And in it are the lords of York, Berkley, and Sey mour; None else of name, and noble estimate. Enter Ross and WILLOUGHBY. North. Here come the lords of Ross and Wil- Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with haste. pursues A banish'd traitor; all my treasury Is yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enrich'd, Ross. Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord. Willo. And far surmounts our labour to attain it. Boling. Evermore thanks, the exchequer of the poor; Which, till my infant fortune comes to years, Enter BERKLEY. North. It is my lord of Berkley, as I guess. Berk. My lord of Hereford, my message is to you. Boling. My lord, my answer is to Lancaster; And I am come to seek that name in England: And I must find that title in your tongue, Before I make reply to aught you say. Berk. Mistake me not, my lord; 'tis not my meaning, To raze one title of your honour out: To you, my lord, I come, (what lord you will,) The duke of York; to know, what pricks you on 3 To take advantage of the absent time,3 Enter YORK, attended. Boling. I shall not need transport my words by you; Here comes his grace in person. My noble uncle! [Kneels. York. Show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee, Whose duty is deceivable and false. Boling. My gracious uncle! York. Tut, tut! Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle : Why have those banish'd and forbidden legs march So many miles upon her peaceful bosom ; Com'st thou because the anointed king is hence? Were I but now the lord of such hot youth, 3 the absent time,] i. e. time of the king's absence. 4 But then more why ;] But, to add more questions. 5 And ostentation of despised arms?] The meaning of this probably is-a boastful display of arms which we despise. Boling. My gracious uncle, let me know my fault; On what condition stands it, and wherein ? York. Even in condition of the worst degree,- In braving arms against thy sovereign. Boling. As I was banish'd, I was banish'd Hereford: But as I come, I come for Lancaster. And, noble uncle, I beseech your grace Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye: You are my father, for, methinks in you I see old Gaunt alive; O, then, my father! Will you permit that I shall stand condemn'd A wand'ring vagabond; my rights and royalties Pluck'd from my arms perforce, and given away To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born? If that my cousin king be king of England, It must be granted, I am duke of Lancaster. You have a son, Aumerle, my noble kinsman ; Had you first died, and he been thus trod down, He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father, To rouse his wrongs, and chase them to the bay. I am denied to sue my livery here,3 And yet my letters-patent give me leave: My father's goods are all distrain'd, and sold; And these, and all, are all amiss employ'd. What would you have me do? I am a subject, And challenge law: Attornies are denied me; And therefore personally I lay my claim To 6 my inheritance of free descent. ་ indifferent eye :] i. e. with an impartial eye. 7 To rouse his wrongs,] i. e. the persons who wrong him. to sue my livery here,] A law phrase belonging to the feudal tenures. North. The noble duke hath been too much abus'd. Ross. It stands your grace upon to do him right." Willo. Base men by his endowments are made great. York. My lords of England, let me tell you this, I have had feeling of my cousin's wrongs, North. The noble duke hath sworn, his coming is Boling. An offer, uncle, that we will accept. 9 It stands your grace upon, to do him right.] i. e. it is interest, it is matter of consequence to you. your York. It may be, I will go with you:-but yet I'll pause; For I am loath to break our country's laws. Nor friends, nor foes, to me welcome you are: Things past redress, are now with me past care. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Camp in Wales. Enter SALISBURY, and a Captain. Cap. My lord of Salisbury, we have staid ten days, And hardly kept our countrymen together, man; The king reposeth all his confidence In thee. Cap. 'Tis thought, the king is dead; we will not stay. The bay-trees in our country are all wither'd,1 [Exit. The bay-trees, &c.] This enumeration of prodigies is in the highest degree poetical and striking. JOHNSON. |