King Richard The Second

1 Enter York and his Duchess.
2 DUCHESS.
3 My Lord, you told me you would tell the rest,
4 When weeping made you break the story off
5 Of our two cousins’ coming into London.
6 YORK.
7 Where did I leave?
8 DUCHESS.
9 At that sad stop, my lord,
10 Where rude misgoverned hands from windows’ tops
11 Threw dust and rubbish on King Richard’s head.
12 YORK.
13 Then, as I said, the Duke, great Bolingbroke,
14 Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed,
15 Which his aspiring rider seemed to know,
16 With slow but stately pace kept on his course,
17 Whilst all tongues cried “God save thee, Bolingbroke!”
18 You would have thought the very windows spake,
19 So many greedy looks of young and old
20 Through casements darted their desiring eyes
21 Upon his visage, and that all the walls
22 With painted imagery had said at once
23 “Jesu preserve thee! Welcome, Bolingbroke!”
24 Whilst he, from the one side to the other turning,
25 Bareheaded, lower than his proud steed’s neck,
26 Bespake them thus, “I thank you, countrymen.”
27 And thus still doing, thus he passed along.
28 DUCHESS.
29 Alack, poor Richard! Where rode he the whilst?
30 YORK.
31 As in a theatre the eyes of men
32 After a well-graced actor leaves the stage,
33 Are idly bent on him that enters next,
34 Thinking his prattle to be tedious,
35 Even so, or with much more contempt, men’s eyes
36 Did scowl on gentle Richard. No man cried “God save him!”
37 No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home,
38 But dust was thrown upon his sacred head,
39 Which with such gentle sorrow he shook off,
40 His face still combating with tears and smiles,
41 The badges of his grief and patience,
42 That had not God for some strong purpose, steeled
43 The hearts of men, they must perforce have melted,
44 And barbarism itself have pitied him.
45 But heaven hath a hand in these events,
46 To whose high will we bound our calm contents.
47 To Bolingbroke are we sworn subjects now,
48 Whose state and honour I for aye allow.
49 Enter Aumerle.
50 DUCHESS.
51 Here comes my son Aumerle.
52 YORK.
53 Aumerle that was;
54 But that is lost for being Richard’s friend,
55 And, madam, you must call him Rutland now.
56 I am in Parliament pledge for his truth
57 And lasting fealty to the new-made king.
58 DUCHESS.
59 Welcome, my son. Who are the violets now
60 That strew the green lap of the new-come spring?
61 AUMERLE.
62 Madam, I know not, nor I greatly care not.
63 God knows I had as lief be none as one.
64 YORK.
65 Well, bear you well in this new spring of time,
66 Lest you be cropped before you come to prime.
67 What news from Oxford? Do these jousts and triumphs hold?
68 AUMERLE.
69 For aught I know, my lord, they do.
70 YORK.
71 You will be there, I know.
72 AUMERLE.
73 If God prevent not, I purpose so.
74 YORK.
75 What seal is that that hangs without thy bosom?
76 Yea, look’st thou pale? Let me see the writing.
77 AUMERLE.
78 My lord, ’tis nothing.
79 YORK.
80 No matter, then, who see it.
81 I will be satisfied. Let me see the writing.
82 AUMERLE.
83 I do beseech your Grace to pardon me.
84 It is a matter of small consequence,
85 Which for some reasons I would not have seen.
86 YORK.
87 Which for some reasons, sir, I mean to see.
88 I fear, I fear—
89 DUCHESS.
90 What should you fear?
91 ’Tis nothing but some bond that he is entered into
92 For gay apparel ’gainst the triumph day.
93 YORK.
94 Bound to himself? What doth he with a bond
95 That he is bound to? Wife, thou art a fool.
96 Boy, let me see the writing.
97 AUMERLE.
98 I do beseech you, pardon me. I may not show it.
99 YORK.
100 I will be satisfied. Let me see it, I say.
101 [_Snatches it and reads it._]
102 Treason, foul treason! Villain! traitor! slave!
103 DUCHESS.
104 What is the matter, my lord?
105 YORK.
106 Ho! who is within there?
107 Enter a Servant.
108 Saddle my horse.
109 God for his mercy, what treachery is here!
110 DUCHESS.
111 Why, what is it, my lord?
112 YORK.
113 Give me my boots, I say. Saddle my horse.
114 Now, by mine honour, by my life, my troth,
115 I will appeach the villain.
116 [_Exit Servant._]
117 DUCHESS.
118 What is the matter?
119 YORK.
120 Peace, foolish woman.
121 DUCHESS.
122 I will not peace. What is the matter, Aumerle?
123 AUMERLE.
124 Good mother, be content. It is no more
125 Than my poor life must answer.
126 DUCHESS.
127 Thy life answer?
128 YORK.
129 Bring me my boots. I will unto the King.
130 Re-enter Servant with boots.
131 DUCHESS.
132 Strike him, Aumerle! Poor boy, thou art amazed.
133 [_To Servant_.]
134 Hence, villain! Never more come in my sight.
135 [_Exit Servant._]
136 YORK.
137 Give me my boots, I say.
138 DUCHESS.
139 Why, York, what wilt thou do?
140 Wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own?
141 Have we more sons? Or are we like to have?
142 Is not my teeming date drunk up with time?
143 And wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age
144 And rob me of a happy mother’s name?
145 Is he not like thee? Is he not thine own?
146 YORK.
147 Thou fond mad woman,
148 Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy?
149 A dozen of them here have ta’en the sacrament
150 And interchangeably set down their hands
151 To kill the King at Oxford.
152 DUCHESS.
153 He shall be none;
154 We’ll keep him here. Then what is that to him?
155 YORK.
156 Away, fond woman! Were he twenty times my son,
157 I would appeach him.
158 DUCHESS.
159 Hadst thou groaned for him
160 As I have done, thou wouldst be more pitiful.
161 But now I know thy mind: thou dost suspect
162 That I have been disloyal to thy bed
163 And that he is a bastard, not thy son.
164 Sweet York, sweet husband, be not of that mind.
165 He is as like thee as a man may be,
166 Not like to me, or any of my kin,
167 And yet I love him.
168 YORK.
169 Make way, unruly woman!
170 [_Exit._]
171 DUCHESS.
172 After, Aumerle! Mount thee upon his horse!
173 Spur post, and get before him to the King,
174 And beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee.
175 I’ll not be long behind. Though I be old,
176 I doubt not but to ride as fast as York.
177 And never will I rise up from the ground
178 Till Bolingbroke have pardoned thee. Away, be gone!
179 [_Exeunt._]