Busby. Thither will I with you: for little office
The hateful commons will perform for us;
Except, like curs, to tear us all in pieces.-
Will you go along with us?

Bagot. No; I'll to Ireland to his majesty.
Farewell if heart's prefages be not vain,

We three here part, that ne'er shall meet again.

Busby. That's as York thrives to beat back Bolingbroke. Green. Alas, poor duke! the task he undertakes Is-numb'ring fands, and drinking oceans dry; Where one on his fide fights, thousands will fly. Bushy. Farewell at once; for once, for all, and ever. Green. Well, we may meet again.

Bagot. I fear me, never.

SCENE III.

The Wilds in Gloftershire.

Enter Bolingbroke and Northumberland.

[Exeunt.

Boling. How far is it, my lord, to Berkley now?
North. Believe me, noble lord,

I am a stranger here in Glofterfhire.

These high wild hills, and rough uneven ways,
Draw out our miles, and make them wearifome:
And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar,
Making the hard way sweet and delectable.
But, I bethink, me, what a weary way,
From Ravenfpurg to Cotfwold, will be found.
In Rofs, and Willoughby, wanting your company;
Which, I proteft, hath very much beguil'd
The tediousness and procefs of my travel:
But theirs is fweeten'd with the hope to have
The prefens benefit that I poffefs:

And hope to joy, is little lefs in joy,

Than hope enjoy'd: by this, the weary lords
'Shall make their way seem short; as mine hath done
By fight of what I have, your noble company.
Boling. Of much less value is my company,
Than your good words. But who comes here?

Enter Harry Percy.

North. It is my fon, young Harry Percy,
Sent from my brother Worcester, whencefoever.-
Harry, how fares your uncle?

Percy. I had thought, my lord, to have learn'd his health of you.

North. Why, is he not with the queen ?

Percy. No, my good lord; he hath forfook the court, Broken his staff of office, and difpers'd

The houshold of the king.

North. What was his reafon ?

He was not so refolv'd, when laft we fpake together. Percy. Because your lordship was proclaimed traitor. But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurg,

To offer service to the duke of Hereford;

And sent me o'er by Berkley, to discover

What power the duke of York hath levy'd there;
Then with direction to repair to Ravenfpurg.

North. Have you forgot the duke of Hereford, boy? Percy. No, my good lord; for that is not forgot, Which ne'er I did remember: to my knowledge,

I never in my life did look on him.

North. Then learn to know him now; this is the duke.

Percy. My gracious lord, I tender you my fervice, Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young;

Which elder days fhall ripen, and confirm

To more approved fervice and defert.

Boling.

Boling. I thank thee, gentle Percy: and be fure, I count myself in nothing else so happy, As in a foul remembring my good friends; And, as my fortune ripens with thy love, It fhall be ftill thy true love's recompence: My heart this covenant makes, my hand thus feals it. North. How far is it to Berkley? And what ftir Keeps good old York there, with his men of war? Perry. There ftands the caftle, by yon tuft of trees, Mann'd with three hundred men, as I have heard: And in it are the lords of York, Berkley, and Seymour; None else of name, and noble estimate.

Enter Rofs and Willoughby.

North. Here come the lords of Rofs and Willoughby, Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with hafte.

Boling. Welcome, my lords: I wot, your love pursues A banish'd traitor; all my treasury

Is

yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enrich'd,

Shall be your love and labour's recompence.

Rofs. Your prefence makes us rich, most noble lord. Willo. And far furmounts our labour to attain it. Boling. Evermore thanks, the exchequer of the poor; Which, 'till my infant fortune comes to years, Stands for my bounty. But who comes here ?—

Enter Berkley,

North. It is my lord of Berkley, as I guess.

Berk. My lord of Hereford, my message is to you.
Boling. My lord, my anfwer is to Lancaster;

a

And I am come to feek that name in England :
And I must find that title in your tongue,

Before I make reply to aught you fay.

my answer is to Lancafter ;]-I anfwer to no name but Lancafter.

1

Berk. Mistake me not, my lord; 'tis not my meaning,
To raze one title of your honour out:-

To you, my lord, I come, (what lord you will)
From the moft glorious regent of this land,

The duke of York; to know, what pricks you on

b

To take advantage of the abfent time,

And fright our native peace with felf-born arms.

Enter York, attended.

Boling. I fhall not need transport my words by you; Here comes his grace in person.- My noble uncle!

[Kneels.

York. Shew me thy humble heart, and not thy knee, Whose duty is deceivable and falfe.

Boling. My gracious uncle!

York. Tut, tut!

Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle:
I am no traitor's uncle; and that word-grace,
In an ungracious mouth, is but prophane.
Why have those banish'd and forbidden legs
Dar'd once to touch a duft of England's ground?
But more then: Why? Why have they dar'd to march
So many miles upon her peaceful bofom;

Frighting her pale-fac'd villages with war,

с

And oftentation of defpifed arms?

Com'st thou because the anointed king is hence?

Why, foolish boy, the king is left behind,

And in my loyal bofom lies his power.

Were I but now the lord of fuch hot youth,

the abfent time,]—the king's abfence.

Self-born arms.]-born without commiffion.

But then more why; &c.—But more than why; &c.—But more than

this; why, &c.

• And oftentation of despised arms ?]-And boastful difplay of arms, which in my character of regent, I defpife.

As

As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myself,
Refcu'd the Black Prince, that young Mars of men,
From forth the ranks of many thousand French;
Oh, then, how quickly fhould this arm of mine,
Now prifoner to the palfy, chaftife thee,
And minifter correction to thy fault!

Boling. My gracious uncle, let me know my fault; 'In what condition ftands it, and wherein ?

York. Even in condition of the worst degree,

In grofs rebellion, and detefted treason:
Thou art a banifh'd man, and here art come,
Before the expiration of thy time,

In braving arms against thy fovereign.

Boling. As I was banifh'd, I was banish'd Hereford; But as I come, I come for Lancaster.

And, noble uncle, I befeech your grace,

h

Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye:
You are my father, for, methinks, in you
I fee old Gaunt alive; O, then, my father!
Will you permit that I fhall ftand condemn'd
A wand'ring vagabond; my rights and royalties
Pluck'd from my arms perforce, and given away
To upftart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born?
If that my cousin king be king of England,
It must be granted, I am duke of Lancaster.
You have a fon, Aumerle, my noble kinfman;
Had you first dy'd, and he been thus trod down,
He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father,
To roufe his wrongs, and chafe them to the bay.

In what condition]-In what degree of guilt.

with an indifferent eye:]-impartially.

Wherefore was I born?]-What avail high birth, and lineal fuc

ceffion?

wrongs,]-wrongers, fuch as had injured him: the metaphor is

taken from flag-hunting,