PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING RICHARD THE SECOND. JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster, uncles 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. MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk. The DUKE OF SURREY. The EARL OF SALISBURY. The EARL BERKLEY. The EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND. HENRY PERCY, surnamed HOTSPUR, his son. Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Gardeners, Keeper, Messengers, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE,-Dispersedly in ENGLand and Wales. KING RICHARD THE SECOND. ACT I. SCENE I.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING RICHARD, attended; JOHN OF GAunt, and other Nobles with him. King Richard. LD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Hast thou, according to thy oath and 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; 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 Re-enter Attendants with BOLINGBROKE and NORFOLK. Boling. May many years of happy days befall 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 prince, Since the more fair and crystal is the sky, Nor. 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, I do defy him, and I spit at him; Call him a slanderous coward and a villain : Where ever Englishman durst set his foot. Disclaiming here the kindred of the king; Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except: 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. Nor. 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 degree, Or chivalrous design of knightly trial: And, when I mount, alive may I not light, 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. it true ; my life shall prove That Mowbray hath received eight thousand nobles In name of lendings, for your highness' soldiers; The which he hath detain'd for lewd employ ments, Like a false traitor and injurious villain. Fetch'd from false Mowbray their first head and spring. Further I say, and further will maintain |