As deep, tho' not fo fatal; fuch perhaps
As none but fair Elizabeth can cure.
WAR. Elizabeth!
Edw. Nay ftart, not, I have caufe
To wonder moft: I little thought indeed
When Warwick told me I might learn to love,
He was himself so able to inftruct me:
But I've difcover'd all..
Too well I know thy breach of friendship there,
Thy fruitless base endeavours to fupplant me.
EDW. I fcorn it, Sir,-Elizabeth hath charms,
And I have equal right with you to admire them:
Nor fee I ought fo god-like in the form,
So all commanding in the name of Warwick.
That he alone fhould revel in the charms
Of beauty, and monopolize perfection.
I knew not of your love.
WAR By Heav n 'tis falfe!
You knew .c all, and meanly took occafion,
Whilft I was bufy in the noble office
Your grace thought fit to honour me withal,
To tamper with a weak unguarded woman,
To bribe her paffions high, and bafely steal
A treasure which your kingdom could not purchase.
EDW. How know you that? But be it as it may,
I had a right, nor will I tamely yield
My claim to happiness, the privilege
To choose the partner of my throne and bed;
It is a branch of my prerogative.
WAR. Prerogative? what's that? the boast of tyrants;
A borrow'd jewel, glitt'ring in the crown
With fpecious luftre, lent but to betray:
You had it, Sir, and hold it-from the people.
EDW. And therefore do I prize it; I wou'd guard
Their liberties, and they shall strengthen mine ;
But when proud faction, and her rebel crew,
Infult their fov'reign, trample on his laws,
And bid defiance to his pow'r, the people
In justice to themfelves, will then defend
His caufe, and vindicate the rights they gave.
WAR. Go to your darling people, then; for foon,
If 1 mistake not, 'twill be needful; try
Their boafted zeal, and fee if one of them
Will dare to lift his arm up in your cause,
If I forbid them.
EDW. Is it fo my lord?
Then mark my words I've been your
And you have rul'd me with a rod of iron;
But henceforth know, proud peer, I am thy mafter
And will be fo: the king, who delegates
His pow'r to others' hands, but ill deferves
The crown he wears.
WAR. Look well then to your own;
It fits but loosely on your head; for know;
The man who injur'd Warwick, never pass'd
Unpunifh'd yet.
EDW. Nor he who threaten'd Edward
You may repent it, Sir,-my guards there-feize
This traitor, and convey him to the Tow'r,
There let him learn obedience.
ADAM. What my young mafter? Oh my gentle master,
fweet master, O you memory
Of old Sir Rowland! Why, what makes you here?
Why are you virtuous? Why do people love you?
And wherefore are yon gentle, ftrong, and valiant?
Why would you be fo fond to overcome
The bony prifer of the humorous Duke ?
Your praife is come too fwiftly home before
Know you not, mafter, to fome kind of men
Their graces ferve them but as enemies?
No more do your's: your virtues, gentle master,
Are fanctified and holy traitors to you.
Oh, what a world is this, when what is comely
Envenoms him that bears it!
ORLA. Why, what's the matter!
ADAM. O unhappy youth,
Come not within thefe doors; within this roof
The enemy of all your graces lives :
Your brother- ~(no; no brother; yet the fon,-
Yet not the fon; I will not call him for
Of him I was about to call his father,)
Hath heard your praises, and this night he means.
To burn the lodging where you use to lie,
And you within it; if he fails of that,
He will have other means to cut you off;
I overheard him, and his practices :
This is no palace, this houfe is but a butchery;
Abhor it, fear it, do not enter it.
ORLA. Why, whither, Adam, wouldst thou have me go?
ADAM. No matter whither, fo you come not here.
ORLA. What would't thou have me go and beg my food!
Or with a base and boisterous fword enforce
A thievifh living on the common road?
This must I do, or know not what to do:
Yet this I will not do, do how I can ;
I rather will fubject me to the malice
Of a diverted blood, and bloody brother.
ADAM. But do not fo; I have five hundred crowns,
The thirfty hire I fav'd under your father,
Which I did ftore, to be my fofter-nurfe
When service should in my old limbs lie lame,
And unregarded age in corners throw :
Take that; and he that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the fparrow,
Be comfort to my age! here is the gold,
All this I give you, let me be your servant;
Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty ;
For in my youth I never did apply
Hot and rebellious liquors in my blood;
Nor did I with unbafhful forehead woo
The means of weakness and debility;
Therefore my age is as a lufty winter,
Frofty, but kindly; let me go with you;
I'll do the fervice of a younger man
In all your business and neceffities.
ORLA. Oh! good old man, how well in thee appears The conftant service of the antique world;
When service sweet for duty, not for meed !
XIII.
Though art not for the fashion of these times,
Where none will fweat but for promotion ;
And, having that do choak their fervice up
Even with the having ; it is not fo with thee;
But, poor old man, thou prun'st a rotten tree,
That cannot fo much as a bloffom yield,
In lieu of all thy pains and hufbandry.
But come thy ways, we'll go along together;
And ere we have thy youthful wages spent,
We'll light upon some settled low content.
ADAM. Mafter, go on; and I will follow thee
To the laft gafp, with truth and loyalty:
From feventeen years till now, almost four score,
Herelived I, but now live here no more.
At seventeen years, many their fortunes feek,
But at fourfcore, it is too late a week;
Yet fortune cannot recompence me better
Than to die well, and not my master's debtor.
ORE health and happiness betide my Liege,
Mo
Than can my care-tun'd tongue deliver him!
K. RICH. Mine ear is open, and my heart prepar'd ;
The worst is wordly lofs thou canft unfold.
Say, is my kingdom loft? Why, 'twas my care;
And what lofs is it, to be rid of care ?
Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we ?
Greater he thall not be; if he ferve God,
We'll ferve him too, and be his fellow fo.
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