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Richard II - Act 5, scene 3
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Richard II - Act 5, scene 3Act 5, scene 3
⌜Scene 3⌝
Synopsis:
Aumerle reaches King Henry and begs a pardon for an unnamed offence. The duke of York arrives and reveals the plot at Oxford and Aumerle’s part in it. The duchess arrives, and the three kneel to Henry, York begging for Aumerle’s death and the duchess and Aumerle begging the king’s mercy. The king pardons Aumerle and sends out forces to capture the other conspirators.
Enter the King with his Nobles.KING HENRY
2524 Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son?
2525 ’Tis full three months since I did see him last.
2526 If any plague hang over us, ’tis he.
2527 I would to God, my lords, he might be found.
2528 5 Inquire at London, ’mongst the taverns there,
2529 For there, they say, he daily doth frequent
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2530
With unrestrainèd loose companions,2531 Even such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes
2532 And beat our watch and rob our passengers,
2533 10 ⌜While⌝ he, young wanton and effeminate boy,
2534 Takes on the point of honor to support
2535 So dissolute a crew.
PERCY
2536 My lord, some two days since I saw the Prince,
2537 And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.
KING HENRY 2538 15And what said the gallant?
PERCY
2539 His answer was, he would unto the stews,
2540 And from the common’st creature pluck a glove
2541 And wear it as a favor, and with that
2542 He would unhorse the lustiest challenger.
KING HENRY
2543 20 As dissolute as desperate. Yet through both
2544 I see some sparks of better hope, which elder years
2545 May happily bring forth. But who comes here?
Enter Aumerle amazed.
AUMERLE 2546 Where is the King?
KING HENRY
2547 What means our cousin, that he stares and looks so
2548 25 wildly?
AUMERLE
2549 God save your Grace. I do beseech your Majesty
2550 To have some conference with your Grace alone.
KING HENRY, ⌜to his Nobles⌝
2551 Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.
⌜The Nobles exit.⌝
2552 What is the matter with our cousin now?
AUMERLE, ⌜kneeling⌝
2553 30 Forever may my knees grow to the earth,
2554 My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth,
2555 Unless a pardon ere I rise or speak.
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KING HENRY 2556 Intended or committed was this fault?
2557 If on the first, how heinous e’er it be,
2558 35 To win thy after-love I pardon thee.
AUMERLE, ⌜standing⌝
2559 Then give me leave that ⌜I⌝ may turn the key
2560 That no man enter till my tale be done.
KING HENRY 2561 Have thy desire.⌜Aumerle locks the door.⌝
The Duke of York knocks at the door and crieth.
YORK, ⌜within⌝
2562 My liege, beware! Look to thyself!
2563 40 Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Aumerle⌝ 2564 Villain, I’ll make thee safe.
⌜He draws his sword.⌝
AUMERLE
2565 Stay thy revengeful hand. Thou hast no cause to fear.
YORK, ⌜within⌝
2566 Open the door, secure, foolhardy king!
2567 Shall I for love speak treason to thy face?
2568 45 Open the door, or I will break it open.
⌜King Henry unlocks the door.⌝
⌜Enter York.⌝
KING HENRY 2569 What is the matter, uncle? Speak.
2570 Recover breath. Tell us how near is danger
2571 That we may arm us to encounter it.
YORK, ⌜giving King Henry a paper⌝
2572 Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know
2573 50 The treason that my haste forbids me show.
AUMERLE, ⌜to King Henry⌝
2574 Remember, as thou read’st, thy promise passed.
2575 I do repent me. Read not my name there.
2576 My heart is not confederate with my hand.
YORK
2577 It was, villain, ere thy hand did set it down.—
2578 55 I tore it from the traitor’s bosom, king.
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2579
Fear, and not love, begets his penitence.2580 Forget to pity him, lest thy pity prove
2581 A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.
KING HENRY
2582 O heinous, strong, and bold conspiracy!
2583 60 O loyal father of a treacherous son,
2584 Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain
2585 From whence this stream, through muddy passages,
2586 Hath held his current and defiled himself,
2587 Thy overflow of good converts to bad,
2588 65 And thy abundant goodness shall excuse
2589 This deadly blot in thy digressing son.
YORK
2590 So shall my virtue be his vice’s bawd,
2591 And he shall spend mine honor with his shame,
2592 As thriftless sons their scraping fathers’ gold.
2593 70 Mine honor lives when his dishonor dies,
2594 Or my shamed life in his dishonor lies.
2595 Thou kill’st me in his life: giving him breath,
2596 The traitor lives, the true man’s put to death.
DUCHESS, ⌜within⌝
2597 What ho, my liege! For God’s sake, let me in!
KING HENRY
2598 75 What ⌜shrill-voiced⌝ suppliant makes this eager cry?
