RICHARD                                Yet I well remember The favours of these men—were they not mine, Did they not sometime cry ‘all hail’ to me? So Judas did to Christ, but he in twelve Found truth in all but one, I in twelve thousand none. God save the King! Will no man say ‘amen’? Am I both priest […]

Enter Richard and York RICHARD        Alack, why am I sent for to a king Before I have shook off the regal thoughts Wherewith I reigned? I hardly yet have learned To insinuate, flatter, bow and bend my knee. Give sorrow leave a while to tutor me To this submission.               (4.1.163-168)   Bagot, Aumerle, Bolingbroke himself […]

NORTHUMBERLAND            Well have you argued, sir, and for your pains Of capital treason we arrest you here. My lord of Westminster, be it your charge To keep him safely till his day of trial. May it please you, lords, to grant the commons’ suit. BOLINGBROKE                      Fetch hither Richard, that in common view He may surrender—so […]

CARLISLE       Peace shall go sleep with Turks and infidels And in this seat of peace tumultuous wars Shall kin with kin and kind with kind confound. Disorder, horror, fear and mutiny Shall here inhabit, and this land be called The field of Golgotha and dead men’s skulls. O, if you raise this house against this […]

CARLISLE       I speak to subjects and a subject speaks, Stirred up by God thus boldly for his king. My lord of Hereford here, whom you call king, Is a foul traitor to proud Hereford’s king And if you crown him, let me prophesy The blood of English shall manure the ground And future ages groan […]

CARLISLE       Thieves are not judged but they are by to hear, Although apparent guilt be seen in them, And shall the figure of God’s majesty, His captain, steward, deputy elect, Anointed, crownèd, planted many years, Be judged by subject and inferior breath, And he himself not present? O, forfend it God That in a Christian […]

CARLISLE       Marry, God forbid. Worst in this royal presence may I speak, Yet best beseeming me to speak the truth. Would God that any in this noble presence Were enough noble to be upright judge Of noble Richard. Then true noblesse would Learn him forbearance from so foul a wrong. What subject can give sentence […]

BOLINGBROKE          Why, Bishop, is Norfolk dead? CARLISLE                   As surely as I live, my lord. BOLINGBROKE          Sweet peace conduct his sweet soul to the bosom Of good old Abraham. Lords appellants, Your differences shall all rest under gage Till we assign you to your days of trial. Enter York YORK                          Great Duke of Lancaster, I come […]

CARLISLE       That honourable day shall ne’er be seen. Many a time hath banished Norfolk fought For Jesus Christ in glorious Christian field, Streaming the ensign of the Christian cross Against black pagans, Turks and Saracens, And, toiled with works of war, retired himself To Italy, and there at Venice gave His body to that pleasant […]

AUMERLE                  Some honest Christian trust me with a gage— That Norfolk lies, here do I throw down this, If he may be repealed to try his honour. BOLINGBROKE          These differences shall all rest under gage Till Norfolk be repealed. Repealed he shall be And though mine enemy, restored again To all his lands and signories. […]