Can gripe the facred handle of our Scepter,
Unless he do prophane, fteal, or ufurp.

And though you think, that all, as you have done,
Have torn their fouls, by turning them from us,
And we are barren, and bereft of friends:
Yet know,My Master, God omnipotent,
Is muft'ring in his clouds on our behalf
Armies of Peftilence; and they fhall ftrike
Your children yet unborn, and unbegot,
That lift your vaffal hands against my head,
And threat the Glory of my precious Crown.
Tell Bolingbroke, (for yond, methinks, he is)
That every ftride he makes upon my Land
Is dangerous treafon. He is come to ope
The purple Teftament of bleeding War;
But ere the Crown, he looks for, light in peace,
Ten thousand bloody crowns of mothers' fons
• Shall ill become the flow'r of England's face;
Change the complexion of her maid-pale peace
To fcarlet indignation; and bedew

Her Pasture's grafs with faithful English blood.
North. The King of heav'n forbid, our lord the King
Should fo with civil and uncivil arms

Be rufh'd upon! no, thy thrice-noble coufin,
Harry of Bolingbroke, doth kiss thy hand,
And by the honourable tomb he swears,

9

LIVE in peace,] We fhould read
LIGHT in peace,

i. e. defcend and fettle upon Bolingbroke's head in peace.

1 Shall ill become the flow'r of England's face ;] By the flow'r of England's face, is meant the choicelt youths of England, who fhall be flaughter'd in this quarrel, or have bloody crowns. The flower of England's face, to defign her choiceft Youth, is a fine and noble expreffion. Pericles, by a fimilar thought, faid that the deftruction of the Athenian youth was a fatality like cutting off the Spring from the Year. Yet the Oxford Editor, who did not apprehend the figure, alters the line thus,

"Shall misbecome the flow'ry England's face. Which means I know not what.

That

That ftands upon your royal grandfire's bones,
And by the Royalties of both your bloods,
(Currents, that fpring from one moft gracious head)
And by the warlike hand of bury'd Gaunt,
And by the worth and honour of himself,
Comprising all that may be fworn, or faid,
His Coming hither hath no farther scope,
Than for his lineal Royalties, and to beg
Infranchisement immediate on his knees:
Which on thy royal party granted once,
His glitt'ring arms he will commend to ruft;
His barbed steeds to ftables; and his heart
To faithful fervice of your Majesty.
This swears he, as he is a Prince, is juft;
And as I am a Gentleman, I credit him.

K. Rich. Northumberland, fay, thus the King returns:
His noble Coufin is right-welcome hither,
And all the number of his fair demands
Shall be accomplish'd without contradiction.
With all the gracious utterance thou hast,
Speak to his gentle Hearing kind Commends.
We do debase our felf, Coufin, do we not, [To Aum.
To look fo poorly, and to speak so fair?

Shall we call back Northumberland, and fend
Defiance to the traitor, and fo die?

Aum. No, good my lord, let's fight with gentle words, Till time lend friends, and friends their helpful fwords. K. Rich. Oh God, oh God! that e'er this tongue of

mine,

That laid the Sentence of dread Banifhment

On yond proud man, fhould take it off again
With words of Sooth; oh, that I were as great
As is my grief, or leffer than my name!

Or that I could forget what I have been,

2 And by the bury'd hand of warlike Gaunt,] It should be read juft the other way,

And by the warlike hand of bury'd Gaunt.

Or

Or not remember what I must be now!
Swell'ft thou, proud heart? I'll give thee fcope to beat,
Since foes have scope to beat both thee and me.

Aum. Northumberland comes back from Bolingbroke. K. Rich. What muft the King do now? must he fubmit?

