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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
KING RICHARD THE
SECOND
William Shakespeare
1596
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
ACT I。
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE I。 London。 The palace
Enter RICHARD； JOHN OF GAUNT； with other NOBLES and
attendants
KING RICHARD。 Old John of Gaunt； time…honoured Lancaster；
Hast thou； according to thy oath and band； Brought hither Henry Hereford；
thy bold son； Here to make good the boist'rous 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 befall 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；
Tend'ring 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
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
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 an 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。 Meantime 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 worst 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 degree Or
chivalrous design of knightly trial； And when I mount； alive may I not
light If I be traitor or unjustly fight！ KING RICHARD。 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。 BOLINGBROKE。 Look what I speak；
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 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
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
Duke of Gloucester's death； Suggest his soon…believing adversaries； And
consequently； like a traitor coward； Sluic'd out his innocent soul through
streams of blood； Which blood； like sacrificing Abel's； cries； Even from
the tongueless caverns of the earth； To me for justice and rough
chastisement； And； by the glorious worth of my descent； This arm shall do
it； or this life be spent。 KING RICHARD。 How high a pitch his resolution
soars！ Thomas of Norfolk； what say'st thou to this？ MOWBRAY。 O； let
my sovereign turn away his face And bid his ears a little while be deaf； Till
I have told this slander of his blood How God and good men hate so foul a
liar。 KING RICHARD。 Mowbray； impartial are our eyes and cars。 Were he
my brother； nay； my kingdom's heir； As he is but my father's brother's son；
Now by my sceptre's awe I make a vow； Such neighbour nearness to our
sacred blood Should nothing privilege him nor partialize The unstooping
firmness of my upright soul。 He is our subject； Mowbray； so art thou： Free
speech and fearless I to thee allow。 MOWBRAY。 Then； Bolingbroke； as
low as to thy heart； Through the false passage of thy throat； thou liest。
Three parts of that receipt I had for Calais Disburs'd I duly to his
Highness' soldiers； The other part reserv'd I by consent； For that my
sovereign liege was in my debt Upon remainder of a dear account Since
last I went to France to fetch his queen： Now swallow down that lie。 For
Gloucester's death… I slew him not； but to my own disgrace Neglected my
sworn duty in that case。 For you； my noble Lord of Lancaster； The
honourable father to my foe； Once did I lay an ambush for your life； A
trespass that doth vex my grieved soul； But ere I last receiv'd the
sacrament I did confess it； and exactly begg'd Your Grace's pardon； and I
hope I had it。 This is my fault。 As for the rest appeal'd； It issues from the
rancour of a villain； A recreant and most degenerate traitor； Which in
myself I boldly will defend； And interchangeably hurl down my gage
Upon this overweening traitor's foot To prove myself a loyal gentleman
Even in the best blood chamber'd in his bosom。 In haste whereof； most
heartily I pray Your Highness to assign our trial day。 KING RICHARD。
Wrath…kindled gentlemen； be rul'd by me； Let's purge this choler without
letting blood… This we prescribe； though no physician； Deep malice makes
too deep incision。 Forget； forgive； conclude and be agreed： Our doctors
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