HENRY PERCY, son to the Earl of Northumberland. Appears, Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 6. Appears, Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 6. Appears, Act IV. sc. 1. LORD MARSHAL; and another Lord. SIR PIERCE OF EXTON. Appears, Act V. sc. 4; sc. 5; sc. 6. Captain of a band of Welshmen. QUEEN to King Richard. Appears, Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 4. Act V. sc. 1 DUCHESS OF GLOSTER. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. 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 original editions have no Names of Characters. The lines in the following play, enclosed in brackets, are not in the folio of 1623. 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. 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. 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 BOLING. First, (heaven be the record to my speech!) Tendering the precious safety of my prince, 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: "T is not the trial of a woman's war, The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain: The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this. Call him a slanderous coward and a villain: Which to maintain, I would allow him odds; BOLING. Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage, Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except: Or chivalrous design of knightly trial: And, when I mount, alive may I not light, If I be traitor, or unjustly fight! K. RICH. What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge? It must be great, that can inherit us So much as of a thought of ill in him. BOLING. Look, what I said my life shall prove it true;— That Mowbray hath receiv'd eight thousand nobles, In name of lendings, for your highness' soldiers; The which he hath detain'd for lewd employments, Like a false traitor and injurious villain. Besides I say, and will in battle prove,— Or here, or elsewhere, to the furthest verge That ever was survey'd by English eye,— That all the treasons, for these eighteen years Complotted and contrived in this land, Fetch'd from false Mowbray their first head and spring. Further I say, and further will maintain Upon his bad life, to make all this good,— That he did plot the duke of Gloster's death; And, consequently, like a traitor coward, Sluic'd out his innocent soul through streams of blood: Even from the tongueless caverns of the earth, K. RICH. How high a pitch his resolution soars!— K. RICH. Mowbray, impartial are our eyes and ears: NOR. Then, Bolingbroke, as low as to thy heart, Upon remainder of a dear account Since last I went to France to fetch his queen: Now, swallow down that lie.-For Gloster's death,— I slew him not; but to my own disgrace, |