Shakespeare's Henriad (Book 1-4). William Hazlitt
Servant with boots.]
DUCHESS.
Strike him, Aumerle. Poor boy, thou art amaz’d.
[To Servant.]
Hence, villain! never more come in my sight.
[Exit Servant.]
YORK.
Give me my boots, I say.
DUCHESS.
Why, York, what wilt thou do?
Wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own?
Have we more sons? or are we like to have?
Is not my teeming date drunk up with time?
And wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age
And rob me of a happy mother’s name?
Is he not like thee? Is he not thine own?
YORK.
Thou fond mad woman,
Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy?
A dozen of them here have ta’en the sacrament,
And interchangeably set down their hands
To kill the King at Oxford.
DUCHESS.
He shall be none;
We’ll keep him here: then what is that to him?
YORK.
Away, fond woman! were he twenty times my son
I would appeach him.
DUCHESS.
Hadst thou groan’d for him
As I have done, thou’dst be more pitiful.
But now I know thy mind: thou dost suspect
That I have been disloyal to thy bed
And that he is a bastard, not thy son:
Sweet York, sweet 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.]
DUCHESS.
After, Aumerle! Mount thee upon his horse;
Spur post, and get before him to the king,
And beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee.
I’ll not be long behind; though I be old,
I doubt not but to ride as fast as York:
And never will I rise up from the ground
Till Bolingbroke have pardon’d thee. Away! be gone.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE III.
Windsor. A room in the Castle.
[Enter BOLINGBROKE as King, HENRY PERCY, and other LORDS.]
BOLINGBROKE.
Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son?
‘Tis full three months since I did see him last.
If any plague hang over us, ‘tis he.
I would to God, my lords, he might be found.
Inquire at London, ‘mongst the taverns there,
For there, they say, he daily doth frequent
With unrestrained loose companions,
Even such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes
And beat our watch and rob our passengers;
Which he, young wanton and effeminate boy,
Takes on the point of honour to support
So dissolute a crew.
PERCY.
My lord, some two days since I saw the prince,
And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.
BOLINGBROKE.
And what said the gallant?
PERCY.
His answer was: he would unto the stews,
And from the common’st creature pluck a glove
And wear it as a favour; and with that
He would unhorse the lustiest challenger.
BOLINGBROKE.
As dissolute as desperate; yet through both
I see some sparks of better hope, which elder years
May happily bring forth. But who comes here?
[Enter AUMERLE.]
AUMERLE.
Where is the King?
BOLINGBROKE.
What means our cousin that he stares and looks
So wildly?
AUMERLE.
God save your Grace! I do beseech your majesty,
To have some conference with your Grace alone.
BOLINGBROKE.
Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.
[Exeunt HENRY PERCY and LORDS.]
What is the matter with our cousin now?
AUMERLE.
[Kneels.] For ever may my knees grow to the earth,
My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth,
Unless a pardon ere I rise or speak.
BOLINGBROKE.
Intended or committed was this fault?
If on the first, how heinous e’er it be,
To win thy after-love I pardon thee.
AUMERLE.
Then give me leave that I may turn the key,
That no man enter till my tale be done.
BOLINGBROKE.
Have thy desire.
[AUMERLE locks the door.]
YORK.
[Within.] My liege, beware! look to thyself;
Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.
BOLINGBROKE.
[Drawing.] Villain, I’ll make thee safe.
AUMERLE.
Stay thy revengeful hand; thou hast no cause to fear.
YORK.
[Within.] Open the door, secure, foolhardy king:
Shall I, for love, speak treason to thy face?
Open the door, or I will break it open.
[BOLINGBROKE unlocks the door; and afterwards, relocks it.]
[Enter YORK.]
BOLINGBROKE.
What is the matter, uncle? speak;
Recover breath; tell us how near is danger,
That we may arm us to encounter it.
YORK.
Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know
The treason that my haste forbids me show.
AUMERLE.