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my liege； for God's sake； let me in。 BOLINGBROKE。 What shrill…voic'd
suppliant makes this eager cry？ DUCHESS。 ＇Within＇ A woman； and thine
aunt； great King； 'tis I。 Speak with me； pity me； open the door。 A beggar
begs that never begg'd before。 BOLINGBROKE。 Our scene is alt'red from
a serious thing； And now chang'd to 'The Beggar and the King。' My
dangerous cousin； let your mother in。 I know she is come to pray for your
foul sin。 YORK。 If thou do pardon whosoever pray； More sins for this
forgiveness prosper may。 This fest'red joint cut off； the rest rest sound；
This let alone will all the rest confound。
Enter DUCHESS DUCHESS。 O King； believe not this hard…hearted
man！ Love loving not itself； none other can。 YORK。 Thou frantic woman；
what dost thou make here？ Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear？
DUCHESS。 Sweet York； be patient。 Hear me； gentle liege。 ＇Kneels＇
BOLINGBROKE。 Rise up； good aunt。 DUCHESS。 Not yet； I thee beseech。
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For ever will I walk upon my knees； And never see day that the happy sees
Till thou give joy； until thou bid me joy By pardoning Rutland； my
transgressing boy。 AUMERLE。 Unto my mother's prayers I bend my knee。
＇Kneels＇ YORK。 Against them both； my true joints bended be。 ＇Kneels＇ Ill
mayst thou thrive； if thou grant any grace！ DUCHESS。 Pleads he in
earnest？ Look upon his face； His eyes do drop no tears； his prayers are in
jest； His words come from his mouth； ours from our breast。 He prays but
faintly and would be denied； We pray with heart and soul； and all beside。
His weary joints would gladly rise； I know； Our knees still kneel till to the
ground they grow。 His prayers are full of false hypocrisy； Ours of true zeal
and deep integrity。 Our prayers do out…pray his； then let them have That
mercy which true prayer ought to have。 BOLINGBROKE。 Good aunt；
stand up。 DUCHESS。 do not say 'stand up'； Say 'pardon' first； and
afterwards 'stand up。' An if I were thy nurse； thy tongue to teach； 'Pardon'
should be the first word of thy speech。 I never long'd to hear a word till
now； Say 'pardon；' King； let pity teach thee how。 The word is short； but not
so short as sweet； No word like 'pardon' for kings' mouths so meet。 YORK。
Speak it in French； King； say 'pardonne moy。' DUCHESS。 Dost thou teach
pardon pardon to destroy？ Ah； my sour husband； my hard…hearted lord；
That sets the word itself against the word！ Speak 'pardon' as 'tis current in
our land； The chopping French we do not understand。 Thine eye begins to
speak； set thy tongue there； Or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear；
That hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce； Pity may move thee
'pardon' to rehearse。 BOLINGBROKE。 Good aunt； stand up。 DUCHESS。 I
do not sue to stand； Pardon is all the suit I have in hand。 BOLINGBROKE。
I pardon him； as God shall pardon me。 DUCHESS。 O happy vantage of a
kneeling knee！ Yet am I sick for fear。 Speak it again。 Twice saying 'pardon'
doth not pardon twain； But makes one pardon strong。 BOLINGBROKE。
With all my heart I pardon him。 DUCHESS。 A god on earth thou art。
BOLINGBROKE。 But for our trusty brother…in…law and the Abbot； With
all the rest of that consorted crew； Destruction straight shall dog them at
the heels。 Good uncle； help to order several powers To Oxford； or where'er
these traitors are。 They shall not live within this world； I swear； But I will
have them； if I once know where。 Uncle； farewell； and； cousin； adieu； Your
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mother well hath pray'd； and prove you true。 DUCHESS。 Come； my old
son； I pray God make thee new。 Exeunt
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KING RICHARD THE SECOND
SCENE 4。 Windsor Castle
Enter SIR PIERCE OF EXTON and a servant
EXTON。 Didst thou not mark the King； what words he spake？ 'Have
I no friend will rid me of this living fear？' Was it not so？ SERVANT。 These
were his very words。 EXTON。 'Have I no friend？' quoth he。 He spake it
twice And urg'd it twice together； did he not？ SERVANT。 He did。 EXTON。
And； speaking it； he wishtly look'd on me； As who should say 'I would
thou wert the man That would divorce this terror from my heart'； Meaning
the King at Pomfret。 Come； let's go。 I am the King's friend； and will rid his
foe。 Exeunt
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SCENE 5。 Pomfret Castle。 The dungeon of the
Castle
Enter KING RICHARD
KING RICHARD。 I have been studying how I may compare This
prison where I live unto the world And； for because the world is populous
And here is not a creature but myself； I cannot do it。 Yet I'll hammer it out。
My brain I'll prove the female to my soul； My soul the father； and these
two beget A generation of still…breeding thoughts； And these same
thoughts people this little world； In humours like the people of this world；
For no thought is contented。 The better sort； As thoughts of things divine；
are intermix'd With scruples； and do set the word itself Against the word；
As thus： 'Come； little ones'； and then again； 'It is as hard to come as for a
camel To thread the postern of a small needle's eye。' Thoughts tending to
ambition； they do plot Unlikely wonders： how these vain weak nails May
tear a passage through the flinty ribs Of this hard world； my ragged prison
walls； And； for they cannot； die in their own pride。 Thoughts tending to
content flatter themselves That they are not the first of fortune's slaves；
Nor shall not be the last； like silly beggars Who； sitting in the stocks；
refuge their shame； That many have and others must sit there； And in this
thought they find a kind of ease； Bearing their own misfortunes on the
back Of such as have before endur'd the like。 Thus play I in one person
many people； And none contented。 Sometimes am I king； Then treasons
make me wish myself a beggar； And so I am。 Then crushing penury
Persuades me I was better when a king； Then am I king'd again； and by
and by Think that I am unking'd by Bolingbroke； And straight am nothing。
But whate'er I be； Nor I； nor any man that but man is； With nothing shall
be pleas'd till he be eas'd With being nothing。 ＇The music plays＇ Music do
I hear？ Ha； ha！ keep time。 How sour sweet music is When time is broke
and no proportion kept！ So is it in the music of men's lives。 And here have
I the daintiness of ear To check time broke in a disorder'd string； But； for
the concord of my state and time； Had not an ear to hear my true time
broke。 I wasted time； and now doth time waste me； For now hath time
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made me his numb'ring clock： My thoughts are minutes； and with sighs
they jar Their watches on unto mine eyes； the outward watch； Whereto my
finger； like a dial's point； Is pointing still； in cleansing them from tears。
Now sir； the sound that tells what hour it is Are clamorous groans which
strike upon my heart； Which is the bell。 So sighs； and tears； and groans；
Show minutes； times； and hours； but my time Runs posting on in
Bolingbroke's proud joy； While I stand fooling here； his Jack of the clock。
This music mads me。 Let it sound no more； For though it have holp
madmen to their wits； In me it seems it will make wise men mad。 Yet
blessing on his heart that gives it me！ For 'tis a sign of love； and love to
Richard Is a strange brooch in this all…hating world。
Enter a GROOM of the stable
GROOM。 Hail； royal Prince！ KING RICHARD。 Thanks； noble peer！
The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear。 What art thou？ and how comest
thou hither； Where no man never comes but that sad dog That brings me
food to make misfortune live？ GROOM。 I was a poor groom of thy stable；
King； When thou wert king； who； travelling towards York； With much ado
at length have gotten leave To look upon my sometimes royal ma