Richard II by William Shakespeare (read the beginning after the end novel .TXT) 📕

Richard II

By William Shakespeare.

Table of Contents Titlepage Imprint Dramatis Personae Richard II Act I Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Act II Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Act III Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Act IV Scene I Act V Scene I Scene II Scene III Scene IV Scene V Scene VI Colophon Uncopyright Imprint

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Dramatis Personae

King Richard the Second

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, uncle to the king

Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, uncle to the king

Henry, surnamed 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

Lord Berkeley

Bushy, servant to King Richard

Bagot, servant to King Richard

Green, servant to King Richard

Earl of Northumberland

Henry Percy, surnamed Hotspur, his son

Lord Ross

Lord Willoughby

Lord Fitzwater

Bishop of Carlisle

Abbot of Westminster

Lord Marshal

Sir Stephen Scroop

Sir Pierce of Exton

Captain of a band of Welshmen

Queen to King Richard

Duchess of York

Duchess of Gloucester

Lady attending on the Queen

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

Scene: England and Wales.

Richard II Act I Scene I

London. King Richard’s palace.

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

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. King Richard

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.

King Richard

Then call them to our presence; face to face,
And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear
The accuser and the accused freely speak:
High-stomach’d are they both, and full of ire,
In rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.

Enter Bolingbroke and Mowbray. Bolingbroke

Many years of happy days befal
My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!

Mowbray

Each day still better other’s happiness;
Until the heavens, envying earth’s good hap,
Add an immortal title to your crown!

King Richard

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?

Bolingbroke

First, heaven be the record to my speech!
In the devotion of a subject’s love,
Tendering the precious safety of my prince,
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 seem 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.

Mowbray

Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal:
’Tis 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:
Yet can I not of such tame patience boast
As to be hush’d and nought at all to say:
First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me
From giving reins and spurs to my free speech;
Which else would post until it had return’d
These terms of treason doubled down his throat.
Setting aside his high blood’s royalty,
And let him be no kinsman to my liege,
I do defy him, and I spit at him;
Call him a slanderous coward and a villain:
Which to maintain I would allow him odds,
And meet him, were I tied to run afoot
Even to the frozen ridges of the Alps,
Or any other ground inhabitable,
Where ever Englishman durst set his foot.
Mean time let this defend my loyalty,
By all my hopes, most falsely doth he lie.

Bolingbroke

Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage,
Disclaiming here the kindred of the king,
And lay aside my high blood’s royalty,
Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except.
If guilty dread have left thee so much strength
As to take up mine honour’s pawn, then stoop:
By that and all the rites of knighthood else,
Will I make good against thee, arm to arm,
What I have spoke, or thou canst worse devise.

Mowbray

I take it up; and by that sword I swear,
Which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder,
I’ll answer thee in any fair