K. Rich.
Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster,
Hast thou, according to thy oath and bond,
Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son;
Here to make good the boisterous late appeal,

Which then our leisure would not let us hear,
Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Gau.
I have, my liege.

K. Rich.
Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him,
If he appeal the duke on ancient malice;
Or worthily as a good subject should,
On some known ground of treachery in him?

Gau.
As near as I could sift him on that argument,—
On some apparent danger seen in him,
Aim'd at your highness; no inveterate malice.

K. Rich.
Then call them to our presence; face to face, [Exeunt attendants.
And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear
The accuser and the accused, freely speak:—
High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire,
In rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire. Re-enter Attendants, with Bolingbroke(C)8Q0120 and Norfolk.

Bol.
Full many years of happy days befal
My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!

Nor.
Each day still better other's happiness;
Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,
Add an immortal title to your crown!

K. Rich.
We thank you both: yet one but flatters us,
As well appeareth by the cause you come;^{5 note}
Namely, to appeal^{6 note} each other of high treason.—
Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object
Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Bol.
First (heaven be the record to my speech!)
In the devotion of a subject's love,
And free from wrath or misbegotten hate,
Come I appellant to this princely presence.—
Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,
And mark my greeting well; for what I speak,
My body shall make good upon this earth.
Thou art a traitor, and a miscreant;

Too good to be so, and too bad to live.
And wish (so please my sovereign), ere I move,
What my tongue speaks, my right-drawn^{7 note} sword may prove.

Nor.
Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal:
First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me
From giving rein and spur to my free speech;
Which else would post, until it had return'd
These terms of treason doubled down his throat.
Setting aside his high blood's royalty,
And let him be no kinsman to my liege,
I do defy him, and I spit at him;
Call him—a slanderous coward, and a villain:
Which to maintain, I would allow him odds.

Bol.
Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage,
Disclaiming here the kindred of a king.
If guilty dread hath left thee so much strength,
As to take up mine honour's pawn, then stoop;
By that, and all the rites of knighthood else,
Will I make good against thee, arm to arm,
What I have spoke, or thou canst worse devise.

Nor.
I take it up; and, by that sword I swear,
Which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder,
I'll answer thee in any fair degree,
Or chivalrous design of knightly trial.

K. Rich.
What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge?

Bol.
Look, what I speak my life shall prove it true;—
That Mowbray hath receiv'd eight thousand nobles,
In name of lendings for your highness' soldiers;
The which he hath detain'd for lew'd^{8 note} employments,
Like a false traitor, and injurious villain.
Besides I say, and will in battle prove,
That all the treasons, for these eighteen years,
Complotted and contrived in this land,
Fetch from false Mowbray their first head and spring.
Further I say,—and further will maintain—
That he did plot the Duke of Gloster's death.(D)8Q0121

And, by the glorious worth of my descent,
This arm shall do it, or this life be spent.

Nor.
Then, Bolingbroke, as low as to thy heart,
Through the false passage of thy throat, thou liest!
Three parts of that receipt I had for Calais,
Disburs'd I duly to his highness' soldiers:
The other part reserv'd I by consent;
For that my sovereign liege was in my debt,
Upon remainder of a clear account,
Since last I went to France to fetch his queen:
For Gloster's death, I slew him not.
As for the rest appeal'd,^{9 note}
It issues from the rancour of a villain,
A recreant and most degenerate traitor:
Which in myself I boldly will defend;
And interchangeably hurl down my gage
Upon this overweening^{10 note} traitor's foot,
To prove myself a loyal gentleman
Even in the best blood chamber'd in his bosom:
In haste whereof, most heartily I pray
Your highness to assign our trial day.

K. Rich.
Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be rul'd by me;
Let's purge this choler without letting blood.
Forget, forgive; conclude, and be agreed.
Good uncle, let this end where it begun;
We'll calm the Duke of Norfolk, you your son.

Gau.
To be a make-peace shall become my age:—
Throw down, my son, the Duke of Norfolk's gage.

K. Rich.
And, Norfolk, throw down his.

Nor.
Myself I throw, dread sovereign, at thy foot:
My life thou shalt command, but not my shame.
I am disgrac'd, impeach'd, and baffled here;
Pierc'd to the soul with slander's venom'd spear;
The purest treasure mortal times afford,
Is—spotless reputation; that away,
Men are but gilded loam, or painted clay.
Mine honour is my life; both grow in one;
Take honour from me, and my life is done:

Then, dear my liege, mine honour let me try;
In that I live, and for that will I die.

K. Rich.
Cousin, throw down your gage; do you begin.

Bol.
Heaven defend my soul from such foul sin!
Shall I seem crest-fallen in my father's sight?
Or with pale beggar-fear impeach my height
Before this outdar'd dastard? Ere my tongue
Should wound mine honour with such feeble wrong,
Or sound so base a parle, my teeth shall tear
The slavish motive of recanting fear;
And spit it bleeding in his high disgrace,
Where shame doth harbour, even in Mowbray's face.

K. Rich.
We were not born to sue, but to command:
Which since we cannot do to make you friends,
Be ready, as your lives shall answer it,
At Coventry, upon St. Lambert's day:
There shall your swords and lances arbitrate
The swelling difference of your settled hate.
Marshal, command our officers at arms
Be ready to direct these home-alarms.(E)8Q0122 [Flourish of Trumpets.

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