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Richard II

Act I, Scene 1

London. KING RICHARD II's palace.
 
[Enter KING RICHARD II, JOHN OF GAUNT, with other Nobles and Attendants ]
 
KING RICHARD II
            ,     .   T      T   T        ,      ,
      Old John | of Gaunt, time hon|ored Lan|caster,
             ,       ,        ,         ,          ,
      Hast thou | accord|ing to | thy oath | and band
                 ,      ,       ,               ,   ,
      Brought* hith|er Hen|ry Here|ford thy / bold son:
        ,              ,          ,     2     ,        ,
      Here to | make^good | the boist|erous late | appeal,
              ,          ,        ,          ,         ,
      Which then | our leis|ure would | not let | us hear,
          ,           ,        ,         ,       ,         o
      Against | the Duke | of Nor|folk, Thom|as Mow||bray?
 
JOHN OF GAUNT
          ,         ,
      I have | my liege.  \\
 
KING RICHARD II
        ,           ,        ,           ,       ,
      Tell me | moreov|er, hast | thou sound|ed him,
       ,   2     ,          ,        ,         ,
      If he ap|peal the | duke on | ancient | malice,
           ,     ,            ,   ,           ,
      Or worth|ily | as a / good sub|ject* should
                  ,      ,          ,      ,       ,
      On some*/ known ground | of treach|ery | in him?
 
JOHN OF GAUNT
           ,       ,           ,       2     ,     ,  2
      As near | as I | could sift | him on that | argument,
           ,       ,        ,       ,        ,
      On some | appar|ent dang|er seen | in him,
        ,     2         ,         ,     ,  2       ,
      Aimed at your | highness,| no in|veterate | malice.
 
KING RICHARD II
             ,          ,        ,          ,         ,
      Then call | them to | our pres|ence face | to face,
            ,         ,         ,          ,            ,
      And frown|ing brow | to brow,| ourselves | will hear
         2   ,       ,             ,      ,       ,
      The accus|er, and | the ac/cused, free|ly speak;
        ,   ,                      ,          ,        ,
      High-stom/ached are | they both,| and full | of ire,
           ,      ,            ,     ,           ,
      In rage,| deaf as | the sea;| hasty | as fire.
 
[Enter HENRY BOLINGBROKE and THOMAS MOWBRAY]
 
HENRY BOLINGBROKE
       ,       ,         ,        ,       ,
      Many | years of | happy | days be|fall
      <-       ,          ,                 ,   ,        ,
        My || gracious | sove|reign, my / most lov|ing liege.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
        T   T    T      ,       ,          ,   2
      Each day still | better | other's | happiness,
         ,           x       ,          ,             ,
      Until | the heavens,| envy|ing earth's | good* hap,
       ,           ,      ,      ,          ,
      Add an | immort|al tit|le to | your crown.
 
KING RICHARD II
           ,           ,         ,          ,        ,
      We thank | you both,| yet one | but flat|ters us,
           ,       ,        ,         ,           ,
      As well | appear|eth by | the cause | you come,
        ,        2    ,          ,    2     ,      ,
      Namely,| to appeal | each oth|er of high | treason.
       ,            ,          ,           ,        ,
      Cousin | of Here|ford, what | dost thou | object
          ,           ,        ,         ,       ,        ->
      Against | the Duke | of Nor|folk, Thom|as Mow||bray?
 
