Near to the king in blood, and near in love, This, and much more, much more than twice all this, Condemns you to the death.-See them delivered over To execution and the hand of death. Bushy. More welcome is the stroke of death to me, Than Bolingbroke to England.-Lords, farewell. Green. My comfort is, that Heaven will take our souls, And plague injustice with the pains of hell. Boling. My lord Northumberland, see them despatched. [Exeunt NORTHUMBERLAND, and others, Uncle, you say, the queen is at your house; Boling. Thanks, gentle uncle.-Come, lords, away, [Exeunt.3 1 To dispark signifies to divest a park of its name and character, by destroying the inclosures, and the vert (or whatever bears green leaves, whether wood or underwood), and the beasts of the chase therein; laying it open. 2 The impress was a device, or motto. 3 Johnson says, "here may be properly inserted the last scene of the second act." SCENE II. The Coast of Wales. A Castle in view. Flourish: drums and trumpets. Enter KING RICHARD, Bishop of Carlisle, AUMERLE, and Soldiers. K. Rich. Barkloughly castle call you1 this at hand? Aum. Yea, my lord. How brooks your grace the air, After your late tossing on the breaking seas? K. Rich. Needs must I like it well; I weep for joy, To stand upon my kingdom once again. Dear earth, I do salute thee with my hand, Though rebels wound thee with their horses' hoofs. Plays fondly with her tears, and smiles, in meeting, Shall falter under foul, rebellious arms. Bishop. Fear not, my lord; that Power, that made you king, Hath power to keep you king, in spite of all. 1 The quarto of 1597 reads they. And we will not, Heaven's offer we refuse ; Aum. He means, my lord, that we are too remiss; Whilst Bolingbroke, through our security, Grows strong and great, in substance, and in friends. For every man that Bolingbroke hath pressed, A glorious angel: then, if angels fight, Weak men must fall; for Heaven still guards the right. Enter SALISbury. lord. Welcome, my lord. How far off lies your power? farther off, my gracious lord, Discomfort guides my tongue, 1 The old copies read "that lights," &c. The alteration was made by Johnson. And bids me speak of nothing but despair. And thou shalt have twelve thousand fighting men! O'erthrows thy joys, friends, fortune, and thy state; Aum. Comfort, my liege; why looks your grace so pale? K. Rich. But now, the blood of twenty thousand men Did triumph in my face, and they are fled; And, till so much blood thither come again, Have I not reason to look pale and dead? All souls that will be safe, fly from my side; For time hath set a blot upon my pride. Aum. Comfort, my liege; remember who you are. K. Rich. I had forgot myself. Am myself. Am I not king? Awake, thou sluggard1 majesty! thou sleep'st. Is not the king's name forty thousand names? Arm, arm, my name ! a puny subject strikes At thy great glory.-Look not to the ground, Ye favorites of a king. Are we not high? High be our thoughts: I know, my uncle York Hath power enough to serve our turn. But who Comes here? Enter SCROOP. Scroop. More health and happiness betide my liege, Than can my care-tuned tongue deliver him. K. Rich. Mine ear is open, and my heart prepared; The worst is worldly loss, thou canst unfold. Say, is my kingdom lost? why, 'twas my care! And what loss is it, to be rid of care? Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we? Greater he shall not be; if he serve God, 1 The first quarto reads "coward majesty." We'll serve him too, and be his fellow so. The worst is death, and death will have his day. Scroop. Glad am I, that your highness is so armed To bear the tidings of calamity. Like an unseasonable, stormy day, Which makes the silver rivers drown their shores, With hard, bright steel, and hearts harder than steel. K. Rich. Too well, too well, thou tell'st a tale so ill : I warrant, they have made peace with Bolingbroke. Scroop. Peace have they made with him, indeed, my lord. K. Rich. O villains, vipers, damned without redemption! Dogs, easily won to fawn on any man! Snakes, in my heart-blood warmed, that sting my heart, Three Judases, each one thrice worse than Judas! Would they make peace? terrible hell make war Upon their spotted souls for this offence! 1 Yew is called double-fatal, because of the poisonous quality of the leaves, and on account of the wood being used for instruments of death. |