For, though it have holp madmen to their wits,
In me, it seems, it will make wise men mad.
Yet, blessing on his heart that gives it me!
For 'tis a sign of love; and love to Richard
Is a strange brooch 1 in this all-hating world.

Enter GROOM.

Groom. Hail, royal prince!

Thanks, noble

peer;

K. Ri.
The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear.
What art thou? and how comest thou hither,
Where no man never comes, but that sad dog
That brings me food, to make misfortune live?

Groom. I was a poor groom of thy stable, king, When thou wert king; who, travelling towards York,

With much ado, at length have gotten leave
To look upon my sometimes 2 royal master's face.
O. how it yearn'd my heart, when I beheld,
In London streets, that coronation day,
When Bolingbroke rode on roan Barbary!
That horse, that thou so often hast bestrid;
That horse, that I so carefully have dress'd!

K. Ri. Rode he on Barbary? Tell me, gentle friend,

How went he under him?

Groom. So proudly, as if he disdain'd the ground.

1 As uncommon as a brooch which is no longer in fashion. 2 Former.

K. Ri. So proud that Bolingbroke was on his

back!

That jade hath eat bread from my royal hand;
This hand hath made him proud with clapping him.
Would he not stumble? Would he not fall down,
(Since pride must have a fall) and break the neck
Of that proud man that did usurp his back?
Forgiveness, horse! why do I rail on thee,
Since thou, created to be awed by man,
Wast born to bear? I was not made a horse ;
And yet I bear a burden like an ass,
Spur-gall'd and tired by jauncing Bolingbroke.

Enter KEEPER with a dish.

Keep. Fellow, give place; here is no longer stay. [to the Groom. K. Ri. If thou love me, 'tis time thou wert away. Groom. What my tongue dares not, that my heart shall say.

Keep. My lord, will 't please you to fall to?

[Exit.

K. Ri. Taste of it first, as thou art wont to do. Keep. My lord, I dare not; sir Pierce of Exton,

who

Lately came from the king, commands the contrary. K. Ri. The devil take Henry of Lancaster, and

thee!

Patience is stale, and I am weary of it.

Keep. Help, help, help!

[beats the Keeper.

Enter EXTON and Servants, armed.

K. Ri. How now? what means death in this rude assault?

Villain, thy own hand yields thy death's instrument. [snatching a weapon, and killing one.

Go thou, and fill another room in hell.

[he kills another; then Exton strikes him down. That hand shall burn in never-quenching fire, That staggers thus my person. Exton, thy fierce nand

Hath with the king's blood stain'd the king's own

land.

Mount, mount, my soul! thy seat is up on high ; Whilst my gross flesh sinks downward, here to die.

[dies.

Exton. As full of valor as of royal blood: Both have I spilt; O, would the deed were good! For now the devil, that told me I did well, Says, that this deed is chronicled in hell. This dead king to the living king I'll bear Take hence the rest, and give them burial here.

;

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Windsor. A room in the castle.

Florish. Enter BOLINGBROKE and YORK, with Lords and Attendants.

Bol. Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear,

Is that the rebels have consumed with fire

Our town of Cicester in Glostershire;

But whether they be ta'en or slain, we hear not.

Enter NORTHUMBERLAND.

Welcome, my lord. What is the news?

North. First, to thy sacred state wish I all happiness.

The next news is, I have to London sent

The heads of Salisbury, Spencer, Blunt, and Kent: The manner of their taking may appear

At large discoursed in this paper here.

[presenting a paper.

Bol. We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains; And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.

Enter FITZWATER.

Fitz. My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London

The heads of Brocas and sir Bennet Seely;

Two of the dangerous consorted traitors,
That sought at Oxford thy dire overthrow.

Bol. Thy pains, Fitzwater, shall not be forgot: Right noble is thy merit, well I wot.

Enter PERCY, with the BISHOP of carlisle.

Per. The grand conspirator, abbot of West

minster,

With clog of conscience, and sour melancholy,

Hath yielded up his body to the grave;

But here is Carlisle living, to abide

Thy kingly doom, and sentence of his pride.

Bol. Carlisle, this is your doom :

Choose out some secret place, some reverend

room,

More than thou hast, and with it joy thy life:
So, as thou livest in peace, die free from strife:
For though mine enemy thou hast ever been,
High sparks of honor in thee have I seen.

Enter EXTON, with Attendants bearing a coffin. Exton. Great king, within this coffin I present Thy buried fear herein all breathless lies The mightiest of thy greatest enemies, Richard of Bourdeaux, by me hither brought.

Bol. Exton, I thank thee not; for thou hast wrought

A deed of slander, with thy fatal hand,

Upon my head, and all this famous land.

Exton. From your own mouth, my lord, did! this deed.

Bol. They love not poison that do poison need, Nor do I thee though I did wish him dead,

:

I hate the murderer, love him murdered.

The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor;
But neither my good word, nor princely favor :
With Cain go wander through the shade of night,
And never show thy head by day nor light.
Lords, I protest, my soul is full of woe,

That blood should sprinkle me, to make me grow.