From Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Oxford 1911)/Volume 4/The Tragedy of King Richard the Second by Oxford 1911

:Methinks I am a prophet new inspir'd, :And thus expiring do foretell of him: :His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last, :For violent fires soon burn out themselves; :Small showers last long, but sudden storms are short; :He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes; :With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder: :Light vanity, insatiate cormorant, :Consuming means, soon preys upon itself. :This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle, :This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, :This other Eden, demi-paradise, :This fortress built by Nature for herself :Against infection and the hand of war, :This happy breed of men, this little world, :This precious stone set in the silver sea, :Which serves it in the office of a wall, :Or as a moat defensive to a house, :Against the envy of less happier lands; :This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, :This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings, :Fear'd by their breed, and famous by their birth, :Renowned for their deeds as far from home,— :For Christian service and true chivalry,— :As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry :Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's Son: :This land of such dear souls, this dear, dear land, :Dear for her reputation through the world, :Is now leas'd out,—I die pronouncing it,— :Like to a tenement or pelting farm: :England, bound in with the triumphant sea, :Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege :Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, :With inky blots, and rotten parchment bonds: :That England, that was wont to conquer others, :Hath made a shameful conquest of itself. :Ah! would the scandal vanish with my life, :How happy then were my ensuing death.

Gaunt Monologue from Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Oxford 1911)/Volume 4/The Tragedy of King Richard the Second

Rehearse Gaunt's monologue