Richard II (Modern)
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¶
[2.3]
Enter [Bolingbroke], [Duke of Lancaster and] Hereford, [and] Northumberland [with soldiers].
¶Bolingbroke How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now?
¶Northumberland Believe me, noble lord,
¶I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire.
¶These high wild hills and rough uneven ways
1110Draws out our miles and makes them wearisome.
¶And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar,
¶Making the hard way sweet and delectable.
¶But I bethink me what a weary way
¶From Ravenspurgh to Cotshall will be found
1115In Ross and Willoughby, wanting your company,
¶Which, I protest, hath very much beguiled
¶The tediousness and process of my travel.
¶But theirs is sweetened with the hope to have
¶The present benefit which I possess;
1120And hope to joy is little less in joy
¶Than hope enjoyed. By this the weary lords
¶Shall make their way seem short as mine hath done
¶By sight of what I have, your noble company.
¶Bolingbroke Of much less value is my company
1125Than your good words. But who comes here?
¶
Enter Harry Percy.
¶Northumberland It is my son, young Harry Percy,
¶Sent from my brother Worcester whencesoever. --
¶Harry, how fares your uncle?
1130Percy I had thought, my lord, to have learned his health of you.
¶Northumberland Why, is he not with the Queen?
¶Percy No, my good lord. He hath forsook the court,
¶Broken his staff of office, and dispersed
1135The Household of the King.
¶Northumberland What was his reason? He was not so resolved
¶When last we spake together.
¶Percy Because your lordship was proclaimèd traitor,
¶But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurgh
1140To offer service to the Duke of Hereford,
¶And sent me over by Berkeley to discover
¶What power the Duke of York had levied there,
¶Then with directions to repair to Ravenspurgh.
¶Northumberland Have you forgot the Duke of Hereford, boy?
1145Percy No, my good lord, for that is not forgot
¶Which ne'er I did remember. To my knowledge,
¶I never in my life did look on him.
¶Northumberland Then learn to know him now. This is the Duke.
¶Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young,
¶Which elder days shall ripen and confirm
¶To more approvèd service and desert.
¶Bolingbroke I thank thee, gentle Percy; and be sure
1155I count myself in nothing else so happy
¶As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends;
¶And as my fortune ripens with thy love,
¶It shall be still thy true love's recompense.
¶My heart this covenant makes; my hand thus seals it.
[He gives Percy his hand.]
¶Keeps good old York there with his men of war?
¶Percy There stands the castle by yon tuft of trees,
¶Manned with three hundred men, as I have heard;
¶And in it are the lords of York, Berkeley, and Seymour,
1165None else of name and noble estimate.
[Enter Ross and Willoughby.]
¶Northumberland Here come the lords of Ross and Willoughby,
¶Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with haste.
¶Bolingbroke Welcome, my lords. I wot your love pursues
1170A banished traitor. All my treasury
¶Is yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enriched,
¶Shall be your love and labor's recompense.
¶Ross Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.
¶Willoughby And far surmounts our labor to attain it.
1175Bolingbroke Evermore thank's the exchequer of the poor,
¶Which, till my infant fortune comes to years,
¶Stands for my bounty. But who comes here?
[Enter Berkeley.]
¶Northumberland It is my lord of Berkeley, as I guess.
1180Berkeley My lord of Hereford, my message is to you.
¶Bolingbroke My lord, my answer is -- "to Lancaster,"
¶And I am come to seek that name in England,
¶And I must find that title in your tongue
¶Before I make reply to aught you say.
1185Berkeley Mistake me not, my lord, 'tis not my meaning
¶To rase one title of your honor out.
¶To you, my lord, I come, what lord you will,
¶From the most gracious regent of this land,
¶The Duke of York, to know what pricks you on
1190To take advantage of the absent time
¶And fright our native peace with self-borne arms.
[Enter York.]
¶Bolingbroke I shall not need transport my words by you.
¶Here comes his grace in person. -- My noble uncle!
[He kneels.]
1195York Show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee,
¶Whose duty is deceivable and false.
¶York Tut, tut!
Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.
¶I am no traitor's uncle, and that word "grace"
1200In an ungracious mouth is but profane.
¶Why have those banished and forbidden legs
¶Dared once to touch a dust of England's ground?
¶But then more "why": why have they dared to march
¶So many miles upon her peaceful bosom,
1205Frighting her pale-faced villages with war
¶And ostentation of despisèd arms?
¶Com'st thou because the anointed King is hence?
¶Why, foolish boy, the King is left behind,
¶And in my loyal bosom lies his power.
1210Were I but now the lord of such hot youth
¶As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myself
¶Rescued the Black Prince, that young Mars of men,
¶From forth the ranks of many thousand French,
¶Oh, then, how quickly should this arm of mine,
1215Now prisoner to the palsy, chastise thee
¶And minister correction to thy fault!
¶Bolingbroke My gracious uncle, let me know my fault.
¶On what condition stands it and wherein?
¶York Even in condition of the worst degree,
1220In gross rebellion and detested treason.
¶Thou art a banished man, and here art come,
¶Before the expiration of thy time,
¶In braving arms against thy sovereign.
¶Bolingbroke As I was banished, I was banished Hereford;
1225But as I come, I come for Lancaster.
¶And, noble uncle, I beseech your grace
¶Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye.
¶You are my father, for methinks in you
¶I see old Gaunt alive. Oh, then, my father,
1230Will you permit that I shall stand condemned
¶A wandering vagabond, my rights and royalties
¶Plucked from my arms perforce and given away
¶To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born?
¶If that my cousin king be King in England,
1235It must be granted I am Duke of Lancaster.
¶You have a son, Aumerle, my noble cousin.
¶Had you first died and he been thus trod down,
¶He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father
¶To rouse his wrongs and chase them to the bay.
1240I am denied to sue my livery here,
¶And yet my letters patents give me leave.
¶My father's goods are all distrained and sold,
¶And these, and all, are all amiss employed.
¶What would you have me do? I am a subject,
1245And I challenge law. Attorneys are denied me,
¶And therefore personally I lay my claim
¶To my inheritance of free descent.
¶York My lords of England, let me tell you this:
¶I have had feeling of my cousin's wrongs
¶And labored all I could to do him right.
¶But in this kind to come, in braving arms,
1255Be his own carver, and cut out his way
¶To find out right with wrong, it may not be.
¶And you that do abet him in this kind
¶Cherish rebellion and are rebels all.
¶Northumberland The noble Duke hath sworn his coming is
1260But for his own, and for the right of that
¶We all have strongly sworn to give him aid.
¶And let him never see joy that breaks that oath!
¶York Well, well. I see the issue of these arms.
¶I cannot mend it, I must needs confess,
1265Because my power is weak and all ill-left;
¶But if I could, by Him that gave me life,
¶I would attach you all and make you stoop
¶Unto the sovereign mercy of the King.
¶But since I cannot, be it known unto you,
1270I do remain as neuter. So fare you well --
¶Unless you please to enter in the castle
¶And there repose you for this night.
¶Bolingbroke An offer, uncle, that we will accept.
¶But we must win your grace to go with us
1275To Bristol castle, which they say is held
¶By Bushy, Bagot, and their complices,
¶The caterpillars of the commonwealth,
¶Which I have sworn to weed and pluck away.
¶York It may be I will go with you; but yet I'll pause,
1280For I am loath to break our country's laws.
Exeunt.