Enter SCROOP. Scroop. More health and happiness betide my liege, Than can my care-tun'd tongue deliver him. K. Rich. Mine ear is open, and my heart prepar'd ;2 Strives Bolingbroke to be as great as we? The worst is-death, and death will have his day. Like an unseasonable stormy day, Which makes the silver rivers drown their shores, Of Bolingbroke, covering your fearful land With hard bright steel, and hearts harder than steel. [2] It seems to be the design of the poet to raise Richard to esteem in his fall, and consequently to interest the reader in his favour. He gives him only passive fortitude, the virtue of a confessor rather than of a king. In his prosperity we saw him imperious and oppressive; but in his distress he is wise, patient, and. pious. JOHNS. RITSON. MALONE. [3] Mr. Fope more elegantly reads-and clasp. Clip would be still nearer than clasp. [4] The king's beadsmen' were his chaplains. Beadsmen might likewise be any man maintained by charity to pray for their benefactor. JOHNS. [5] Called so because the leaves of the yew are poison, and the wood is employed for instruments of death. WARB. From some of the ancient statutes it appears that every Englishman, while archery was practised, was obliged to keep in his house either a bow of yew or some other wood. It should seem therefore that yews were not only planted in church-yards to defend the churches from the wind, but on account of their use in making bows; while by the benefit of being secured in enclosed places, their poisonous quality was kept from doing mischief to cattle. STEEV. K. Rich. Too well, too well, thou tell'st a tale so ill. Where is the earl of Wiltshire? where is Bagot? What is become of Bushy? where is Green? That they have let the dangerous enemy Measure our confines with such peaceful steps? If we prevail, their heads shall pay for it. I warrant, they have made peace with Bolingbroke. Scroop. Peace have they made with him, indeed, my lord. K. Rich. O villains, vipers, damn'd without redemption ! Dogs, easily won to fawn on any man! Snakes, in my heart-blood warm'd, that sting my heart! 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, grav'd in the hollow ground. Aum. Is Bushy, Green, and the earl of Wiltshire,dead? How some have been depos'd, some slain in war; [6] He used model for mould. That earth, which closing upon the body takes its form. This interpretation the next line seems to authorise. JOH. Keeps death his court: and there the antick sits," To monarchise, be fear'd and kill with looks; 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, 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? So may you by my dull and heavy eye, My tongue hath but a heavier tale to say. [7] Here is an allusion to the antick or fool of old farces, whose chief part is to deride and disturb the graver and more splendid personages. JOHNS. If there be any such allusion intended, it is to the old Vice, who, indeed, appears to have been such a character as Dr. Johnson describes. The Fool was rather introduced to be laughed at. RITSON. [8] This word seems here used for traditional practices: that is, established or customary homage. JOHNS. [9] That is, to die fighting, is to return the evil that we suffer, to destroy the destroyers. JOHNS. I play the torturer, by small and small, To lengthen out the worst that must be spoken :- And all your southern gentlemen in arms 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! What say you now? What comfort have we now? Aum. My liege, one word. K. Rich. He does me double wrong, That wounds me with the flatteries of his tongue. SCENE III. Wales. Before Flint Castle. Enter, with Drum and Colours, BOLINGBROKE, and Forces; YORK, NORTHUMBERLAND, and others. Boling. So that by this intelligence we learn, York. It would beseem the lord Northumberland, [This sentiment is drawn from nature. Nothing is more offensive to a mind convinced that its distress is without a remedy, and preparing to submit quietly to irresistible calamity, than these petty and conjectured comforts which unskilful officiousness thinks it virtue to administer. JOHN. [2] i. e. to plough it. STEEV. North. Your grace mistakes me; only to be brief, Left I his title out. York. The time hath been, Would you have been so brief with him, he would For taking so the head, your whole head's length. Well, Harry; what, will not this castle yield? Boling. Royally! Why, it contains no king ? Percy. Yes, my good lord, It doth contain a king; king Richard lies Within the limits of yon lime and stone: And with him are the lord Aumerle, lord Salisbury, North. Belike, it is the bishop of Carlisle. [TO NORTH. Go to the rude ribs of that ancient castle; On both his knees doth kiss king Richard's hand; And lay the summer's dust with showers of blood, [3] To take the head is, to act without restraint; to take undue liberties. We now say, we give the horse his head, when we relax the reins. JOHNS. |