Think you the King will be depos'd Gard. Deprest he is already and 't is fear'd His fortune will decline from bad to worse Do what we can you see our Lawrels wither Our Sun-flowers all are blasted streams run backward These Prodigies forbode some dreadful change 'T is thought at last the King will be depos'd Queen I 'm prest to death with silence boding Peazant More senseless then the Plants or Earth thou tend'st Darst thou divine the downfall of a King Old Adams likeness set to dress this Garden What Eve what Serpent has seduc'd thy soul To prophesie this second fall of Man Gard. Pardon me Madam little joy have I To breath this News but fear you 'll find 'em true Queen Come Ladies let us post to meet the King This Scretch-Owl yet amongst his bodingeries Has sung the glad news of the Kings Arrival Which otherwise we were forbid to know Thou fear'st lest York shou'd meet with Bushies Fate Suspend thy Tears the heavy time may come That thou wilt blush to see thy York alive If Richard fall 't is Treason to survive Exeunt SCENE the Third A Heath King Aumerle Carlile Souldiers King Command a hault we will a while refresh Our sultry March a cool breez fanns this Air The last expresses we receiv'd from Wales Spoke of full 20000 fighting men Did it not Lords Aum. And some odd Troops besides King Nor will our Uncle York be negligent To muster up what Force he can Sure we shall blush my Lords at our own strength Heaping such numbers for so just a cause Aum. Sir doubt not but the active Foe will find Business enough t' employ our outmost Numbers Enter Salisbury I fear me we shall more want Hands than Work King See Cousen who comes here i' th ' very Minute To clear thy doubts our trusty Salisbury Welcome my Lord how far off lies your Power Sal. My gracious Lord no farther off nor nearer Then this weak Arm discomfort guides my tongue And bids me speak of nothing but despair I fear my noble Lord one day too late Has clouded all your happy days on earth O call back yesterday bid time return Thou shalt have 20000 Fightingmen To day to day one luckless day too late O'rethrows thy Friends thy Fortune and thy State Our Welchmen Miss-inform'd that you were dead Are gone to Bullingbrook disperst and fled Aum. Comfort my Liege why looks your Grace so pale King But now the blood of 20000 men Did triumph in my Face and they are fled Have I not reason think you to look pale My Fortune like a wife that has arriv'd The hardness to have once prov'd open false Will set no Limits to her treach'rys now But turn to every upstart that will court her Now all that will be safe fly from my side For time has set a blast upon my Pride Aum. My Liege remember who you are King I had forgot my self am I not King Awake thou sluggard Majesty thou sleep'st Is not the Kings name 40000 names Arm arm my Name a puny Subject strikes At thy great glory look not to the ground Ye favourites of a King See Salisbury our hasty Scroop brings Balm To salve the Wound thy piercing tidings gave Enter Scroop Come on thou trusty Souldier oh draw near Thou never shew'dst thy self more seasonably Not when the flying Battle thou hast turn'd And from the hands of Conquest forc't the Day Scroop More health and happiness befall my Liege Then my care-burden'd Tongue has to deliver King How 's that I charge thee on thy Soul speak comfort Ha! wilt thou not speak Comfort then speak Truth My ear is open and my heart prepar'd The worst thou canst unfold is worldly loss Say is my Kingdom lost why 't was my Care And what loss is it to be rid of Care Strives Bullingbrook to be as great as we If Heav'n approve his hopes why let 'em thrive Revolt our Subjects that we cannot mend To Heav'n they first were false and then to us Then give thy heavy heart as heavy speech Cry Woe Destruction Ruin Loss Decay The worst is Death and Death will have his Day Scroop I 'm glad to find your Highness so prepar'd Like a fierce sudden Storm that swells the Floods As if the world were all dissolv'd to Tears So rages Bullingbrook above his bounds Cov'ring the fearful Land with clashing Arms Old Sires have bound their hairless Scalps in steel Boys leave their sports and tune their tender Pipes To the big voice of War and strut in Armour The very Beadsmen learn to bend their Bows The very Women throw their Infants by Snatch rusty Bills and flock to the mad War And all goes worse than I have Power to tell King Too well alas thou tell'sta Tale so Ill Where is the Earl of Wiltshire Bushie Bagot That they have let these mischiefs spread so far If we prevail their Heads shall answer for 't I warrant they have made peace with Bullingbrook Scroop Peace have they made with him indeed King Oh Villains Vipers damn'd without redemption Dogs quickly won to fawn on any Comer Snakes in my Heartsblood warm'd to sting my Heart Wou'd they make Peace eternal Hell make War Upon their spotted souls for this Offence Scroop