KING Richard the Second. Duke of York, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, Uncles to the King: Bolingbroke, Son to John of Gaunt, afterwards King Henry the Fourth. Aumerle, Son to the Duke of York. Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk Earl of Salisbury. Lord Berkley. Bushy, Bagot, Servants to King Richard.] Dutchess of York. Lords in the Parliament. Ladies, attending on the Queen. Heralds, two Gardiners, Keeper, Messenger, Groom, and other Attendants. SCENE, difperfedly, in feveral Parts of England. THE (1) The LIFE and DEATH of KING RICHARD II. A C T I. SCENE, the COURT. Enter King Richard, John of Gaunt, with other Nobles and Attendants. King RICHAR D. LD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lan cafter, Haft thou, according to thy oath and bond, Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold fon, (1) The Life and Death of King Richard II.] But this Hiftory comprizes little more than the Two laft Years of this unfortunate Prince. The Action. of the Drama begins with Bolingbroke's appealing the Duke of Norfolk, on an Accufation of high Treafon, which fell out in the Year 1398; and it' clofes with the Murder of King Richard at Pomfret-Caftle towards the End of the Year 1400, or the Beginning of the enfuing Year, A 3 Here Here to make good the boift'rous late Appeal, K. Rich. Tell me moreover, haft thou founded him, If he appeal the Duke on ancient malice, Or worthily, as a good Subject fhould, On fome known ground of treachery in him? Gaunt. As near as I could fift him on that argument, On fome apparent Danger seen in him Aim'd at your Highness; no invet'rate malice. K. Rich. Then call them to our prefence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, Our felves will hear Th' accufer, and th' accufed freely speak: High-ftomach'd are they Both, and full of ire; In rage, deaf as the fea; hafty as fire. Enter Bolingbroke and Mowbray. Boling. May many years of happy days befal My gracious Sovereign, my moft loving Liege! Mob. Each day ftill 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 Coufin of Hereford, what doft thou object Tend'ring the precious fafety of my Prince, Or my divine foul answer it in heav'n. Thou art a traitor and a mifcreant ; Too good to be fo, and too bad to live; The The uglier feem the Clouds, that in it fly. Mob. Let not my cold words here accufe my zeal ; "Tis not the tryal of a woman's war, The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, First, the fair Rev'rence of your Highness curbs me, Call him a fland'rous coward, and a villain; Boling. Pale trembling Coward, there I throw my Difclaiming here the kindred of a King, (2) Or any other Ground inhabitable.] I don't know that this Word, (like the French Term, inhabitable,) will admit the two different Acceptations of a Place to be dwelt in, and not to be dwelt in: (or that it may be taken in the latter Senfe, as inba-\ bitabilis (among the Latines) fignifies uninhabitable; tho' inbabitare fignifies only to inhabit :) and therefore I have ventur'd to read, Or any other Ground unhabitable. A 4 (Which Which fear, not rev'rence, makes thee to except :) Or chivalrous defign of knightly tryal; And when I mount, alive may I not light, If I be traitor, or unjustly fight! K. Rich. What doth our Coufin lay to Mowbray's charge? It must be great, that can inherit us So much as of a thought of Ill in him. Boking. Look, what I faid, my life fhall prove it true; Fetch from falfe Mowbray their firft head and spring. That he did plot the Duke of Gloucester's death; And confequently, like a traitor-coward, Sluic'd out his inn'cent foul through ftreams of blood; Mowb |