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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
say this is no month to bleed。 Good uncle； let this end where it begun；
We'll calm the Duke of Norfolk； you your son。 GAUNT。 To be a make…
peace shall become my age。 Throw down； my son； the Duke of Norfolk's
gage。 KING RICHARD。 And； Norfolk； throw down his。 GAUNT。 When；
Harry； when？ Obedience bids I should not bid again。 KING RICHARD。
Norfolk； throw down； we bid。 There is no boot。 MOWBRAY。 Myself I
throw； dread sovereign； at thy foot； My life thou shalt command； but not
my shame： The one my duty owes； but my fair name； Despite of death；
that lives upon my grave To dark dishonour's use thou shalt not have。 I am
disgrac'd； impeach'd； and baffl'd here； Pierc'd to the soul with slander's
venom'd spear； The which no balm can cure but his heart…blood Which
breath'd this poison。 KING RICHARD。 Rage must be withstood： Give me
his gage…lions make leopards tame。 MOWBRAY。 Yea； but not change his
spots。 Take but my shame； And I resign my gage。 My dear dear lord； The
purest treasure mortal times afford Is spotless reputation； that away； Men
are but gilded loam or painted clay。 A jewel in a ten…times barr'd…up chest
Is a bold spirit in a loyal breast。 Mine honour is my life； both grow in one；
Take honour from me； and my life is done： Then； dear my liege； mine
honour let me try； In that I live； and for that will I die。 KING RICHARD。
Cousin； throw up your gage； do you begin。 BOLINGBROKE。 O； God
defend my soul from such deep sin！ Shall I seem crest…fallen in my father's
sight？ Or with pale beggar…fear impeach my height Before this outdar'd
dastard？ Ere my tongue Shall wound my honour with such feeble wrong
Or sound so base a parle； my teeth shall tear The slavish motive of
recanting fear； And spit it bleeding in his high disgrace； Where shame doth
harbour； even in Mowbray's face。 Exit GAUNT KING RICHARD。 We
were not born to sue； but to command； Which since we cannot do to make
you friends； Be ready； as your lives shall answer it； At Coventry； upon
Saint Lambert's day。 There shall your swords and lances arbitrate The
swelling difference of your settled hate； Since we can not atone you； we
shall see Justice design the victor's chivalry。 Lord Marshal； command our
officers…at…arms Be ready to direct these home alarms。 Exeunt
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE 2。 London。 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 To stir against the butchers of his life！ But since
correction lieth in those hands Which made the fault that we cannot
correct； Put we our quarrel to the will of heaven； Who； when they see the
hours ripe on earth； Will rain hot vengeance on offenders' heads。
DUCHESS。 Finds brotherhood in thee no sharper spur？ Hath love in thy
old blood no living fire？ 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； One flourishing
branch of his most royal root； Is crack'd； and all the precious liquor spilt；
Is hack'd down； and his summer leaves all faded； By envy's hand and
murder's bloody axe。 Ah； Gaunt； his blood was thine！ That bed； that womb；
That mettle； 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 In some large measure to thy father's death In that thou seest thy
wretched brother die； Who was the model of thy father's life。 Call it not
patience； Gaunt…it is despair； In suff'ring thus thy brother to be slaught'red；
Thou showest the naked pathway to thy life； Teaching stern murder how to
butcher thee。 That which in mean men we entitle patience Is pale cold
cowardice in noble breasts。 What shall I say？ To safeguard thine own life
The best way is to venge my Gloucester's death。 GAUNT。 God's is the
quarrel； for God's substitute； His deputy anointed in His sight； Hath caus'd
his death； the which if wrongfully； Let heaven revenge； for I may never lift
An angry arm against His minister。 DUCHESS。 Where then； alas； may I
complain myself？ GAUNT。 To God； the widow's champion and defence。
DUCHESS。 Why then； I will。 Farewell； old Gaunt。 Thou goest to
Coventry； there to behold Our cousin Hereford and fell Mowbray fight。 O；
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
sit my husband's wrongs on Hereford's spear； That it may enter butcher
Mowbray's breast！ Or； if misfortune miss the first career； Be Mowbray's
sins so heavy in his bosom That they may break his foaming courser's
back And throw the rider headlong in the lists； A caitiff recreant to my
cousin Hereford！ Farewell； old Gaunt； thy sometimes brother's wife； 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！ DUCHESS。 Yet
one word more… grief boundeth where it falls； Not with the empty
hollowness； but weight。 I take my leave before I have begun； For sorrow
ends not when it seemeth done。 Commend me to thy brother； Edmund
York。 Lo； this is all… nay； yet depart not so； Though this be all； do not so
quickly go； I shall remember more。 Bid him… ah； what？… With all good
speed at Plashy visit me。 Alack； and what shall good old York there see
But empty lodgings and unfurnish'd walls； Unpeopled offices； untrodden
stones？ And what hear there for welcome but my groans？ Therefore
commend me； let him not come there To seek out sorrow that dwells every
where。 Desolate； desolate； will I hence and die； The last leave of thee takes
my weeping eye。 Exeunt
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE 3。 The lists at Coventry
Enter the LORD MARSHAL and the DUKE OF AUMERLE
MARSHAL。 My Lord Aumerle； is Harry Hereford arm'd？
AUMERLE。 Yea； at all points； and longs to enter in。 MARSHAL。 The
Duke of Norfolk； spightfully and bold； Stays but the summons of the
appelant's trumpet。 AUMERLE。 Why then； the champions are prepar'd；
and stay For nothing but his Majesty's approach。
The trumpets sound； and the KING enters with his nobles； GAUNT；
BUSHY； BAGOT； GREEN； and others。 When they are set； enter
MOWBRAY； Duke of Nor folk； in arms； defendant； and a HERALD
KING RICHARD。 Marshal； demand of yonder champion The cause
of his arrival here in arms； Ask him his name； and orderly proceed To
swear him in the justice of his cause。 MARSHAL。 In God's name and the
King's； say who thou art； And why thou comest thus knightly clad in arms；
Against what man thou com'st； and what thy quarrel。 Speak truly on thy
knighthood and thy oath； As so defend thee heaven and thy valour！
MOWBRAY。 My name is Thomas Mowbray； Duke of Norfolk； Who
hither come engaged by my oath… Which God defend a knight should
violate！… Both to defend my loyalty and truth To God； my King； and my
succeeding issue； Against the Duke of Hereford that appeals me； And； by
the grace of God and this mine arm； To prove him； in defending of myself；
A traitor to my God； my King； and me。 And as I truly fight； defend me
heaven！
The trumpets sound。 Enter BOLINGBROKE； Duke of Hereford；
appellant； in armour； and a HERALD
KING RICHARD。 Marshal； ask yonder knight in arms； Both who he
is and why he cometh hither Thus plated in habiliments of war； And
formally；