Richard II

Act One

King Richard II, surrounded by royal pomp, arbitrates a dispute between his cousin Henry Bolingbroke and Thomas Mowbray, the Duke of Norfolk. Bolingbroke accuses Mowbray of embezzling money from the king and royal coffers; more than that, he accuses the Duke of plotting the murder of the Duke of Gloucester (the uncle of both Richard and Henry). Mowbray denies any wrongdoing, which prompts Bolingbroke to throw down his gage--a challenge to duel to the death. Richard agrees that the men should duel over this dispute of honor, and so they will meet again soon. Unbeknownst to everyone around him, Richard is actually responsible for his uncle’s death.

John of Gaunt--Henry Bolingbroke’s father--visits the Duchess of Gloucester, his newly widowed sister-in-law . She argues that King Edward III had seven noble sons (including Gaunt and Gloucester), and now one of the royal branches has been destroyed. Because of this, Gaunt has a duty to avenge his brother’s death. Both the Duchess