The Life and Death of Richard the Second

In Original Text

Act 2, Scene 4:

A camp in Wales.

Enter EARL OF SALISBURY and a Welsh Captain Captain My lord of Salisbury, we have stay'd ten days, And hardly kept our countrymen together, And yet we hear no tidings from the king; Therefore we will disperse ourselves: farewell. EARL OF SALISBURY Stay yet another day, thou trusty Welshman: The king reposeth all his confidence in thee. Captain 'Tis thought the king is dead; we will not stay. The bay–trees in our country are all wither'd And meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven; The pale–faced moon looks bloody on the earth And lean–look'd prophets whisper fearful change; Rich men look sad and ruffians dance and leap, The one in fear to lose what they enjoy, The other to enjoy by rage and war: These signs forerun the death or fall of kings. Farewell: our countrymen are gone and fled, As well assured Richard their king is dead. Exit EARL OF SALISBURY Ah, Richard, with the eyes of heavy mind I see thy glory like a shooting star Fall to the base earth from the firmament. Thy sun sets weeping in the lowly west, Witnessing storms to come, woe and unrest: Thy friends are fled to wait upon thy foes, And crossly to thy good all fortune goes. Exit     King Richard The II: Act 2 - Scene 4 Previous Scene | Next Scene