K. Rich. How high a pitch his resolution soars !— Nor. O, let my sovereign turn away his face, K. Rich. Mowbray, impartial are our eyes, and ears: Nor. Then, Bolingbroke, as low as to thy heart, Upon remainder of a dear account, Since last I went to France to fetch his queen : Now swallow down that lie.For Gloster's death, I slew him not; but to my own disgrace, Even in the best blood chamber'd in his bosom : [5] i. e. this reproach to his ancestry. STEEVENS. Your highness to assign our trial day. K. Rich. Wrath-kindled gentlemen, be rul'd by me; Let's purge this choler without letting blood: This we prescribe though no physician; Gaunt. When, Harry ? when? Obedience bids, I should not bid again. K. Rich. Norfolk, throw down; we bid; there is no boot.R Nor. Myself I throw, dread sovereign, at thy foot: K. Rich. Rage must be withstood. Give me his gage :-Lions make leopards tame. Nor. Yea, but not change their spots: take but my shame, And I resign my gage. (My dear dear lord, The purest treasure mortal times afford, in one ; In that I live, and for that will I die.) K. Rich. Cousin, throw down your gage; do you begin. [7] This obsolete exclamation of impatience is likewise found in Heywood's Silver Age, 1613. STEEVENS. [8] That is, no advantage, no use in delay or refusal. JOHNSON. [9] That is, my name that lives on my grave in despite of death. JOHNSON Boling. O, God defend my soul from such foul sin ! Where shame doth harbour, even in Mowbray's face. [Exit GAUNT. K. Rich. We were not born to sue, but to command: Which since we cannot do to make you friends, Be ready, as your lives shall answer it, At Coventry, upon Saint Lambert's day; There shall your swords and lances arbitrate The swelling difference of your settled hate; Since we cannot atone you, we shall see Justice design the victor's chivalry.' -Marshal, command our officers at arms Be ready to direct these home-alarms. The same. SCENE II. [Exeunt. A Room in the Duke of LANCASTER's Palace. Gaunt. Alas! the part I had in Gloster's blood3 Duch. Finds brotherhood in thee no sharper spur? [1] To design in our author's time signified to mark out. MALONE. (2) The Duchess of Gloster was Eleanor Bohun, widow of Duke Thomas, son of Edward III. WALPOLE. [3] That is, my relation of consanguinity to Gloster. HANMER One phial full of Edward's sacred blood, One flourishing branch of his most royal root,- Is hack'd down, and his summer leaves all faded, Ah, Gaunt! his blood was thine; that bed, that womb, Made him a man; and though thou liv'st, and breath'st, What shall I say? to safeguard thine own life, His deputy anointed in his sight, Hath caus'd his death: the which if wrongfully, An angry arm against his minister. Duch. Where then, alas! may I complain myself? Gaunt. To heaven, the widow's champion and defence. Duch. Why then, I will. Farewell, old Gaunt. Thou go'st to Coventry, there to behold Our cousin Hereford and fell Mowbray fight: O, sit my husband's wrongs on Hereford's spear, That it may enter butcher Mowbray's breast! Or, if misfortune miss the first career, Be Mowbray's sins so heavy in his bosom, That they may break his foaming courser's back, And throw the rider headlong in the lists, A caitiff recreant to my cousin Hereford! Farewell, old Gaunt; thy sometimes brother's wife. [4] Caitiff originally signified a Prisoner; next a Slave, from the condition of prisoners; then a Scoundrel, from the qualities of a slave. In this passage it partakes of all these significations. JOHNSON. I do not believe that Caitiff in our language ever signified a Prisoner. I take it to be derived, not from captif, but from chetiff, Fr. poor, miserable. TYRWHITT. With her companion grief must end her life. Duch. Yet one word more ;-Grief boundeth where it falls, Not with the empty hollowness, but weight: And what cheer there for welcome, but my groans? The last leave of thee takes my weeping eye. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Gosford Green, near Coventry. Lists set out, and a Throne. Heralds, &c. attending. Enter the Lord Marshal, and AUMERLE. 6 Mar. My lord Aumerle, is Harry Hereford arm'd? Aum. Yea, at all points; and longs to enter in. Mar. The duke of Norfolk, sprightfully and bold, Stays but the summons of the appellant's trumpet. Aum. Why then, the champions are prepar'd, and stay For nothing but his majesty's approach, Flourish of Trumpets. Enter King RICHARD, who takes his seat on his throne; GAUNT, and several Noblemen, who take their places. A Trumpet is sounded, and answered by another Trumpet within. Then enter NORFOLK in armour, preceded by a Herald. [5] Mowbray Duke of Norfolk was Earl Marshal of England; but being himself one of the combatants, the Duke of Surrey officiated as Earl Marshal for the day. MALONE. [6] Edward Duke of Aumerle, so created by his cousin german, King Richard II. in 1397. He was the eldest son of Edmund of Langley Duke of York, fifth son of Edward the Third, and was killed in 1415, at the battle of Agincourt. He officiated at the lists of Coventry, as High Constable of England. MALONE. |