Enter PEMBROKE. Pembroke. His highness yet doth speak; and holds belief That, being brought into the open air, It would allay the burning quality Of that fell poison which assaileth him. P. Henry. Let him be brought into the orchard here. 10 Doth he still rage? He is more patient Pembroke. [Exit BIGOT. P. Henry. O, vanity of sickness! fierce extremes Which, in their throng and press to that last hold, 15 Confound themselves. 'Tis strange that death should sing. 20 I am the cygnet to this pale faint swan, Who chants a doleful hymn to his own death, And from the organ-pipe of frailty sings His soul and body to their lasting rest. Salisbury. Be of good comfort, prince; for you are born 25 To set a form upon that indigest Which he hath left so shapeless and so rude. Re-enter BIGOT and Attendants carrying KING John K. John. Ay, marry, now my soul hath elbow-room; P. Henry. How fares your majesty ? K. John. Poison'd, ill-fare; dead, forsook, cast off; And none of you will bid the winter come To thrust his icy fingers in my maw; Nor let my kingdom's rivers take their course And comfort me with cold. I do not ask you much : 30 335 40 I beg cold comfort; and you are so strait And so ingrateful you deny me that. P. Henry. O! that there were some virtue in my tears, That might relieve you. K. John. The salt in them is hot. Within me is a hell; and there the poison Enter the Bastard. Bastard. O! I am scalded with my violent motion And spleen of speed to see your majesty. 45 50 And all the shrouds wherewith my life should sail K. John. O cousin! thou art come to set mine eye : The tackle of my heart is crack'd and burn'd, 55 My heart hath one poor string to stay it by, Bastard. The Dauphin is preparing hitherward, Were in the Washes all unwarily As I upon advantage did remove, Devoured by the unexpected flood. 60 [The KING dies. Salisbury. You breathe these dead news in as dead an ear. My liege! my lord! But now a king, now thus. 66 What surety of the world, what hope, what stay, Bastard. Art thou gone so? I do but stay behind 70 To do the office for thee of revenge, And then my soul shall wait on thee to heaven, As it on earth hath been thy servant still. Now, now, you stars, that move in your right spheres, Where be your powers? Show now your mended faiths, 75 And instantly return with me again, To push destruction and perpetual shame Out of the weak door of our fainting land. Straight let us seek, or straight we shall be sought : The Dauphin rages at our very heels. 80 Salisbury. It seems you know not then so much as we. The Cardinal Pandulph is within at rest, Who half an hour since came from the Dauphin, Bastard. He will the rather do it when he sees Ourselves well sinewed to our defence. Salisbury. Nay, it is in a manner done already; To the sea-side, and put his cause and quarrel With whom yourself, myself, and other lords, To consummate this business happily. Bastard. Let it be so. And you, my noble prince, With other princes that may best be spar'd, Shall wait upon your father's funeral. P. Henry. At Worcester must his body be interr'd ; For so he will'd it. And happily may your sweet self put on The lineal state and glory of the land! I do bequeath my faithful services To whom, with all submission, on my knee, And true subjection everlastingly. 105 Salisbury. And the like tender of our love we make, To rest without a spot for evermore. P. Henry. I have a kind soul that would give you thanks, And knows not how to do it but with tears. Bastard. O let us pay the time but needful woe 110 Since it hath been beforehand with our griefs. This England never did, nor never shall, Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror, But when it first did help to wound itself Now these her princes are come home again, 115 Come the three corners of the world in arms, And we shall shock them. Nought shall make us rue, [Exeunt. SCENE I.-London. A Room in the Palace. Enter KING RICHARD, attended; JOHN OF GAUNT, and other Nobles. K. Richard. Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster, Hast thou, according to thy oath and band, Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son, Which then our leisure would not let us hear, Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? K. Richard. Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him, If he appeal the duke on ancient malice, Or worthily, as a good subject should, On some known ground of treachery in him? 5 10 Gaunt. As near as I could sift him on that argument, On some apparent danger seen in him Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice. K. Richard. Then call them to our presence: face to face, 15 And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear The accuser and the accused freely speak: [Exeunt some Attendants. High-stomach'd are they both, and full of ire, rage deaf as the sea, hasty as fire. In Re-enter Attendants, with BOLINGBROKE and MOWBRAY. Bolingbroke. Many years of happy days befall My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege! Mowbray. Each day still better other's happiness; Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap, Add an immortal title to your crown! 20 K. Richard. We thank you both yet one but flatters us, 25 As well appeareth by the cause you come, Namely, to appeal each other of high treason. Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray ? Bolingbroke. First,-heaven be the record to my speech!In the devotion of a subject's love, Tendering the precious safety of my prince, 31 36 35 my divine soul answer it in heaven. What my tongue speaks, my right drawn sword may prove. Mowbray. Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal : "Tis not the trial of a woman's war, The bitter clamour of two eager tongues, Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain; The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this: Yet can I not of such tame patience boast 40 45 50 |