gold coin worth 6s. 8d. This 59 (l. 144). Recreant, apostate, cowardly.
money should have gone to pay
Here it is most probably intended
the Calais garrison.
as an adjective.

39 (1.90). Lewd, idle, wicked, base. See
I. Henry IV. iii. 2, 13:

"Such poor, such base, such lewd, such mean attempts." It is from the Anglo-Saxon leode, the people. 40 (1. 91). Injurious, insolent wrongdoing.

41 (l. 95). These eighteen years. Since
the rebellion of the peasants
under Wat Tyler and Jack Straw
in 1381.

42 (1. 96). Complotted, plotted.
43 (. 100). Gloster's death. Thomas of
Woodstock, Duke of Gloster, was
the seventh son of Edward III.
He was accused of treason by the
Duke of Norfolk, and was arrested
and secretly conveyed to Calais,
where he was put to death in
1397.

44 (l. 101). Suggest, to prompt secretly.
45 (l. 102). Consequently, as the result
of this suggesting.

46 (l. 103). Sluic'd out, to let run out
as through a sieve. This is the
only instance of the phrase.
47 (1. 106). To me, being nephew to the
murdered Duke.

48 (l. 107). Worth, dignity, excellence,
nobility.

49 (l. 109). Pitch, height. A term formerly used in falconry.

50 (l. 113). Slander of his blood, this reproach to his kindred and race.

51 (l. 118). My sceptre's awe.

reverence due to my sceptre."-
Johnson.

60 (l. 145). In myself, in my own person. 61 (l. 146). Interchangeably, in change, in return.

ex

62 (l. 150). In haste whereof, in order to
hasten or expedite this proof.

63 (1. 153). Choler, anger, rage.
64 (l. 156). Conclude, come to terms and
agree together; finish the dis-
pute.

65 (l. 157). Month to bleed. Our fore-
fathers, even in the present cen-
tury, were in the habit of being
bled periodically in spring and
autumn.

66 (l. 162). When? An exclamation of
impatience. In Julius Cæsar, ii.
1: "When, Lucius, when?"
67 (l. 164). There is no boot. There is
no use or advantage in resisting.
From the Anglo-Saxon bót, mean-
ing profit or advantage.
68 (l. 168). That lives, &c. "" My name
that lives upon my grave despite
of death."-Johnson.
69 (l. 170). Baffled. In the days of
chivalry there existed a custom
of punishing a perjured or re-
creant knight by hanging him in
person or effigy by the heels, his
scutcheon blotted and his spear
broken. Here it is used of dis-
grace to knighthood generally.
70 (l. 174). Lions make leopards tame.
This was a general statement, the
crest of the Norfolk family being
a golden lion.

men.

"The

71 (l.

177). Mortal times, the lifetime of

72 (l.

189). Impeach my height, detract from my dignity.

73 (l.

52 (l. 119). Neighbour. Used here as an See Lore's Labour's

adjective.

Lost, v. 2: "I stole into a neigh-
bour thicket."

53 (120). Partialize, to make partial.
The only instance of this word in
Shakespeare.

54 (l. 126). Receipt, the money received.
55 (l. 127). Disburs'd, paid or laid out.
56 (l. 131). Went to France. Mowbray
went to France in 1395 with the
Earl of Rutland (the Aumerle of
the play) and others, to negotiate
a marriage between Richard and
Isabel, daughter of Charles VI.,
who was then only eight years of
age. The Duke of Norfolk on
this occasion incurred a heavy
expense in the service of his
king.

57 (1. 140). Exactly, in distinct and

definite terms.

192). Parle, parley, or the trumpet-call for a parley, or conference between foes.

"Our trumpet called you to this general parle."-King John. 74 (1. 193). Slavish motive, the moving instrument-the tongue. 75 (l. 199). St. Lambert's Day, September 17. 76 (1.200). Arbitrate, decide, determine. 77 (. 202). Atone, to reconcile. 78 (1. 203). Justice design. Mark or point out the true knight by the result of the contest.

79 (l. 204). Lord Marshal. By hereditary right the Duke of Norfolk is Lord Marshal of England. The office was performed by Thomas Holland, Duke of Surrey, as deputy on this occasion.

58 (1. 142). Appeal'd, charged against | 80 (1. 205). Be, that they be.

me.

SCENE II.-London. A Room in the Duke of Lancaster's

Palace.

Enter GAUNT and DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.

Gaunt. Alas! the part1 I had in Gloster's blood Doth more solicit 2 me than your exclaims,

To stir against the butchers of his life.

3

But since correction lieth in those hands
Which made the fault that we cannot correct,
Put we our quarrel to the will of Heaven;
Who, when he sees the hours ripe on earth,
Will rain hot vengeance on offenders' heads.

4

Duch. Finds brotherhood in thee no sharper spur? Hath love in thy old blood no living fire?

5

Edward's seven sons, whereof thyself art one,

Were as seven phials of his sacred blood,

Or seven fair branches springing from one root:
Some of those seven are dried by nature's course,

6

Some of those branches by the destinies cut:
But Thomas, my dear lord, my life, my Gloster,-
One phial full of Edward's sacred blood,

One flourishing branch of his most royal root,
Is crack'd, and all the precious liquor spilt;

Is hack'd down, and his summer leaves all faded,
By envy's hand, and murther's bloody axe.
Ah, Gaunt his blood was thine;

That mettle, that self-mould, that fashion'd thee,
Made him a man; and though thou liv'st and breath'st,
Yet art thou slain in him: thou dost consent
In some large measure to thy father's death,

In that thou seest thy wretched brother die,

Who was the model of thy father's life.

