For time hath set a blot upon my pride. Aum. Comfort, my liege, remember who you are. High be our thoughts: I know, my uncle York Hath power enough to serve our turn. But who comes here? Enter Scroop. Scroop. More health and happiness betide my liege, Than can my care-tun'd tongue deliver him. K. Rich. Mine ear is open, and my heart prepar'd; The worst is worldly loss thou canst unfold. Say, is my kingdom lost? why, 't was my care; And what loss is it to be rid of care? Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we ? We'll serve him too, and be his fellow so- Like an unseasonable stormy day, Which makes the silver rivers drown their shores, So high above his limits swells the rage With hard bright steel, and hearts harder than steel. Against thy seat: both young and old rebel, And all goes worse than I have power to tell. K. Rich. Too well, too well, thou tell'st a tale so ill. If we prevail, their heads shall pay for it. I warrant they have made peace with Bolingbroke. Scroop. Peace have they made with him, indeed, my lord. K. Rich. O villains, vipers, damn'd without redemption ! Dogs, easily won to fawn on any man! Snakes, in my heart-blood warm'd, that sting my heart! Scroop. Sweet love, I see, changing his property, Aum. Is Bushy, Green, and the earl of Wiltshire dead? Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs; Bores through his castle walls, and-farewell king! I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief, Need friends :-Subjected thus, How can you say to me-I am a king? Car. My lord, wise men ne'er wail their present woes, But presently prevent the ways to wail. To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, Gives, in your weakness, strength unto your foe, [And so your follies fight against yourself.] Fear, and be slain; no worse can come, to fight: Aum. My father hath a power, inquire of him; K. Rich. Thou chid'st me well :-Proud Bolingbroke, I come An easy task it is to win our own. Say, Scroop, where lies our uncle with his power? So may you by my dull and heavy eye; I play the torturer, by small and small, To lengthen out the worst that must be spoken :- K. Rich. Thou hast said enough.— Beshrew thee, cousin, which didst lead me forth What say you now? What comfort have we now? Aum. My liege, one word. He does me double wrong That wounds me with the flatteries of his tongue. Discharge my followers, let them hence.-Away, From Richard's night to Bolingbroke's fair day. [To Aum. [Exit. 116. THE DEPOSITION OF RICHARD. SHAKSPERE. The scene of fiery contention in Westminster Hall, which we are about to give, follows the chroniclers very literally. Shakspere has, however, placed this remarkable exhibition of vindictive charges and recriminations before the deposition of Richard. It took place after Henry's coronation. The protest of the Bishop of Carlisle, whom Holinshed calls "a bold bishop and a faithful," also, according to most authorities, followed the deposition. It is stated to have been made on a request from the Commons that Richard might have "judgment decreed against him, so as the realm were not troubled by him." There is considerable doubt whether this speech was delivered at all. It does not appear that Richard made his resignation in Parliament, but that Northumberland and other peers, prelates, and knights, with justices and notaries, attended the captive on the 29th September, 1399, in the chief chamber of the king's lodging in the Tower, where he read aloud and subscribed the scroll of resignation, saying that, if it were in his power, he would that the Duke of Lancaster there present should be his successor. These instruments were read to the Parliament the day following. So Holinshed relates the story. Froissart, however, details the ceremonies of the surrender with more minuteness: "On a day the Duke of Lancaster, accompanied with lords, dukes, prelates, earls, barons, and knights, and of the notablest men of London, and of other good towns, rode to the Tower, and there alighted. Then King Richard was brought into the hall, appareled like a king in his robes of state, his sceptre in his hand, and his crown on his head; then he stood up alone, not holden nor stayed by no man, and said aloud: 'I have been King of England, Duke of Aquitaine, and lord of Ireland, about twenty-two years, which signiory, royalty, sceptre, crown, and heritage I clearly resign here to my cousin Henry of Lancaster; and I desire him here, in this open presence, in entering of the same possession, to take this sceptre:' and so delivered it to the duke, who took it." There can be no doubt that this apparently willing resignation, which his enemies said was made even with a merry countenance, was extorted from Richard by the fear of death. Northumberland openly proclaimed this when he rebelled against Henry. In a very curious manuscript in the library of the king of France, from which copious extracts are given in Mr. Webb's notes to the Metrical History,' there is a detailed account of a meeting between Richard and Bolingbroke in the Tower, at which York and Aumerle were present,-where the king, in a most violent rage, says, 'I am king, and will still continue king, in spite of all my enemies." Shakspere has most skilfully portrayed this natural struggle of the will of the unhappy man, against the necessity by which he was overwhelmed. The deposition scene shows us,-as faithfully as the glass which the poet introduces exhibits the person of the king,-the vacillations of a nature irresolute and yielding, but clinging to the phantom of power when the substance had passed away. There can be no doubt that Shakspere's portrait of Richard II. is as historically true as it is poetically just. Bolingbroke, Aumerle, Surrey, Northumberland, Percy, Fitzwater, another Lord, Bishop of Carlisle, Abbot of Westminster, and Attendants. Enter York, attended. York. Great duke of Lancaster, I come to thee To the possession of thy royal hand : Ascend his throne, descending now from him,- Worst in this royal presence may I speak, Would God, that any in this noble presence And he himself not present? O, forfend it, God, Shall here inhabit, and this land be call'd It will the woefullest division prove Prevent it, resist it, and let it not be so, Lest child, child's children, cry against you-woe! North. 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't please you, lords, to grant the commons' suit? Boling. Fetch hither Richard, that in common view He may surrender; so we shall proceed Re-enter York, with King Richard, and Officers bearing the crown, &c. K. Rich. Alack, why am I sent for to a king, Before I have shook off the regal thoughts Wherewith I reign'd? I hardly yet have learn'd To insinuate, flatter, bow, and bend my knee : |