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his grief and patience； That had not God； for some strong purpose； steel'd
The hearts of men； they must perforce have melted； And barbarism itself
have pitied him。 But heaven hath a hand in these events； To whose high
will we bound our calm contents。 To Bolingbroke are we sworn subjects
now； Whose state and honour I for aye allow。 DUCHESS。 Here comes my
son Aumerle。 YORK。 Aumerle that was But that is lost for being Richard's
friend； And madam； you must call him Rudand now。 I am in Parliament
pledge for his truth And lasting fealty to the new…made king。
Enter AUMERLE
DUCHESS。 Welcome； my son。 Who are the violets now That strew
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the green lap of the new come spring？ AUMERLE。 Madam； I know not；
nor I greatly care not。 God knows I had as lief be none as one。 YORK。
Well； bear you well in this new spring of time； Lest you be cropp'd before
you come to prime。 What news from Oxford？ Do these justs and triumphs
hold？ AUMERLE。 For aught I know； my lord； they do。 YORK。 You will
be there； I know。 AUMERLE。 If God prevent not； I purpose so。 YORK。
What seal is that that without thy bosom？ Yea； look'st thou pale？ Let me
see the writing。 AUMERLE。 My lord； 'tis nothing。 YORK。 No matter； then；
who see it。 I will be satisfied； let me see the writing。 AUMERLE。 I do
beseech your Grace to pardon me； It is a matter of small consequence
Which for some reasons I would not have seen。 YORK。 Which for some
reasons； sir； I mean to see。 I fear； I fear… DUCHESS。 What should you fear？
'Tis nothing but some bond that he is ent'red into For gay apparel 'gainst
the triumph…day。 YORK。 Bound to himself！ What doth he with a bond
That he is bound to？ Wife； thou art a fool。 Boy； let me see the writing。
AUMERLE。 I do beseech you； pardon me； I may not show it。 YORK。 I
will be satisfied； let me see it； I say。 ＇He plucks it out of his bosom； and
reads it＇ Treason； foul treason！ Villain！ traitor！ slave！ DUCHESS。 What is
the matter； my lord？ YORK。 Ho！ who is within there？
Enter a servant
Saddle my horse。 God for his mercy； what treachery is here！
DUCHESS。 Why； York； what is it； my lord？ YORK。 Give me my boots； I
say； saddle my horse。 Exit servant Now； by mine honour； by my life； my
troth； I will appeach the villain。 DUCHESS。 What is the matter？ YORK。
Peace； foolish woman。 DUCHESS。 I will not peace。 What is the matter；
Aumerle？ AUMERLE。 Good mother； be content； it is no more Than my
poor life must answer。 DUCHESS。 Thy life answer！ YORK。 Bring me my
boots。 I will unto the King。
His man enters with his boots
DUCHESS。 Strike him； Aumerle。 Poor boy； thou art amaz'd。 Hence；
villain！ never more come in my sight。 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
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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
wouldst 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
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE 3。 Windsor Castle
Enter BOLINGBROKE as King； 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 amazed
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 PERCY and LORDS What is the matter with our cousin
now？ AUMERLE。 For ever 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。 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。 ＇The DUKE
OF YORK knocks at the door and crieth＇ 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
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thy face？ Open the door； or I will break it open。
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。 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。 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。 BOLINGBROKE。 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。 So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd； And he shall
spend mine honour with his shame； As thriftless sons their scraping
fathers' gold。 Mine honour lives when his dishonour dies； Or my sham'd
life in his dishonour lies。 Thou kill'st me in his life； giving him breath； The
traitor lives； the true man's put to death。 DUCHESS。 ＇Within＇ I What ho；
my liege； for God's sake； let me in。 BOLINGBROKE。 What shrill…vo