Again uncurse their Souls their Peace is made With Heads and not with Hands those whom you curse Are butcher'd in your Cause beheaded all And with their last breath wisht your Arms success Aum. Where is the Duke my Father with his Forces King No matter where of Comfort no man speak Let 's talk of Graves of Worms and Epitaphs Make Dust our paper and with rainy eyes Write sorrow on the bosom of the earth For Heav'ns sake let 's sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the Death of Kings How some have been depos'd some slain in War Some poyson'd by their Wives some sleeping kill'd All murther'd for within the hollow Crown That rounds the mortal Temples of a King Keeps death his Court and there the Antique sits Scoffing his State and grinning at his Pomp Allowing him a short fictitious Scene To play the Prince be fear'd and kill with looks 'Till swell'd with vain conceit the flatter'd thing Believes himself immortal as a God Then to the train fate's Engineer sets fire Blows up his pageant Pride and farewell King Cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood With solemn reverence throw away Respect Obeysance Form and Ceremonious Duty For you have but mistook me all this while I live with bread like you feel Wants tast Grief Therefore am I no King or a King nothing Aum. Give to the Foe my Lord this cold despair No worse can come of Fight of Death much better My Fathers Troops are firm let 's joyn with them And manage wisely that last stake o' th' War Want's craft can make a body of a limb King You chide me well proud Bullingbrook I come Rises To change blows with thee for our day of Doom This
in Marsh The Duke of Norfolk sprightfully and bold Waits but the Summons of the Appealants Trumpet But see the King Flourish Enter King Queen attended Gaunt York Pierce Northumberland c. who place themselves to view the Combat Mowbray brought in by a Herald King Marshal demand of yonder Combatant Why he comes here and orderly proceed To swear him in the justice of his cause Marsh In the Kings name say who thou art and what 's thy Quarrel Speak truly on thy Knighthood and thy Oath So Heav'n defend thee and thy Valour Mow. Hither is Mowbray come upon his Oath To justifie his Loyalty and truth Against false Bullingbrook that has appeal'd me And as I truly fight defend me Heav'n Trumpet again Bullingbrook and Herald King Demand of yonder Knight why he comes here And formally according to our Law Depose him in the justice of his Cause Marsh Thy name and wherefore thou art hither come Before King Richard in his Royal Lists Speak like a true Knight so defend thee Heav'n Bull. Harry of Herford Lancaster and Derby Stands here in Arms to prove on Thomas Mowbray That he 's a Traytor to the King and State And as I truly fight defend me Heav'n But first Lord Marshal I entreat the Grace To kiss my Soveraigns hand and do him homage For Mowbray and my self are like to men That vow along and weary Pilgrimage Therefore shou'd take a ceremonious leave And tender farewel of our several Friends Marsh Th'Appealant in all duly greets your Highness Craving to kiss your hand and take his leave King We will descend and fould him in our Arms Now Cousin as thy Cause is just So be thy Fortune in this Royal Fight Farewel my Blood which if thou chance to shed Lament we may but not revenge the dead Bull. No noble eye be seen to loose a Tear On me if I be foil'd by Mowbrays Arm As confident as is the Faulcon's flight At tim'rous Birds do I with Mowbray fight O thou the gen'rous Author of my Blood To Gaunt Whose youthful Spirit enflames and lifts me up To reach at Victory above my Head Add proof to this my Armour with thy Pray'rs And with thy Blessings point my vengeful Sword To furbish new th' illustrious name of Gaunt Mow. However Heaven or Fortune cast my Lot There lives or dies a just and loyal man Never did wretched Captive greet the hour Of freedom with more welcome or delight Than my transported soul do's celebrate This Feast of battle Blessings on my King And peace on all King Farewell my Lord Virtue and Valour guard thee Marshal finish Marsh Harry of Herford Lancaster and Derby Receive thy Sword and Heav'n defend thy Right Fear this to Mowbray Mow. Curse on your tedious Ceremonies more To us tormenting then t'expecting Bridegrooms The signal for Heav'ns sake Marsh Sound Trumpets and set forward Combatants Stay stay the King has thrown his Warder down King Command the Knights once more back to their Posts And let the Trumpets sound a second charge Whilst with our Lords we briefly do advise Another flourish after which the King speaks Command 'em to resigne their Arms and listen To what we with our Council have Decreed For that our Eyes detest the spectacle Of Civil Wounds from whence the dire infection Of general War may spring we bar your Combat Suppress those Arms that from our Coast wou'd fright Fair Peace and make us wade in