Percy. My lord, some two days since I saw the prince; And told him of these triumphs held at Oxford. Boling. And what said the gallant? Percy. His answer was, he would unto the stews; And from the common'st creature pluck a glove, I see some sparkles of a better hope, Enter AUMERLE, hastily. Aum. Where is the king? yet, 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. [Exeunt PERCY and LORDS. What is the matter with our cousin now? Aum. For ever may my knees grow to the earth, [Kneels. My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth, Unless a pardon, ere I rise, or speak. Boling. Intended, or committed, was this If but the first, how heinous ere it be, [fault? To win thy after-love, I pardon thee. Aum. Then give me leave that I may turn the key, That no man enter till my tale be done. [AUMERLE locks the door. York. [Within.] My liege, beware; look to thyself; Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there. Aum. Stay thy revengeful hand; [Drawing. York. [Within.] Open the door, secure, foolhardy king: Shall I, for love, speak treason to thy face? 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, I tore it from the traitor's bosom, king: Ooyal father of a treacherous son! Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain, From whence this stream through muddy pas Thy overflow of good converts to bad; And thy abundant goodness shall excuse This deadly blot in thy digressing son. York. So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd: And he shall spend mine honour with his shame, As thriftless sons their scraping fathers' gold. Boling. What shrill-voic'd suppliant makes this eager cry? Duch. A woman, and thine aunt, great king, 'tis I. Speak with me, pity me, open the door; thing, And now chang'd 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 maket 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, knee. [Kneels. York. Against them both, my true joints [Kneels. bended be. face; Ill may'st thou thrive, if thou grant any grace! Duch. Pleads he in earnest? look upon his [jest; His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in His words come from his mouth, ours from our breast: He prays but faintly, and would be denied ; We pray with heart, and soul, and all beside: His weary joints would gladly rise, I know; Our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow; His prayers are full of false hypocrisy ; Duch. Nay, do not say-stand up; I never long'd to hear a word till now; 1 York. Speak it in French, king; say, pardonnez moy.* Duch. Dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy? Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord, That set'st the word itself against the word!Speak, pardon, as 'tis current in our land; The chopping French we do not understand. Thine eye begins to speak, set thy tongue there: Or, in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear; That, hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce, Pity may move thee, pardon to rehearse. Duch. I do not sue to stand, Pardon is all the suit I have in hand. A generation of still-breeding thoughts, And these same thoughts people this little world;" In humours, like the people of this world, For no thought is contented. The better sort, As thoughts of things divine,-are intermix'd As thus,-Come little ones; and then again,- That they are not the first of fortune's slaves, That many have, and others must sit there: [Music. Ha, ha! keep time:-How sour sweet music is, When time is broke, and no proportion kept! Their watches on to mine eyes, the outward watch, Whereto my finger, like a dial's point, Now, Sir, the sound, that tells what hour it is, Is pointing still, in cleansing them from tears. Are clamorous groans, that strike upon my heart, Which is the bell: So sighs, and tears, and groans, Show minutes, times, and hours but my time Enter GROOM. Groom. Hail, royal prince! K. Rich. Thanks, noble peer; When thou wert king; who, travelling to- With much ado, at length have gotten leave 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! That jade hath eat bread from my royal hand; This hand hath made him proud with clapping him. Would he not stumble? Would he not fall down, (Since pride must have a fall,) and break the Of that proud man that did usurp his back? broke. good! Says that this deed is chronicled in hell. SCENE VI.-Windsor.-A Room in the Castle. Boling. Kind uncle York, the latest news Is-that the rebels have consum❜d with fire not. London The heads of Brocas, and Sir Bennet Seely; Right noble is thy merit, well I wot. Enter PERCY, with the Bishop of CARLISLE Percy. The grand conspirator, abbot of West- With clog of conscience, and sour melancholy, A deed of slander with thy fatal hand, Boling. They love not poison that do poison need. Nor do I tnee; though I did wish him dead, But neither my good word, nor princely favour: With Cain go wander through the shade of night. And never show thy head by day nor light.- Come, morrn with me for what I do lament, In weeping after this untimely bier. [Exeunt. * Insediately. ACT I. SCENE 1.-London.-A Room in the Palace. Enter King HENRY, WESTMORELAND, Sir WALTER BLUNT, and others. K. Hen. So shaken as we are, so wan with care, Find we a time for frighted peace to pant, No more shall trenching war channel her fields, To chase these pagans, in those holy fields, Over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet, Of you, my gentle cousin Westmoreland, West. My liege, this haste was hot in ques tion, And many límits of the charge set down |