One phial full of Edward's sacred blood, One flourishing branch of his most royal root,— Is hack'd down, and his summer leaves all faded, Ah, Gaunt his blood was thine; that bed, that womb, What shall I say? to safeguard thine own life, His deputy anointed in his sight, Hath caus'd his death the which if wrongfully, An angry arm against his minister. Duch. Where then, alas! may I complain myself? A caitiff recreant4 to my cousin Hereford! In this [4] Caitiff originally signified a Prisoner; next a Slave, from the condi. tion of prisoners; then a Scoundrel, from the qualities of a slave. passage it partakes of all these significations. JOHNS. I I do not believe that Caitiff in our language ever signified a Prisoner. take it to be derived, not from captiff, but from chetiff, Fr. poor, miserable. TYRWHITT. With her companion grief must end her life. Duch. Yet one word more ;-Grief boundeth where it falls, Not with the empty hollowness, but weight: For sorrow ends not when it seemeth done. And what cheer there for welcome, but my groans? The last leave of thee takes my weeping eye. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Gosford Green, near Coventry. Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, c. attending. Enter the Lord Marshal, and Au MERLE. 6 5 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 prepar'd,and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach, Flourish of Trumpets. Enter King RICHARD, who takes his seat on his throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A Trumpet is sounded, and answered by another Trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK in armour, preceded by a Herald. [5] Mowbray Duke of Norfolk was Earl Marshal of England; but being himself one of the combatants, the Duke of Surrey officiated as Earl Marshal for the day. MAL. [6] Edward Duke of Aumerle, so created by his cousin german, King Richard II. in 1397. He was the eldest son of Edmund of Langley Duke of York, fifth son of Edward the Third, and was killed in 1415, at the battle of Agincourt. He officiated at the lists of Coventry, as High Constable of England. MAL. K. Rich. Marshal, demand of yonder champion Mar. In God's name, and the king's, say who thou art, Nor. My name is Thomas Mowbray, duke of Who hither come engaged by my oath, (Which, heaven defend, a knight should violate!) To God, my king, and my succeeding issue, [He takes his seat. Trumpet sounds. Enter BOLINGBROKE, in armour; preceded by a Herald. K. Rich. Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms, And formally according to our law Depose him in the justice of his cause. Mar. What is thy name? and wherefore com'st 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 heaven's grace, and my body's valour, To God of heaven, king Richard, and to me; [7] Mr. Edwards, in his MS. notes, observes, both from Matthew Paris and Holinshed, that the duke of Hereford, appellant, entered the lists first; and this indeed must have been the regular method of the combat; for the natural order of things requires, that the accuser or challenger should be at the place of appointment first. STEEV. Mar. On pain of death, no person be so bold, Boling. Lord marshal, let me kiss my sovereign's hand, And bow my knee before his majesty : And loving farewell, of our several friends. Mar. The appellant in all duty greets your highness, And craves to kiss your hand, and take his leave. K. Rich. We will descend, and fold him in our arms. Farewell, my blood; which if to-day thou shed, For me, if I be gor'd with Mowbray's spear: As confident, as is the falcon's flight Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. My loving lord, [To Lord Marshal.] I take my leave of you ; Of you, my noble cousin, lord Aumerle ;- [To GAUNT. The daintiest last, to make the end most sweet : Gaunt. Heaven in thy good cause make thee prosperous ! Be swift like lightning in the execution; [8] Waxen may mean soft, and consequently penetrable or flexible. The brigandines or coats of mail, then in use, were composed of small pieces o steel quilted over one another, and yet so flexible as to accommodate the dress they form to every motion of the body. Of these many are still to be seen in the Tower of London, STEEV. And let thy blows, doubly redoubled, Rouze up thy youthful blood, be valiant and live. Boling. Mine innocency, and Saint George to thrive ! [He takes his seat. Nor. [Rising.] However heaven, or fortune, cast my lot, There lives or dies, true to king Richard's throne, Cast off his chains of bondage, and embrace Go I to fight; Truth hath a quiet breast. K. Rich. Farewell, my lord: securely I espy Virtue with valour couched in thine eye.Order the trial, marshal, and begin. [The King and the Lords return to their seats. Mar. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, Receive thy lance; and God defend the right ! Boling. [Rising.] Strong as a tower in hope, I cry— amen. Mar. Go bear this lance [To an Officer.] to Thomas duke of Norfolk. 1 Her. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, To prove the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray, 2 Her. Here standeth Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk, On pain to be found false and recreant, To God, his sovereign, and to him, disloyal; Attending but the signal to begin. Mar. Sound, trumpets; and set forward, combatants 10* VOL. IV. [A charge sounded |