HENRY BOLINGBROKE
        ,        x             ,       ,         ,
      First,| heaven be | the rec|ord to | my speech,
       ,          ,       ,      ,           ,
      In the | devo|tion of | a sub|ject's^love,
       ,   2           ,          ,      ,         ,
      Tendering | the pre|cious safe|ty of | my prince,
            ,          ,      ,     ,        ,
      And free | from oth|er mis|begot|ten hate,
        ,   2    ,         ,           ,        ,
      Come I ap|pellant | to this | princely | presence.
             ,      ,         ,       ,         ,
      Now* Thom|as Mow|bray, do | I turn | to thee,
            ,         ,         ,          ,        ,
      And mark | my greet|ing well:| for what | I speak,
          ,      ,            ,      ,           ,
      My bo|dy shall | make^good | upon | this earth,
       ,          ,      ,   ,                 x
      Or my | divine | soul ans/wer it | in heaven.
        ,            ,        ,       ,      ,
      Thou art | a trait|or, and | a mis|creant;
            ,        ,        ,          ,         ,
      Too good | to be | so, and | too* bad | to live,
        ,                 ,         ,        ,        ,
      Since the | more* fair | and cry|stal is | the sky,
           ,   2    ,           ,           ,        ,
      The ug|lier seem | the clouds | that in | it fly:
             ,          ,        ,      ,          ,
      Once^more,| the more | to ag|gravate | the note,
                 ,    ,          ,          ,          ,
      With a / foul trait|or's name | stuff^I | thy throat,
            ,          ,         ,           ,        ,
      And wish |(so please | my sove|reign) ere | I move,
          2      ,        ,           T     T     T           ,
      What my tongue | speaks, my | right drawn sword | may prove.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
           ,         ,      ,             ,         ,
      Let not | my cold | words here^|accuse | my zeal:
            ,         ,      ,      ,        ,
      'Tis not | the tri|al of | a wom|an's war,
           ,       ,            ,   ,        ,
      The bit|ter clam|or of / two eag|er tongues,
           ,     ,            ,         ,          ,
      Can arb|itrate | this cause | betwixt | us twain:
            ,         ,           ,          ,           ,
      The blood | is hot | that must | be cooled | for this.
       ,     2     ,         T    T   T          ,
      Yet can I | not of | such tame pa|tience boast,
          ,         ,            ,         ,        ,
      As to | be hushed,| and nought | at all | to say.
        ,           ,    ,          2         ,          ,
      First the | fair reve/rence of your | highness | curbs me,
            ,        ,           ,               ,     ,
      From giv|ing reins | and spurs | to my / free speech,
              ,            ,       ,        ,         ,
      Which else | would post,| until | it had | returned
              ,          ,         ,        ,           ,
      These terms | of treas|on, doub|led down | his throat.
       ,     2    ,          T     T     T     ,
      Setting a|side his | high blood's roy|alty,
           ,         ,    ,   ,                ,
      And let | him be | no kins/man to | my liege,
         ,      ,         ,        ,        ,
      I do | defy | him, and | I spit | at him,
        ,     2      ,   2       ,        ,       ,
      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,
      ,        2     ,        ,      ,         ,
      Even | to the froz|en ridg|es of | the Alps,
          ,    ,        ,        ,   2  ,
      Or an|y oth|er ground | inhab|itable,
           ,      ,       ,           ,          ,
      Wherev|er Eng|lishman | durst^set | his foot.
            ,          ,        ,        ,     ,
      Meantime,| let this | defend | my loy|alty,
          ,         ,            ,        ,        ,
      By all | my hopes,| most^false|ly doth | he lie.
 
HENRY BOLINGBROKE
        T      Tx     T         ,         ,          ,
      Pale trembling cow|ard, there | I throw | my gage,
           ,         ,         ,        ,       ,
      Disclaim|ing here | the kind|red of | a king,
           ,       ,         ,       ,     ,
      And lay | aside | my high | blood's roy/alty,
              ,          ,          ,           ,       ,
      Which fear,| not reve|rence makes | thee to | except.
           ,       ,            ,          ,            ,
      If guil|ty dread | have left | thee so | much strength,
                ,   ,         ,         ,           ,
      As to / take up | mine^hon|or's pawn,| then stoop.
           ,         ,          ,          ,           ,
      By that,| and all | the rites | of knight|hood else,
           ,          ,        ,           ,        ,
      Will I | make^good | against | thee arm | to arm,
           ,           x          ,            ,         ,
      What I | have spoken,| or thou | canst worse | devise.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
          ,        ,        ,          ,         ,
      I take | it up,| and by | that sword | I swear,
             ,        ,         ,          ,        ,       ->
      Which^gen|tly laid | my knight|hood on | my should||er,
        ,     ,           2    ,     ,        ,
      I'll | answer | thee in an|y fair | degree,
          ,       ,        ,          ,        x
      Or chiv|alrous | design | of knight|ly trial:
            ,        ,        ,        ,         ,
      And when | I mount,| alive | may I | not^light,
         ,        ,        ,       ,       ,
      If I | be trait|or, or | unjust|ly fight.
 
