Their watches on unto mine eyes, the outward watch

Whereto my finger, like a dial’s point,

Is pointing still in cleansing them from tears.

Now, sir, the sounds that tell what hour it is

Are clamorous groans that strike upon my heart,

Which is the bell. So sighs, and tears, and groans

Show minutes, hours, and times. But my time

Runs posting on in Bolingbroke’s proud joy,

While I stand fooling here, his jack of the clock.

This music mads me. Let it sound no more,

For though it have holp madmen to their wits,

In me it seems it will make wise men mad.

⌈The music ceases⌉

Yet blessing on his heart that gives it me,

For ’tis a sign of love, and love to Richard

Is a strange brooch in this all-hating world.

Enter a Groom of the stable

GROOM

Hail, royal Prince!

RICHARD

Thanks, noble peer.

The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear.

What art thou, and how com’st thou hither,

Where no man never comes but that sad dog

That brings me food to make misfortune live?

GROOM

I was a poor groom of thy stable, King,

When thou wert king; who, travelling towards York,

With much ado at length have gotten leave

To look upon my sometimes royal master’s face.

O, how it erned my heart when I beheld

In London streets, that coronation day,

When Bolingbroke rode on roan Barbary,

That horse that thou so often hast bestrid,

That horse that I so carefully have dressed!

RICHARD

Rode he on Barbary? Tell me, gentle friend,

How went he under him?

GROOM

So proudly as if he disdained the ground.

RICHARD

So proud that Bolingbroke was on his back.

That jade hath eat bread from my royal hand;

This hand hath made him proud with clapping him.

Would he not stumble, would he not fall down-

Since pride must have a fall—and break the neck

Of that proud man that did usurp his back?

Forgiveness, horse! Why do I rail on thee,

Since thou, created to be awed by man,

Wast born to bear? I was not made a horse,

And yet I bear a burden like an ass,

Spur-galled and tired by jauncing Bolingbroke.

Enter Keeper to Richard, with meat

KEEPER (to Groom)

Fellow, give place. Here is no longer stay.

RICHARD (to Groom)

If thou love me, ’tis time thou wert away.

GROOM

What my tongue dares not, that my heart shall say.

Exit

KEEPER

My lord, will’t please you to fall to?

RICHARD

Taste of it first, as thou art wont to do.

KEEPER

My lord, I dare not. Sir Piers of Exton,

Who lately came from the King, commands the contrary.

RICHARD (striking the Keeper)

The devil take Henry of Lancaster and thee I

Patience is stale, and I am weary of it.

KEEPER Help, help, help!

Exton and his men rush in

RICHARD

How now! What means death in this rude assault?

He seizes a weapon from a man, and kills him

Villain, thy own hand yields thy death’s instrument.

He kills another

Go thou, and fill another room in hell.

Here Exton strikes him down

RICHARD

That hand shall burn in never-quenching fire

That staggers thus my person. Exton, thy fierce hand

Hath with the King’s blood stained the King’s own land.

Mount, mount, my soul; thy seat is up on high,

Whilst my gross flesh sinks downward, here to die.

He dies

EXTON

As full of valour as of royal blood.

Both have I spilt. O, would the deed were good I

For now the devil that told me I did well

Says that this deed is chronicled in hell.

This dead King to the living King I’ll bear.

Take hence the rest, and give them burial here.

Exeunt ⌈Exton with Richard’s body at one door, and his men with the other bodies at another door⌉

5.6 ⌈Flourish.⌉ Enter King Henry and the Duke of York, ⌈with other lords and attendants⌉

KING HENRY

Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear

Is that the rebels have consumed with fire

Our town of Ci’cester in Gloucestershire;

But whether they be ta’en or slain we hear not.

Enter the Earl of Northumberland

Welcome, my lord. What is the news?

NORTHUMBERLAND

First, to thy sacred state wish I all happiness.

The next news is, I have to London sent

The heads of Salisbury, Spencer, Blunt, and Kent.

The manner of their taking may appear

At large discoursed in this paper here.

He gives the paper to King Henry

KING HENRY

We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains,

And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.

Enter Lord Fitzwalter

FITZWALTER

My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London

The heads of Brocas and Sir Bennet Seely,

Two of the dangerous consorted traitors

That sought at Oxford thy dire overthrow.

KING HENRY

Thy pains, Fitzwalter, shall not be forgot.

Right noble is thy merit, well I wot.

Enter Harry Percy, with the Bishop of Carlisle, guarded

HARRY PERCY

The grand conspirator Abbot of Westminster,

With clog of conscience and sour melancholy,

Hath yielded up his body to the grave.

But here is Carlisle living, to abide

Thy kingly doom and sentence of his pride.

KING HENRY Carlisle, this is your doom.

Choose out some secret place, some reverent room

More than thou hast, and with it joy thy life.