List iconRichard II:
Act 5, scene 6List icon

Richard II
Act 5, scene 6

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Characters in the Play

Entire Play

In Richard II, anger at a king’s arbitrary rule leads to his downfall—and sets in motion a decades-long struggle for the…

Act 1, scene 1

Henry Bolingbroke, King Richard’s cousin, publicly accuses Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk, of treason. Among Bolingbroke’s charges is that Mowbray…

Act 1, scene 2

The widow of the duke of Gloucester begs John of Gaunt to avenge the murder of her husband. Gaunt says…

Act 1, scene 3

Bolingbroke and Mowbray prepare to fight to the death. King Richard suddenly calls off the fight and banishes Mowbray for…

Act 1, scene 4

Richard makes plans to fight in person in Ireland. To obtain money for the war against the Irish, he leases…

Act 2, scene 1

John of Gaunt, knowing that he is dying, speaks plainly to Richard about his deficiencies as king. Richard expresses his…

Act 2, scene 2

As the Queen grieves for Richard’s departure, news comes that Bolingbroke has landed in England with an army. As York…

Act 2, scene 3

Bolingbroke and Northumberland, just outside Berkeley Castle, meet young Henry Percy, Northumberland’s son. When the duke of York enters, he…

Act 2, scene 4

The Welsh troops, having waited ten days for Richard’s return, disperse. The earl of Salisbury predicts that Richard stands at…

Act 3, scene 1

Bolingbroke sentences Bushy and Green to death.

Act 3, scene 2

Richard, landing in England, greets his kingdom and expresses certainty that God will protect him against Bolingbroke’s threat. He learns…

Act 3, scene 3

Bolingbroke, approaching Flint Castle, learns that Richard is within. In answer to Bolingbroke’s trumpets, Richard and Aumerle appear on the…

Act 3, scene 4

Richard’s queen overhears a gardener describing Richard’s downfall and probable deposition.

Act 4, scene 1

Bolingbroke seeks information about the duke of Gloucester’s death. Bagot implicates Aumerle, and several nobles challenge Aumerle and each other….

Act 5, scene 1

Richard and his queen say their farewells, she to be sent to France, he to Pomfret Castle.

Act 5, scene 2

The duke of York expresses his sympathy for Richard but declares his allegiance to King Henry. When York discovers that…

Act 5, scene 3

Aumerle reaches King Henry and begs a pardon for an unnamed offence. The duke of York arrives and reveals the…

Act 5, scene 4

Sir Pierce Exton, reflecting on King Henry’s wish that Richard be removed, decides to carry out that wish.

Act 5, scene 5

Richard, imprisoned at Pontefract Castle, is visited by a former groom of his stable and then by the prison Keeper….

Act 5, scene 6

News is brought to Henry about the capture and punishment of rebel leaders. Henry pardons the bishop of Carlisle. Exton…
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⌜Scene 6⌝
Enter ⌜King Henry,⌝ with the Duke of York.

KING HENRY 
 Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear
 Is that the rebels have consumed with fire
 Our town of Ciceter in Gloucestershire,
 But whether they be ta’en or slain we hear not.

Enter Northumberland.

5 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 Oxford, Salisbury, Blunt, and Kent.
 The manner of their taking may appear
10 At large discoursèd in this paper here.
⌜He gives King Henry a paper.⌝
KING HENRY 
 We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains,
 And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.

Enter Lord Fitzwater.

FITZWATER 
 My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London
 The heads of Brocas and Sir Bennet Seely,
219
Richard II
ACT 5. SC. 6

15 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 ⌜with the Bishop of Carlisle.⌝

PERCY 
 The grand conspirator, Abbot of Westminster,
20 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:
25 Choose out some secret place, some reverend 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 ⌜and Servingmen⌝ with the coffin.

EXTON 
30 Great king, within this coffin I present
 Thy buried fear. Herein all breathless lies
 The mightiest of thy greatest enemies,
 Richard of Bourdeaux, by me hither brought.
KING HENRY 
 Exton, I thank thee not, for thou hast wrought
35 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,
40 I hate the murderer, love him murderèd.
221
Richard II
ACT 5. SC. 6

 The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor,
 But neither my good word nor princely favor.
 With Cain go wander through shades of night,
 And never show thy head by day nor light.
⌜Exton exits.⌝
45 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
50 To wash this blood off from my guilty hand.
⌜Servingmen lift the coffin to carry it out.⌝
 March sadly after. Grace my mournings here
 In weeping after this untimely bier.
⌜They exit, following the coffin.⌝


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