KING RICHARD II
             ,         ,       ,        ,            ,
      What doth | our cous|in lay | to Mow|bray's charge?
           ,         ,           ,       ,      ,
      It must | be great | that can | inher|it us,
           ,        ,        ,          ,        ,
      So much | as of | a thought | of ill | in him.
 
HENRY BOLINGBROKE
             ,        ,         ,            ,          ,
      Look^what | I said,| my life | shall prove | it true,
        ,   ,           2      T     T     T          x
      That Mow/bray hath re|ceived eight thous|and nobles,
           ,     ,  ,           2         ,         ,
      In name | of lend/ings for your | highness'| soldiers,  ??
            ,      ,     2      ,           ,       ,
      The which | he hath de|tained for | lewd em|ployments,
        T  .   T     T        ,       ,    2     x
      Like a false trait|or, and | injur|ious villain.
          ,        ,          ,        ,        ,
      Besides | I say,| and will | in bat|tle prove,
           ,         ,    ,             ,          ,
      Or here,| or else|where to | the fur|thest verge
           ,      ,         ,         ,        ,
      That ev|er was | surveyed | by Eng|lish eye,
            ,          ,        ,            ,         ,
      That all | the treas|ons for | these^eight|een years
           ,        ,        ,       ,          ,
      Complot|ted, and | contriv|ed in | this land,
        ,            ,    ,                 T     T   .     T
      Fetch from | false Mow/bray their | first head and spring.
       ,           ,         ,         ,          ,
      Further | I say,| and furth|er will | maintain
        ,         ,      ,              ,           ,
      Upon | his bad | life, to | make^all | this good.
            ,         ,          ,          ,            ,
      That he | did plot | the Duke | of Glouce|ster's death,
           ,          ,      ,        ,      x
      Suggest | his soon-|believ|ing ad|versaries,
           ,      ,         ,        ,         x
      And cons|equent|ly, like | a trait|or coward,
         T     T   .   T   2      ,               ,           ,
      Sluiced out his in|nocent soul | through streams | of blood:
              ,           ,     ,      ,         ,
      Which^blood,| like^sac|rific|ing Ab|el's cries,  ??
         x                ,         ,        ,         ,
      (Even from | the tongue|less cav|erns of | the earth)
          ,         ,               ,     ,    ,
      To me | for just|ice, and / rough chas|tisement:
           ,         ,   2     ,         ,       ,
      And by | the glor|ious worth | of my | descent,
            ,           ,        ,          ,         ,
      This arm | shall do | it, or | this life | be spent.
 
KING RICHARD II
            ,        ,          ,    ,        ,
      How high | a pitch | his res|olu|tion soars:
       ,           ,          ,            ,         ,
      Thomas | of Nor|folk, what | sayst^thou | to this?
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
          ,         ,          ,      ,          ,
      Oh let | my sove|reign turn | away | his face,
           ,          ,       ,        ,          ,
      And bid | his ears | a lit|tle while | be deaf,
           ,          ,           ,       ,         ,
      Till I | have told | this sland|er of | his blood,
           ,     .    T   T     T         ,        x
      How God,| and good men, hate | so foul | a liar.
 
