Aum. Then give me leave that I may turn the key, That no man enter till my tale be done. Boling. Have thy desire. York. [within.] My liege, beware; look to thyself; [AUMERLE locks the door. [Drawing. Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there. Aum. Stay thy revengeful hand; Thou hast no cause to fear. 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; f sheer,] i. e. Pellucid, transparent. digressing-] i. e. Deviating from what is right. As thriftless sons their scraping fathers' gold. Duch. [within.] What ho, my liege! For God's sake let me in. Boling. What shrill-voic'd 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 begg'd before. Boling. Our scene is alter'd,-from a serious thing, Enter Duchess. Duch. O king, believe not this hard-hearted man; Love, loving not itself, none other can. York. Thou frantick woman, what dost thou make here? Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear? Duch. Sweet York, be patient: Hear me gentle liege. Boling. Rise up, good aunt. Duch. [Kneels. Not yet, I thee beseech: For ever will I kneel upon my knees, h [Kneels. The Beggar and the King.] The King and the Beggar was, perhaps, once an interlude; it was certainly a song. The reader will find it in the first volume of Dr. Percy's Collection. It is there entitled, King Cophetua and the Beggar Maid.-STEEVENS. York. Against them both, my true joints bended be. [Kneels. Ill may'st thou thrive, if thou grant any grace! Duch. Pleads he in earnest? look upon his face; Our prayers do out-pray his; then let them have Duch. Nay, do not say-stand up; But, pardon, first; and afterwards, stand up. Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord, 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. pardonnez moy.] That is, excuse me, a phrase used when any thing is civilly denied. The whole passage is such as I could well wish away. JOHNSON. Duch. O happy vantage of a kneeling knee! 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.— Your mother well hath pray'd, and prove you true. Duch. Come, my old son ;-I pray God make thee new. SCENE IV. Enter EXTON, and a Servant. [Exeunt. Exton. Didst thou not mark the king, what words he spake? Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear? Was it not so? Serv. Those were his very words. Exton. Have I no friend? quoth he: he spake it twice, And urg❜d it twice together; did he not? Serv. He did Exton. And, speaking it, he wistfully look'd on me; As who should say,-I would, thou wert the man That would divorce this terror from my heart; Meaning, the king at Pomfret. Come, let's go; I am the king's friend, and will rid his foe. [Exeunt. But for our trusty brother-in-law,] The brother-in-law was John duke of Exeter and earl of Huntingdon, (own brother to King Richard II.) and who had married with the lady Elizabeth, sister of Henry Bolingbroke.-THEOBALD. SCENE V. Pomfret. The Dungeon of the Castle. Enter King RICHARD. K. Rich. I have been studying how I may compare And these same thoughts people this little world ;' As thus,-Come, little ones; and then again,- To thread the postern of a needle's eye. m little world;] i. e. His own frame. the word itself Against the word:] By the word, is meant the holy word.-STEEVENS. |