SCENE VII.-The Orchard of Swinstead-Abbey. Enter PRINCE HENRY, SALISBURY, and Bigot. P. Hen. It is too late: the life of all his blood Is touch'd corruptibly; and his pure brain Enter PEMBROKE. Pem. His highness yet doth speak; and holds belief, That, being brought into the open air, It would allay the burning quality Of that fell poison which assaileth him. P. Hen. Let him be brought into the orchard here. Doth he still rage? Pem. He is more patient Than when you left him; even now he sung. 'Tis strange that death should sing. I am the cygnet to this pale faint swan, Who chants a doleful hymn to his own death, His soul and body to their lasting rest. [Exit BIGOT. Sal. Be of good comfort, prince; for you are born To set a form upon that indigest, Which he hath left so shapeless and so rude. Re-enter BIGOT and Attendants, who bring in KING JOHN in a chair. K. John. Ay, marry, now my soul hath elbow-room; P. Hen. How fares your majesty? K. John. Poison'd,-ill fare;-dead, forsook, cast off: And none of you will bid the winter come, To thrust his icy fingers in my maw; Nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course I beg cold comfort; and you are so strait, And so ingrateful, you deny me that. P. Hen. O, that there were some virtue in my tears, That might relieve you! K. John. The salt in them is hot. Within me is a hell; and there the poison Is, as a fiend, confin'd to tyrannize On unreprievable condemned blood. Enter FAULCONBRIDGE. Faul. O, I am scalded with my violent motion, And spleen of speed to see your majesty. K. John. O cousin, thou art come to set mine eye: And all the shrouds, wherewith my life should sail, My heart hath one poor string to stay it by, And model of confounded royalty. Faul. The Dauphin is preparing hitherward, Where, heaven he knows, how we shall answer him; [The KING dies. Sal. You breathe these dead news in as dead an ear.— Faul. Art thou gone so? I do but stay behind And then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven, P. Hen. At Worcester must his body be interr'd; Faul. Thither shall it, then : And happily may your sweet self put on The lineal state and glory of the land! To whom, with all submission, on my knee, I do bequeath my faithful services, And true subjection everlastingly. Sal. And the like tender of our love we make, To rest without a spot for evermore. P. Hen. I have a kind soul that would give you thanks, And knows not how to do it, but with tears. Faul. O, let us pay the time but needful woe, Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs.- Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror, But when it first did help to wound itself. Now these, her princes, are come home again, And we shall shock them: naught shall make us rue, [Exeunt. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD II. FOR the incidents in the life of Richard II., the "most admirable of all Shakspeare's purely Historical Plays," the Poet was chiefly indebted to Holinshed. It is a vivid and faithful picture of the reign of that unfortunate monarch, whose character is drawn with a fidelity and beauty of execution which renders it invaluable as a mere historical portrait. The other characters are also faithful embodiments, while the real incidents of Richard's eventful life are portrayed with such perfect truth, that the whole Play forms a glowing picture of the most romantic aud picturesque period of English History. The Play is the introductory one to the series of dramatic histories of the wars of York and Lancaster, while together they form a faithful narrative of the whole prolonged civil contest. The history of Richard II., as comprised in this Play, embraces only the last two years of his life, commencing in the year 1398, and ending with the murder of Richard at Pomfret Castle toward the end of the year 1400. PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING RICHARD THE SECOND. EDMUND OF LANGLEY, Duke of York, JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster, Uncles to the King. HENRY BOLINGBROKE, Duke of Hereford, son to John of Gaunt; afterwards King Henry IV. DUKE OF AUMERLE, son to the Duke of York. THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk. DUKE OF SURREY. EARL OF SALISBURY. EARL BERKLEY. LORD ROSS. LORD WILLOUGHBY. BISHOP OF CARLISLE. ABBOT OF WESTMINSTER. Sir PIERCE OF EXTON. Sir STEPHEN SCROOP. Captain of a Band of Welshmen. QUEEN TO KING RICHARD. DUCHESS OF YORK. Lady attending on the Queen. Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Gardeners, Keeper, Messenger, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE,-Dispersedly in ENGLAND and WALES. ACT I. SCENE I.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING RICHARD, attended; JOHN OF GAUNT, and other K. Rich. Old John of Gaunt, time-honor'd Lancaster, K. Rich. Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him, 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. K. Rich. Then call them to our presence: face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear Th' accuser, and th' 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. Many years of happy days befall My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege! |