We'll serve him too, and be his fellow so. The worst is death, and death will have his day. Scroop. Glad am I, that your highness is so armed To bear the tidings of calamity. Like an unseasonable, stormy day, Which makes the silver rivers drown their shores, Of Bolingbroke, covering your fearful land With hard, bright steel, and hearts harder than steel. K. Rich. Too well, too well, thou tell'st a tale so ill: Where is the earl of Wiltshire? where is Bagot? What is become of Bushy? where is Green? I warrant, they have made peace with Bolingbroke. Scroop. Peace have they made with him, indeed, my lord. K. Rich. O villains, vipers, damned without redemption ! Dogs, easily won to fawn on any man! Snakes, in my heart-blood warmed, that sting my heart; 1 Yew is called double-fatal, because of the poisonous quality of the leaves, and on account of the wood being used for instruments of death. Scroop. Sweet love, I see, changing his property, Turns to the sourest and most deadly hate.Again uncurse their souls; their peace is made With heads, and not with hands; those whom you curse, Have felt the worst of death's destroying wound, And lie full low, graved' in the hollow ground. Aum. Is Bushy, Green, and the earl of Wiltshire, dead? Scroop. Yea, all of them at Bristol lost their heads. Aum. Where is the duke, my father, with his power? K. Rich. No matter where; of comfort no man speak. Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs; 1 i. e. buried. The verb is not peculiar to Shakspeare. 2 A small model, or module, for they were the same in Shakspeare's time, seems to mean, in this place, a small portion or quantity. It is a Latinism, from "modulus, the measure or quantity of a thing." Comes at the last, and with a little pin Bores through his castle wall, and-farewell, king! How can you say to me-I am a king? Car. My lord, wise men ne'er wail their present woes, But presently prevent the ways to wail. To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, Aum. My father hath a power; inquire of him, K. Rich. Thou chid'st me well.-Proud Bolingbroke, To change blows with thee for our day of doom. An easy task it is, to win our own. Say, Scroop, where lies our uncle with his power? So may you, by my dull and heavy eye, I play the torturer, by small and small, To lengthen out the worst that must be spoken.- And all your southern gentlemen in arms 1 Tradition here seems to mean traditional practices, i. e. established or customary homage. 2 That is, to die fighting is to return the evil that we suffer, to destroy the destroyers. K. Rich. Thou hast said enough. Beshrew thee, cousin, which didst lead me forth Of that sweet way I was in to despair! [To AUMERLE. What say you now? What comfort have we now? Aum. My liege, one word. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Wales. A Plain before Flint Castle. Enter, with drum and colors, BOLINGBROKE and Forces; YORK, NORTHUMBERLAND, and others. Boling. So that by this intelligence we learn, The Welshmen are dispersed; and Salisbury Is gone to meet the king, who lately landed, With some few private friends, upon this coast. North. The news is very fair and good, my lord; Richard, not far from hence, hath hid his head. York. It would beseem the lord Northumberland To say-king Richard.-Alack the heavy day, When such a sacred king should hide his head! North. Your grace mistakes me; only to be brief, Left I his title out. York. 2 The time hath been, 1 To ear the land is to till it, to plough it. 2 The word me, which is wanting in the old copies, was supplied by Hanmer. Would you have been so brief with him, he would should, Lest you mis-take; the Heavens are o'er Enter PERCY. 2 Well, Harry; what, will not this castle yield? Boling. Royally! Why, it contains no king? Percy. Yes, my good lord, And with him are the lord Aumerle, lord Salisbury, [TO NORTH. Go to the rude ribs of that ancient castle; Harry Bolingbroke Upon his knees doth kiss king Richard's hand; 1 Johnson declares that the meaning of this phrase is, taking undue liberties. 2 The old copy reads, "Welcome, Harry:" the emendation is Hanmer's. |