Kind keepers of my weak decaying age,

2.5.21072Let dying Mortimer here rest himself.

2.5.31073Even like a man new-halèd from the rack,

2.5.41074So fare my limbs with long imprisonment;

2.5.51075And these grey locks, the pursuivants of death,

2.5.61076Nestor-like agèd in an age of care,

2.5.71077Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer.

2.5.81078These eyes, like lamps whose wasting oil is spent,

2.5.91079Wax dim, as drawing to their exigent;

2.5.101080Weak shoulders, overborne with burdening grief,

2.5.111081And pithless arms, like to a withered vine

2.5.121082That droops his sapless branches to the ground.

2.5.131083Yet are these feet, whose strengthless stay is numb,

2.5.141084Unable to support this lump of clay,

2.5.151085Swift-wingèd with desire to get a grave,

2.5.161086As witting I no other comfort have.

2.5.171087But tell me, keeper, will my nephew come?

Richard Plantagenet, my lord, will come.

2.5.191089We sent unto the Temple, unto his chamber,

2.5.201090And answer was returned that he will come.

Enough. My soul shall then be satisfied.

2.5.221092Poor gentleman, his wrong doth equal mine.

2.5.231093Since Henry Monmouth first began to reign,

2.5.241094Before whose glory I was great in arms,

2.5.251095This loathsome sequestration have I had;

2.5.261096And even since then hath Richard been obscured,

2.5.271097Deprived of honor and inheritance.

2.5.281098But now the arbitrator of despairs,

2.5.291099Just Death, kind umpire of men's miseries,

2.5.301100With sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence.

2.5.311101I would his troubles likewise were expired,

2.5.321102That so he might recover what was lost.

My lord, your loving nephew now is come.

Richard Plantagenet, my friend, is he come?

Aye, noble uncle, thus ignobly used:

2.5.361107Your nephew, late despisèd Richard, comes.

Direct mine arms I may embrace his neck

2.5.381109And in his bosom spend my latter gasp.

2.5.391110O tell me when my lips do touch his cheeks,

2.5.401111That I may kindly give one fainting kiss.

2.5.411112And now declare sweet stem from York's great stock,

2.5.421113Why didst thou say of late thou wert despised?

First lean thine agèd back against mine arm,

2.5.441115And in that ease I'll tell thee my dis-ease.

2.5.451116This day in argument upon a case

2.5.461117Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me;

2.5.471118Among which terms he used his lavish tongue

2.5.481119And did upbraid me with my father's death;

2.5.491120Which obloquy set bars before my tongue,

2.5.501121Else with the like I had requited him.

2.5.511122Therefore, good uncle, for my father's sake,

2.5.521123In honor of a true Plantagenet,

2.5.531124And for alliance' sake, declare the cause

2.5.541125My father, Earl of Cambridge, lost his head.

That cause, fair nephew, that imprisoned me,

2.5.561127And hath detained me all my flow'ring youth

2.5.571128Within a loathsome dungeon, there to pine,

2.5.581129Was cursèd instrument of his decease.

Discover more at large what cause that was,

2.5.601131For I am ignorant and cannot guess.

I will, if that my fading breath permit

2.5.621133And death approach not ere my tale be done.

2.5.631134Henry the Fourth, grandfather to this King,

2.5.641135Deposed his nephew Richard, Edward's son,

2.5.651136The first begotten and the lawful heir

2.5.661137Of Edward, king the third of that descent;

2.5.671138During whose reign the Percies of the north,

2.5.681139Finding his usurpation most unjust,

2.5.691140Endeavored my advancement to the throne.

2.5.701141The reason moved these warlike lords to this

2.5.711142Was for that, young Richard thus removed,

2.5.721143Leaving no heir begotten of his body,

2.5.731144I was the next by birth and parentage,

2.5.741145For by my mother I derivèd am

2.5.751146From Lionel, Duke of Clarence, third son

2.5.761147To King Edward the Third; whereas he

2.5.771148From John of Gaunt doth bring his pedigree,

2.5.781149Being but fourth of that heroic line.

2.5.791150But mark: as in this haughty great attempt

2.5.801151They labourèd to plant the rightful heir,

2.5.811152I lost my liberty, and they their lives.

2.5.821153Long after this, when Henry the Fifth,

2.5.831154Succeeding his father Bolingbroke, did reign,

2.5.841155Thy father, Earl of Cambridge, then derived

2.5.851156From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York,

2.5.861157Marrying my sister that thy mother was,

2.5.871158Again, in pity of my hard distress,

2.5.881159Levied an army, weening to redeem

2.5.891160And have installed me in the diadem;

2.5.901161But as the rest, so fell that noble earl,

2.5.911162And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,

2.5.921163In whom the title rested, were suppressed.

Of which, my lord, your honor is the last.

True, and thou seest that I no issue have,

2.5.951166And that my fainting words do warrant death.

2.5.961167Thou art my heir. The rest I wish thee gather:

2.5.971168But yet be wary in thy studious care.

Thy grave admonishments prevail with me.

2.5.991170But yet methinks my father's execution

2.5.1001171Was nothing less than bloody tyranny.

With silence, nephew, be thou politic.

2.5.1021173Strong fixèd is the house of Lancaster,

2.5.1031174And like a mountain, not to be removed.

2.5.1041175But now thy uncle is removing hence,

2.5.1051176As princes do their courts, when they are cloyed

2.5.1061177With long continuance in a settled place.

O uncle, would some part of my young years

2.5.1081179Might but redeem the passage of your age.

Thou dost then wrong me, as that slaughterer doth,

2.5.1101181Which giveth many wounds when one will kill.

2.5.1111182Mourn not, except thou sorrow for my good.

2.5.1121183Only give order for my funeral.

2.5.1131184And so farewell, and fair be all thy hopes,

2.5.1141185And prosperous be thy life in peace and war.

And peace, no war, befall thy parting soul.

2.5.1161187In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage,

2.5.1171188And like a hermit overpassed thy days.

2.5.1181189Well, I will lock his counsel in my breast,

2.5.1191190And what I do imagine, let that rest.

2.5.1201191Keepers, convey him hence, and I myself

2.5.1211192Will see his burial better than his life.

2.5.1221193Here dies the dusky torch of Mortimer,

2.5.1231194Choked with ambition of the meaner sort.

2.5.1241195And for those wrongs, those bitter injuries,

2.5.1251196Which Somerset hath offered to my house,

2.5.1261197I doubt not but with honor to redress.

2.5.1271198And therefore haste I to the Parliament,

2.5.1281199Either to be restorèd to my blood,

2.5.1291200Or make my will th'advantage of my good.