Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk and Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, come before King Richard II to accuse each other of treason. The two men throw accusations and then their gauntlets at each other, challenging the other to a physical combat. Each man takes up the other's gauntlet, i.e. accepts the challenge, in order to prove his innocence of the charges brought against him, and to protect his honor.

Richard asks to hear Bolingbroke's accusations against Mowbray. Bolingbroke claims that Mowbray received 8000 pieces of gold from the king that he kept for himself. Bolingbroke also claims Mowbray killed the Duke of Gloucester, Richard's uncle and Gaunt's brother, whom he was supposed to be guarding. Mowbray answers Bolingbroke's accusations by claiming that he paid the army with the money given to him by the king, as he was supposed to, and...