Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Catherine Lisak
Peer Reviewed

Richard II (Quarto 1, 1597)

King Richard the second.
Greene That he our hope might haue retirde his power,
1000And driuen into despaire an enemies hope,
Who strongly hath set footing in this land,
The banisht Bullingbrooke repeales himselfe,
And with vplifted armes is safe ariude at Rauenspurgh.
1005Queene Now God in heauen forbid.
Greene Ah Madam! tis too true, and that is worse:
The lord Northumberland, his son yong H. Percie,
The lords of Rosse, Beaumond, and Willoughby,
With all their powerful friends are fled to him.
1010Bush. Why haue you not proclaimd Northumberland
And al the rest reuolted faction, traitours ?
Greene We haue, whereupon the earle of Worcester
Hath broken his Staffe, resignd his Stewardship,
And al the houshold seruants fled with him to Bullingbrook
1015Queene So Greene, thou art the midwife to my woe,
And Bullingbrooke my sorowes dismall heire,
Now hath my soule brought forth her prodigie,
And I a gasping new deliuerd mother,
Haue woe to woe, sorow to sorow ioynde
1020Bushie Dispaire not Madam.
Queene Who shall hinder me?
I will dispaire and be at enmitie
With cousening Hope, he is a flatterer,
A parasite, a keeper backe of Death,
1025Who gently would dissolue the bands of life,
Which false Hope lingers in extremitie.
Greene Here comes the Duke of Yorke.
Queene With signes of war about his aged necke,
1030Oh ful of carefull busines are his lookes!
Vncle, for Gods sake speake comfortable wordes.
1031.1Yorke Should I do so I should bely my thoughts,
Comfort's in heauen, and we are on the earth,
Where nothing liues but crosses, cares and griefe:
Your husband, he is gone to saue far off,
1035Whilst others come to make him loose at home:
Heere am I left to vnderprop his land,
Who