King Richard II
Act V, Scene 3
A royal palace.
Byam Shaw, 1901
- Enter the King Henry with his nobles Percy and other Lords.
King Henry IV
1 - 12- 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 honor to support
- So dissolute a crew.
Percy
13 - 14- My lord, some two days since I saw the Prince,
- And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.
King Henry IV
15- And what said the gallant?
Percy
16 - 19- His answer was, he would unto the stews,
- And from the common’st creature pluck a glove
- And wear it as a favor, and with that
- He would unhorse the lustiest challenger.
King Henry IV
20 - 22- 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 amazed.
Aumerle
23- Where is the King?
King Henry IV
24 - 25- What means our cousin, that he stares and looks
- So wildly?
Aumerle
26 - 27- God save your Grace! I do beseech your Majesty,
- To have some conference with your Grace alone.
King Henry IV
28 - 29- Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.
- Exeunt Percy and Lords.
- What is the matter with our cousin now?
Aumerle
30 - 32- Forever 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.
King Henry IV
33 - 35- 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
36 - 37- Then give me leave that I may turn the key,
- That no man enter till my tale be done.
King Henry IV
38- Have thy desire.
- Aumerle locks the door. The Duke of York knocks at the door
- and crieth.
York
39 - 40- Within.
- My liege, beware! Look to thyself,
- Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.
King Henry IV
41- Villain, I’ll make thee safe.
- Draws.
Aumerle
42- Stay thy revengeful hand, thou hast no cause to fear.
York
43 - 45- 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.
- King Henry unlocks the door.
- Enter York.
King Henry IV
46 - 48- What is the matter, uncle? Speak,
- Recover breath, tell us how near is danger
- That we may arm us to encounter it.
York
49 - 50- Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know
- The treason that my haste forbids me show.
Aumerle
51 - 53- Remember, as thou read’st, thy promise pass’d.
- I do repent me, read not my name there,
- My heart is not confederate with my hand.
York
54 - 58- It was, villain, ere thy hand did set it down.
- I tore it from the traitor’s bosom, King;
- Fear, and not love, begets his penitence.
- Forget to pity him, lest thy pity prove
- A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.
King Henry IV
59 - 66- O heinous, strong, and bold conspiracy!
- O loyal father of a treacherous son!
- Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain,
- From whence this stream through muddy passages
- Hath held his current and defil’d himself!
- Thy overflow of good converts to bad,
- And thy abundant goodness shall excuse
- This deadly blot in thy digressing son.
York
67 - 73- So shall my virtue be his vice’s bawd,
- An’ he shall spend mine honor with his shame,
- As thriftless sons their scraping fathers’ gold.
- Mine honor lives when his dishonor dies,
- Or my sham’d life in his dishonor lies:
- Thou kill’st me in his life; giving him breath,
- The traitor lives, the true man’s put to death.
Duchess of York
74- Within.
- What ho, my liege! For God’s sake let me in.
King Henry IV
75- What shrill-voic’d suppliant makes this eager cry?
Duchess of York
76 - 78- Within.
- A woman, and thy aunt, great King, ’tis I.
- Speak with me, pity me, open the door!
- A beggar begs that never begg’d before.
King Henry IV
79 - 82- Our scene is alt’red from a serious thing,
- And now chang’d to “The Beggar and the King.”
- My dangerous cousin, let your mother in,
- I know she is come to pray for your foul sin.
York
83 - 86- If thou do pardon, whosoever pray,
- More sins for this forgiveness prosper may.
- This fest’red joint cut off, the rest rest sound,
- This let alone will all the rest confound.
- Enter Duchess of York.
Forever may my knees grow to the earth
Jean Marie Delattre; John Bell, publisher; Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg; circa 1786
Duchess of York
87 - 88- O King, believe not this hard-hearted man!
- Love loving not itself, none other can.
York
89 - 90- Thou frantic woman, what dost thou make here?
- Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear?
Duchess of York
91- Sweet York, be patient. Hear me, gentle liege.
- Kneels.
King Henry IV
92- Rise up, good aunt.
Duchess of York
93 - 97- Not yet, I thee beseech.
- Forever will I walk upon my knees,
- And never see day that the happy sees,
- Till thou give joy, until thou bid me joy
- By pardoning Rutland, my transgressing boy.
Aumerle
98- Unto my mother’s prayers I bend my knee.
- Kneels.
York
99 - 100- Against them both my true joints bended be.
- Kneels.
- Ill mayst thou thrive if thou grant any grace!
Duchess of York
101 - 111- Pleads he in earnest? Look upon his face:
- His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in jest,
- His words come from his mouth, ours from our breast;
- He prays but faintly, and would be denied,
- We pray with heart and soul, and all beside;
- His weary joints would gladly rise, I know,
- Our knees still kneel till to the ground they grow;
- His prayers are full of false hypocrisy,
- Ours of true zeal and deep integrity;
- Our prayers do outpray his, then let them have
- That mercy which true prayer ought to have.
King Henry IV
112- Good aunt, stand up.
Duchess of York
113 - 120- Nay, do not say “stand up”;
- Say “pardon” first, and afterwards “stand up.”
- And if I were thy nurse, thy tongue to teach,
- “Pardon” should be the first word of thy speech.
- I never long’d to hear a word till now,
- Say “pardon,” King, let pity teach thee how.
- The word is short, but not so short as sweet,
- No word like “pardon” for kings’ mouths so meet.
York
121- Speak it in French, King, say “pardonne moy.”
Duchess of York
122 - 130- Dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy?
- Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord,
- That sets the word itself against the word!
- Speak “pardon” as ’tis current in our land,
- The chopping French we do not understand.
- Thine eye begins to speak, set thy tongue there;
- Or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear,
- That hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce,
- Pity may move thee “pardon” to rehearse.
King Henry IV
131- Good aunt, stand up.
Duchess of York
132 - 133- I do not sue to stand;
- Pardon is all the suit I have in hand.
King Henry IV
134- I pardon him as God shall pardon me.
Duchess of York
135 - 138- O happy vantage of a kneeling knee!
- Yet am I sick for fear, speak it again,
- Twice saying “pardon” doth not pardon twain,
- But makes one pardon strong.
King Henry IV
139 - 140- With all my heart
- I pardon him.
Duchess of York
141- A god on earth thou art.
King Henry IV
142 - 150- But for our trusty brother-in-law and the abbot,
- With all the rest of that consorted crew,
- Destruction straight shall dog them at the heels.
- Good uncle, help to order several powers
- To Oxford, or where e’er these traitors are.
- They shall not live within this world, I swear,
- But I will have them if I once know where.
- Uncle, farewell, and, cousin, adieu!
- Your mother well hath pray’d, and prove you true.
Duchess of York
151- Come, my old son, I pray God make thee new.
- Exeunt.
My liege, beware! Look to thyself,
Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.
Edmond of Langley, Duke of York
R. Clamp; E. & S. Harding, publisher; Sylvester Harding; 1793