The Complete Historical Plays of William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare
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Welcome, my son: who are the violets now
That strew 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? hold those justs and triumphs?
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.
[Snatches it and reads.]
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, what is it, my lord?
YORK.
Give me my boots, I say; saddle my horse.
Now, by mine honour, by my life, my troth,
I will appeach the villain.
[Exit Servant.]
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.
[Re-enter 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.