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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)

    575 Enter the King with Bushie, &c at one dore, and the
    Lord Aumarle at another.
    King We did obserue. Coosen Aumarle,
    How far brought you high Hereford on his way?
    Aum. I brought high Herford, if you call him so,
    But to the next high way, and there I left him.
    580King And say, what store of parting teares were shed?
    Aum. Faith none for me, except the Northeast winde,
    Which then blew bitterly against our faces,
    Awakt the sleeping rhewme, and so by chance
    Did grace our hollow parting with a teare.
    585King What said our cousin when you parted with him?
    Aum. Farewel, & for my hart disdained that my tongue
    Should so prophane the word that taught me craft,
    To counterfaite oppression of such griefe,
    That words seemd buried in my sorrowes graue:
    590Marry would the word Farewel haue lengthned howers,
    And added yeares to his short banishment,
    He should haue had a volume of farewels:
    But since it would not, he had none of me.
    King. He is our Coosens Coosin, but tis doubt,
    595When time shall call him home from banishment,
    Whether our kinsman come to see his friends.
    Our selfe and Bushie,
    Obserued his courtship to the common people,
    How he did seeme to diue into their harts,
    600With humble and familiar courtesie,
    With reuerence he did throw away on slaues,
    Wooing poore craftsmen with the craft of smiles.
    And patient vnder-bearing of his fortune,
    As twere to banish their affects with him,
    605Off goes his bonnet to an oysterwench,
    A brace of draimen bid God speed him well,
    And had the tribute of his supple knee,
    With thankes my countreymen my louing friendes,
    As were our England in reuersion his,
    610And he our subiects next degree in hope.
    Greene. Wel, he is gone, and with him go these thoughts,
    Now for the rebels which stand out in Ireland,
    Expedient mannage must be made my liege,
    Ere further leysure yeeld them further meanes,
    615For their aduantage and your highnes losse.
    King. We will our selfe in person to this warre,
    And for our coffers with too great a court,
    And liberall larges are growen somewhat light,
    We are inforst to farm our royall Realme,
    620The reuenew whereof shall furnish vs,
    For our affaires in hand if that come short,
    Our substitutes at home shall haue blanke charters,
    Whereto, when they shal know what men are rich,
    They shal subscribe them for large summes of gold,
    625And send them after to supply our wants,
    For we will make for Ireland presently.
    Enter Bushie with newes.
    Bush. Olde Iohn of Gaunt is grieuous sicke my Lord,
    630Sodainely taken, and hath sent post haste,
    To intreate your Maiestie to visite him.
    King Where lies he?
    Bush. At Ely house.
    King Now put it (God) in the Physitions mind,
    635To help him to his graue immediatly:
    The lining of his coffers shall make coates
    To decke our souldiers for these Irish warres.
    Come gentlemen, lets all go visite him,
    Pray God we may make haste and come too late,
    Amen Exeunt.
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