HENRY, SURNAMED BOLINGBROKE, DUKE OF HEREFORD;

son to John of Gaunt; afterwards King Henry IV.

DUKE OF AUMERLE, son to the Duke of York.

THOMAS MOWBRAY, DUKE Of Norfolk.

ISABEL, Queen of England, wife to King Richard.

ELEANOR, DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.

LORDS; LADIES; HERALDS; OFFICERS; SOLDIERS; A PRISON-KEEPER; A GROOM; A SERVANT; PAGES AND ATTENDANTS.

If necessary, in the representation of this tragedy, actors can "double" in the following parts:

TIME.-About two years and two months,—in 1398, 1399

and 1400.

RICHARD THE SECOND.

Scene First. {

Act First.

LONDON. A ROOM IN THE ROYAL PAL-
ACE, ARCHED AND VAULTED.

[Enter Gaunt and Duchess of Gloster R. U. E.

Gaunt.

Alas! the part I had in Gloster'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 he sees the hours ripe on earth,
Will rain hot vengeance on offenders' heads.

Duch.

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 phials 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 Gloster-
One phial full of Edward's sacred blood,
One flourishing branch of his most royal root,
Is cracked, and all the precious liquid spilt;

[L.

[R.

Is hacked down, and his summer leaves all faded,
By envy's hand, and murder's bloody axe.
Call it not patience, Gaunt, it is despair:
In suffering thus thy brother to be slaughtered,
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 Gloster's death!

Gaunt.

Heaven's is the quarrel; for heaven's substitute,
His deputy, anointed in his sight,

Hath caused his death; the which if wrongfully,
Let heaven revenge: for I may never lift

An angry arm against his minister.

Duch.

Where then, alas! may I complain myself?

Gaunt.

To heaven, the widow's champion and defence.

Duch.

Why then I will. Farewell!

O, 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!

[Exit Duchess L. I. E. Gaunt goes to R. Enter King Richard, Bushy, Bagot, Green, Salisbury, Aumerle, Bishop of Carlisle, pages, lords and guards.

King Richard.

Old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster,
Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,