He, that no more muft fay, is liften'd more k Than they whom youth and ease have taught to glofe; More are men's ends mark'd, than their lives before: The setting fun, and music at the close, (As the last taste of fweets is fweeteft) last, Writ in remembrance, more than things long paft: Though Richard my life's counfel would not hear, My death's fad tale may yet undeaf his ear. York. No; it is ftop'd with other flattering founds, As, praises of his state: then, there are found Lafcivious'meeters; to whofe venom'd found The open ear of youth doth always liften: "Reports of fashions in proud Italy; Whofe manners ftill our tardy apifh nation Limps after, in bafe aukward imitation. Where doth the world thruft forth a vanity, (So it be new, there's no respect how vile) That is not quickly buzz'd into his ears? Then all too late comes counsel to be heard, Where will doth " mutiny with wit's regard. Direct, not him, whofe way himself will chufe; 'Tis breath thou lack'ft, and that breath wilt thou lose. Gaunt. Methinks, I am a prophet new infpir'd; And thus, expiring, do foretell of him : His rafh fierce blaze of riot cannot laft; For violent fires foon burn out themfelves : Small showers laft long, but fudden storms are short; k glofe;]-flatter, deceive. meeters;]-perfons about him; metres-verfes, ditties. m Reports-Reporters. "And have my learning from fome true reports." ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, Act II. S. 2. Ant. mutiny with wit's regard.]-rebel against reafon. Light vanity, infatiate cormorant, Confuming means, foon preys upon itself. This fortrefs, built by nature for herself, This bleffed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, P means,]-that feed it, of its fubfiftence. infection,]-peftilence, from its infular fituation; the contagion of continental vices. S pelting]-paltry. t Fear'd for their breed, and famous for their birth,]-For their hereditary valour. Jurge of angry Neptune. "With inky blots, and rotten parchment bonds,]-alluding to the vast fums raifed by loans, &c. in this reign. Hath made a fhameful conqueft of itself: Ah! would the fcandal vanish with my life, Enter King Richard, Queen, Aumerle, Busby, Green, Bagot, York. The king is come: deal mildly with his youth; For young hot colts, being "rag'd, do rage the more. Queen. How fares our noble uncle, Lancaster? K. Rich. What comfort, man? How is't with aged Gaunt? Gaunt. Oh, how that name befits my compofition! * Old Gaunt, indeed; and gaunt in being old; Within me grief hath kept a tedious fast; And who abstains from meat, that is not gaunt ? K. Rich. Can fick men play so nicely with their names? I mock my name, great king, to flatter thee. K. Rich. Should dying men then flatter those that live? rag'd,]-rated at. * Old Gaunt, indeed; and gaunt in being old :]-emaciated, meagre, hollow.Ghent. Gaunt. Gaunt. Now, he that made me, knows I fee thee ill; Ill in myself to fee, and in thee feeing ill. Who art poffefs'd now to depofe thyself, 2 K. Rich. Thou a lunatic lean-witted fool, Prefuming on an ague's privilege, Dar'ft with thy frozen admonition Make pale our cheek; chafing the royal blood, Now by my feat's right royal majefty, Wert thou not brother to great Edward's fon, y A thousand flatterers,]-whose tongues will footh thee to thy ruin. Thy fate of law is bond-flave to the law;]-By farming out thy royalties, thy fovereignty is become amenable to laws, from which it was formerly exempt. This tongue, that runs fo roundly in thy head, That blood already, like the pelican, Haft thou tapt out, and drunkenly carows'd: a That thou respect❜ft not spilling Edward's blood: [Exit, borne out. K. Rich. And let them die, that age and fullens have; For both haft thou, and both become the grave. York. 'Beseech your majefty, impute his words To wayward fickliness and age in him: He loves you, on my life, and holds you dear K. Rich. Right; you fay true: as Hereford's love, fo his; As theirs, fo mine; and all be as it is. Enter Northumberland, North. My liege, old Gaunt commends him to your majesty. K. Rich. What fays he? a be like crooked age,]-armed with a crook, or fickle-be time's crooked edge-do the office of time's feythe; unite with the ravages of age in accelerating my deftruction. Love they]-Let them love. b Die. North. |