How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now?

Believe me, noble lord,

2.3.31108I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire.

2.3.41109These high wild hills and rough uneven ways

2.3.51110Draws out our miles and makes them wearisome.

2.3.61111And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar,

2.3.71112Making the hard way sweet and delectable.

2.3.81113But I bethink me what a weary way

2.3.91114From Ravenspurgh to Cotshall will be found

2.3.101115In Ross and Willoughby, wanting your company,

2.3.111116Which, I protest, hath very much beguiled

2.3.121117The tediousness and process of my travel.

2.3.131118But theirs is sweetened with the hope to have

2.3.141119The present benefit which I possess;

2.3.151120And hope to joy is little less in joy

2.3.161121Than hope enjoyed. By this the weary lords

2.3.171122Shall make their way seem short as mine hath done

2.3.181123By sight of what I have, your noble company.

Of much less value is my company

2.3.201125Than your good words. But who comes here?

It is my son, young Harry Percy,

2.3.221128Sent from my brother Worcester whencesoever. --

2.3.231129Harry, how fares your uncle?

I had thought, my lord, to have learned his health of you.

Why, is he not with the Queen?

No, my good lord. He hath forsook the court,

2.3.271134Broken his staff of office, and dispersed

2.3.281135The Household of the King.

What was his reason? He was not so resolved

2.3.301137When last we spake together.

Because your lordship was proclaimèd traitor,

2.3.321139But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurgh

2.3.331140To offer service to the Duke of Hereford,

2.3.341141And sent me over by Berkeley to discover

2.3.351142What power the Duke of York had levied there,

2.3.361143Then with directions to repair to Ravenspurgh.

Have you forgot the Duke of Hereford, boy?

No, my good lord, for that is not forgot

2.3.391146Which ne'er I did remember. To my knowledge,

2.3.401147I never in my life did look on him.

Then learn to know him now. This is the Duke.

[To Bolingbroke] My gracious lord, I tender you my service,

2.3.431151Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young,

2.3.441152Which elder days shall ripen and confirm

2.3.451153To more approvèd service and desert.

I thank thee, gentle Percy; and be sure

2.3.471155I count myself in nothing else so happy

2.3.481156As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends;

2.3.491157And as my fortune ripens with thy love,

2.3.501158It shall be still thy true love's recompense.

2.3.511159My heart this covenant makes; my hand thus seals it.

[To Percy] How far is it to Berkeley? And what stir

2.3.531161Keeps good old York there with his men of war?

There stands the castle by yon tuft of trees,

2.3.551163Manned with three hundred men, as I have heard;

2.3.561164And in it are the lords of York, Berkeley, and Seymour,

2.3.571165None else of name and noble estimate.

Here come the lords of Ross and Willoughby,

2.3.591168Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with haste.

Welcome, my lords. I wot your love pursues

2.3.611170A banished traitor. All my treasury

2.3.621171Is yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enriched,

2.3.631172Shall be your love and labor's recompense.

Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.

And far surmounts our labor to attain it.

Evermore thank's the exchequer of the poor,

2.3.671176Which, till my infant fortune comes to years,

2.3.681177Stands for my bounty. But who comes here?

It is my lord of Berkeley, as I guess.

My lord of Hereford, my message is to you.

My lord, my answer is -- "to Lancaster,"

2.3.721182And I am come to seek that name in England,

2.3.731183And I must find that title in your tongue

2.3.741184Before I make reply to aught you say.

Mistake me not, my lord, 'tis not my meaning

2.3.761186To rase one title of your honor out.

2.3.771187To you, my lord, I come, what lord you will,

2.3.781188From the most gracious regent of this land,

2.3.791189The Duke of York, to know what pricks you on

2.3.801190To take advantage of the absent time

2.3.811191And fright our native peace with self-borne arms.

I shall not need transport my words by you.

2.3.831194Here comes his grace in person. -- My noble uncle!

Show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee,

2.3.851196Whose duty is deceivable and false.

[Standing] My gracious uncle --

Tut, tut!

2.3.87.1Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.

2.3.881199I am no traitor's uncle, and that word "grace"

2.3.891200In an ungracious mouth is but profane.

