| Original text | Modern text | Key line |
| My Lord of Salisbury, we haue stayd ten dayes, | My Lord of Salisbury, we have stayed ten days | R2 II.iv.1 |
| And hardly kept our Countreymen together, | And hardly kept our countrymen together, | R2 II.iv.2 |
| And yet we heare no tidings from the King; | And yet we hear no tidings from the King. | R2 II.iv.3 |
| Therefore we will disperse our selues: farewell. | Therefore we will disperse ourselves. Farewell. | R2 II.iv.4 |
| | | |
| 'Tis thought the King is dead, we will not stay; | 'Tis thought the King is dead. We will not stay. | R2 II.iv.7 |
| The Bay-trees in our Countrey all are wither'd, | The bay trees in our country are all withered, | R2 II.iv.8 |
| And Meteors fright the fixed Starres of Heauen; | And meteors fright the fixed stars of heaven. | R2 II.iv.9 |
| The pale-fac'd Moone lookes bloody on the Earth, | The pale-faced moon looks bloody on the earth, | R2 II.iv.10 |
| And leane-look'd Prophets whisper fearefull change; | And lean-looked prophets whisper fearful change. | R2 II.iv.11 |
| Rich men looke sad, and Ruffians dance and leape, | Rich men look sad, and ruffians dance and leap – | R2 II.iv.12 |
| The one in feare, to loose what they enioy, | The one in fear to lose what they enjoy, | R2 II.iv.13 |
| The other to enioy by Rage, and Warre: | The other to enjoy by rage and war. | R2 II.iv.14 |
| These signes fore-run the death of Kings. | These signs forerun the death or fall of kings. | R2 II.iv.15 |
| Farewell, our Countreymen are gone and fled, | Farewell. Our countrymen are gone and fled, | R2 II.iv.16 |
| As well assur'd Richard their King is dead. | As well assured Richard their king is dead. | R2 II.iv.17 |