Ten thousand bloody crowns of mothers' fons Her Pafture's grafs with faithful English blood.. Be rufh'd upon! no, thy thrice-noble coufin, the Poet fay, That bloody Crowns Thould disfigure the Flow'rs that fpring on the Ground, and bedew the Grass with blood? Surely the two Images are too fimilar. I have fufpected, Shall ill become the Floor of Eng land's Face; i. e. Shall make a difmal Spectacle on the Surface of the Kingdom's Earth. THEOBALD. Shall ill become the flow'r of England's face;] By the flow'r of England's face, is meant the choiceft 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 Dr. Warburton has inferted light in peace in the text of his own edition, but live in peace is more fuitable to Richard's intention, which is to tell him that though he fhould get the crown by rebellion, it will be long before it will live in peace, be fo fettled as to be firm, The flow'r of England's face, is very happily explained, and any alteration is therefore needlefs. And by the bury'd band of warlike Gaunt.] It should be read juft the other way, And by the warlike hand of bury'd Gaunt. WARBURT. I fee no great difference. Then Than for his lineal Royalties, and to beg This fwears he, as he is a Prince, is juft; [turns: K. Rich. Northumberland, fay-Thus the King reHis 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 haft, Speak to his gentle Hearing kind Commends. Exit North. We do debafe ourself, Coufin, do we not, [To Aum. 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 Banishment On yond proud man, should take it off again With words of Sooth; oh, that I were as great Swell'ft thou, proud heart? I'll give thee scope to beat, Aum. Northumberland comes back from Bolingbroke. K. Rich. What must the King do now? muft he fubmit? The King shall do it. Muft he be depos'd? "With words of footh;] or foftnefs, a fignification yet reSooth is fweet as well as true. In tained in the verb to footh. this place footh means fweetness VOL. IV. F The 3 The King fhall be contented: must he lose Within the earth; and therein laid, there lies I talk but idly, and you mock at me. [North. advances. Moft mighty Prince, my lord Northumberland, What fays King Bolingbroke? will his Majefty Give Richard leave to live, till Richard die? You make a leg, and Bolingbroke fays, ay. North. My lord, in the bafe court he doth attend To fpeak 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. [North. retires to Bol. In the bafe court? bafe court, where Kings grow base, To come at traitors' Calls, and do them grace. In the bafe 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 fpeak fondly, like a frantick Man; Yet is he come. Boling. Stand all apart, [Richard comes to them. And fhew fair duty to his Majefty. My gracious lord [Kneels. K. Rich. Fair coufin, you debase your princely knee, To make the bafe earth proud with kiffing it. Me rather had, my heart might feel your love, Than my unpleas'd eye fee your courtéfie. Up, coufin, up; your heart is up, I know, Thus high at leaft, although your knee be low. [Touching his own head. 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. F 2 K. Rich K. Rich. Well you deserve.-They well deferve to have, That know the ftrong'ft and fureft way to get. K. Rich. Then I must not fay, no. [Flourish. Exeunt. Queen.W WHAT fport fhall we devife here in this garden, To drive away the heavy thought of care? Lady. Madam, we'll play at bowls. Queen. 'Twill make me think, the world is full of rubs, And that my fortune runs against the bias. Lady. Madam, we'll dance. Queen. My legs can keep no measure in delight, Queen. Of forrow, or of joy? Queen. Of neither, girl. For if of joy, being altogether wanting, |