One phial full of Edward's sacred blood, One flourishing branch of his most royal root,- Ah, Gaunt! his blood was thine; that bed, that womb, What shall I say? to safeguard thine own life, His deputy anointed in his sight, Hath caus'd his death: the which if wrongfully, An angry arm against his minister. Duch. Where then, alas! may I complain myself? Thou go'st to Coventry, there to behold A caitiff recreant' to my cousin Hereford! Farewell, old Gaunt; thy sometimes brother's wife, [4] Cailiff originally signified a Prisoner; next a Slave, from the condition of prisoners; then a Scoundrel, from the qualities of a slave. In this passage it partakes of all these significations. JOHNSON. I do not believe that Cailiff in our language ever signified a Prisoner. I take it to be derived, not from captif, but from chetiff, Fr. poor, miserable. TYRWHITT 7 VOL. V. E With her companion grief must end her life. Gaunt. Sister, farewell: I must to Coventry : As much good stay with thee, as go with me! Duch. Yet one word more ;-Grief boundeth where it falls, Not with the empty hollowness, but weight: And what cheer there for welcome, but my groans? SCENE III. [Exeunt. Gosford Green, near Coventry. Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, &c. attending. Enter the Lord Marshal, and AUMERLE. 6 Mar. My lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd ? Aum. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. Mar. The duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold, Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. Aum. Why then, the champions are prepar'd, and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach, Flourish of Trumpets. Enter King RICHARD, who takes his seat on his throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A Trumpet is sounded, and answered by another Trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK in armour, preceded by a Herald. [5] Mowbray Duke of Norfolk was Earl Marshal of England; but being himself one of the combatants, the Duke of Surrey officiated as Earl Marshal for the day. MALONE. [6] Edward Duke of Aumerle, so created by his cousin german, King Richard II. in 1397. He was the eldest son of Edmund of Langley Duke of York, fifth son of Edward the Third, and was killed in 1415, at the battle of Agincourt. He officiated at the lists of Coventry, as High Constable of England. MALONE. K. Rich. Marshal, demand of yonder champion To swear him in the justice of his cause. Mar. In God's name, and the king's, say who thou art, And why thou com`st, thus knightly clad in arms : Against what man thou com'st, and what thy quarrel : Speak truly, on thy knighthood, and thy oath; And so defend thee heaven, and thy valour ! Nor. My name is Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk ; Who hither come engaged by my oath, (Which, heaven defend, a knight should violate!) To God, my king, and my succeeding issue, [He takes his seat. Trumpet sounds. Enter BOLINGBROKE, in armour ; preceded by a Herald. K. Rich. Marshal, ask yonder knight in arms, Both who he is, and why he cometh hither Thus plated in habiliments of war ; And formally according to our law Depose him in the justice of his cause. Mar. What is thy name? and wherefore com'st thou hither, Before king Richard, in his royal lists ? Against whom comest thou? and what's thy quarrel? Speak like a true knight, so defend thee heaven! Boling. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, To prove, by heaven's grace, and my body's valour, To God of Heaven, king Richard, and to me; [7] Mr. Edwards, in his MS. notes, observes, both from Matthew Paris and Holinshed, that the duke of Hereford, appellant, entered the lists first; and this indeed must have been the regular method of the combat; for the natural order of things requires, that the accuser or challenger should be at the place of appointment first. STEEVENS. Mar. On pain of death, no person be so bold, Boling. Lord marshal, let me kiss my sovereign's hand, And bow my knee before his majesty : For Mowbray, and myself, are like two men Mar. The appellant in all duty greets your highness, And craves to kiss your hand, and take his leave. K. Rich. We will descend, and fold him in our arms. Farewell, my blood; which if to-day thou shed, Against a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. My loving lord, [To Lord Marshal.] I take my leave of you ; Of you, my noble cousin, lord Aumerle :— [To GAUNT. The daintiest last, to make the end most sweet : 8 Gaunt. Heaven in thy good cause make thee prosperous! Be swift like lightning in the execution; [8] Waren may mean soft, and consequently penetrable or flexible. The brigandines or coats of mail, then in use, were composed of small pieces of steel quilted over one another, and yet so flexible as to accommodate the dress they form to every motion of the body. Of these many are still to be seen in the Tower of London. STEEVENS. And let thy blows, doubly redoubled, Fall like amazing thunder on the casque Of thy adverse pernicious enemy: Rouze up thy youthful blood, be valiant and live. There lives or dies, true to king Richard's throne, Cast off his chains of bondage, and embrace Go I to fight; Truth hath a quiet breast. K. Rich. Farewell, my lord: securely I espy Virtue with valour couched in thine Order the trial, marshal, and begin. eye. [The King and the Lords return to their seats Mar. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, Receive thy lance; and God defend the right! Boling. [Rising.] Strong as a tower in hope, I cry-amen. Mar. Go bear this lance [To an Officer.] to Thomas duke of Norfolk. 1 Her. Harry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, Stands here for God, his sovereign, and himself, On pain to be found false and recreant, To prove the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray, And dares him to set forward to the fight. 2 Her. Here standeth Thomas Mowbray, duke of Norfolk, On pain to be found false and recreant, Both to defend himself, and to approve Henry of Hereford, Lancaster, and Derby, To God, his sovereign, and to him, disloyal; Attending but the signal to begin. Mar. Sound, trumpets; and set forward, combatants. [A charge sounded. |