And those his golden beams, to you here lent, K. Rich. Norfolk, for thee remains a heavier Which I with some unwillingness pronounce: Nor. A heavy sentence, my most sovereign liege, As to be cast forth in the common air, Or like a cunning instrument cas'd up, That knows no touch to tune the harmony. 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 you truth and heaven!) Nor never look upon each other's face; 'Gainst us, our state, our subjects, or our land. Nor. And I, to keep all this. Boling. Norfolk, so far as to mine enemy ; — Nor. No, Bolingbroke; if ever I were traitor, My name be blotted from the book of life, And I from heaven banish'd, as from hence! But what thou art, heaven, thou, and I do know; And all too soon, I fear, the king shall rue. Farewell, my liege : - Now no way can I stray; Save back to England, all the world's my way. [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 exíle : 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, Shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow, Thy word is current with him for my death; K. Rich. Thy son is banish'd upon good advice; sour. You urg'd me as a judge; but I had rather, Six K. Rich. Cousin, farewell :- and, uncle, bid him So, years we banish him, and he shall go. [Flourish. Exeunt K. RICHARD and Train. 8. Had a part or share. 9 Reproach of partiality. Aum. Cousin, farewell: what presence must not know, From where you do remain let paper shew. 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? Gaunt. Thy grief is but thy absence for a time. gone. Boling. To men in joy; but grief makes one hour ten. Gaunt. Call it a travel that thou tak'st for pleasure. Boling. My heart will sigh, when I miscall it so, Which finds it an enforced pilgrimage. Gaunt. The sullen passage of thy weary steps Boling. Nay, rather, every tedious stride I make Will but remember me what a deal of world I wander from the jewels that I love. Having my freedom, boast of nothing else, Gaunt. All places that the eye of heaven visits, Are to a wise man ports and happy havens : Teach thy necessity to reason thus ; 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, Devouring pestilence hangs in our air, The grass whereon thou tread'st, the presence' strew'd; The flowers, fair ladies; and thy steps, no more Than a delightful measure, or a dance: 2 For gnarling sorrow hath less power to bite 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! [Exeunt. I Presence chamber at court. 2 Growling. |