Richard II by William Shakespeare
Act 1 - Scene 4
The court.
King Richard II : We did observe. Cousin Aumerle,
[p]How far brought you high Hereford
on his way?
Duke of Aumerle : I brought high Hereford, if you call him so,
[p]But to the next
highway, and there I left him.
King Richard II : And say, what store of parting tears were shed?
Duke of Aumerle : Faith, none for me; except the north-east wind,
[p]Which then blew
bitterly against our faces,
[p]Awaked the sleeping rheum, and so by
chance
[p]Did grace our hollow parting with a tear.
King Richard II : What said our cousin when you parted with him?
Duke of Aumerle : 'Farewell:'
[p]And, for my heart disdained that my tongue
[p]Should so
profane the word, that taught me craft
[p]To counterfeit oppression of
such grief
[p]That words seem'd buried in my sorrow's grave.
[p]Marry,
would the word 'farewell' have lengthen'd hours
[p]And added years to
his short banishment,
[p]He should have had a volume of
farewells;
[p]But since it would not, he had none of me.
King Richard II : He is our cousin, cousin; but 'tis doubt,
[p]When time shall call him
home from banishment,
[p]Whether our kinsman come to see his
friends.
[p]Ourself and Bushy, Bagot here and Green
[p]Observed his
courtship to the common people;
[p]How he did seem to dive into their
hearts
[p]With humble and familiar courtesy,
[p]What reverence he did
throw away on slaves,
[p]Wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of
smiles
[p]And patient underbearing of his fortune,
[p]As 'twere to
banish their affects with him.
[p]Off goes his bonnet to an
oyster-wench;
[p]A brace of draymen bid God speed him well
[p]And had
the tribute of his supple knee,
[p]With 'Thanks, my countrymen, my
loving friends;'
[p]As were our England in reversion his,
[p]And he
our subjects' next degree in hope.
Green : Well, he is gone; and with him go these thoughts.
[p]Now for the
rebels which stand out in Ireland,
[p]Expedient manage must be made,
my liege,
[p]Ere further leisure yield them further means
[p]For their
advantage and your highness' loss.
King Richard II : We will ourself in person to this war:
[p]And, for our coffers, with
too great a court
[p]And liberal largess, are grown somewhat
light,
[p]We are inforced to farm our royal realm;
[p]The revenue
whereof shall furnish us
[p]For our affairs in hand: if that come
short,
[p]Our substitutes at home shall have blank
charters;
[p]Whereto, when they shall know what men are rich,
[p]They
shall subscribe them for large sums of gold
[p]And send them after to
supply our wants;
[p]For we will make for Ireland presently.
[p][Enter
BUSHY]
[p]Bushy, what news?
Bushy : Old John of Gaunt is grievous sick, my lord,
[p]Suddenly taken; and
hath sent post haste
[p]To entreat your majesty to visit him.
King Richard II : Where lies he?
Bushy : At Ely House.
King Richard II : Now put it, God, in the physician's mind
[p]To help him to his grave
immediately!
[p]The lining of his coffers shall make coats
[p]To deck
our soldiers for these Irish wars.
[p]Come, gentlemen, let's all go
visit him:
[p]Pray God we may make haste, and come too late!
All : Amen.
Previous: Act 1 - Scene 3
Next: Act 2 - Scene 1
