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- KING RICHARD THE SECOND
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- Act 5 Scene 2
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- (Enter the Duke and Duchess of York)
- l1l Duchess Of York My lord, you told me you would tell the rest,
- l2l When weeping made you break the story off,
- l3l Of our two cousinsÆ coming into London.
- l4l York Where did I leave?
- Duchess Of York At that sad stop, my lord,
- l5l Where rude misgoverned hands from windowsÆ tops
- l6l Threw dust and rubbish on King RichardÆs head.
- l7l York Then, as I said, the Duke, great Bolingbroke,
- l8l Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed,
- l9l Which his aspiring rider seemed to know,
- l10l With slow but stately pace kept on his course,
- l11l Whilst all tongues cried ôGod save thee, Bolingbroke!ö
- l12l You would have thought the very windows spake,
- l13l So many greedy looks of young and old
- l14l Through casements darted their desiring eyes
- l15l Upon his visage, and that all the walls
- l16l With painted imagery had said at once,
- l17l ôJesu preserve thee! Welcome, Bolingbroke!ö
- l18l Whilst he, from the one side to the other turning,
- l19l Bare-headed, lower than his proud steedÆs neck,
- l20l Bespake them thus: ôI thank you, countrymenö,
- l21l And thus still doing, thus he passed along.
- l22l Duchess Of York Alack, poor Richard! Where rode he the whilst?
- l23l York As in a theatre the eyes of men,
- l24l After a well-graced actor leaves the stage,
- l25l Are idly bent on him that enters next,
- l26l Thinking his prattle to be tedious,
- l27l Even so, or with much more contempt, menÆs eyes
- l28l Did scowl on gentle Richard. No man cried ôGod save
- him!ö
- l29l No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home;
- l30l But dust was thrown upon his sacred head,
- l31l Which with such gentle sorrow he shook off,
- l32l His face still combating with tears and smiles,
- l33l The badges of his grief and patience,
- l34l That had not God for some strong purpose steeled
- l35l The hearts of men, they must perforce have melted,
- l36l And barbarism itself have pitied him.
- l37l But heaven hath a hand in these events,
- l38l To whose high will we bound our calm contents.
- l39l To Bolingbroke are we sworn subjects now,
- l40l Whose state and honour I for aye allow.
- (Enter the Duke of Aumerle)
- l41l Duchess Of York Here comes my son Aumerle.
- York Aumerle that was;
- l42l But that is lost for being RichardÆs friend,
- l43l And, madam, you must call him ôRutlandö now.
- l44l I am in Parliament pledge for his truth
- l45l And lasting fealty to the new-made King.
- l46l Duchess Of York Welcome, my son. Who are the violets now
- l47l That strew the green lap of the new-come spring?
- l48l Aumerle Madam, I know not, nor I greatly care not.
- l49l God knows I had as lief be none as one.
- l50l York Well, bear you well in this new spring of time,
- l51l Lest you be cropped before you come to prime.
- l52l What news from Oxford? Hold these jousts and triumphs?
- l53l Aumerle For aught I know, my lord, they do.
- l54l York You will be there, I know.
- l55l Aumerle If God prevent it not, I purpose so.
- l56l York What seal is that that hangs without thy bosom?
- l57l Yea, lookÆst thou pale? Let me see the writing.
- l58l Aumerle My lord, Ætis nothing.
- York No matter, then, who see it.
- l59l I will be satisfied. Let me see the writing.
- l60l Aumerle I do beseech your grace to pardon me.
- l61l It is a matter of small consequence,
- l62l Which for some reasons I would not have seen.
- l63l York Which for some reasons, sir, I mean to see.
- l64l I fear, I fear!
- Duchess Of York What should you fear?
- l65l ÆTis nothing but some bond that he is entered into
- l66l For gay apparel Ægainst the triumph day.
- l67l York Bound to himself? What doth he with a bond
- l68l That he is bound to? Wife, thou art a fool.
- l69l Boy, let me see the writing.
- l70l Aumerle I do beseech you, pardon me. I may not show it.
- l71l York I will be satisfied. Let me see it, I say.
- (He plucks it out of Aumerle's bosom, and reads it)
- l72l Treason, foul treason! Villain, traitor, slave!
- l73l Duchess Of York What is the matter, my lord?
- l74l York Ho, who is within there? Saddle my horse.ù
- l75l God for his mercy, what treachery is here!
- l76l Duchess Of York Why, what is it, my lord?
- l77l York Give me my boots, I say. Saddle my horse.ù
- l78l Now by mine honour, by my life, my troth,
- l79l I will appeach the villain.
- l80l Duchess Of York What is the matter?
- l81l York Peace, foolish woman.
- l82l Duchess Of York I will not peace. What is the matter, son?
- l83l Aumerle Good mother, be content. It is no more
- l84l Than my poor life must answer.
- Duchess Of York Thy life answer?
- l85l York Bring me my boots. I will unto the King.
- (His man enters with his boots)
- l86l Duchess Of York Strike him, Aumerle! Poor boy, thou art amazed.
- (To York's man)
- l87l Hence, villain! Never more come in my sight.
- l88l York Give me my boots, I say.
- Duchess Of York Why, York, what wilt thou do?
- l89l Wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own?
- l90l Have we more sons? Or are we like to have?
- l91l Is not my teeming date drunk up with time?
- l92l And wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age,
- l93l And rob me of a happy motherÆs name?
- l94l Is he not like thee? Is he not thine own?
- l95l York Thou fond, mad woman,
- l96l Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy?
- l97l A dozen of them here have taÆen the sacrament,
- l98l And interchangeably set down their hands
- l99l To kill the King at Oxford.
- Duchess Of York He shall be none.
- l100l WeÆll keep him here, then what is that to him?
- l101l York Away, fond woman! Were he twenty times my son
- l102l I would appeach him.
- Duchess Of York Hadst thou groaned for him
- l103l As I have done thou wouldst be more pitiful.
- l104l But now I know thy mind: thou dost suspect
- l105l That I have been disloyal to thy bed,
- l106l And that he is a bastard, not thy son.
- l107l Sweet York, sweet husband, be not of that mind.
- l108l He is as like thee as a man may be,
- l109l Not like to me or any of my kin,
- l110l And yet I love him.
- York Make way, unruly woman.
- (Exit with his man)
- l111l Duchess Of York After, Aumerle! Mount thee upon his horse.
- l112l Spur, post, and get before him to the King,
- l113l And beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee.
- l114l IÆll not be long behindùthough I be old,
- l115l I doubt not but to ride as fast as Yorkù
- l116l And never will I rise up from the ground
- l117l Till Bolingbroke have pardoned thee. Away, be gone!
- (Exeunt severally)
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