YORK. God for his mercy! what a tide of woes Comes rushing on this woeful land at once! I know not what to do:-I would to God, (So my untruth' had not provok'd him to it,) The king had cut off my head with my brother's.2What, are there posts despatch'd for Ireland?3. How shall we do for money for these wars?— Come, sister, cousin, I would say: pray, pardon me. -- Go, fellow, [To the Servant.] get thee home, provide some carts, And bring away the armour that is there. [Exit Servant. Gentlemen, will you go muster men? if I know How, or which way, to order these affairs, Thus thrust disorderly into my hands, Never believe me. Both are my kinsmen ;The one's my sovereign, whom both my oath And duty bids defend; the other again, Is my kinsman, whom the king hath wrong'd;5 Whom conscience and my kindred bids to right. untruth-] That is, disloyalty, treachery. JOHNSON. 2 The king had cut off my head with my brother's.] None of York's brothers had his head cut off, either by the King or any one else. The Duke of Gloster, to whose death he probably alludes, was secretly murdered at Calais, being smothered between two beds. RITSON. 3 What, are there posts despatch'd for Ireland?] Thus the folio. The quartos two posts and no posts. STEEVENS. • Come, sister,-cousin, I would say:] This is one of Shakspeare's touches of nature. York is talking to the Queen his cousin, but the recent death of his sister is uppermost in his mind. STEEVENS. * Is my kinsman, whom the king hath wrong'd;] Sir T. Hanmer has completed this defective line, by reading: My kinsman is, one whom the king hath wrong'd. STEEVENS. Well, somewhat we must do.-Come, cousin, I'll But time will not permit :-All is uneven, [Exeunt YORK and Queen. BUSHY. The wind sits fair for news to go to Ireland, But none returns. For us to levy power, GREEN. Besides, our nearness to the king in love, Is near the hate of those love not the king. BAGOT. And that's the wavering commons: for their love Lies in their purses; and whoso empties them, BAGOT. If judgment lie in them, then so do we, Because we ever have been near the king. GREEN. Well, I'll for refuge straight to Bristol castle; The earl of Wiltshire is already there. BUSHY. Thither will I with you: for little office The hateful commons will perform for us; Except like curs to tear us all to pieces.Will you go along with us? BAGOT. NO; I'll to Ireland to his majesty. Farewell if heart's presages be not vain, We three here part, that ne'er shall meet again. BUSHY. That's as York thrives to beat back Bolingbroke. GREEN. Alas, poor duke! the task he undertakes Is-numb'ring sands, and drinking oceans dry; Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly. BUSHY. Farewell at once; for once, for all, and BOLING. How far is it, my lord, to Berkley now? NORTH. Believe me, noble lord, I am a stranger here in Glostershire. These high wild hills, and rough uneven ways, From Ravenspurg to Cotswold, will be found 6 wanting your company; Which, I protest, hath very much beguil'd The tediousness and process of my travel:] So, in King Leir, 1605: "Thy pleasant company will make the way seem short." MALONE. SC. III. HARD But theirs is sweeten'd with the hope to have 73 Than hope enjoy'd: by this the weary lords Enter HARRY PERCY. NORTH. It is my son, young Harry Percy, Sent from my brother Worcester, whencesoever.Harry, how fares your uncle? PERCY. I had thought, my lord, to have learn'd his health of you. NORTH. Why, is he not with the queen? PERCY. No, my good lord; he hath forsook the court, Broken his staff of office, and dispers'd The household of the king. NORTH. What was his reason? He was not so resolv'd, when last we spake toge ther.8 PERCY. Because your lordship was proclaimed traitor. "And hope to joy,] To joy is, I believe, here used as a verb. So, in the second Act of King Henry IV. P. I: "Poor fellow never joy'd since the price of oats rose." Again, in K. Henry VI. P. II. Act IV. sc. 9: "Was ever king, that joy'd on earthly throne-." The word is again used with the same signification in the play before us. MALONE. He was not so resolv'd, when last we spake together.] i. e. conversed: together is an interpolation sufficiently evident from the redundancy of the metre. STEEVENS. But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurg, NORTH. Have you forgot the duke of Hereford, boy? PERCY. No, my good lord; for that is not forgot, Which ne'er I did remember: to my knowledge, I never in my life did look on him. NORTH. Then learn to know him now; this is the duke. PERCY. My gracious lord, I tender you my ser vice, Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young; BOLING. I thank thee, gentle Percy; and be sure, NORTH. How far is it to Berkley? And what stir Keeps good old York there, with his men of war? PERCY. There stands the castle, by yon tuft of trees, Mann'd with three hundred men, as I have heard: And in it are the lords of York, Berkley, and Sey mour; None else of name, and noble estimate. |