Come, make him stand upon this molehill here, And made a preachment of your high descent? Or, with the rest, where is your darling Rutland? I give thee this to dry thy cheeks withal. I pr'ythee, grieve, to make me merry, York; [Putting a paper crown on his head. Ay, marry, sirs, now looks he like a king! 5 Kaught is the old preterite of the verb to reach. 6 Napkin and handkerchief were used interchangeably. Ay, this is he that took King Henry's chair; But how is it that great Plantagenet Is crown'd so soon, and broke his solemn oath? Till our King Henry had shook hands with death. Now in his life, against your holy oath? O, 'tis a fault too-too unpardonable ! Off with the crown, and, with the crown, his head; Queen. Nay, stay; let's hear the orisons he makes. York. She-wolf of France, but worse than wolves of France, Whose tongue more poisons than the adder's tooth! How ill-beseeming is it in thy sex To triumph, like an Amazonian trull, Upon their woes whom fortune captivates ! I would assay, proud Queen, to make thee blush: Were shame enough to shame thee, wert not shameless. Yet not so wealthy as an English yeoman. Hath that poor monarch taught thee to insult? Unless the adage must be verified, That beggars mounted run their horse' to death. 7 To pale is to encircle or encompass, as with palings; here, of course, to impale with a crown. 'Tis beauty that doth oft make women proud; As the Antipodes are unto us, Or as the South to the Septentrion. O tiger's heart wrapp'd in a woman's hide! How couldst thou drain the life-blood of the child, And yet be seen to bear a woman's face? Women are soft, mild, pitiful, and flexible; Thou stern, obdúrate, flinty, rough, remorseless. Bidd'st thou me rage? why, now thou hast thy wish ; And when the rage allays, the rain begins. 'Gainst thee, fell Clifford, and thee, false Frenchwoman. That hardly can I check my eyes from tears. York. That face of his the hungry cannibals Would not have touch'd, would not have stain'd with blood: But you are more inhuman, more inexorable, O, ten times more, — than tigers of Hyrcania. See, ruthless Queen, a hapless father's tears : 8 Government here means orderly behaviour, forbearance, self-control. So in 1 King Henry IV., iii. 1: "Defect of manners, want of government, pride, haughtiness, opinion, and disdain," &c. Keep thou the napkin, and go boast of this: [Giving back the handkerchief. And, if thou tell'st the heavy story right, Yea, even my foes will shed fast-falling tears, And say, Alas, it was a piteous deed! There, take the crown, and, with the crown, my curse; [Giving back the paper crown. And in thy need such comfort come to thee Hard-hearted Clifford, take me from the world : I should not for my life but weep with him, To see how inly sorrow gripes his soul. Queen. What, weeping-ripe, my Lord Northumberland? Think but upon the wrong he did us all, And that will quickly dry thy melting tears. Clif. Here's for my oath, here's for my father's death. [Stabbing him. Queen. And here's to right our gentle-hearted King. [Stabbing him. York. Open Thy gate of mercy, gracious God! My soul flies through these wounds to seek out Thee. [Dies. Queen. Off with his head, and set it on York gates ; So York may overlook the town of York. [Flourish. Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.—A Plain near Mortimer's Cross in Hereford shire. Drums. Enter EDWARD and Richard, with their Forces, marching. Edw. I wonder how our princely father 'scaped, Or whether he be 'scaped away or no From Clifford's and Northumberland's pursuit : Had he been ta’en, we should have heard the news; How fares my brother? why is he so sad? Rich. I cannot joy, until I be resolved Or as a bear, encompass'd round with dogs, - So fled his enemies my warlike father : 1 Neat properly means horned cattle; from a Saxon word signifying to butt or strike with the horn. Still used so in "neat's-tallow and "neat'soil." |