Page 2890 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

Or bend one wrinkle on my sovereign’s face. [170]
I am the last of noble Edward’s sons,
Of whom thy father, Prince of Wales, was first.
In war was never lion rag’d more fierce,
In peace was never gentle lamb more mild
Than was that young and princely gentleman. [175]
His face thou hast; for even so look’d he
Accomplished with the number of thy hours;
But when he frown’d it was against the French,
And not against his friends. His noble hand
Did win what he did spend, and spent not that [180]
Which his triumphant father’s hand had won.
His hands were guilty of no kindred blood,
But bloody with the enemies of his kin.
O, Richard! York is too far gone with grief,
Or else he never would compare between. [185]

RICHARD

Why, uncle, what’s the matter?

Y ORK

O, my liege,
Pardon me if you please. If not, I, pleased
Not to be pardoned, am content withal.
Seek you to seize and grip into your hands
The royalties and rights of banish’d Hereford? [190]
Is not Gaunt dead? And doth not Hereford live?
Was not Gaunt just? And is not Harry true?
Did not the one deserve to have an heir?
Is not his heir a well-deserving son?
Take Hereford’s rights away, and take from time [195]
His charters and his customary rights.
Let not tomorrow then ensue today.
Be not thyself; for how art thou a king
But by fair sequence and succession?
Now afore God - God forbid I say true - [200]
If you do wrongfully seize Hereford’s rights,
Call in the letters patents that he hath
By his attorneys general to sue
His livery, and deny his offer’d homage,
You pluck a thousand dangers on your head, [205]