K. Rich. Thou, now a dying, say'st-thou flatter'st me. Gaunt. Oh! no; thou diest, though I the sicker be. The waste is no whit lesser than thy land. K. Rich. a lunatick lean-witted fool, Presuming on an ague's privilege, Dar'st with thy frozen admonition Make pale our cheek; chasing the royal blood, Now by my seat's right royal majesty, 1 Which art possess'd now to depose thyself.] Possess'd, in this second instance, was probably designed to mean-afflicted with madness occasioned by the internal operation of a dæmon. VOL. IV. X Wert thou not brother to great Edward's son, This tongue that runs so roundly in thy head, That blood already, like the pelican, Hast thou tapp'd out, and drunkenly carous'd: That thou respect'st not spilling Edward's blood: Convey me to my bed, then to my grave: 2 Love they to live, that love and honour have. [Exit, borne out by his Attendants. K. Rich. And let them die, that age and sullens have: For both hast thou, and both become the grave. York. 'Beseech your majesty †, impute his words To wayward sickliness and age in him: He loves you, on my life, and holds you dear As Harry duke of Hereford, were he here. K. Rich. Right; you say true: as Hereford's love, so his: As theirs, so mine; and all be as it is. Enter NORTHUMBERLAND 3. North. My liege, old Gaunt commends him to your majesty. K. Rich. What says he now ? 2 Love they —] That is, let them love. 3 "I do beseech "-MALONE. Northumberland.] Henry Percy, earl of Northumberland. ↑ "What says he?" MALONE. North. Nay, nothing all is said: His tongue is now a stringless instrument; Words, life, and all, old Lancaster hath spent. York. Be York the next that must be bankrupt so! Though death be poor, it ends a mortal woe. K. Rich. The ripest fruit first falls, and so doth he; And for these great affairs do ask some charge, York. How long shall I be patient? Ah, how long Shall tender duty make me suffer wrong? Not Gloster's death, nor Hereford's banishment, Of whom thy father, prince of Wales, was first; In 4 where no venom else,] This alludes to a tradition that St. Patrick freed the kingdom of Ireland from venomous reptiles of every kind. 5 Nor the prevention of poor Bolingbroke About his marriage,] When the duke of Hereford, after his banishment, went into France, he was honourably entertained at that court, and would have obtained in marriage the only daughter of the duke of Berry, uncle to the French king, had not Richard prevented the match. Accomplish'd with the number of thy hours; O, my liege, Pardon me, if you please; if not, I pleas'd Take Hereford's rights away, and take from time His livery, and deny his offer'd homage", • Accomplish'd with the number of thy hours ;] i. e. when he was of thy age. 7 deny his offer'd homage,] That is, refuse to admit the homage, by which he is to hold his lands. K. Rich. Think what you will; we seize into our hands His plate, his goods, his money, and his lands. York. I'll not be by, the while: my liege, farewell: What will ensue hereof, there's none can tell; But by bad courses may be understood, That their events can never fall out good. [Exit. K. Rich. Go, Bushy, to the earl of Wiltshire straight; To see this business: To-morrow next Bid him repair to us to Ely-house, We will for Ireland; and 'tis time, I trow; And we create, in absence of ourself, Our uncle York lord governor of England, [Flourish. [Exeunt King, Queen, BUSHY, Aumerle, GREEN, and BAGOT. North. Well, lords, the duke of Lancaster is dead. North. Richly in both, if justice had her right. Ross. My heart is great; but it must break with silence, Ere't be disburden'd with a liberal tongue. North. Nay, speak thy mind; and let him ne'er speak more, That speaks thy words again, to do thee harm! Willo. Tends that thou'dst speak, to the duke of Hereford? If it be so, out with it boldly, man ; Quick is mine ear, to hear of good towards him. Ross. No good at all, that I can do for him; Unless you call it good, to pity him, Bereft and gelded of his patrimony. North. Now, afore heaven, 'tis shame, such wrongs are borne, In him a royal prince, and many more |