Kinsmen's Blood And lest your Neighbour-hood cause after-broils We banish you our Realms to different Climes You Bullingbrook on pain of Death Till twice five Summers have enircht our Fields Bull. And must this be your Pleasure well Your pleasure stand 't will be my comfort still The Sun that warms you here shall shine on me And guild my Banishment King Mowbray for thee remains a heavier doom The slow succeeding hours shall not determine The dateless limit of thy dear exile The hopeless word of never to return Breath we against thee upon pain of Death Mow. A heavy Sentence my most Sov'raign Lord The Language I have learnt these Forty years My native English must I now forgo I am too old to fawn upon a Nurse And learn the Prattle of a forraign tongue What is thy Sentence then but speechless Death You take the cruelst way to rob my Breath King Complaint comes all too late where we decree Mow. Then thus I turn me from my Countries light Pleas'd with my doom because it pleas'd the King Farewell my Lord now Mowbray cannot stray Let me shun England all the worlds my way King Return again and take an Oath with thee Lay on our Royal Sword your banisht Hands Swear by the duty that you owe to Heav'n Nere to embrace each others love in Banishment Nor ever meet nor write to reconcile This lowring tempest of your home-bred hate Nor Plot to turn the edge of your Revenge On Us our State our Subjects and our Land Bull. I Swear Mow. And I to keep all this Bull. By this time Mowbray had the King permitted One of our Souls had wandered in the Air As now our flesh is doomd on Earth to wander Confess thy Treason ere thou fly the Land Since thou hast far to go bear not along Th'incumbring Burden of a guilty Soul Mow. No Bullingbrook if ever I were false Let Heav'n renounce me as my Country has But what thou art Heav'n Thou and I do know And all my heart forbodes too soon shall rue My absence then shall yet this comfort bring Not to behold the Troubles of my King Exit King Uncle within thy tear-charg'd Eyes I read Thy hearts fell sorrow and that troubled Look Has from the number of his Banisht years Pluckt four away Six frozen Winters spent Return with welcome from thy Banishment Gaunt I thank my Liege that in regard to me He cuts off four years from my Sons exile But small advantage shall I reap thereby For ere those slow six years can change their Moons My inch of Taper will be spent and done Nor Gaunt have life to welcom home his Son King Despair not Uncle you have long to live Gaunt But not a Minute King that thou canst give King Thy Son was banisht upon advice To which thy Tongue a party Verdict gave Gaunt My interest I submitted to your Will You urg'd me like a Judge and I forgot A Father's Name and like a strict Judge doom'd Him Alas I look'd when some of you should say I was too strict to make my Own away But all gave leave to my unwilling Tongue To do my ag'd heart this unnatural wrong King Now for the Rebels that hold out in Ireland And turn our mild forbearance to contempt Fresh forces must be levi'd with best speed Ere farther leisure yield them further strength We will our self in person to this War And quench this flame before it spread too far Ex. with Attendants Gaunt O to what purpose dost thou hoard thy words When thou
shouldst breath dear farewels to thy Friends That round thee all like silent Mourners gaze Bull. They will not censure me whose scanty time And breath 's too little to take leave of you My dear Companions you have known my Heart Too long to doubt it on a silent grief Ha! by my swelling blood my Father 's pale How fare's your honour good my Lords your hands Gaunt I feel a heaviness like Death and hope It is no counterfeit All shall be well Bull. By Heav'n it shall I feel my veins work high And conscious glory kindling in my brest Inspires a Thought to vast to be exprest Where this disgrace will end the Heav'ns can tell And Herford's Soul divines that 't will be well A Beam of royal splendor strikes my Eye Before my charm'd sight Crowns and Scepters fly The minutes big with Fate too slowly run But hasty Bullingbrook shall push'em on Ex. The End of the First Act. ACT II. A Chamber Gaunt Sick to him York York NOw Brother what cheer Gaunt Why well 't is with me as old Gaunt cou'd wish York What Harry sticks with you still well I hear he 's safe in France and very busie Gaunt My Blood were never Idle York I fear too busie come he 's a par'lous Boy I smell a confed'racy betwixt him and his Companions here Mischief will come on 't cut him off I say Let him be Kites-meat I would hang a Son to kill a Traytor Gaunt Go sleep good York and wake with better thoughts York Heav'n grant we sleep not all 'till Alarums wake us I tell you Brother I lik'd not the manner of his departure 't was the very smooth smiling Face of Infant Rebellion with what familiar Courtesie did he caress the Rabble What reverence did he