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, Not Gaunt's rebukes, nor England's private wrongs, Nor the prevention of poor Bolingbroke About his marriage, nor my own disgrace, Have ever made me sour my patient cheek, Or bend one wrinkle on my sovereign's face.I am the last of noble Edward's sons, Of whom thy father, prince of Wales, was first; In war, was never lion rag'd more fierce, In peace was never gentle lamb more mild, Than was that young and princely gentleman: His face thou hast, for even so look'd he, Accomplish'd with the number of thy hours; But, when he frown'd, it was against the French, And not against his friends: his noble hand Did win what he did spend, and spent not that Which his triumphant father's hand had won: His hands were guilty of no kindred's blood, But bloody with the enemies of his kin. O, Richard! York is too far gone with grief, Or else he never would compare between. K. Rich. Why, uncle, what's the matter? York. O, my liege, Take Hereford's rights away, and take from time But by fair sequence and succession? Now, afore God (God forbid, I say true!) His livery, and deny his offer'd homage, 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; Bid him repair to u Ely-house, To see this business: to-morrow next We will for Ireland; and 'tis time, I trow: Come on, our queen: to-morrow must we part; [Exeunt King, Queen, Bushy, Aumerle, Green, North. Well, lords, the duke of Lancaster is dead. North. Richly in both, if justice had her right. Ere't be disburden'd with a liberal tongue. North. Nay, speak thy mind; and let him ne'er speak more, That speaks the 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. Bereft and gelded of his patrimony. North. Now, afore heaven, 'tis shame, such wrongs are borne, In him a royal prince, and many more 'Gainst us, our lives, our children, and our heirs. Ross. The commons hath he pill'd with grievous taxes, And lost their hearts: the nobles hath he fin'd But basely yielded upon compromise That which his ancestors achiev'd with blows: More hath he spent in peace, than they in wars. Ross. The earl of Wiltshire hath the realm in farm. Willo. The king's grown bankrupt, like a broken man. North. Reproach, and dissolution, hangeth over him. Ross. He hath not money for these Irish wars, His burdenous taxations notwithstanding, But by the robbing of the banish'd duke. North. His noble kinsman: most degenerate king! But, lords, we hear this fearful tempest sing, We see the wind sit sore upon our sails, Ross. We see the very wreck that we must suffer; And unavoided is the danger now, For suffering so the causes of our wreck. North. Not so; even through the hollow eyes of death, I spy life peering; but I dare not say Willo. Nay, let us share thy thoughts, as thou dost ours. Ross. Be confident to speak, Northumberland: We three are but thyself; and, speaking so, Thy words are but as thoughts; therefore, be bold. North. Then thus:-I have, from Port le Blanc, a bay In Britanny, receiv'd intelligence, That Harry Hereford, Reignold lord Cobham, [The son of Richard Earl of Arundel,] That late broke from the duke of Exeter, His brother, archbishop late of Canterbury, All these well furnish'd by the duke of Bretagne, Away, with me, in post to Ravenspurg: Ross. To horse, to horse! urge doubts to them that fear. Willo. Hold out my horse, and I will first be there. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. A Room in the Palace. Er ter Queen, Bushy and Bagot. Bushy. Madam, your majesty is too much sad: You promis'd, when you parted with the king, To lay aside life-harming heaviness, And entertain a cheerful disposition. Queen. To please the king, I did; to please myself, Which show like grief itself, but are not so: not seen: |