KING Richard the Second.

Duke of York,

}

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancafter, Uncles to the King.
Bolingbroke, Son to John of Gaunt, afterwards King
Henry the Fourth.

Aumerle, Son to the Duke of York.
Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk.

Earl of Salisbury.

Lord Berkley.

Bufhy, 7

Bagot,

Servants to King Richard.

Green,

Heralds, two Gardiners, Keeper, Meffenger, Groom, and other Attendants.

SCENE, difperfedly, in feveral Parts of England.

Of this the Editions, earlier than the firft Folio, are,

I. 4to, by Valentine Simmes, for Andrew Wife, 1598, of which I have a collation by Mr. Theobald.

II. 4to, for Mathew Law, 1615, from which the first Folio was printed.

(1) The LIFE and DEATH of

KING RICHARD II.

ACT I SCENE I.

The COURT.

Enter King Richard, John of Gaunt, with other Nobles and Attendants.

O'

King RICHARD.

LD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster, Haft thou, according to thy oath and bond, Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold fon, Here to make good the boift'rous late Appeal, Which then our leifure would not let us hear, Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? Gaunt. I have, my liege.

K. Rich. Tell me moreover, haft thou founded him, If he appeal the Duke on ancient malice,

Or worthily, as a good Subject should,

On fome, known ground of treachery in him?

Gaunt. As near as I could fift him on that argument, On fome apparent Danger feen in him

Aim'd at your Highness; no invet'rate malice.

K. Rich. Then call them to our prefence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow. Ourfelves will hear Th' accufer, and th' accufed freely fpeak:High ftomach'd are they Both, and full of ire; In rage, deaf as the fea; hafty as fire.

(1) The Life and Death of King Richard II.] But this Hiftory comprizes little more than the Two latt Years of this Prince. The Action of the Drama begins with Bolingbroke's appealing the Duke of Norfolk, on an Accufation of high Treafon, which fell out in the Year 1398; and it clofes with the Murder of King Richard at Pomfret-Caftle towards the End of the Year 1400, or the Beginning of the enfuing Year. THEOBALD. SCENE

B 2

SCENE II.

Enter Bolingbroke and Mowbray.

Boling. May many years of happy days befal My gracious Sovereign, my moft loving Liege! Mowb. Each day ftill 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 caufe you come;

Namely, t' appeal each other of high Treafon.

Coufin of Hereford, what doft thou object
Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ?

Boling. Firft (Heaven be the record to my speech!)

In the devotion of a Subject's love,

Tend'ring the precious fafety of my Prince,
And free from other mif-begotten 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 fhall make good upon this earth,
Or my divine foul anfwer it in heav'n.
Thou art a traitor and a mifcreant;
Too good to be fo, and too bad to live;
Since the more fair and cryftal is the fky,
The uglier feem the clouds, that in it fly..
Once more, the more to aggravate the Note,
With a foul Traytor's Name ftuff I thy throat; and
And with, fo pleafe my Sov'reign, ere I move, wall of
What my tongue fpeaks, my (2) Right-drawn Sword
may prove.

Mowb. Let not my cold words here accufe my zeal ; "Tis not the tryal of a woman's war,

The bitter clamour of two eager tongues,

Can arbitrate this caufe betwixt us twain;

The blood is hot, that must be cool'd for this.
Yet can I not of fuch tame patience boast,
As to be hufht, and nought at all to fay.

First, the fair Rev'rence of your Highnefs curbs me,

(2) Right-drawn.] Drawn in a right or just Cause.

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