THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD II. ACT I. SCENE I. London. A Room in the Palace. Enter King RICHARD, attended; JOHN of GAUNT, and other Nobles, with him. K. Rich. OLD John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lan caster, Hast thou, according to thy oath and band, Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? K. Rich. 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 ar gument, On some apparent danger seen in him, Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice. K. Rich. Then call them to our presence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear [Exeunt some Attendants. High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire, In rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire. Re-enter Attendants, with BOLINGBROKE and Boling. May many years of happy days befal K. Rich. We thank you both: yet one but flatters us, As well appeareth by the cause you come; Namely, to appeal each other of high treason.- Tendering the precious safety of my prince, Come I appellant to this princely presence. Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee, Too good to be so, and too bad to live e; Since, the more fair and crystal is the sky, The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly. the more to aggravate the note, With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat; Once more, And wish, (so please my sovereign,) ere I move, What my tongue speaks, my right-drawn sword may prove. Nor. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal : "Tis not the trial of a woman's war, The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, I do defy him, and I spit at him; Call him-a slanderous coward, and a villain : And meet him, were I tied to run a-foot gage, Disclaiming here the kindred of the king; Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except : Or chivalrous design of knightly trial: And, when I mount, alive may I not light, If I be traitor, or unjustly fight! K. Rich. What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge? It must be great, that can inherit us So much as of a thought of ill in him. Boling. Look, what I speak my life shall prove it That Mowbray hath receiv'd eight thousand nobles, In name of lendings for your highness' soldiers; The which he hath detain'd for lewd employments, Fetch from false Mowbray their first head and spring. Upon his bad life, to make all this good, That he did plot the Duke of Gloster's death; Suggest his soon-believing adversaries; And, consequently, like a traitor coward, Sluic'd out his innocent soul through streams of blood: K. Rich. How high a pitch his resolution soars!Thomas of Norfolk, what say'st thou to this? Nor. O, let my sovereign turn away his face, And bid his ears a little while be deaf, K. Rich. Mowbray, impartial are our eyes, and ears: Were he my brother, nay, my kingdom's heir, (As he is but my father's brother's son,) Now by my scepter's awe2 I make a vow, |