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Richard II

Act 2, Scene 3

Wilds in Gloucestershire.	In the woods in Gloucestershire.
Enter HENRY BOLINGBROKE and NORTHUMBERLAND, with Forces	HENRY BOLINGBROKE and NORTHUMBERLAND enter with an army.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now?	HENRY BOLINGBROKE How much farther is it to Berkeley, my lord?
NORTHUMBERLAND Believe me, noble lord, I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire: These high wild hills and rough uneven ways Draws out our miles, and makes them wearisome, And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar, Making the hard way sweet and delectable. But I bethink me what a weary way From Ravenspurgh to Cotswold will be found In Ross and Willoughby, wanting your company, Which, I protest, hath very much beguiled The tediousness and process of my travel: But theirs is sweetened with the hope to have The present benefit which I possess; And hope to joy is little less in joy Than hope enjoy’d: by this the weary lords Shall make their way seem short, as mine hath done By sight of what I have, your noble company.	NORTHUMBERLAND Believe me, my noble lord, I’m a stranger to these parts. These high and wild hills go on for miles and are tiring. And yet your good conversation has been like sugar, making the difficult journey sweeter. But I think it will be a long and hard journey from Ravenspurgh to Cotswold for Ross and Willoughby since they won’t have your company, which has made my trip easier. But their trip will be made more enjoyable by the expectation that you’ll go with them next time. In this way, the journey for those tired lords will seem shorter. That’s what has happened to me. My journey has seemed shorter because you’ve been with me.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE Of much less value is my company Than your good words. But who comes here?	HENRY BOLINGBROKE My companionship isn’t nearly as valuable as your kind words. Who’s coming?
Enter HENRY PERCY	HENRY PERCY enters.
NORTHUMBERLAND It is my son, young Harry Percy, Sent from my brother Worcester, whencesoever. Harry, how fares your uncle?	NORTHUMBERLAND It’s my son, young Harry Percy. He was sent by my brother Worcester, wherever he may be. Harry, how is your uncle Worcester?
HENRY PERCY I had thought, my lord, to have learn’d his health of you.	HENRY PERCY I was thinking, my lord, that you would tell me that.
NORTHUMBERLAND Why, is he not with the queen?	NORTHUMBERLAND Is he not with the queen?
HENRY PERCY No, my good Lord; he hath forsook the court, Broken his staff of office and dispersed The household of the king.	HENRY PERCY No, my good lord. He has abandoned the court. He broke his staff and let the king’s servants go.
NORTHUMBERLAND What was his reason? He was not so resolved when last we spake together.	NORTHUMBERLAND What was his reason? The last time we were together he hadn’t decided to do that.
HENRY PERCY Because your lordship was proclaimed traitor. But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurgh, To offer service to the Duke of Hereford, And sent me over by Berkeley, to discover What power the Duke of York had levied there; Then with directions to repair to Ravenspurgh.	HENRY PERCY He did it because you were proclaimed a traitor. But, my lord, he’s gone now to Ravenspurgh, to help the Duke of Hereford, and he sent me to Berkeley to discover how large an army the Duke of York had there. Then he gave me orders to go on to Ravenspurgh.
NORTHUMBERLAND Have you forgot the Duke of Hereford, boy?	NORTHUMBERLAND Have you forgotten who the Duke of Hereford is, boy?
HENRY PERCY No, my good lord, for that is not forgot Which ne’er I did remember: to my knowledge, I never in my life did look on him.	HENRY PERCY No, my good lord, because I can’t forget something I never remembered. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him in my life.
NORTHUMBERLAND Then learn to know him now; this is the duke.	NORTHUMBERLAND Then meet him now. This is the duke.
HENRY PERCY My gracious lord, I tender you my service, Such as it is, being tender, raw and young: Which elder days shall ripen and confirm To more approved service and desert.	HENRY PERCY My gracious lord, I am in your service. I am young, but as I get older, I will demonstrate more impressive abilities.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE I thank thee, gentle Percy; and be sure I count myself in nothing else so happy As in a soul remembering my good friends; And, as my fortune ripens with thy love, It shall be still thy true love’s recompense: My heart this covenant makes, my hand thus seals it.	HENRY BOLINGBROKE Thank you, kind Percy. I count myself happiest when remembering my good friends. I know that the reward for your love will be to witness how it helps me find greater success. My heart makes this promise to you, and this handshake seals that promise.
NORTHUMBERLAND How far is it to Berkeley? and what stir Keeps good old York there with his men of war?	NORTHUMBERLAND How far is it to Berkeley? And what events keep good old York there with his soldiers?
HENRY PERCY There stands the castle, by yon tuft of trees, Mann’d with three hundred men, as I have heard; And in it are the Lords of York, Berkeley, and Seymour; None else of name and noble estimate.	HENRY PERCY There’s the castle, over by that group of trees. I’ve heard that it’s protected by three hundred men, and that the Lord of York, the Lord of Berkeley, and the Lord of Seymour are there. There’s no one else of title and noble reputation inside.
