1.1.9799That ever was surveyed by English eye,

1.1.98100That all the treasons for these eighteen years

1.1.99101Complotted and contrivèd in this land

1.1.100102Fetch from false Mowbray their first head and spring.

1.1.101103Further I say, and further will maintain

1.1.102104Upon his bad life to make all this good,

1.1.103105That he did plot the Duke of Gloucester's death,

1.1.104106Suggest his soon-believing adversaries,

1.1.105107And consequently, like a traitor coward,

1.1.106108Sluiced out his innocent soul through streams of blood;

1.1.107109Which blood, like sacrificing Abel's, cries

1.1.108110Even from the tongueless caverns of the earth

1.1.109111To me for justice and rough chastisement.

1.1.110112And, by the glorious worth of my descent,

1.1.111113This arm shall do it, or this life be spent.

How high a pitch his resolution soars! --

1.1.113115Thomas of Norfolk, what say'st thou to this?

Oh, let my sovereign turn away his face

1.1.115117And bid his ears a little while be deaf,

1.1.116118Till I have told this slander of his blood

1.1.117119How God and good men hate so foul a liar!

Mowbray, impartial are our eyes and ears.

1.1.119121Were he my brother, nay, my kingdom's heir,

1.1.120122As he is but my father's brother's son,

1.1.121123Now by my scepter's awe I make a vow,

1.1.122124Such neighbor nearness to our sacred blood

1.1.123125Should nothing privilege him nor partialize

1.1.124126The unstooping firmness of my upright soul.

1.1.125127He is our subject, Mowbray; so art thou.

1.1.126128Free speech and fearless I to thee allow.

Then, Bolingbroke, as low as to thy heart

1.1.128130Through the false passage of thy throat, thou liest.

1.1.129131Three parts of that receipt I had for Calais

1.1.130132Disbursed I duly to his highness' soldiers;

1.1.131133The other part reserved I by consent,

1.1.132134For that my sovereign liege was in my debt

1.1.133135Upon remainder of a dear account

1.1.134136Since last I went to France to fetch his queen.

1.1.135137Now swallow down that lie! For Gloucester's death,

1.1.136138I slew him not, but to my own disgrace

1.1.137139Neglected my sworn duty in that case. --

1.1.138140For you, my noble lord of Lancaster,

1.1.139141The honorable father to my foe,

1.1.140142Once did I lay an ambush for your life,

1.1.141143A trespass that doth vex my grievèd soul;

1.1.142144But ere I last received the sacrament,

1.1.143145I did confess it, and exactly begged

1.1.144146Your grace's pardon, and I hope I had it. --

1.1.145147This is my fault. As for the rest appealed,

1.1.146148It issues from the rancor of a villain,

1.1.147149A recreant, and most degenerate traitor,

1.1.148150Which in myself I boldly will defend,

1.1.149151And interchangeably hurl down my gage

1.1.150152Upon this overweening traitor's foot,

1.1.151153To prove myself a loyal gentleman,

1.1.152154Even in the best blood chambered in his bosom;

1.1.153155In haste whereof most heartily I pray

1.1.154156Your highness to assign our trial day.

Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be ruled by me.

1.1.156158Let's purge this choler without letting blood.

1.1.157159This we prescribe, though no physician.

1.1.158160Deep malice makes too deep incision.

1.1.159161Forget, forgive; conclude and be agreed.

1.1.160162Our doctors say this is no month to bleed. --

1.1.161163Good uncle, let this end where it begun.

1.1.162164We'll calm the Duke of Norfolk, you your son.

To be a make-peace shall become my age. --

1.1.164166Throw down, my son, the Duke of Norfolk's gage.

And, Norfolk, throw down his.

And, Norfolk, throw down his. When, Harry, when?

1.1.167169Obedience bids I should not bid again.

Norfolk, throw down, we bid; there is no boot.

Myself I throw, dread sovereign, at thy foot.

1.1.170173My life thou shalt command, but not my shame.

1.1.171174The one my duty owes, but my fair name,

1.1.172175Despite of death that lives upon my grave,

1.1.173176To dark dishonor's use thou shalt not have.

1.1.174177I am disgraced, impeached, and baffled here,

1.1.175178Pierced to the soul with slander's venomed spear,

1.1.176179The which no balm can cure but his heart-blood

1.1.177180Which breathed this poison.

Which breathed this poison. Rage must be withstood.

1.1.179182Give me his gage. Lions make leopards tame.

Yea, but not change his spots. Take but my shame,

1.1.181184And I resign my gage. My dear dear lord,

1.1.182185The purest treasure mortal times afford

1.1.183186Is spotless reputation. That away,

1.1.184187Men are but gilded loam or painted clay.

1.1.185188A jewel in a ten-times-barred-up chest

1.1.186189Is a bold spirit in a loyal breast.

1.1.187190Mine honor is my life; both grow in one.

1.1.188191Take honor from me, and my life is done.

1.1.189192Then, dear my liege, mine honor let me try.

1.1.190193In that I live, and for that will I die.

[To Bolingbroke] Cousin, throw up your gage. Do you begin.

O God defend my soul from such deep sin!

1.1.193197Shall I seem crestfallen in my father's sight?

1.1.194198Or with pale beggar-fear impeach my height

1.1.195199Before this out-dared dastard? Ere my tongue

1.1.196200Shall wound my honor with such feeble wrong,

1.1.197201Or sound so base a parle, my teeth shall tear

1.1.198202The slavish motive of recanting fear

1.1.199203And spit it bleeding in his high disgrace,

1.1.200204Where shame doth harbor, even in Mowbray's face.

We were not born to sue, but to command;

1.1.202207Which since we cannot do to make you friends,

1.1.203208Be ready, as your lives shall answer it

1.1.204209At Coventry, upon Saint Lambert's day.

1.1.205210There shall your swords and lances arbitrate

1.1.206211The swelling difference of your settled hate.

1.1.207212Since we cannot atone you, we shall see

1.1.208213Justice design the victor's chivalry. --

1.1.209214Lord Marshal, command our officers-at-arms

215Be ready to direct these home alarms.