2.3.901201Why have those banished and forbidden legs

2.3.911202Dared once to touch a dust of England's ground?

2.3.921203But then more "why": why have they dared to march

2.3.931204So many miles upon her peaceful bosom,

2.3.941205Frighting her pale-faced villages with war

2.3.951206And ostentation of despisèd arms?

2.3.961207Com'st thou because the anointed King is hence?

2.3.971208Why, foolish boy, the King is left behind,

2.3.981209And in my loyal bosom lies his power.

2.3.991210Were I but now the lord of such hot youth

2.3.1001211As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myself

2.3.1011212Rescued the Black Prince, that young Mars of men,

2.3.1021213From forth the ranks of many thousand French,

2.3.1031214Oh, then, how quickly should this arm of mine,

2.3.1041215Now prisoner to the palsy, chastise thee

2.3.1051216And minister correction to thy fault!

My gracious uncle, let me know my fault.

2.3.1071218On what condition stands it and wherein?

Even in condition of the worst degree,

2.3.1091220In gross rebellion and detested treason.

2.3.1101221Thou art a banished man, and here art come,

2.3.1111222Before the expiration of thy time,

2.3.1121223In braving arms against thy sovereign.

As I was banished, I was banished Hereford;

2.3.1141225But as I come, I come for Lancaster.

2.3.1151226And, noble uncle, I beseech your grace

2.3.1161227Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye.

2.3.1171228You are my father, for methinks in you

2.3.1181229I see old Gaunt alive. Oh, then, my father,

2.3.1191230Will you permit that I shall stand condemned

2.3.1201231A wandering vagabond, my rights and royalties

2.3.1211232Plucked from my arms perforce and given away

2.3.1221233To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born?

2.3.1231234If that my cousin king be King in England,

2.3.1241235It must be granted I am Duke of Lancaster.

2.3.1251236You have a son, Aumerle, my noble cousin.

2.3.1261237Had you first died and he been thus trod down,

2.3.1271238He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father

2.3.1281239To rouse his wrongs and chase them to the bay.

2.3.1291240I am denied to sue my livery here,

2.3.1301241And yet my letters patents give me leave.

2.3.1311242My father's goods are all distrained and sold,

2.3.1321243And these, and all, are all amiss employed.

2.3.1331244What would you have me do? I am a subject,

2.3.1341245And I challenge law. Attorneys are denied me,

2.3.1351246And therefore personally I lay my claim

2.3.1361247To my inheritance of free descent.

[To York] The noble Duke hath been too much abused.

[To York] It stands your grace upon to do him right.

[To York] Base men by his endowments are made great.

My lords of England, let me tell you this:

2.3.1411252I have had feeling of my cousin's wrongs

2.3.1421253And labored all I could to do him right.

2.3.1431254But in this kind to come, in braving arms,

2.3.1441255Be his own carver, and cut out his way

2.3.1451256To find out right with wrong, it may not be.

2.3.1461257And you that do abet him in this kind

2.3.1471258Cherish rebellion and are rebels all.

The noble Duke hath sworn his coming is

2.3.1491260But for his own, and for the right of that

2.3.1501261We all have strongly sworn to give him aid.

2.3.1511262And let him never see joy that breaks that oath!

Well, well. I see the issue of these arms.

2.3.1531264I cannot mend it, I must needs confess,

2.3.1541265Because my power is weak and all ill-left;

2.3.1551266But if I could, by Him that gave me life,

2.3.1561267I would attach you all and make you stoop

2.3.1571268Unto the sovereign mercy of the King.

2.3.1581269But since I cannot, be it known unto you,

2.3.1591270I do remain as neuter. So fare you well --

2.3.1601271Unless you please to enter in the castle

2.3.1611272And there repose you for this night.

An offer, uncle, that we will accept.

2.3.1631274But we must win your grace to go with us

2.3.1641275To Bristol castle, which they say is held

2.3.1651276By Bushy, Bagot, and their complices,

2.3.1661277The caterpillars of the commonwealth,

2.3.1671278Which I have sworn to weed and pluck away.

It may be I will go with you; but yet I'll pause,

2.3.1691280For I am loath to break our country's laws.

2.3.1701281Nor friends nor foes, to me welcome you are.

1282Things past redress are now with me past care.