Richard II, Act 1 Scene 4 runs 65 lines of dialogue, spoken by 5 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 147 lines. This scene is part of Act 1 of Richard II.
Full Dialogue
King Richard Ii ♂
We did observe. Cousin Aumerle,
How far brought you high Hereford on his way?
How far brought you high Hereford on his way?
Duke Of Aumerle ♂
I brought high Hereford, if you call him so,
But to the next highway, and there I left him.
But to the next highway, and there I left him.
King Richard Ii ♂
And say, what store of parting tears were shed?
Duke Of Aumerle ♂
Faith, none for me; except the north-east wind,
Which then blew bitterly against our faces,
Awaked the sleeping rheum, and so by chance
Did grace our hollow parting with a tear.
Which then blew bitterly against our faces,
Awaked the sleeping rheum, and so by chance
Did grace our hollow parting with a tear.
King Richard Ii ♂
What said our cousin when you parted with him?
Duke Of Aumerle ♂
'Farewell:'
And, for my heart disdained that my tongue
Should so profane the word, that taught me craft
To counterfeit oppression of such grief
That words seem'd buried in my sorrow's grave.
Marry, would the word 'farewell' have lengthen'd hours
And added years to his short banishment,
He should have had a volume of farewells;
But since it would not, he had none of me.
And, for my heart disdained that my tongue
Should so profane the word, that taught me craft
To counterfeit oppression of such grief
That words seem'd buried in my sorrow's grave.
Marry, would the word 'farewell' have lengthen'd hours
And added years to his short banishment,
He should have had a volume of farewells;
But since it would not, he had none of me.
King Richard Ii ♂
He is our cousin, cousin; but 'tis doubt,
When time shall call him home from banishment,
Whether our kinsman come to see his friends.
Ourself and Bushy, Bagot here and Green
Observed his courtship to the common people;
How he did seem to dive into their hearts
With humble and familiar courtesy,
What reverence he did throw away on slaves,
Wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles
And patient underbearing of his fortune,
As 'twere to banish their affects with him.
Off goes his bonnet to an oyster-wench;
A brace of draymen bid God speed him well
And had the tribute of his supple knee,
With 'Thanks, my countrymen, my loving friends;'
As were our England in reversion his,
And he our subjects' next degree in hope.
When time shall call him home from banishment,
Whether our kinsman come to see his friends.
Ourself and Bushy, Bagot here and Green
Observed his courtship to the common people;
How he did seem to dive into their hearts
With humble and familiar courtesy,
What reverence he did throw away on slaves,
Wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles
And patient underbearing of his fortune,
As 'twere to banish their affects with him.
Off goes his bonnet to an oyster-wench;
A brace of draymen bid God speed him well
And had the tribute of his supple knee,
With 'Thanks, my countrymen, my loving friends;'
As were our England in reversion his,
And he our subjects' next degree in hope.
Green ♂
Well, he is gone; and with him go these thoughts.
Now for the rebels which stand out in Ireland,
Expedient manage must be made, my liege,
Ere further leisure yield them further means
For their advantage and your highness' loss.
Now for the rebels which stand out in Ireland,
Expedient manage must be made, my liege,
Ere further leisure yield them further means
For their advantage and your highness' loss.
King Richard Ii ♂
We will ourself in person to this war:
And, for our coffers, with too great a court
And liberal largess, are grown somewhat light,
We are inforced to farm our royal realm;
The revenue whereof shall furnish us
For our affairs in hand: if that come short,
Our substitutes at home shall have blank charters;
Whereto, when they shall know what men are rich,
They shall subscribe them for large sums of gold
And send them after to supply our wants;
For we will make for Ireland presently.
Bushy, what news?
And, for our coffers, with too great a court
And liberal largess, are grown somewhat light,
We are inforced to farm our royal realm;
The revenue whereof shall furnish us
For our affairs in hand: if that come short,
Our substitutes at home shall have blank charters;
Whereto, when they shall know what men are rich,
They shall subscribe them for large sums of gold
And send them after to supply our wants;
For we will make for Ireland presently.
Bushy, what news?
Bushy ♂
Old John of Gaunt is grievous sick, my lord,
Suddenly taken; and hath sent post haste
To entreat your majesty to visit him.
Suddenly taken; and hath sent post haste
To entreat your majesty to visit him.
King Richard Ii ♂
Where lies he?
Bushy ♂
At Ely House.
King Richard Ii ♂
Now put it, God, in the physician's mind
To help him to his grave immediately!
The lining of his coffers shall make coats
To deck our soldiers for these Irish wars.
Come, gentlemen, let's all go visit him:
Pray God we may make haste, and come too late!
To help him to his grave immediately!
The lining of his coffers shall make coats
To deck our soldiers for these Irish wars.
Come, gentlemen, let's all go visit him:
Pray God we may make haste, and come too late!
All ♂
Amen.
65 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Richard Ii | 40 | 61.5% |
| Duke Of Aumerle | 15 | 23.1% |
| Green | 5 | 7.7% |
| Bushy | 4 | 6.2% |
| All | 1 | 1.5% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 40 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 13 lines.
Total speakers on stage
5 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 1
This is Scene 4 of 4 in Act 1 of Richard II.
Scene length vs. play average
At 65 lines, this scene is shorter than the Richard II average scene in Richard II (~147 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 1 Scene 3 · Next: Act 2 Scene 1
About Act 1 Scene 4 of Richard II
Who carries Act 1 Scene 4 of Richard II?
King Richard Ii, with 40 lines — about 62% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 5 speakers and the lead holding 62% of the lines, this scene is a showcase for the lead voice.