KING RICHARD IL

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

King Richard the Second.

Edmund of Langley, Duke of York;

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.

Duke of Surrey.

Lord Ross. Lord Willoughby. Lord Fitzwater. Bishop of Carlisle. Abbot of Westminster.

Lord Marshal; and another Lord.

Sir Pierce of Exton. Sir Stephen Scroop.
Captain of a band of Welshmen.

Queen to King Richard.

Duchess of Gloster.

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

LIFE AND DEATH

OY

KING RICHARD II.

ACT I.

SCENE 1-London. A room in the palace. Enter King Richard, attended; John of Gaunt, and other nobles, with him.

King Richard.

OLD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster, Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,1 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.

(1) Bond.

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, rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.

In

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 of 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;

(1) Charge.