Scroop. Sweet love, I see, changing his property, Turns to the sourest and most deadly hate.Again uncurse their souls; their peace is made With heads, and not with hands; those whom you curse, Have felt the worst of death's destroying wound, And lie full low, graved' in the hollow ground. Aum. Is Bushy, Green, and the earl of Wiltshire, dead? Scroop. Yea, all of them at Bristol lost their heads. Aum. Where is the duke, my father, with his power? K. Rich. No matter where; of comfort no man speak. Let's talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs; 1 i. e. buried. The verb is not peculiar to Shakspeare. 2 A small model, or module, for they were the same in Shakspeare's time, seems to mean, in this place, a small portion or quantity. It is a Latinism, from "modulus, the measure or quantity of a thing." Comes at the last, and with a little pin Bores through his castle wall, and-farewell, king! How can you say to me-I am a king? Car. My lord, wise men ne'er wail their present woes, But presently prevent the ways to wail. To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength, Fear, and be slain; no worse can come, to fight: K. Rich. Thou chid'st me well.-Proud Bolingbroke, To change blows with thee for our day of doom. An easy task it is, to win our own. Say, Scroop, where lies our uncle with his power? Speak sweetly, man, although thy looks be sour. Scroop. Men judge by the complexion of the sky The state and inclination of the day; So may you, by my dull and heavy eye, My tongue hath but a heavier tale to say. I play the torturer, by small and small, To lengthen out the worst that must be spoken.- And all your southern gentlemen in arms 1 Tradition here seems to mean traditional practices, i. e. established or customary homage. 2 That is, to die fighting is to return the evil that we suffer, o destroy the destroyers. K. Rich. Thou hast said enough. Beshrew thee, cousin, which didst lead me forth [TO AUMERLE. Of that sweet way I was in to despair! Aum. My liege, one word. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Wales. A Plain before Flint Castle. Enter, with drum and colors, BOLINGBROKE and lord; York. It would beseem the lord Northumberland To say-king Richard.—Alack the heavy day, When such a sacred king should hide his head! North. Your grace mistakes me; only to be brief, Left I his title out. York. The time hath been, To ear the land is to till it, to plough it. 2 The word me, which is wanting in the old copies, was supplied by Hanmer. Would you have been so brief with him, he would For taking so the head,' your whole head's length. Lest you mis-take; the Heavens are o'er your head. Enter PERCY. Well, Harry; what, will not this castle yield? Boling. Royally! Why, it contains no king? Percy. Yes, my good lord, And with him are the lord Aumerle, lord Salisbury, [TO NORTH. Go to the rude ribs of that ancient castle; Upon his knees doth kiss king Richard's hand; 1 Johnson declares that the meaning of this phrase is, taking undue liberties. 2 The old copy reads, " Welcome, Harry:" the emendation is Hanmer's. Rained from the wounds of slaughtered Englishmen ; Go, signify as much; while here we march [NORTHUMBERLAND advances to the Let's march without the noise of threatening drum, Of fire and water, when their thundering shock A parley sounded, and answered by another trumpet within. Flourish. Enter, on the walls, KING RICHARD, the Bishop of Carlisle, AUMERLE, SCROOP, and SALISBURY. York. See, see, king Richard doth himself appear, As doth the blushing, discontented sun From out the fiery portal of the east; When he perceives the envious clouds are bent To dim his glory, and to stain the track Of his bright passage to the occident. Yet looks he like a king; behold, his eye, As bright as is the eagle's, lightens forth Controlling majesty. Alack, alack, for woe, That any harm should stain so fair a show! 1 Tottered, the reading of the two first quartos, is here probably used for tottering, according to the frequent usage of our Poet. The other copies read tattered. 2 The six first lines of this speech are erroneously given to Bolingbroke, in the old copies. |