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  • Title: Richard II (Quarto 1, 1597)
  • 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 (Quarto 1, 1597)

    King Richard the second.
    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
    H 3