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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE 2。 The coast of Wales。 A castle in view
Drums。 Flourish and colours。 Enter the KING； the BISHOP OF
CARLISLE； AUMERLE； and soldiers
KING RICHARD。 Barkloughly Castle can they this at hand？
AUMERLE。 Yea； my lord。 How brooks your Grace the air After your late
tossing on the breaking seas？ KING RICHARD。 Needs must I like it well。
I weep for joy To stand upon my kingdom once again。 Dear earth； I do
salute thee with my hand； Though rebels wound thee with their horses'
hoofs。 As a long…parted mother with her child Plays fondly with her tears
and smiles in meeting； So weeping…smiling greet I thee； my earth； And do
thee favours with my royal hands。 Feed not thy sovereign's foe； my gentle
earth； Nor with thy sweets comfort his ravenous sense； But let thy spiders；
that suck up thy venom； And heavy…gaited toads； lie in their way； Doing
annoyance to the treacherous feet Which with usurping steps do trample
thee； Yield stinging nettles to mine enemies； And when they from thy
bosom pluck a flower； Guard it； I pray thee； with a lurking adder； Whose
double tongue may with a mortal touch Throw death upon thy sovereign's
enemies。 Mock not my senseless conjuration； lords。 This earth shall have a
feeling； and these stones Prove armed soldiers； ere her native king Shall
falter under foul rebellion's arms。 CARLISLE。 Fear not； my lord； that
Power that made you king Hath power to keep you king in spite of all。 The
means that heaven yields must be embrac'd And not neglected； else； if
heaven would； And we will not； heaven's offer we refuse； The proffered
means of succour and redress。 AUMERLE。 He means； my lord； that we
are too remiss； Whilst Bolingbroke； through our security； Grows strong
and great in substance and in power。 KING RICHARD。 Discomfortable
cousin！ know'st thou not That when the searching eye of heaven is hid；
Behind the globe； that lights the lower world； Then thieves and robbers
range abroad unseen In murders and in outrage boldly here； But when
from under this terrestrial ball He fires the proud tops of the eastern pines
And darts his light through every guilty hole； Then murders； treasons； and
detested sins； The cloak of night being pluck'd from off their backs； Stand
bare and naked； trembling at themselves？ So when this thief； this traitor；
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
Bolingbroke； Who all this while hath revell'd in the night； Whilst we were
wand'ring with the Antipodes； Shall see us rising in our throne； the east；
His treasons will sit blushing in his face； Not able to endure the sight of
day； But self…affrighted tremble at his sin。 Not all the water in the rough
rude sea Can wash the balm off from an anointed king； The breath of
worldly men cannot depose The deputy elected by the Lord。 For every
man that Bolingbroke hath press'd To lift shrewd steel against our golden
crown； God for his Richard hath in heavenly pay A glorious angel。 Then； if
angels fight； Weak men must fall； for heaven still guards the right。
Enter SALISBURY
Welcome； my lord。 How far off lies your power？ SALISBURY。 Nor
near nor farther off； my gracious lord； Than this weak arm。 Discomfort
guides my tongue； And bids me speak of nothing but despair。 One day too
late； I fear me； noble lord； Hath clouded all thy happy days on earth。 O；
call back yesterday； bid time return； And thou shalt have twelve thousand
fighting men！ To…day； to…day； unhappy day； too late； O'erthrows thy joys；
friends； fortune； and thy state； For all the Welshmen； hearing thou wert
dead； Are gone to Bolingbroke； dispers'd； and fled。 AUMERLE。 Comfort；
my liege； why looks your Grace so pale？ KING RICHARD。 But now the
blood of twenty thousand men Did triumph in my face； and they are fled；
And； till so much blood thither come again； Have I not reason to look pale
and dead？ All souls that will be safe； fly from my side； For time hath set a
blot upon my pride。 AUMERLE。 Comfort； my liege； remember who you
are。 KING RICHARD。 I had forgot myself； am I not King？ Awake； thou
coward majesty！ thou sleepest。 Is not the King's name twenty thousand
names？ Arm； arm； my name！ a puny subject strikes At thy great glory。
Look not to the ground； Ye favourites of a king； are we not high？ 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。 KING RICHARD。 Mine ear is
open and my heart prepar'd。 The worst is worldly loss thou canst unfold。
Say； is my kingdom lost？ Why； 'twas my care； And what loss is it to be rid
of care？ Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we？ Greater he shall not be；
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
if he serve God； We'll serve him too； and be his fellow so。 Revolt our
subjects？ That we cannot mend； They break their faith to God as well as
us。 Cry woe； destruction； ruin； and decay… The worst is death； and death
will have his day。 SCROOP。 Glad am I that your Highness is so arm'd To
bear the tidings of calamity。 Like an unseasonable stormy day Which
makes the silver rivers drown their shores； As if the world were all
dissolv'd to tears； So high above his limits swells the rage Of Bolingbroke；
covering your fearful land With hard bright steel and hearts harder than
steel。 White…beards have arm'd their thin and hairless scalps Against thy
majesty； boys； with women's voices； Strive to speak big； and clap their
female joints In stiff unwieldy arms against thy crown； Thy very
beadsmen learn to bend their bows Of double…fatal yew against thy state；
Yea； distaff…women manage rusty bills Against thy seat： both young and
old rebel； And all goes worse than I have power to tell。 KING RICHARD。
Too well； too well thou tell'st a tale so in。 Where is the Earl of Wiltshire？
Where is Bagot？ What is become of Bushy？ Where is Green？ That they
have let the dangerous enemy Measure our confines with such peaceful
steps？ 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；