And those his golden beams, to you here lent, K. Rich. Norfolk, for thee remains a heavier doom, Which I with some unwillingness pronounce : Nor. A heavy sentence, my most sovereign liege, And all unlook'd for from your highness' mouth: A dearer merit, not so deep a maim As to be cast forth in the common air, That knows no touch to tune the harmony, Is made my gaoler to attend on me. What is thy sentence, then, but speechless death, Nor. Then thus I turn me from my country's light, To dwell in solemn shades of endless night. [Retiring. K. Rich. Return again, and take an oath with thee. Lay on our royal sword your banish'd hands ; (Our part therein we banish with yourselves,) To keep the oath that we administer : You never shall, (so help your truth and heaven!) Nor never look upon each other's face; Nor never by advised purpose meet, To plot, contrive, or complot any ill, 'Gainst us, our state, our subjects, or our land. Boling. I swear. Nor. And I, to keep all this. Boling. Norfolk, so far as to mine enemy; — Nor. No, Bolingbroke; if ever I were traitor, [Exit. K. Rich. Uncle, even in the glasses of thine eyes I see thy grieved heart, thy sad aspéct Hath from the number of his banish'd years Pluck'd four away; Six frozen winters spent, Return [to BOLING.] with welcome home from banishment. Boling. How long a time lies in one little word! Four lagging winters, and four wanton springs, End in a word; such is the breath of kings. Gaunt. I thank my liege, that in regard of me, He shortens four years of my son's exile: But little vantage shall I reap thereby ; For, ere the six years that he hath to spend, Can change their moons, and bring their times about, My oil-dried lamp, and time bewasted light, K. Rich. Why, uncle, thou hast many years to live. Shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow, age, Thy word is current with him for my death; sour. gave ; You urg'd me as a judge; but I had rather, To smooth his fault, I should have been more mild: And in the sentence my own like destroy'd. Six years we banish him, and he shall go. [Flourish. Exeunt K. RICHARD and Train. • Had a part or share. 9 Reproach of partiality. Aum. Cousin, farewell: what presence must not know, From where you do remain let paper show. Mar. My Lord, no leave take I; for I will ride, As far as land will let me, by your side. Gaunt. O, to what purpose dost thou hoard thy words, That thou return'st no greeting to thy friends? you, Gaunt. Thy grief is but thy absence for a time. Boling. Joy absent, grief is present for that time. Gaunt. What is six winters? they are quickly gone. Boling. To men in joy; but grief makes one hour ten. Gaunt. Call it a travel that thou tak'st for plea sure. Boling. My heart will sigh, when I miscall it so, Which finds it an enforced pilgrimage. Gaunt. The sullen passage of thy weary steps Esteem a foil, wherein thou art to set The precious jewel of thy home-return. Boling. Nay, rather, every tedious stride I make Having my freedom, boast of nothing else, Gaunt. All places that the eye of heaven visits, There is no virtue like necessity. Think not the king did banish thee; But thou the king: Woe doth the heavier sit, Go, say I sent thee forth to purchase honour, And not the king exíl'd thee: or suppose, Devouring pestilence hangs in our air, The grass whereon thou tread'st, the presence 1 strew'd; The flowers, fair ladies; and thy steps, no more For Or wallow naked in December snow, Had I thy youth, and cause, I would not stay. Boling. Then, England's ground, farewell; sweet soil, adieu; My mother, and my nurse, that bears me yet! 1 Presence chamber at court. [Exeunt. 2 Growling. |