HARRY 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 the lustiest challenger.

KING HENRY

As dissolute as desperate. Yet through both

I see some sparks of better hope, which elder days

May happily bring forth.

Enter the Duke of Aumerle, amazed

But who comes here?

AUMERLE Where is the King?

KING HENRY

What means our cousin that he stares and looks so wildly?

AUMERLE (kneeling)

God save your grace! I do beseech your majesty

To have some conference with your grace alone.

KING HENRY (to lords)

Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.

Exeunt all but King Henry and Aumerle

What is the matter with our cousin now?

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.

KING HENRY

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 (rising)

Then give me leave that I may turn the key,

That no man enter till my tale be done.

KING HENRY

Have thy desire.

Aumerle locks the door.

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.

King Henry draws his sword

KING HENRY (to Aumerle) Villain, I’ll make thee safe.

AUMERLE

Stay thy revengeful hand! Thou hast no cause to fear.

YORK (knocking within)

Open the door, secure foolhardy King!

Shall I for love speak treason to thy face?

Open the door, or I will break it open.

⌈King Henry⌉ opens the door. Enter the Duke of York

KING HENRY

What is the matter, uncle? Speak,

Recover breath, tell us how near is danger,

That we may arm us to encounter it.

YORK

Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know

The treason that my haste forbids me show.

He gives King Henry the paper

AUMERLE

Remember, as thou read’st, thy promise past.

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.

I tore it from the traitor’s bosom, King.

Fear, and not love, begets his penitence.

Forget to pity him, lest pity prove

A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.

KING HENRY

O, heinous, strong, and bold conspiracy!

O loyal father of a treacherous son!

Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain,

From whence this stream through muddy passages

Hath held his current and defiled himself,

Thy overflow of good converts to bad,

And thy abundant goodness shall excuse

This deadly blot in thy digressing son.

YORK

So shall my virtue be his vice’s bawd,

And he shall spend mine honour with his shame,

As thriftless sons their scraping fathers’ gold.

Mine honour lives when his dishonour dies,

Or my shamed life in his dishonour lies.

Thou kill’st me in his life: giving him breath

The traitor lives, the true man’s put to death.

DUCHESS OF YORK (within)

What ho, my liege, for God’s sake let me in!

KING HENRY

What shrill-voiced suppliant makes this eager cry?

DUCHESS OF YORK (within)

A woman, and thy aunt, great King; ’tis I.

Speak with me, pity me! Open the door!

A beggar begs that never begged before.

KING HENRY

Our scene is altered from a serious thing,

And now changed to ‘The Beggar and the King’.

My dangerous cousin, let your mother in.

I know she is come to pray for your foul sin.

Aumerle opens the door. Enter the Duchess of York

YORK

If thou do pardon, whosoever pray,

More sins for this forgiveness prosper may.

This festered joint cut off, the rest rest sound.

This let alone will all the rest confound.

DUCHESS OF YORK (kneeling)

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 OF YORK

Sweet York, be patient.—Hear me, gentle liege.

KING HENRY

Rise up, good aunt.

DUCHESS OF YORK Not yet, I thee beseech.

Forever will I kneel 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 (kneeling)

Unto my mother’s prayers I bend my knee.

YORK (kneeling)

Against them both my true joints bended be.

Ill mayst thou thrive if thou grant any grace.

DUCHESS OF YORK

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 shall kneel till to the ground they grow.

His prayers are full of false hypocrisy;

Ours of true zeal and deep integrity.

Our prayers do outpray his; then let them have

That mercy which true prayer ought to have.

⌈KING HENRY⌉

Good aunt, stand up.

DUCHESS OF YORK Nay, do not say ‘Stand up’.

Say ‘Pardon’ first, and afterwards ‘Stand up’.

An if I were thy nurse, thy tongue to teach,