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As that of true and faithful Juliet.

Cap. As rich shall Romeo's by his lady's lie-

Poor sacrifices of our enmity!

Prince. A glooming peace this morning with it brings.

The sun for sorrow will not show his head.

Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things;

Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished;

For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

Exeunt omnes.

RICHARD II

Written in 1595, this history play is the first part of a tetralogy, along with Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, part 2, and Henry V. Although the 1623 First Folio lists the play as a history play, the earlier Quarto edition of 1597 calls itself The Tragedie Of King Richard The Second. The play tells the story of Henry Bolingbroke, who deposes the corrupt King Richard. Themes and moral questions concerning divine right and the power of language dominate the play. Although lesser known than Shakespeare’s more famous history plays, Richard II boasts some of the playwright’s finest poetry, with Gaunt’s ‘This England’ speech being a particular highlight.

The first page of the First Folio, 1623

CONTENTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I. SCENE I. London. The palace

SCENE 2. London. The DUKE OF LANCASTER'S palace

SCENE 3. The lists at Coventry

SCENE 4. London. The court

ACT II. SCENE I. London. Ely House

SCENE 2. Windsor Castle

SCENE 3. Gloucestershire

SCENE 4. A camp in Wales

ACT III. SCENE I. BOLINGBROKE'S camp at Bristol

SCENE 2. The coast of Wales. A castle in view

SCENE 3. Wales. Before Flint Castle

SCENE 4. The DUKE OF YORK's garden

ACT IV. SCENE 1. Westminster Hall

ACT V. SCENE 1. London. A street leading to the Tower

SCENE 2. The DUKE OF YORK's palace

SCENE 3. Windsor Castle

SCENE 4. Windsor Castle

SCENE 5. Pomfret Castle. The dungeon of the Castle

SCENE 6. Windsor Castle

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

KING RICHARD THE SECOND

JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster - uncle to the King

EDMUND LANGLEY, Duke of York - uncle to the King

HENRY, surnamed BOLINGBROKE, Duke of Hereford, son of

John of Gaunt, afterwards King Henry IV

DUKE OF AUMERLE, son of the Duke of York

THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk

DUKE OF SURREY

EARL OF SALISBURY

EARL BERKELEY

BUSHY - favourites of King Richard

BAGOT - " " " "

GREEN - " " " "

EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND

HENRY PERCY, surnamed HOTSPUR, his son

LORD Ross LORD WILLOUGHBY

LORD FITZWATER BISHOP OF CARLISLE

ABBOT OF WESTMINSTER LORD MARSHAL

SIR STEPHEN SCROOP SIR PIERCE OF EXTON

CAPTAIN of a band of Welshmen TWO GARDENERS

QUEEN to King Richard

DUCHESS OF YORK

DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER, widow of Thomas of Woodstock,

Duke of Gloucester

LADY attending on the Queen

Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Keeper, Messenger,

Groom, and other Attendants

SCENE: England and Wales

ACT I. SCENE I. London. The palace

Enter RICHARD, JOHN OF GAUNT, with other NOBLES and attendants

KING RICHARD.

Old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster,

Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,

Brought hither Henry Hereford, thy bold son,

Here to make good the boist'rous late appeal,

Which then our leisure would not let us hear,

Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

GAUNT.

I have, my liege.

KING RICHARD.

Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him

If he appeal the Duke on ancient malice,

Or worthily, as a good subject should,

On some known ground of treachery in him?

GAUNT.

As near as I could sift him on that argument,

On some apparent danger seen in him

Aim'd at your Highness-no inveterate malice.

KING RICHARD.

Then call them to our presence: face to face

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

BOLINGBROKE.

Many years of happy days befall

My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!

MOWBRAY.

Each day still better other's happiness

Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,

Add an immortal title to your crown!

KING RICHARD.

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