DUCHESS, ⌜within⌝
2599 A woman and thy aunt, great king. ’Tis I.
2600 Speak with me, pity me. Open the door!
2601 A beggar begs that never begged before.
KING HENRY
2602 Our scene is altered from a serious thing
2603 80 And now changed to “The Beggar and the King.”—
2604 My dangerous cousin, let your mother in.
2605 I know she is come to pray for your foul sin.
⌜Aumerle opens the door.⌝
⌜Duchess of York enters and kneels.⌝
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YORK 2606 If thou do pardon whosoever pray,
2607 More sins for this forgiveness prosper may.
2608 85 This festered joint cut off, the rest rest sound.
2609 This let alone will all the rest confound.
DUCHESS
2610 O king, believe not this hard-hearted man.
2611 Love loving not itself, none other can.
YORK
2612 Thou frantic woman, what dost thou make here?
2613 90 Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear?
DUCHESS
2614 Sweet York, be patient.—Hear me, gentle liege.
KING HENRY
2615 Rise up, good aunt.
DUCHESS 2616 Not yet, I thee beseech.
2617 Forever will I walk upon my knees
2618 95 And never see day that the happy sees,
2619 Till thou give joy, until thou bid me joy
2620 By pardoning Rutland, my transgressing boy.
AUMERLE, ⌜kneeling⌝
2621 Unto my mother’s prayers I bend my knee.
YORK, ⌜kneeling⌝
2622 Against them both my true joints bended be.
2623 100 Ill mayst thou thrive if thou grant any grace.
DUCHESS
2624 Pleads he in earnest? Look upon his face.
2625 His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in jest;
2626 His words come from his mouth, ours from our
2627 breast.
2628 105 He prays but faintly and would be denied.
2629 We pray with heart and soul and all beside.
2630 His weary joints would gladly rise, I know.
2631 Our knees still kneel till to the ground they grow.
2632 His prayers are full of false hypocrisy,
2633 110 Ours of true zeal and deep integrity.
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2634
Our prayers do outpray his. Then let them have2635 That mercy which true prayer ought to have.
⌜KING HENRY⌝
2636 Good aunt, stand up.
DUCHESS 2637 Nay, do not say “stand up.”
2638 115 Say “pardon” first and afterwards “stand up.”
2639 An if I were thy nurse, thy tongue to teach,
2640 “Pardon” should be the first word of thy speech.
2641 I never longed to hear a word till now.
2642 Say “pardon,” king; let pity teach thee how.
2643 120 The word is short, but not so short as sweet.
2644 No word like “pardon” for kings’ mouths so meet.
YORK
2645 Speak it in French, king. Say “pardonne moy.”
DUCHESS
2646 Dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy?
2647 Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord,
2648 125 That sets the word itself against the word!
2649 ⌜To King Henry.⌝ Speak “pardon” as ’tis current in
2650 our land;
2651 The chopping French we do not understand.
2652 Thine eye begins to speak; set thy tongue there,
2653 130 Or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear,
2654 That, hearing how our plaints and prayers do
2655 pierce,
2656 Pity may move thee “pardon” to rehearse.
KING HENRY
2657 Good aunt, stand up.
DUCHESS 2658 135 I do not sue to stand.
2659 Pardon is all the suit I have in hand.
KING HENRY
2660 I pardon him, as God shall pardon me.
DUCHESS
2661 O, happy vantage of a kneeling knee!
2662 Yet am I sick for fear. Speak it again.
2663 140 Twice saying “pardon” doth not pardon twain,
2664 But makes one pardon strong.
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KING HENRY
2665
I pardon him with all my heart.DUCHESS 2666 A god on Earth thou art.
⌜They all stand.⌝
KING HENRY
2667 But for our trusty brother-in-law and the Abbot,
2668 145 With all the rest of that consorted crew,
2669 Destruction straight shall dog them at the heels.
2670 Good uncle, help to order several powers
2671 To Oxford or where’er these traitors are.
2672 They shall not live within this world, I swear,
2673 150 But I will have them, if I once know where.
2674 Uncle, farewell,—and cousin, adieu.
2675 Your mother well hath prayed; and prove you true.
DUCHESS, ⌜to Aumerle⌝
2676 Come, my old son. I pray God make thee new.
They exit.