Page:Richard II (1921) Yale.djvu/73

King Richard the Second, III. iii

Boling. Royally!

Why, it contains no king?

H. Percy. Yes, my good lord,

It doth contain a king: King Richard lies

Within the limits of yon lime and stone;

And with him are the Lord Aumerle, Lord Salisbury,

Sir Stephen Scroop; besides a clergyman

Of holy reverence; who, I cannot learn.

North. O! belike it is the Bishop of Carlisle.

Boling. [To North.] Noble lord,

Go to the rude ribs of that ancient castle,

Through brazen trumpet send the breath of parley

Into his ruin'd ears, and thus deliver:

Henry Bolingbroke

On both his knees doth kiss King Richard's hand,

And sends allegiance and true faith of heart

To his most royal person; hither come

Even at his feet to lay my arms and power,

Provided that my banishment repeal'd,

And lands restor'd again be freely granted.

If not, I'll use the advantage of my power,

And lay the summer's dust with showers of blood

Rain'd from the wounds of slaughter'd Englishmen

The which, how far off from the mind of Bolingbroke

It is, such crimson tempest should bedrench

The fresh green lap of fair King Richard's land,

My stooping duty tenderly shall show.

Go, signify as much, while here we march

Upon the grassy carpet of this plain.

Let's march without the noise of threat'ning drum,

That from this castle's totter'd battlements

Our fair appointments may be well perus'd.

 40 banishment repeal'd; cf. n.

52 totter'd: ragged

53 appointments: equipment

perus'd: surveyed

