KING RICHARD II.

VOL. V.

B

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

King Richard the Second.

Edmund of Langley, Duke of York; uncles to the King.
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster;

Henry, surnamed Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, son to John of
Gaunt; afterwards King Henry IV.

Duke of Aumerle, Son to the Duke of York.

Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.

Duke of Surrey.

Earl of Salisbury.

Earl Berkley.

Bushy,

Bagot,

creatures to King Richard.

Green,

Earl of Northumberland:

Henry Percy, his Son.

Lord Ross. Lord Willoughby. Lord Fitzwater.
Bishop of Carlisle. Abbot of Westminster.

Lord Marshal; and another Lord.

Sir Pierce of Exton. Sir Stephen Scroop.

Captain of a band of Welshmen.

Queen to King Richard.

Duchess of Gloster.

Duchess of York.

Lady attending on the Queen.

Lords, heralds, officers, soldiers, two gardeners, keeper, messenger, groom, and other attendants.

Scene, dispersedly in England and Wales.

THE

LIFE & DEATH

OF

KING RICHARD II.

ACT I.

SCENE I. London. A room in the palace.

Enter King Richard, attended; John of Gaunt, and other Nobles, with him.

K. Rich. OLD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster,

Hast thou, according to thy oath and band*, Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son; Here to make good the boisterous late appeal, Which then our leisure would not let us hear, Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? Gaunt. I have, my liege.

K. Rich. Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him,

If he appeal the duke on ancient malice;

Or worthily as a good subject should,

On some known ground of treachery in him? Gaunt. As near as I could sift him on that argument,

On some apparent danger seen in him,

Aim'd at your highness; no inveterate malice.

* Bond.

K. Rich. Then call them to our presence; face

to face,

And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear
The accuser, and the accused, freely speak:-
[Exeunt some attendants.
High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire,
In rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.

Re-enter attendants, with Bolingbroke and Norfolk.
Boling. May many years of happy days befal
My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!
Nor. Each day still better other's happiness;
Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,
Add an immortal title to your crown!

K. Rich. We thank you both: yet one but flatters us,

As well appeareth by the cause you come;
Namely, to appeal* each other of high treason.-
Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object
Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ?
Boling. First, (heaven be the record to my
speech!)

In the devotion of a subject's love,

Tendering the precious safety of my prinee,
And free from other misbegotten hate,
Come I appellant to this princely presence.-
Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,
And mark my greeting well; for what I speak,
My body shall make good upon this earth,

Or
my divine soul answer it in heaven.
Thou art a traitor, and a miscreant;
Too good to be so, and too bad to live;
Since, the more fair and crystal is the sky,
The uglier seems the clouds that in it fly.
Once more, the more to aggravate the note,
With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat;
And wish (so please my sovereign), ere I move,
What my tongue speaks, my right-drawn sword may

prove.

Nor. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal:

* Charge.