696723As is the sepulchre in stubburne Iewry,

697724Of the worlds ransome blessed Maries sonne:

698725This land of such deare soules, this deere deere land,

699726Deare for her reputation through the world,

700727Is now leasde out; I dye pronouncing it,

701728Like to a tenement or pelting Farme.

702729England bound in with the triumphant sea,

703730Whose rockie shoare beates backe the enuious siege

704731Of watry Neptune, is now bound in with shame,

705732With inckie blots, and rotten parchment bonds:

706733That England that was wont to conquer others,

707734Hath made a shamefull conquest

of it selfe:

708735Ah would the scandall vanish with my life,

709736How happy then were my ensuing death?

712737Yorke The King is come, deale mildely with his youth,

713738For young hot colts being ragde, do rage the more.

714740Queene How fares our noble vncle Lancaster?

715741King What comfort man? how ist with aged Gaunt?

716742Gaunt O how that name befits my composition!

717743Old Gaunt indeede, and gaunt in being olde:

718744Within me Griefe hath kept a tedious fast.

719745And who abstaines from meate that is not gaunt?

720746For sleeping England long time haue I watcht,

721747Watching breedes leanenesse, leanenesse is all gaunt:

722748The pleasure that some fathers feede vpon

723749Is my strict fast; I meane my childrens lookes,

724750And therein fasting hast thou made me gaunt:

725751Gaunt am I for the graue, gaunt as a graue,

726752Whose hollow wombe inherites naught but bones.

727753King Can sicke men play so nicely with their names?

728754Gaunt No misery makes sport to mocke it selfe,

729755Since thou dost seeke to kill my name in me,

730756I mocke my name (great King) to flatter thee.

731757King Should dying men flatter with those that liue?

732758Gaunt No no, men liuing flatter those that die.