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Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,
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Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son,
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Here to make good the boisterous late appeal,
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Which then our leisure would not let us hear,
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Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?
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JOHN OF GAUNT:
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I have, my liege.
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KING RICHARD II:
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Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him,
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If he appeal the duke on ancient malice;
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Or worthily, as a good subject should,
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On some known ground of treachery in him?
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JOHN OF GAUNT:
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As near as I could sift him on that argument,
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On some apparent danger seen in him
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Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice.
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KING RICHARD II:
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Then call them to our presence; face to face,
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And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear
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The accuser and the accused freely speak:
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High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire,
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In rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.
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HENRY BOLINGBROKE:
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Many years of happy days befal
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My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!
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THOMAS MOWBRAY:
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Each day still better other's happiness;
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Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,
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Add an immortal title to your crown!
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KING RICHARD II:
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We thank you both: yet one but flatters us,
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As well appeareth by the cause you come;
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Namely to appeal each other of high treason.
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Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object
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Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?
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HENRY BOLINGBROKE:
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First, heaven be the record to my speech!
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In the devotion of a subject's love,
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Tendering the precious safety of my prince,
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And free from other misbegotten hate,
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Come I appellant to this princely presence.
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Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,
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And mark my greeting well; for what I speak
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My body shall make good upon this earth,
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Or my divine soul answer it in heaven.
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Thou art a traitor and a miscreant,
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Too good to be so and too bad to live,
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Since the more fair and crystal is the sky,
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The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly.
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Once more, the more to aggravate the note,
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With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat;
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And wish, so please my sovereign, ere I move,
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What my tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove.
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THOMAS MOWBRAY:
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Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal:
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'Tis not the trial of a woman's war,
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The bitter clamour of two eager tongues,
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Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain;
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The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this:
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Yet can I not of such tame patience boast
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As to be hush'd and nought at all to say:
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First, the fair reverence of your highness curbs me
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From giving reins and spurs to my free speech;
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Which else would post until it had return'd
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These terms of treason doubled down his throat.
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Setting aside his high blood's royalty,
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And let him be no kinsman to my liege,
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I do defy him, and I spit at him;
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Call him a slanderous coward and a villain:
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Which to maintain I would allow him odds,
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And meet him, were I tied to run afoot
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Even to the frozen ridges of the Alps,
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Or any other ground inhabitable,
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Where ever Englishman durst set his foot.
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Mean time let this defend my loyalty,
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By all my hopes, most falsely doth he lie.
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HENRY BOLINGBROKE:
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Pale trembling coward, there I throw my gage,
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Disclaiming here the kindred of the king,
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And lay aside my high blood's royalty,
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Which fear, not reverence, makes thee to except.
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If guilty dread have left thee so much strength
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As to take up mine honour's pawn, then stoop:
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By that and all the rites of knighthood else,
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Will I make good against thee, arm to arm,
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What I have spoke, or thou canst worse devise.
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THOMAS MOWBRAY:
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I take it up; and by that sword I swear
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Which gently laid my knighthood on my shoulder,
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