DUCH. Why, what is it, my lord? YORK. Give me my boots, I fay; faddle my horfe: Now by mine honour,-by my life, my troth, [Exit Servant. What's the matter? YORK. Peace, foolish woman. DỤCH. I will not peace:-What is the matter, fon? AUM. Good mother, be content; it is no more Than my poor life must answer. DUCH. Thy life answer! Re-enter Servant, with boots. YORK. Bring me my boots, I will unto the king. DUCH. Strike him, Aumerle.-Poor boy, thou art amaz'd : ‘— Hence, villain; never more come in my fight.— [To the Servant. YORK. Give me my boots, I fay. DUCH. Why, York, what wilt thou do? Wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own? Have we more fons? or are we like to have? Is not my teeming date drunk up with time? And wilt thou pluck my fair fon from mine age, And rob me of a happy mother's name? Is he not like thee? is he not thine own? -amaz'd:] i. e. perplexed, confounded. So, in The Merry Wives of Windfor: That cannot choose but amaze him. If he be not amazed, he will be mocked; if he be amazed, he will every way be mocked." STEEVENS. YORK. Thou fond mad woman, Wilt thou conceal this dark confpiracy? A dozen of them here have ta'en the facrament, And interchangeably fet down their hands, To kill the king at Oxford.+ DUCH. He fhall be none; We'll keep him here: Then what is that to him? YORK. Away, Fond woman! were he twenty times my fon, . I would appeach him. DUCH. Hadft thou groan'd for him, As I have done, thou'dft be more pitiful. But now I know thy mind; thou doft fufpect, And that he is a bastard, not thy fon: Sweet York, fweet husband, be not of that mind: He is as like thee as a man may be, Not like to me, or any of my kin, And yet I love him. YORK. Make way, unruly woman. [Exit. DUCH. After, Aumerle; mount thee upon his horfe; Spur, poft; and get before him to the king, To kill the king at Oxford.] That the dukes of Exeter and Surry, and the Earl of Salisbury entered into a confpiracy for this purpofe is unqueftionable; but Hall's narrative, copied by Holinfhed and Sir John Hayward, is by no means to be depended upon. Aumerle, in particular, is not charged by any contemporary writer, unless it be the writer of a romance, as having the leaft concern in it. See a " Requiem to the Confpirators," in A Collection of Ancient Songs, lately published, where may be found an authentic account of the plot from writers of authority. RITSON. I doubt not but to ride as faft as York: [Exeunt. SCENE III. Windfor. A Room in the Caftle. Enter BOLINGBROKE as King; PERCY, and other Lords. BOLING. Can no man tell of my unthrifty fon? 'Tis full three months, fince I did fee him last :If any plague hang over us, 'tis he. I would to God, my lords, he might be found: Enquire at London, 'mongst the taverns there, For there, they say, he daily doth frequent, With unreftrained loofe companions; Even fuch, they say, as stand in narrow lanes, And beat our watch, and rob our passengers; While he, young, wanton, and effeminate boy, Takes on the point of honour, to support So diffolute a crew. PERCY. My lord, fome two days fince I faw the prince; And told him of these triumphs held at Oxford. 5 Enquire at London, &c.] This is a very proper introduction to the future character of Henry the Fifth, to his debaucheries in his youth, and his greatness in his manhood. JOHNSON. Shakspeare feldom attended to chronology. The prince was at this time but twelve years old, for he was born in 1388, and the confpiracy on which the prefent fcene is formed, was difcovered in the beginning of the year 1400.-He fcarcely frequented taverns or stews at fo early an age. MALONE. 6 While he,] All the old copies read-Which he. STEEVENS. The correction was made by Mr. Pope. MALONE. BOLING. And what faid the gallant? PERCY. His answer was, he would unto the And from the common'ft creature pluck a glove,1 BOLING. As diffolute, as defperate: yet, through both 8 I fee fome sparkles of a better hope, AUM. Enter AUMERLE, baftily. Where is the king? BOLING. What means Our coufin, that he ftares and looks fo wildly? AUM. God fave your grace. I do beseech your majefty, To have fome conference with your grace alone. BOLING. Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here [Exeunt PERCY and Lords. alone. What is the matter with our coufin now? pluck a glove,] So, in Promos and Caffandra, 1578, Lamia, the ftrumpet, fays: "Who loves me once is lymed to my heast: My colour fome, and fome fhall wear my glove." Again, in The Shoemaker's Holyday, or Gentle Craft, 1600: "Or fhall I undertake fome martial fport Wearing your glove at turney or at tilt, "And tell how many gallants I unhors'd?" STEEVENS. I fee fame fparkles of a better hope,] The folio reads: fparks of better hope. The quarto, 1615: ·fparkles of better hope. STEEVENS. The firft quarto has-Sparkes of better hope. The article was inferted by Mr. Steevens. MALONE, AUM. For ever may my knees grow to the earth, [Kneels. My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth, Unless a pardon, ere I rise, or speak. BOLING. Intended, or committed, was this fault? If but the firft, how heinous ere it be, To win thy after-love, I pardon thee. AUM. Then give me leave that I may turn the key, That no man enter till my tale be done. BOLING. Have thy defire. [AUMERLE locks the door. YORK. [Within.] My liege, beware; look to thy felf; Thou haft a traitor in thy prefence there. BOLING. Villain, I'll make thee fafe. [Drawing. AUм. Stay thy revengeful hand; Thou haft no caufe to fear. YORK. [Within.] Open the door, fecure, foolhardy king: Shall I, for love, speak treason to thy face? [BOLINGBROKE opens the door. Enter YORK. BOLING. What is the matter, uncle? speak; Recover breath; tell us how near is danger, That we may arm us to encounter it. YORK. Perufe this writing here, and thou fhalt know The treason that my hafte forbids me fhow. 9 If but-] Old copies-If on. Corrected by Mr. Pope. MALONE |