Trembling even at the name of Mortimer. claim'd, Was he not pro By Richard that dead is, the next of blood? From whence he, intercepted, did return, To be deposed, and, shortly, murdered. Wor. And for whose death, we, in the world's wide mouth, Live scandalised, and foully spoken of. Hot. But, soft, I pray you. Did king Richard then Proclaim my brother Edmund Mortimer Heir to the crown? North. He did; myself did hear it. Hot. Nay, then I cannot blame his cousin king, That wish'd him on the barren mountains starved. But shall it be, that you,-that set the crown Upon the head of this forgetful man, And, for his sake, wear the detested blot Of murderous subornation ;-shall it be, That you a world of curses undergo; Being the agents, or base second means, The cords, the ladder, or the hangman rather?— O, pardon me, that I descend so low, To show the line, and the predicament, Wherein you range under this subtle king. Shall it, for shame, be spoken in these days, Or fill up chronicles in time to come, Wor. deaths. Peace, cousin; say no more: And now I will unclasp a secret book, Hot. If he fall in, good night!-or sink or swim : Send Danger from the east unto the west, So Honor cross it from the north to south, 1 Disdainful. And let them grapple.-O! the blood more stirs, To rouse a lion, than to start a hare. North. Imagination of some great exploit Drives him beyond the bounds of patience. Hot. By heaven, methinks, it were an easy leap, To pluck bright Honor from the pale-faced moon; Or dive into the bottom of the deep, Where fathom-line could never touch the ground, But out upon this half-faced fellowship! 1 Wor. He apprehends a world of figures 1 here, But not the form of what he should attend. Good cousin, give me audience for awhile. Hot. I cry you mercy. Wor. That are your prisoners, Hot. Those same noble Scots, I'll keep them all : By heaven, he shall not have a Scot of them; Wor. You start away, And lend no ear unto my purposes. Those prisoners you shall keep. Hot. Nay, I will; that's flat : He said, he would not ransom Mortimer; 1 Shapes created by his imagination. But I will find him when he lies asleep, Nay, I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak Wor. Hear you, cousin; a word. Hot. All studies here I solemnly defy,1 And would be glad he met with some mischance, North. Why, what a wasp-tongue and impatient fool Art thou, to break into this woman's mood; Tying thine ear to no tongue but thine own! Hot. Why, look you, I am whipp'd and scourged with rods, Nettled and stung with pismires, when I hear In Richard's time,—What do you call the place?— Refuse. 2 The term for a turbulent, quarrelsome fellow. Unto this king of smiles, this Bolingbroke, When you and he came back from Ravenspurg. North. At Berkley castle. Hot. You say true. Why, what a candy deal of courtesy This fawning greyhound then did proffer me! me! Good uncle, tell your tale, for I have done. Hot. I have done, i' faith. Wor. Then once more to your Scottish prisoners : Deliver them up without their ransom straight; And make the Douglas' son your only mean For powers in Scotland; which, for divers reasons, Which I shall send you written,—be assured, Will easily be granted you. My lord,— [to Northumberland, Your son in Scotland being thus employ'd,- Of that same noble prelate, well beloved, Hot. Of York, is 't not? Wor. True; who bears hard His brother's death at Bristol, the lord Scroop. I speak not this in estimation, As what I think might be; but what I know |