The King fhall do it: muft he be depos'd?
The King fhall be contented: must he lose
The name of King? o' God's name, let it go.
I'll give my jewels for a fet of beads;
My gorgeous palace, for a hermitage;
My gay apparel, for an alms-man's gown;
My figur'd goblets, for a difh of wood;
My fcepter, for a palmer's walking staff;
My fubjects, for a pair of carved faints;
And my large Kingdom, for a little Grave;
A little, little Grave; an obscure Grave.
Or I'll be bury'd in the King's high way:

1 Some way of common Tread, where Subjects' feet
May hourly trample on their Sovereign's head:
For on my heart they tread now, whilft I live;
And, bury'd once, why not upon my head ?-
Aumerle, thou weep'ft; (my tender-hearted coufin!)
We'll make foul weather with despised tears;
Our fighs, and they, fhall lodge the fummer corn,
And make a dearth in this revolting Land.
Or fhall we play the Wantons with our woes,
And make fome pretty match, with fhedding tears?
As thus, to drop them ftill upon one place,
Till they have fretted us a pair of Graves
Within the earth; and therein laid, there lies
Two kinfmen, digg'd their Graves with weeping eyes?
Would not this ill do well? well, well, I fee
I talk but idly, and you mock at me.
Moft mighty Prince, my lord Northumberland,
What fays King Bolingbroke? will his Majesty

3 Some way of common Trade,-] I fuppofe it fhould be, Tread.

Give Richard leave to live, till Richard die?
You make a leg, and Bolingbroke fays, ay.

North. My lord, in the base court he doth attend To speak with you, may't please you to come down. K. Rich. Down, down I come; like glift'ring Phaeton, Wanting the manage of unruly jades.

In the bafe court? bafe court, where Kings grow base, To come at traitors' Calls, and do them grace.

In the base court come down? down,court; down,King; For Night-owls fhriek, where mounting Larks fhould fing.

Boling. What fays his Majefty?

North. Sorrow, and Grief of Heart,

Makes him speak fondly, like a frantick Man ;

Yet is he come.

Boling. Stand all apart,

And fhew fair duty to his Majefty.

My gracious lord

esbrid [Kneel.

K. Rich, Fair coufin, you debase your princely knee, To make the base earth proud with kiffing it." Me rather had, my heart might feel your love, Than my unpleas'd eye fee your courtefie. Up, coufin, up; your heart is up, I know, Thus high at least, although your knee be low. Boling. My gracious lord, I come but for mine own. K. Rich. Your own is yours, and I am yours, and all. Boling. So far be mine, my moft redoubted lord, As my true fervice fhall deferve your love..

K. Rich. Well you deferve: they well deferve to have, That know the strong'st and fureft way to get. Uncle, give me your hand; nay, dry your eyes; Tears fhew their love, but want their remedies.... Coufin, I am too young to be your father, Though you are old enough to be my heir. What you will have, I'll give, and willing too; For do we muft, what force will have us do. Set on towards London., Coufin, is it fo

H

Boling.

Boling. Yea, my good lord.

K. Rich. Then I muft not fay, no. [Flourish. Exeunt.

A Garden, in the Queen's Court.

Enter Queen and two Ladies.

Queen. WHAT sport shall we devise here in this

garden,

To drive away the heavy thought of care?
Lady. Madam, we'll play at bowls.

[rubs,

Queen. 'Twill make me think, the world is full of And that my fortune runs against the bias.

Lady. Madam, we'll dance.

Queen. My legs can keep no measure in delight,
When my poor heart no measure keeps in grief.
Therefore no dancing, girl; fome other sport.
Lady. Madam, we'll tell tales.
Queen. Of forrow, or of joy?
Lady. Of either, Madam.
Queen. Of neither, girl.

For if of joy, being altogether wanting,
It doth remember me the more of forrow:
Or if of grief, being altogether had,
It adds more forrow to my want of joy.
For what I have, I need not to repeat:
And what I want, it boots not to complain.
Lady. Madam, I'll fing.

Queen. 'Tis well, that thou haft caufe:

But thou fhould'ft please me better, would'st thou weep. Lady. I could weep, Madam, would it do you good. Queen. And I could weep, would weeping do me good,

And never borrow any tear of thee.

But ftay, here come the Gardiners.

Let's ftep into the fhadow of thefe trees;

My Wretchednefs unto a row of pins,

Enter