SCENE II. London. A Room in the Duke of YORK'S Palace. Enter YORK, and his Duchess". DUCH. My lord, you told me, you would tell the rest, When weeping made you break the story off At that sad stop, my lord, Where rude misgovern'd hands, from windows' tops, Threw dust and rubbish on king Richard's head. YORK. Then, as I said, the duke, great Bolingbroke, Mounted upon a hot and firy steed, Which his aspiring rider seem'd to know,- You would have thought the very windows spake, 7-and his DUCHESS.] The first wife of Edward Duke of York, was Isabella, the younger daughter and co-heir of Peter, king of Castle and Leon, called the Cruel. He married her in 1372, and by her he had the Duke of Aumerle, and all his other children. In introducing her in the scene in the present play, our poet has departed more widely from history than he has done in making Richard's queen sustain the part he has assigned to her; for Isabella of France, who, as has been already observed, was a child in 1398, he has introduced as a woman; but the Duchess of York he has summoned from the grave, for she died in the year 1394, four or five years before the commencement of the present play. After her death, the Duke of York married Joan, daughter of John Holland, Earl of Kent, who survived him about thirty-four years, and had afterwards three other husbands. MALONE. Through casements darted their desiring eyes DUCH. Alas, poor Richard! where rides he the while ? YORK. As in a theatre, the eyes of men, After a well-grac'd actor leaves the stage, Are idly bent on him that enters next, Thinking his prattle to be tedious: 1 Even so, or with much more contempt, men's eyes Did scowl on Richard; no man cried, God save him; No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home: 8 With PAINTED IMAG'RY, had SAID at once,] Our author probably was thinking of the painted clothes that were hung in the streets, in the pageants that were exhibited in his own time; in which the figures sometimes had labels issuing from their mouths, containing sentences of gratulation. MALONE. 9 As in a theatre, &c.]" The painting of this description (says Dryden, in his Preface to Troilus and Cressida,) is so lively, and the words so moving, that I have scarce read any thing comparable to it, in any other language." STEEVENS. Are idly bent-] That is, carelessly turned, thrown without attention. This the poet learned by his attendance and practice on the stage. JOHNSON, 2 His face still combating WITH TEARS AND SMILES, The badges of his grief and patience,] There is, I believe, no image which our poet more delighted in than this. So, in-a former scene of this play: "As a long-parted mother with her child, Plays fondly with her tears, and smiles in meeting." 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. aye allow. Enter AUMERLE. DUCH. Here comes my son Aumerle. YORK. Aumerle that was "; But that is lost, for being Richard's friend, And, madam, you must call him Rutland now: And lasting fealty to the new-made king. DUCH. Welcome, my son: Who are the violets now, "In drops of sorrow." Again, in Coriolanus: "Where senators shall mingle tears with smiles." Again, in The Tempest: 66 I am a fool "To weep at what I am glad of.” So, also, Drayton, in his Mortimeriados, 4to. 1596: "With thy sweete kisses so them both beguile, "Untill they smiling weep, and weeping smile." MALONE. 3 AUMERLE that was ;] The Dukes of Aumerle, Surrey, and Exeter, were, by an act of Henry's first parliament, deprived of their dukedoms, but were allowed to retain their earldoms of Rutland, Kent, and Huntingdon. Holinshed, p. 513, 514. STEEVENS. That strew the green lap of the new-come spring*? AUм. 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 * 6? AUM. For aught I know, my lord, they do. AUM. If God prevent it not; I purpose so. YORK. What seal is that, that hangs without thy Yea, look'st thou pale? let me see the writing. YORK. No matter then who sees it : I will be satisfied, let me see the writing. * Quartos, do these justs and triumphs hold? ♦ That strew the GREEN LAP of the new-come spring ?] So, in Milton's Song on May Morning: who from her green lap throws "The yellow cowslip, and the pale primrose." STEEVENS. S bear you well-] That is, conduct yourself with pru lence. JOHNSON. 6justs and TRIUMPHS?] Triumphs are shows, such as masks, revels, &c. So, in The Third Part of King Henry VI. Act V. Sc. VII. : "Such as befit the pleasures of the court?" STEEVENS. 7 What seal is that, that hangs without thy bosom ?] The seals of deeds were formerly impressed on slips or labels of parchment appendant to them. MALONE. 8 Yea, look'st thou pale? let me see the writing.] Such harsh and defective lines as this, are probably corrupt, and might be easily supplied, but that it would be dangerous to let conjecture loose on such slight occasions. JOHNSON. Perhaps, like many other speeches in this scene, it was not intended for verse. MALONE, AUM. 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,—— DUCH. What should you fear? "Tis nothing but some bond that he is enter'd 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.- AUM. 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! DUCH. What is the matter, my lord? YORK. Ho! who is within there? [Enter a Ser- God for his mercy! what treachery is here! YORK. Give me my boots, I say; saddle my horse: Now by mine honour, by my life, by my troth, I will appeach the villain. DUCH. YORK. Peace, foolish woman. Exit Servant. What's the matter? DUCH. I will not peace :-What is the matter, son ? AUM. Good mother, be content; it is no more Than my poor life must answer. DUCH. Thy life answer! Re-enter Servant with Boots. YORK. Bring me my boots, I will unto the king, |