8

5

IO

15

20

25

Call it not patience, Gaunt, it is despair:
In suffering thus thy brother to be slaughter'd,
Thou show'st the naked pathway to thy life,
Teaching stern murther how to butcher thee:
That which in mean men we entitle patience
Is pale cold cowardice in noble breasts.
What shall I say? to safeguard thine own life,
The best way is to 'venge my Gloster's death.

9

Gaunt. Heaven's is the quarrel; for heaven's sub

His deputy anointed in his sight,

Hath caus'd his death: the which if wrongfully,
Let heaven revenge; for I may never lift

11

An angry arm against his minister.

Duch. Where then, alas! may I complain myself? Gaunt. To heaven, the widow's champion and de

fence.

Duch. Why then, I will.

3390

35

40

Farewell, old Gaunt.

45

Thou go'st to Coventry, there to behold.

Our cousin 12 Hereford and fell Mowbray fight:
O, sit my husband's wrongs on Hereford's spear,
That it may enter butcher Mowbray's breast!
Or, if misfortune miss the first career,

13

Be Mowbray's sins so heavy in his bosom,
That they may break his foaming courser's back,
And throw the rider headlong in the lists,

14

A caitiff recreant to my cousin Hereford!

Farewell, old Gaunt; thy sometimes 15 brother's wife
With her companion grief must end her life.

Gaunt. Sister, farewell: I must to Coventry:
As much good stay with thee, as go with me!
Duch. Yet one word more ;-Grief boundeth where

50

55

it falls,

Not with the empty hollowness, but weight:
I take my leave before I have begun ;
For sorrow ends not when it seemeth done.
Commend me to my brother, Edmund York.
Lo, this is all:-Nay, yet depart not so;
Though this be all, do not so quickly go;
I shall remember more. Bid him-0, what?—
With all good speed at Plashy 16 visit me.
Alack, and what shall good old York there see,
But empty lodgings and unfurnish'd walls,'
Unpeopled offices,18 untrodden stones?

17

And what cheer there for welcome but my groans?
Therefore commend me; let him not come there,
To seek out sorrow that dwells everywhere:
Desolate, desolate, will I hence,19 and die;

The last leave of thee takes my weeping eye. [Exeunt.

60

65

70

NOTES.

ACT I., SCENE II.

66

THE Duke of Lancaster's palace was the Savoy," situated on the banks of the Thames, in the Strand, close to Temple Bar. It was anciently the seat of Peter, Earl of Savoy, uncle to Eleanor, the wife of Henry III. It was burnt down in Wat Tyler's rebellion. Queen Eleanor gave the Savoy to her second son Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, from which time it became the London palace of that family.

The Duchess of Gloucester was Eleanor Bohun, daughter of Humphrey, Earl of Hereford. Her sister and co-heiress Mary was the wife of the Bolingbroke of this play, who was made Duke of Hereford in 1397.

Antwerp, Duke of Clarence (1338-68); (4) John of Gaunt (1340-99); (5) Edmund of Langley, Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York (1341-1402); (6) William of Windsor (died in infancy); (7) Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham and Duke of Gloucester (1355-97)

6 (l. 14-21). Dried, &c. The contrast is made between the natural deaths of Edward, Lionel, the two Williams, and the violent end which befell Gloster.

7(l. 23). Self-mould, self-same mould. 8 (l. 25). Consent, agree, as a consenting party to it.

9 ( 33). Mean, of low degree or rank.

Essex. The seat of Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, in virtue of his position as Lord High Constable.

10 (1.37). Heaven's substitute, the king. 17 (l. 68). Unfurnished walls. The

11 (1. 40). May is here used for can.
12 (l. 46). Cousin. In Shakespeare's

time this term was applied to
any relative. Hereford was her
nephew, and also her brother-in-
law.

13 (l. 49). Misfortune miss, &c. If dis-
aster and defeat fail in the course
of the first onset.

14 (1.53). Caitiff. Originally it signified a prisoner, next a slave, and then a scoundrel.

15 (1. 54). Sometimes. Used here for formerly.

16 (1.66). Plashy. Near Dunmow in

usual manner of hanging the rooms in the old castles was only to cover the naked stone walls with tapestry or arras, hung upon tenter-hooks, from which they were easily taken down upon every removal.

18 (l. 69). Offices. The parts of a great house set aside for the use of the servants. These rooms were on the ground floor, and were thrown open to all comers on great occasions.

19 (l. 73). Will I hence. Will I go hence. The Duchess died in 1399.

SCENE III.-Open Space near Coventry.

Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, &c., attending.
Enter the LORD MARSHAL and AUMERLE.

1

Mar. My lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd? Aum. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. Mar. The duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold,2 Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. Aum. Why, then, the champions are prepar'd, and

stay

For nothing but his majesty's approach.

Flourish of trumpets.

Enter KING RICHARD, who takes his seat on his throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A trumpet is sounded, and answered by another trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK, in armour, preceded by a Herald.

K. Rich. Marshal, demand of yonder champion
The cause of his arrival here in arms:
Ask him his name; and orderly proceed
To swear him in the justice of his cause.

3

B

5

1Ο