Act 2 Scene 2
At Windsor Castle, the Queen meets with Bushy and Bagot. The Queen is
distressed at Richard's departure, and feels anxious about the future. She fears
that some misfortune is about to occur, and she persists in her belief despite
Bushy's efforts to talk her out of it.
Greene enters with the news that Bolingbroke has landed at Ravenspurgh, and
Northumberland and others have joined up with him. Greene has proclaimed
them traitors, but that has only encouraged others, including the Earl of
Worcester, to join them. The Queen realizes this is why she felt such a sense of
foreboding.
York enters. He is a worried man and cannot cope with the responsibilities that
Richard bestowed on him as governor of England in the king's absence. He fears
there will be a popular revolt in favor of Bolingbroke.
A servant reports that York's sister-in-law, the Duchess of Gloucester, is dead.
This adds to York's confusion. He simply does not know what to do. On the one
hand, he owes allegiance to the King, who is also his cousin. But on the other
hand, Bolingbroke is his cousin also, and Bolingbroke has clearly been wronged.
He tells Bushy, Greene and Bagot to assemble their men and meet him at
Berkeley Castle, in Gloucestershire.
Bushy, Greene and Bagot know they cannot hope to raise an army strong
enough to resist Bolingbroke, and they fear for their own lives. Greene and
Bushy decide to head for Bristol, in the south-west, to join the Earl of Wiltshire.
Bagot says he will go to Ireland and join up with the King. They part, Greene and
Bagot fearing they will never meet again.
Analysis
In Richard's absence, the tide has turned irrevocably against him. His most
powerful nobles have defected to Bolingbroke, and he can expect no support
from the common people.
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