KING RICHARD II
       ,           ,        ,          ,          ,
      Mowbray,| impart|ial are | our eyes | and ears,
            ,        ,        ,          ,          ,
      Were he | my broth|er, nay | our king|dom's heir,
          ,       ,         ,         ,         ,
      As he | is but | my fath|er's broth|er's son;
       ,            ,         ,        ,       ,
      Now by | my scep|ter's awe,| I make | a vow,
             ,         ,        ,        ,        ,
      Such neigh|bor near|ness to | our sac|red blood,
              ,        ,    2     ,         ,       ,
      Should noth|ing priv|ilege him,| nor part|ialize
           ,   ,          ,          2    ,         ,
      The un|stooping | firmness | of my up|right^soul.
       ,           ,          ,         ,         ,
      He is | our sub|ject* (Mow|bray) so | art thou,
        T     T     .    T        ,        ,       ,
      Free speech, and fear|less, I | to thee | allow.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
            ,       ,         ,        ,         ,
      Then Bol|ingbroke,| as low | as to | thy heart,
                      ,    ,        ,          ,            ,
      Through the / false pas|sage of | thy throat,| thou liest:
        ,     ,       2          ,        ,         ,
      Three parts / of that re|ceipt I | had for | Calais,
           ,     ,     2      ,         ,     ,
      Disburs|ed I | to his high|ness' sol|diers;
           ,       ,         ,        ,        ,
      The oth|er part | reserved | I by | consent;
            ,         ,          ,          ,        ,
      For that | my sove|reign liege | was in | my debt,
        ,        ,       ,       ,        ,
      Upon | remaind|er of | a dear | account,
              ,        ,          ,          ,           ,
      Since^last | I went | to France | to fetch | his queen:
            ,        ,          ,           ,            ,
      Now swal|low down | that lie.| For Glouce|ster's death,
          ,         ,     ,            ,         ,
      I slew | him not;| but (to | my own | disgrace)
          ,             ,    ,     ,          ,
      Neglect|ed my / sworn du|ty in | that case:
           ,        ,       ,        ,      ,
      For you | my nob|le Lord | of Lan|caster,
           ,    ,      ,       ,       ,
      The hon|ora|ble fath|er to | my foe,
           ,        ,        ,        ,           ,
      Once^I | did lay | an am|bush* for | your life,
          ,          ,          ,         ,        ,
      A tres|pass* that | doth vex | my griev|ed soul:
           ,        ,         ,          ,      ,
      But ere | I last | received | the sac|rament,
         ,         ,         ,       ,        ,
      I did | confess | it, and | exact|ly begged
            ,        ,        ,        ,         x
      Your gra|ce's pard|on, and | I hope | I had it.
        T   .  T   T      ,             ,         ,
      This is my fault:| as for | the rest | appealed,
          ,        ,          ,      ,         x
      It is|sues from | the ranc|or of | a villain,
         ,     ,          ,       ,   2      ,      ->
      A rec|reant,| and most | degen|erate trait||or,
        ,       2    ,        ,       ,        ,
      Which | in myself | I bold|ly will | defend,
           ,       ,            ,    ,         ,
      And int|erchange|ably / hurl down | my gage
        ,          ,     ,        ,          ,
      Upon | this ov|erween|ing trait|or's foot,
           ,         ,       ,      ,      ,
      To prove | myself | a loy|al gent|leman,
        x             ,      ,     ,                   x
      Even in | the best | blood chamb/ered in | his bosom.
           ,           ,          ,     ,       ,
      In haste | whereof,| most heart|ily | I pray
             ,        ,       ,         ,      ,
      Your high|ness to | assign | our tri|al day.
 
KING RICHARD II
        T     Tx     T      ,         ,         ,
      Wrath-kindled gent|lemen | be ruled | by me:
              ,           ,            ,   ,         ,
      Let's^purge | this chol|er with/out let|ting blood:
        ,             ,             ,       ,    ,
      This we | prescribe,| though no | physi|cian,
        T    Tx     T           ,       ,    ,
      Deep malice makes | too deep | incis|ion.
          ,         ,         ,          ,       ,
      Forget,| forgive,| conclude,| and be | agreed,
           ,        ,               ,   ,          ,
      Our doc|tors say,| this is / no month | to bleed.
            ,       ,          ,           ,      ,
      Good^unc|le, let | this end | where^it | begun,
              ,          ,        ,         ,          ,
      We'll calm | the Duke | of Nor|folk; you,| your son.
 
JOHN OF GAUNT
          ,   .   T    T     T         ,        ,
      To be | a make-peace shall | become | my age,
               ,        ,          ,        ,           ,
      Throw* down |(my son)| the Duke | of Nor|folk's gage.
 
KING RICHARD II
           ,          ,            ,
      And Nor|folk, throw | down* his.  \\
 
JOHN OF GAUNT
        T    Tx    T      ,    2     ,    oo
      When Harry when?| Obed|ience bids,|
        ,    2     ,         ,          ,       ,
      Obed|ience bids | I should | not bid | again.
 
