YORK              Peruse this writing here and thou shalt know The treason that my haste forbids me show. AUMERLE      Remember as thou read’st thy promise passed, I do repent me, read not my name there, My heart is not confederate with my hand. YORK              It was, villain, ere thy hand did set it down. [To Bolingbroke] […]

The Duke of York knocks at the door and crieth YORK                          [within] My liege, beware, look to thyself. Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there. BOLINGBROKE          Villain, I’ll make thee safe. AUMERLE                  Stay thy revengeful hand, thou hast no cause to fear. YORK                          Open the door, secure foolhardy King. Shall I for love speak […]

AUMERLE                  For ever may my knees grow to the earth, My tongue cleave to the roof within my mouth, Unless a pardon ere I rise or speak. BOLINGBROKE          Intended or committed was this fault? If on the first, how heinous e’er it be To win thy after-love I pardon thee. AUMERLE                  Then give me leave […]

Enter Aumerle amazed AUMERLE                  Where is the King? BOLINGBROKE          What means our cousin that he stares and looks so wildly? AUMERLE                  God save your grace, I do beseech your majesty To have some conference with your grace alone. BOLINGBROKE          Withdraw yourselves and leave us here alone. [Exeunt Percy and the other lords] What is the […]

PERCY                        My lord, some two days since I saw the Prince And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford. BOLINGBROKE          And what said the gallant? PERCY                        His answer was he would unto the stews And from the common’st creature pluck a glove And wear it as a favour, and with that He would unhorse […]

Enter Bolingbroke with Percy and other lords BOLINGBROKE          Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son? ’Tis full three months since I did see him last. If any plague hang over us, ’tis he. I would to God, my lords, he might be found— Enquire at London ’mongst the taverns there, For there they […]

DUCHESS       But now I know thy mind: thou dost suspect That I have been disloyal to thy bed And that he is a bastard, not thy son. Sweet York, sweet husband, be not of that mind, He is as like thee as a man may be, Not like to me or any of my kin, […]

YORK              Thou fond mad woman, Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy? A dozen of them here have ta’en the sacrament And interchangeably set down their hands To kill the King at Oxford. DUCHESS                                           He shall be none. We’ll keep him here. Then what is that to him? YORK              Away fond woman! Were he twenty times […]

YORK              Give me my boots, I say. DUCHESS       Why, York, what wilt thou do? Wilt thou not hide the trespass of thine own? Have we more sons or are we like to have? Is not my teeming date drunk up with time, And wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age And rob me […]

DUCHESS       What is the matter, my lord? YORK              [calls offstage] Ho! Who is within there? Saddle my horse. God for his mercy, what treachery is here! DUCHESS       Why, what is it, my lord? YORK              Give me my boots, I say, saddle my horse. Now by mine honour, by my life, by my troth, I will […]