And wear it as a favour; and with that He would unhorse the lustiest challenger. Boling. As dissolute as desperate; yet, through both I see some sparkles of a better hope, Which elder days may happily bring forth. But who comes here? Enter AUMERLE, hastily. Aum. Where is the king? Boling. What means Our cousin, that he stares and looks so wildly? Aum. God save your grace. I do beseech your majesty, To have some conference with your grace alone. Boling. Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.- What is the matter with our cousin now? Boling. Intended, or committed, was this fault? Aum. Then give me leave that I may turn the key, [Kneels. [AUMERLE locks the door. York [within]. My liege, beware; look to thyself; Aum. Stay thy revengeful hand; Thou hast no cause to fear. [Drawing. York [within]. Open the door, secure, fool-hardy king: Shall I, for love, speak treason to thy face? Open the door, or I will break it open. [BOLINGBROKE opens the door. Enter YORK. Boling. What is the matter, uncle? speak; Recover breath; tell us how near is danger, That we may arm us to encounter it. York. Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know The treason that my haste forbids me show. Aum. Remember, as thou read'st, thy promise past: I do repent me; read not my name there, My heart is not confederate with my hand. York. 'Twas, villain, ere thy hand did set it down.- Fear, and not love, begets his penitence: A serpent that will sting thee to the heart. Boling. O heinous, strong, and bold conspiracy!O loyal father of a treacherous son! Thou sheer,* immaculate, and silver fountain, From whence this stream through muddy passages, Thy overflow of good converts to bad; York. So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd; The traitor lives, the true man's put to death. Duch. [within]. What ho, my liege! for God's sake let me in. Boling. What shrill-voiced suppliant makes this eager cry? Duch. A woman, and thine aunt, great king, 'tis I. Speak with me, pity me, open the door; A beggar begs that never begg'd before. Boling. Our scene is alter'd,-from a serious thing, And now changed to The Beggar and the King‡ Enter DUCHESS. Duch. O king, believe not this hard-hearted man; Love, loving not itself, none other can. York. Thou frantic woman, what dost thou make§ here? Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear? Duch. Sweet York, be patient: Hear me, gentle liege. [Kneels. Boling. Rise up, good aunt. Duch. Not yet, I thee beseech: For ever will I kneel upon my knees, And never see day that the happy sees, Till thou give joy; until thou bid me joy, By pardoning Rutland, my transgressing boy. Aum. Unto my mother's prayers, I bend my knee. Ill mayst thou thrive, if thou grant any grace! Kneels. York. Against them both, my true joints bended be. [Kneels. Duch. Pleads he in earnest ? look upon his face; His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in jest; His words come from his mouth, ours from our breast: We pray with heart, and soul, and all beside: Our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow: * Clear. + Transgressing. An old ballad. Do. His pravers are full of false hypocrisy ; Our prayers do out-pray his; then let them have Duch. Nay, do not say-stand up; But, pardon first; and afterwards stand up. Boling. Good aunt, stand up. Duch. I do not sue to stand, Pardon is all the suit I have in hand. Boling. I pardon him, as God shall pardon me, Duch. O happy vantage of a kneeling knee! Yet am I sick for fear: speak it again; Twice saying pardon, doth not pardon twain, Boling. With all my heart I pardon him. Duch. A God on earth thou art. Boling. But for our trusty brother-in-law,-and the abbot, With all the rest of that consorted crew, Destruction straight shall dog them at the heels. Good uncle, help to order several powers* To Oxford, or where'er these traitors are: They shall not live within this world, I swear, But I will have them, if I once know where. Uncle, farewell, and cousin too, adieu: Your mother well hath pray'd, and prove you true. Duch. Come, my old son;-I pray God make thee new. SCENE IV. Enter EXTON, and a SERVANT. [Exeunt. Exton. Didst thou not mark the king, what words he spake? Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear? Was it not so? * Forces. Serv. Those were his very words. Exton. Have I no friend? quoth he; he spake it twice, Serv. He did. Exton. And, speaking it, he wistly* look'd on me; [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Pomfret. The Dungeon of the Castle. K. Rich. I have been studying how I may compare And these same thoughts people this little world;† For no thought is contented. The better sort,- As thus,-Come little ones; and then again,- * Wistfully. + His own body. The Scriptures. Nor I, nor any man, that but man is, With nothing shall be pleased, till he be eased Ha, ha! keep time:-How sour sweet music is, Is pointing still, in cleansing them from tears. Groom. Hail, royal prince! K. Rich. Thanks, noble peer; The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear. Groom. I was a poor groom of thy stable, king, [Music. K. Rich. Rode he on Barbary? Tell me, gentle friend, How went he under him? Groom. So proudly, as if he disdain'd the ground. K. Rich. So proud that Bolingbroke was on his back! + I. e. dial-plate. * Tick. Former. |