KING RICHARD II
       ,                 ,        ,           ,         ,
      Norfolk,| throw* down,| we bid;| there^is | no* boot.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
          ,        ,       ,     ,                    ,
      Myself | I throw |(dread sove/reign) at | thy foot.
           ,           ,          ,         ,         ,
      My life | thou shalt | command,| but not | my shame,
           ,        ,      ,               ,    ,
      The one | my du|ty owes,| but my / fair name
          ,          ,            ,       ,         ,
      Despite | of death,| that lives | upon | my grave
           ,        ,        ,           ,           ,
      To dark | dishon|or's use,| thou shalt | not have.
         ,         ,          ,           ,         ,
      I am | disgraced,| impeached,| and baf|fled here,
         ,               ,           ,         ,         ,
      Pierced to | the soul | with sland|er's ven|omed spear:
            ,          ,          ,                ,     ,
      The which | no balm | can cure,| but his / heart-blood
                ,            ,
      Which breathed | this pois|on.
 
KING RICHARD II
                                      ,          ,         ,
                                    Rage | must be | withstood:
        ,             ,     ,             ,         ,
      Give me | his gage:| lions | make leop|ards tame.
 
THOMAS MOWBRAY
       ,                ,           ,           ,         ,
      Yea, but | not change | his spots:| take^but | my shame,
          ,       ,         ,         ,           ,
      And I | resign | my gage.| My dear,| dear lord,
           ,        ,         ,       ,         ,
      The pur|est treas|ure mort|al times | afford
           ,        ,    ,         ,      ,
      Is spot|less rep|uta|tion: that | away,
       ,             ,        ,         ,        ,
      Men are | but gild|ed loam,| or paint|ed clay.
          x             ,    ,       T    T   T
      A jewel | in a / ten-times-|barred-up chest,
               ,   ,        ,      ,        ,
      Is a / bold spir|it, in | a loy|al breast.
            ,      ,        ,           ,        ,
      Mine^hon|or is | my life;| both^grow | in one:
            ,       ,         ,         ,         ,
      Take^hon|or from | me, and | my life | is done.
              ,         ,           ,      ,        ,
      Then (dear | my liege)| mine hon|or let | me try,
           ,        ,         ,           ,       ,
      In that | I live;| and for | that will | I die.
 
KING RICHARD II
        Tx      T     T           , 
      Cousin, throw down | your gage,
                                           ,       ,
                                       Do you | begin.
 
HENRY BOLINGBROKE
            x         ,         ,      .    T    T   T
      Oh heaven | defend | my soul | from such soul sin.
        ,         T    T     Tx       2    ,          ,
      Shall I | seem crest-fallen | in my fath|er's sight,
                  ,   ,        ,        ,          ,
      Or with / pale beg|gar-fear | impeach | my height
          ,          ,     ,     ,                   ,
      Before | this out-|dared dast/ard? Ere | my tongue,
              ,         ,              ,   ,        ,
      Shall wound | my hon|or with / such feeb|le wrong;
           ,          ,        ,          ,             ,
      Or sound | so base | a parle:| my teeth | shall tear
            ,       ,       ,      ,         ,
      The slav|ish mot|ive of | recant|ing fear,
            ,         ,        ,         ,         ,
      And spit | it bleed|ing in | his high | disgrace,
              ,           ,       ,    2    ,           ,
      Where shame | doth har|bor, ev|en in Mow|bray's face.
 
[Exit JOHN OF GAUNT]
 
KING RICHARD II
                 ,    ,        ,     ,            ,
      We were / not born | to sue,| but to | command,
              ,         ,       ,        ,           ,
      Which since | we can|not do | to make | you friends,
          ,        ,          ,            ,       ,
      Be rea|dy, (as | your lives | shall ans|wer it)
          ,     ,      ,           ,          ,
      At Cov|entry,| upon | Saint^Lam|bert's day:
        ,                   ,          ,       ,     ,
      There shall | your swords | and lanc|es arb|itrate
            ,        ,      2    ,         ,         ,
      The swel|ling dif|ference of | your set|tled hate:
             ,        ,       ,          ,           ,
      Since^we | can not | atone | you, you | shall see
       ,            ,         ,         ,      ,
      Justice | design | the vic|tor's chiv|alry.
        ,    ,             ,         ,  2           ,
      Lord marsh/al, com|mand our | officers | at arms,
          ,      ,       ,            ,       ,
      Be rea|dy to | direct | these home | alarms.
 
[Exeunt]

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