Re-enter Servant, with boots. York. Bring me my boots; I will unto the king. Duch. Strike him, Aumerle.-Poor boy, thou art amazed. Hence, villain; never more come in my sight. York. Give me my boots, I say. [To the Servant. Duch. Why, York, what wilt thou do? Is he not like thee? is he not thine own? Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy? A dozen of them here have ta'en the sacrament, To kill the king at Oxford. Duch. We'll keep him here. York. Away, Fond woman! were he Duch. He shall be none; Then what is that to him? twenty times my son, Hadst thou groaned for him, As I have done, thou'dst be more pitiful. But now I know thy mind; thou dost suspect, And that he is a bastard, not thy son. Sweet York, sweet husband, be not of that mind; Not like to me, or any of my kin, And yet I love him. York. Make way, unruly woman. [Exit. Duch. After, Aumerle; mount thee upon his horse; Spur, post; and get before him to the king, And beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee. I'll not be long behind; though I be old, I doubt not but to ride as fast as York; And never will I rise up from the ground, Till Bolingbroke have pardoned thee. Away; Begone. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Windsor. A Room in the Castle. Enter BOLINGBROKE as king; PERCY, and other Lords. I would to God, my lords, he might be found. Even such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes, Percy. My lord, some two days since I saw the prince, Percy. His answer was, he would unto the stews, And from the commonest creature pluck a glove, And wear it as a favor; 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? Aum. Enter AUMERLE, hastily. Boling. What means Where is the king? 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 aloneBoling. Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone. [Exeunt PERCY and Lords. What is the matter with our cousin now? Aum. Forever may my knees grow to the earth, grow to the earth, My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth, Unless a pardon, ere I rise, or speak. [Kneels. Boling. Intended, or committed, was this fault? lf but the first, how heinous e'er it be, 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. Boling. Have thy desire. [AUM. locks the door. York. [Within.] My liege, beware; look to thyself; Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there. Boling. Villain, I'll make thee safe. 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. I tore it from the traitor's bosom, king. Fear, and not love, begets his penitence; Forget to pity him, lest thy pity prove 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, York. So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd; 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 begged before. Boling. Our scene is altered,-from a serious thing, 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 another traitor rear? Duch. Sweet York, be patient. Hear me, gentle liege. Boling. Rise up, good aunt. Duch. [Kneels. Not yet, I thee beseech. Forever will I kneel upon my knees, And never see day that the happy sees, [Kneels. York. Against them both, my true joints ben ded be. Ill mayst thou thrive, if thou grant any grace! [Kneels. Duch. Pleads he in earnest? look upon his face. We pray with heart, and soul, and all beside; Our knees shall kneel till to the ground they grow; Ours, of true zeal and deep integrity. Our prayers do out-pray his; then let them have Duch. Nay, do not say-stand up; But, pardon, first; and afterwards, stand up. An if I were thy nurse, thy tongue to teach, Pardon-should be the first word of thy speechI never longed to hear a word till now; Say-pardon, king; let pity teach thee how. The word is short, but not so short as sweet; 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. Twice saying pardon, doth not pardon twain, Boling. I pardon him. Duch. With all my heart 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.- To Oxford, or where'er these traitors are, Your mother well hath prayed, and prove you true. Duch. Come, my old son;-I pray God make thee new. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Enter EXTON and a Servant. Exton. Didst thou not mark the king, what words he spake? Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear? Serv. Those were his very words, Exton. Have I no friend? quoth he; he spake it twice, And urged it twice together; did he not? Serv. He did. |