KING RICHARD II. (WRITTEN ABOUT 1594.) INTRODUCTION. King Richard II. appeared in quarto in 1597. In 1608 a third edition was published "with new additions of the Parliament Scene and the deposing of King Richard," that is to say, with the added lines 154-318 in Act IV., Sc. 1. It is probable that these lines were written as part of the original play, but relating as they did to the deposition of a king, had been omitted for fear of giving offence at a time when the Pope and Catholic princes were exhorting her subjects to dethrone Elizabeth. The date of the play is not ascertained, but it has been assigned, with an appearance of probability, to the year 1593 or 1594. Whether it preceded or followed Richard III. is a question in dispute. It is the inferior scenes which contain most rhymed verse; the dramatist exhibits, as in Romeo and Juliet, mastery over blank verse, but is not yet free from the tendency to fall back into rhyme. Upon the whole Richard II. bears closer afinity to King John than to any other of Shakespeare's plays. Marlowe's genius, however, still exercises an influence over Shakespeare's iniagination while he was fashioning his Richard II. Having in Richard III. (if it preceded the present play) brought the civil wars of England to an issue and an end, Shakespeare turned back to the reign of the earlier Richard, whose deposition led the way to the disputed succession and the conflicts of half a century later. The interest of the play centres in two connected things-the personal contrast between the falling and the rising kings, and the political action of each; the misgovernment of the one inviting and almost justifying the usurpation of the other. Richard, though possessed of a certain regal charm and power of attaching tender natures to himself, is defieient in all that is sterling and real in manhood. He is self-indulgent, has much superficial sensitivetess, loves to contemplate in a romantic way whatever is pathetic or passionate in life, possesses a kind of rhetorical imagination, and has abundant command of delicate and gleaming words. His will is nerveless, he is incapable of consistency of feeling, incapable of strenuous action. Bolingbroke, on the other hand, who pushes Richard from his throne, is a man framed for such ma terial success as waits on personal ambition. His is a resolute gaze which sees his object far off, and he has persistency and energy of will to carry him forward without faltering. His faculties are strong and well-knit; he is not cruel, but shrinks from no deed that is needful to his purpose because the deed is cruel. There is no finer contrast in Shakespeare's historical plays than that between the figures of the formidable king of deeds and the romantic king of hectic feelings and brilliant words, ACT I. SCENE I. London. KING RICHARD's palace. Enter KING RICHARD, JOHN OF GAUNT, with other Nobles and Attendants. K. Rich. Old John of Gaunt, time-honor'd Lancaster, Hast thou, according to thy oath and band, 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, argument, On some apparent danger seen in him 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, Boling. Many years of happy days befal 20 My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege! Mow. Each day still better other's happi 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! 30 In the devotion of a subject's love, 40 Mow. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal : 'Tis not the trial of a woman's war, 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. Call him a slanderous coward and a villain : Disclaiming here the kindred of the king, 70 cept. If guilty dread have left thee so much strength As to take up mine honor'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. Mow. I take it up; and by that sword I [diers In name of lendings for your highness' sol The which he hath detain'd for lewd employ ments, 9 Like a false traitor and injurious villain. Further I say and further will maintain death, 1 And bid his ears a little while be deaf, Were he my brother, nay, my kingdom's heir, Mo. 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 130 Since last I went to France to fetch his queen: Now swallow down that lie. For Gloucester's death, 140 I slew him not; but to my own disgrace In haste whereof, most heartily I pray 150 K. Rich. Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be ruled by me; Let's purge this choler without letting blood: 180 And I resign my gage. My dear dear lord, K. Rich. Cousin, throw up your gage; do you begin. Boling. O, God defend my soul from such deep sin! Shall I seem crest-fall'n in my father's sight? Or with pale beggar-fear impeach my height Before this out-dared dastard? Ere my SCENE II. The DUKE OF LANCASTER'S palace. Enter JOHN OF GAUNT with the DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER, Gaunt. Alas, the part I had in Woodstock's blood Doth more solicit me than your exclaims, Duch. Finds brotherhood in thee no sharper spur? Hath love in thy old blood no living fire? 10 Edward's seven sons, whereof thyself art one, Were as seven vials of his sacred blood, Or seven fair branches springing from one root: Some of those seven are dried by nature's course, Some of those branches by the Destinies cut; But Thomas, my dear lord, my life, my Gloucester, One vial full of Edward's sacred blood, By envy's hand and murder's bloody axe. 21 womb, That metal, that self-mould, that fashion'd thee Made him a man; and though thou livest and breathest, Yet art thou slain in him: thou dost consent Gaunt. God's is the quarrel; for God's substitute, His deputy anointed in His sight, Hath caused his death: the which if wrong fully, Let heaven revenge; for I may never lift 40 An angry arm against His minister. Duch. Where then, alas, may I complain myself? Gaunt. To God, the widow's champion and defence. Duch. Why, then, I will. Farewell, old Gaunt. Thou goest to Coventry, there to behold Our cousin Hereford and fell Mowbray fight: O, sit my husband's wrongs on Hereford' spear, That it may enter butcher Mowbray's breast! And throw the rider headlong in the lists, With her companion grief must end her life. Gaunt. Sister, farewell; I must to Coventry: As much good stay with thee as go with me! Duch. Yet one word more grief boundeth where it falls, 60 Not with the empty hollowness, but weight: there, To seek out sorrow that dwells every where. SCENE III. The lists at Coventry. Enter the Lord Marshal and the DUKE OF AUMERLE. Mar. My Lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd ? Aum. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. Mar. The Duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold, Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. Aum. Why, then, the champions are prepared, and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach. The trumpets sound, and the KING enters with The cause of his arrival here in arms: Mar. In God's name and the king's, sa who thou art And why thou comest thus knightly clad arms. Against what man thou comest, and what thy quarrel : Speak truly, on thy knighthood and thy oath; As so defend thee heaven and thy valor! Mo. My name is Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk ; Who hither come engaged by my oath- To God, my king and my succeeding issue, 20 Against the Duke of Hereford that appeals me; And, by the grace of God and this mine arm, K. Rich. Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms, loth who he is and why he cometh hither hus plated in habiliments of war, And formally, according to our law, 30 Mar. What is thy name? and wherefore Comest thou hither, Before King Richard in his royal lists ? Against whom comest thou? and what's thy quarrel? Speak like a true knight, so defend thee heaven! Boling. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster and Derby Am I who ready here do stand in arms, To prove, by God's grace and my body's valor, In lists, on Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, That he is a traitor, foul and dangerous, 41 Mer. On pain of death, no person be so bold Boling. O, let no noble eye profane a tear For me, if I be gored with Mowbray's spear: 60 As confident as is the falcon's flight Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. My loving lord, I take my leave of you; Of you, my noble cousin, Lord Aumerie; Not sick, although I have to do with death, But lusty, young, and cheerly drawing breath. Lo as at English feasts, so I regreet The daintiest last, to make the end most sweet: O thou, the earthly author of my blood, Whose youthful spirit, in me regenerate, Doth with a twofold vigor lift me up To reach at victory above my head, Add proof unto mine armor with thy prayers: And with thy blessings steel my lance's point, That it may enter Mowbray's waxen coat, And furbish new the name of John a Gaunt, Even in the lusty havior of his son. 70 Gaunt. God in thy good cause make thee prosperous! 80 Be swift like lightning in the execution; Boling. Mine innocency and Saint George to thrive ! Mow. However God or fortune cast my lot, There lives or dies, true to King Richard's throne, A loyal, just and upright gentleman years: As gentle and as jocund as to jest K. Rich. Farewell, my lord: securely I On pain to be found false and recreant, A traitor to his God, his king and him; |