Enter LORD ROSS and LORD WILLOUGHBY	LORD ROSS and LORD WILLOUGHBY enter.
NORTHUMBERLAND Here come the Lords of Ross and Willoughby, Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with haste.	NORTHUMBERLAND Here come the Lord of Ross and the Lord of Willoughby. They are bloody from sticking their spurs so hard into their horses, and their faces are red from riding here so fast.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE Welcome, my lords. I wot your love pursues A banish’d traitor: all my treasury Is yet but unfelt thanks, which more enrich’d Shall be your love and labour’s recompense.	HENRY BOLINGBROKE Welcome, my lords. I know that you’ve followed me here out of love for me. Right now I can only pay you with my thanks, but once I have money I’ll repay your love and hard work.
LORD ROSS Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.	LORD ROSS We are rich enough from just being here with you here, most noble lord.
LORD WILLOUGHBY And far surmounts our labour to attain it.	LORD WILLOUGHBY And that richness is much more than anything we could earn by working.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE Evermore thanks, the exchequer of the poor; Which, till my infant fortune comes to years, Stands for my bounty. But who comes here?	HENRY BOLINGBROKE The poor earn their wealth in the form of gratitude. Until my young fortune matures, that gratitude will have to take the place of riches. But who’s coming now?
Enter LORD BERKELEY	LORD BERKELEY enters.
NORTHUMBERLAND It is my Lord of Berkeley, as I guess.	NORTHUMBERLAND I think it’s the Lord of Berkeley.
LORD BERKELEY My Lord of Hereford, my message is to you.	LORD BERKELEY Lord of Hereford, I have a message for you.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE My lord, my answer is—to Lancaster; And I am come to seek that name in England; And I must find that title in your tongue, Before I make reply to aught you say.	HENRY BOLINGBROKE My lord, I will answer only to my proper name, the Duke of Lancaster. And I have come to claim that name here in England. I must hear you call me that title before I respond to anything else you say.
LORD BERKELEY Mistake me not, my lord; ’tis not my meaning To raze one title of your honour out: To you, my lord, I come, what lord you will, From the most gracious regent of this land, The Duke of York, to know what pricks you on To take advantage of the absent time And fright our native peace with self-born arms.	LORD BERKELEY Don’t misunderstand, my lord. It’s not my intention to deny you your title. I’ve come to you, my lord—whatever title you want me to use—from the most gracious regent in this land, that is the Duke of York. I need to know what has led you to exploit the absence of our king and jeopardize the peace in this land with your armies.
Enter DUKE OF YORK attended	The DUKE OF YORK and his assistants enter.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE I shall not need transport my words by you; Here comes his grace in person. My noble uncle!	HENRY BOLINGBROKE (to Lord Berkeley) I won’t have to pass my message through you. Here comes his grace in person. (to the Duke of York) My noble uncle!
Kneels	HENRY BOLINGBROKE kneels.
DUKE OF YORK Show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee, Whose duty is deceiveable and false.	DUKE OF YORK I don’t want to see you kneeling. I know you don’t really honor me.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE My gracious uncle—	HENRY BOLINGBROKE My gracious uncle—
DUKE OF YORK Tut, tut! Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle: I am no traitor’s uncle; and that word “grace.” In an ungracious mouth is but profane. Why have those banish’d and forbidden legs Dared once to touch a dust of England’s ground? But then more “why?” why have they dared to march So many miles upon her peaceful bosom, Frighting her pale-faced villages with war And ostentation of despised arms? Comest thou because the anointed king is hence? Why, foolish boy, the king is left behind, And in my loyal bosom lies his power. Were I but now the lord of such hot youth As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myself Rescued the Black Prince, that young Mars of men, From forth the ranks of many thousand French, O, then how quickly should this arm of mine. Now prisoner to the palsy, chastise thee And minister correction to thy fault!	DUKE OF YORK Tsk, tsk! Don’t call me grace, and don’t call me uncle. I am not the uncle of a traitor, and it’s obscene to use that word “grace” when everybody knows you’re ungracious. You were banished, so why have you come back to England? Why have you and your army marched miles across peaceful England, scaring villagers with threats of war and displays of hateful weapons? Have you come now because the king is away? Why, you foolish boy, don’t you know that the king has put me in charge while he’s away and that I am loyal to him? If I were still the strong young man who, with your father, John of Gaunt, rescued the king’s father from thousands of French soldiers, I would quickly smack you. But my arm is too weak and shaky to administer punishment in that way.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE My gracious uncle, let me know my fault: On what condition stands it and wherein?	HENRY BOLINGBROKE My gracious uncle, why don’t you tell me exactly what I’ve done wrong?