throw away on Slaves Off goes his Bonnet to an Oysterwench A Brace of Dray-men bid God speed him well And had the Tribute of his supple knee Then shakes a Shoo-maker by the waxt Thumbs With thanks my Country-men my Friends my Brothers Then comes a Peal of sighs wou'd knock a Church down Roguery mechanick Roguery rank Treason Gaunt My sickness grows upon me set me higher York Villany takes its time all goes worse and worse in Ireland Rebellion is there on the Wing and here in the Egg yet still the Court dances after the French Pipe Eternal Apes of Vanity Mutiny stirring Discipline asleep Knaves in Office all 's wrong make much of your Sickness Brother if it be Mortal 't is worth a Duke-dome Gaunt How happy Heav'n were my approaching death Cou'd my last words prevail upon the King Whose easie gentle Nature has expos'd His unexperienc'd Youth to flatterers frauds Yet at this hour I hope to bend his Ear To Councel for the Tongues of dying men Enforce attention like deep Harmony Where words are scarce th' are seldom spent in Vain For they breath Truth that breath their Words in Pain Enter King Queen Northumberland Ross Willoughby Piercye c. With Guards and Attendants Queen How fares our Noble Uncle Lancaster King How is 't with aged Gaunt Gaunt Ag'd as your Highness says and Gaunt indeed Gaunt as a Grave whose Womb holds nought but Bones King Can sick men play so nicely with their Names Gaunt Since thou dost seek to kill my Name in me I mock my Name great King to flatter thee King Should dying men then flatter those that Live Gaunt No no Men living flatter those that dye King Thou now a dying sayst thou flatter'st me Gaunt Oh! no Thou dyest though I the sicker am King I am in health breath free but see thee ill Gaunt Now he that made me knows I see thee ill Thy death-bed is no less than the whole Land Whereon thou ly'st in Reputation sick Yet hurri'd on by a malignant fate Commit'st thy annoynted Body to the Cure Of those Physitians that first Poyson'd thee Upon thy Youth a Swarm of flatterers hang And with their fulsome weight are daily found To bend thy yielding Glories to the ground King Judge Heav'n how poor a thing is Majesty Be thou thy self the Judge when thou sick Wight Presuming on an Agues Priviledge Dar'st with thy Frozen admonition Make pale our Cheek but I excuse thy weakness Gaunt Think not the Ryot of your Court can last Tho fed with the dear Life blood of your Realms For vanity at last preys of it self This Earth of Majesty this seat of Mars This Fortress built by Nature in the Floods Whose Rocky shores beat back the foaming Sedge This England Conqu'rour of the Neighbring Lands Makes now a shameful Conquest on it self York Now will I stake my Liege my Soul upon 't Old Gaunt is hearty in his wishes for you And what he speaks is out of honest Zeal And tho thy Anger prove to me as Mortal As is to him this sickness yet blunt York Must Eccho to his words and cry Thou art abus'd and flatter'd King Gentle Uncle Excuse the sallies of my youthful Blood I know y' are Loyal both and mean us well Nor shall we be unmindful to redress However difficult our States corruption And purge the Vanities that Crown'd our Court. Gaunt My gracious Liege your Pardon this bold duty Was all that stood betwixt my Grave and me Your Sycophants bred from your Child-hood with you Have such advantage had to work upon you That scarce your failings can be call'd your faults Now to Heav'ns care and your own Piety I leave my sacred Lord and may you have In life that peace that waits me in the Grave King Thanks my good Uncle bear him to his Bed Exit Gaunt Attend him well and if a Princes Prayers Have more than common interest with Heav'n Our Realm shall yet enjoy his honest Councel And now my Souldiers for our Irish Wars We must suppress these rough prevailing Kerns That live like Venom where no Venom else But only they have priviledg to live But first our Uncle Gaunt being indispos'd We do create his Brother both in Blood And Loyalty our Uncle York Lord Governour of England in our absence Observe me Lords and pay him that respect You give our Royal Presence Enter Northumberland North. My Liege old Gaunt commends him to your Highness King What says our Uncle North. Nothing all is said His Tongue is now a stringless instrument But call'd on your lov'd name and blest you dying King The ripest fruit falls first and so doe's He His course is done our Pilgrimage to come So much for that return we to our War And cause our Coffers with too great a Court And liberal Largess are grown somewhat Light Prest with this exigence we for a time Do seize on our dead Uncles large Revenues In Herford's absence York O my Liege pardon me if you please if not I please not to be pardon'd spare to seize the Royalties and Rights of banisht Herford I fear already he 's too apt t' engage against your Power and these proceedings will give countenance and growth