1114 Rich. First, leane thine aged Back against mine Arme,

1115And in that ease, Ile tell thee my Disease.

1116This day in argument vpon a Case,

1117Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me:

1118Among which tearmes, he vs'd his lauish tongue,

1119And did vpbrayd me with my Fathers death;

1120Which obloquie set barres before my tongue,

1121Else with the like I had requited him.

1122Therefore good Vnckle, for my Fathers sake,

1123In honor of a true Plantagenet,

1124And for Alliance sake, declare the cause

1125My Father, Earle of Cambridge, lost his Head.

1126 Mort. That cause (faire Nephew) that imprison'd me,

1127And hath detayn'd me all my flowring Youth,

1128Within a loathsome Dungeon, there to pyne,

1129Was cursed Instrument of his decease.

1130 Rich. Discouer more at large what cause that was,

1131For I am ignorant, and cannot guesse.

1132 Mort. I will, if that my fading breath permit,

1133And Death approach not, ere my Tale be done.

1134Henry the Fourth, Grandfather to this King,

1135Depos'd his Nephew Richard, Edwards Sonne,

1136The first begotten, and the lawfull Heire

1137Of Edward King, the Third of that Descent.

1138During whose Reigne, the Percies of the North,

1139Finding his Vsurpation most vniust,

1140Endeuour'd my aduancement to the Throne.

1141The reason mou'd these Warlike Lords to this,

1142Was, for that (young Richard thus remou'd,

1143Leauing no Heire begotten of his Body)

1144I was the next by Birth and Parentage:

1145For by my Mother, I deriued am

1146From Lionel Duke of Clarence, third Sonne

1147To King Edward the Third; whereas hee,

1148From Iohn of Gaunt doth bring his Pedigree,

1149Being but fourth of that Heroick Lyne.

1150But marke: as in this haughtie great attempt,

1151They laboured, to plant the rightfull Heire,

1152I lost my Libertie, and they their Liues.

1153Long after this, when Henry the Fift

1154(Succeeding his Father Bullingbrooke) did reigne;

1155Thy Father, Earle of Cambridge, then deriu'd

1156From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of Yorke,

1157Marrying my Sister, that thy Mother was;

1158Againe, in pitty of my hard distresse,

1159Leuied an Army, weening to redeeme,

1160And haue install'd me in the Diademe:

1161But as the rest, so fell that Noble Earle,

1162And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers,

1163In whom the Title rested, were supprest.

1164 Rich. Of which, my Lord, your Honor is the last.

1165 Mort. True; and thou seest, that I no Issue haue,

1166And that my fainting words doe warrant death:

1167Thou art my Heire; the rest, I wish thee gather:

1168But yet be wary in thy studious care.

1169 Rich. Thy graue admonishments preuayle with me:

1170But yet me thinkes, my Fathers execution

1171Was nothing lesse then bloody Tyranny.

1172 Mort. With silence, Nephew, be thou pollitick,

1173Strong fixed is the House of Lancaster,

1174And like a Mountaine, not to be remou'd.

1175But now thy Vnckle is remouing hence,

1176As Princes doe their Courts, when they are cloy'd

1177With long continuance in a setled place.

1178 Rich. O Vnckle, would some part of my young yeeres

1179Might but redeeme the passage of your Age.

1180 Mort. Thou do'st then wrong me, as y^t slaughterer doth,

1181Which giueth many Wounds, when one will kill.

1182Mourne not, except thou sorrow for my good,

1183Onely giue order for my Funerall.

1184And so farewell, and faire be all thy hopes,

1185And prosperous be thy Life in Peace and Warre. Dyes.

1186 Rich. And Peace, no Warre, befall thy parting Soule.

1187In Prison hast thou spent a Pilgrimage,

1188And like a Hermite ouer-past thy dayes.

1189Well, I will locke his Councell in my Brest,

1190And what I doe imagine, let that rest.

1191Keepers conuey him hence, and I my selfe

1192Will see his Buryall better then his Life. Exit.

1193Here dyes the duskie Torch of Mortimer,

1194Choakt with Ambition of the meaner sort.

1195And for those Wrongs, those bitter Iniuries,

1196Which Somerset hath offer'd to my House,

1197I doubt not, but with Honor to redresse.

1198And therefore haste I to the Parliament,

1199Eyther to be restored to my Blood,

1200Or make my will th'aduantage of my good. Exit.

1205 Winch. Com'st thou with deepe premeditated Lines?

1206With written Pamphlets, studiously deuis'd?

1207Humfrey of Gloster, if thou canst accuse,

1208Or ought intend'st to lay vnto my charge,

1209Doe it without inuention, suddenly,

1210As I with sudden, and extemporall speech,

1211Purpose to answer what thou canst obiect.

1212 Glo. Presumptuous Priest, this place cōmands my patiēce,

1213Or thou should'st finde thou hast dis-honor'd me.

1214Thinke not, although in Writing I preferr'd

1215The manner of thy vile outragious Crymes,

1216That therefore I haue forg'd, or am not able

1217Verbatim to rehearse the Methode of my Penne.

1218No Prelate, such is thy audacious wickednesse,

1219Thy lewd, pestiferous, and dissentious prancks,

1220As very Infants prattle of thy pride.

1221Thou art a most pernitious Vsurer,

1222Froward by nature, Enemie to Peace,

1223Lasciuious, wanton, more then well beseemes

1224A man of thy Profession, and Degree.

1225And for thy Trecherie, what's more manifest?

1226In that thou layd'st a Trap to take my Life,

1227As well at London Bridge, as at the Tower.

1228Beside, I feare me, if thy thoughts were sifted,

1229The King, thy Soueraigne, is not quite exempt

1230From enuious mallice of thy swelling heart.

1231 Winch. Gloster, I doe defie thee. Lords vouchsafe

1232To giue me hearing what I shall reply.

1233If I were couetous, ambitious, or peruerse,

1234As he will haue me: how am I so poore?

1235Or how haps it, I seeke not to aduance

1236Or rayse my selfe? but keepe my wonted Calling.

1237And for Dissention, who preferreth Peace

1238More then I doe? except I be prouok'd.

1239No, my good Lords, it is not that offends,

1240It is not that, that hath incens'd the Duke:

1241It is because no one should sway but hee,

1242No one, but hee, should be about the King;

1243And that engenders Thunder in his breast,