DUKE OF YORK Even in condition of the worst degree, In gross rebellion and detested treason: Thou art a banish’d man, and here art come Before the expiration of thy time, In braving arms against thy sovereign.	DUKE OF YORK You’ve done the worst that you can: rebellion and treason. You are banished from this country and now you’ve returned before you are allowed to do so. And you’ve brought an army to fight against your king.
HENRY BOLINGBROKE As I was banish’d, I was banish’d Hereford; But as I come, I come for Lancaster. And, noble uncle, I beseech your grace Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye: You are my father, for methinks in you I see old Gaunt alive; O, then, my father, Will you permit that I shall stand condemn’d A wandering vagabond; my rights and royalties Pluck’d from my arms perforce and given away To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born? If that my cousin king be King of England, It must be granted I am Duke of Lancaster. You have a son, Aumerle, my noble cousin; Had you first died, and he been thus trod down, He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father, To rouse his wrongs and chase them to the bay. I am denied to sue my livery here, And yet my letters-patents give me leave: My father’s goods are all distrain’d and sold, And these and all are all amiss employ’d. What would you have me do? I am a subject, And I challenge law: attorneys are denied me; And therefore, personally I lay my claim To my inheritance of free descent.	HENRY BOLINGBROKE I was banished as Hereford, but I return as Lancaster. And, noble uncle, I beg that you look at my missteps impartially. I think I see my father in you. Oh, then, my father, are you going to force me to be a wandering drifter forever, while what is rightfully mine is taken away by force and given to wasteful social climbers? Why was I born? If my cousin is allowed to be the King of England, then I must be allowed to be the Duke of Lancaster. You have a son, Aumerle, who is my noble cousin. Let’s say that you died, and he had been treated this way. His uncle Gaunt would have acted as a father to him and fought to correct the wrongs done against him. I’m not allowed to claim my inheritance, though I’m legally entitled to do so. My father’s possessions have all been wrongfully confiscated and sold. What do you think I should do? I am a subject of the King of England, aren’t I? I claim what is lawfully mine. Since I’m not allowed to have attorneys, I must claim my inheritance myself.
NORTHUMBERLAND The noble duke hath been too much abused.	NORTHUMBERLAND The noble duke has been abused very much.
LORD ROSS It stands your grace upon to do him right.	LORD ROSS You owe it to him to treat him well.
LORD WILLOUGHBY Base men by his endowments are made great.	LORD WILLOUGHBY His money and property are making lowly men rich.
DUKE OF YORK My lords of England, let me tell you this: I have had feeling of my cousin’s wrongs And laboured all I could to do him right; But in this kind to come, in braving arms, Be his own carver and cut out his way, To find out right with wrong, it may not be; And you that do abet him in this kind Cherish rebellion and are rebels all.	DUKE OF YORK Listen, lords of England: I’ve known about the injustices done to my cousin, and I have done everything I could to correct them. But because of the way he’s returned to England, with an army and all these weapons, there’s nothing I can do. And you who are helping him are just lowly rebels.
NORTHUMBERLAND The noble duke hath sworn his coming is But for his own; and for the right of that We all have strongly sworn to give him aid; And let him ne’er see joy that breaks that oath!	NORTHUMBERLAND The noble duke has sworn he has come back to England only for his own sake and not for any other reason. We have all sworn to help him, and I hope anyone who breaks that promise never feels joy again.
DUKE OF YORK Well, well, I see the issue of these arms: I cannot mend it, I must needs confess, Because my power is weak and all ill left: But if I could, by Him that gave me life, I would attach you all and make you stoop Unto the sovereign mercy of the king; But since I cannot, be it known to you I do remain as neuter. So, fare you well; Unless you please to enter in the castle And there repose you for this night.	DUKE OF YORK Well, well, I see how this is going to go. I admit I can’t change it, because my army is weak. But if God would let me, I’d arrest you all and make you stoop down before our king. But since I can’t, I’m going to remain neutral. So, good luck to you. Or do you want to come sleep in the castle tonight?
HENRY BOLINGBROKE An offer, uncle, that we will accept: But we must win your grace to go with us To Bristol castle, which they say is held By Bushy, Bagot and their complices, The caterpillars of the commonwealth, Which I have sworn to weed and pluck away.	HENRY BOLINGBROKE Yes, uncle, we do. But first we must convince you to go with us to Bristol Castle, which I’ve heard is being held by Bushy, Bagot, and their accomplices. They are devouring the kingdom like caterpillars, and I’ve sworn to eliminate them.
DUKE OF YORK It may be I will go with you: but yet I’ll pause; For I am loath to break our country’s laws. Nor friends nor foes, to me welcome you are: Things past redress are now with me past care.	DUKE OF YORK I might go with you, but let me think about it first. I hate to break our country’s laws. I look at you neither as a friend nor a foe, and I don’t care about people’s past misdeeds that can’t be fixed now.
Exeunt	They exit.