Richard II Text: Act 5, Scene 6

This page contains the original text of Richard II, Act 5, Scene 6. Shakespeare’s original Richard II text is long, so we’ve split the text into one Scene per page. All Acts and Scenes are listed on the original Richard II text page, or linked to from the bottom of this page.

RICHARD II. ACT 5, SCENE 6. Windsor Castle

 Flourish. Enter Bullingbrook, now King Henry, with the Duke of York with other Lords and Attendants.

KING HENRY
Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear

Is that the rebels have consum’d with fire

Our town of Ciceter in Gloucestershire,

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

Enter Northumberland.

Welcome, my lord, what is the news?

NORTH
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.

KING HENRY
We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains,

And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.

Enter Lord Fitzwater.

FITZ
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, Fitzwater, shall not be forgot,

Right noble is thy merit, well I wot.

Enter Harry Percy and the Bishop of Carlisle.

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.

So as thou liv’st in peace, die free from strife,

For though mine enemy thou hast ever been,

High sparks of honor in thee have I seen.

Enter Exton with Attendants bearing the coffin.

EXTON
Great King, within this coffin I present

Thy buried fear. Herein all breathless lies

The mightiest of thy greatest enemies,

Richard of Burdeaux, by me hither brought.

KING HENRY
Exton, I thank thee not, for thou hast wrought

A deed of slander with thy fatal hand

Upon my head and all this famous land.
EXTON.

From your own mouth, my lord, did I this deed.

KING HENRY
They love not poison that do poison need,

Nor do I thee. Though I did wish him dead,

I hate the murderer, love him murdered.

The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor,

But neither my good word nor princely favor.

With Cain go wander thorough shades of night,

And never show thy head by day nor light.

Lords, I protest my soul is full of woe

That blood should sprinkle me to make me grow.

Come mourn with me for what I do lament,

And put on sullen black incontinent.

I’ll make a voyage to the Holy Land,

To wash this blood off from my guilty hand.

March sadly after, grace my mournings here,

In weeping after this untimely bier.

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Read more scenes from Richard II:

Richard II Act 1, Scene 1
Richard II Act 1, Scene 2
Richard II Act 1, Scene 3
Richard II Act 1, Scene 4

Richard II Act 2, Scene 1
Richard II Act 2, Scene 2
Richard II Act 2, Scene 3
Richard II Act 2, Scene 4

Richard II Act 3, Scene 1
Richard II Act 3, Scene 2
Richard II Act 3, Scene 3
Richard II Act 3, Scene 4

Richard II Act 4, Scene 1

Richard II Act 5, Scene 1
Richard II Act 5, Scene 2
Richard II Act 5, Scene 3
Richard II Act 5, Scene 4
Richard II Act 5, Scene 5
Richard II Act 5, Scene 6

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