Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Scene 2 Enter Duke of York and the Duchess. DUCHESS
My lord, you told me you would tell the rest,
When weeping made you break the story off
Of our two cousins coming into London. YORK
Where did I leave? DUCHESS At that sad stop, my lord, 5
Where rude misgoverned hands from windows’ tops
Threw dust and rubbish on King Richard’s head. | The Duchess asks York to finish telling her about their two cousins' (Richard and Bolingbroke) arrival in London. He had left off telling her about the people throwing dust and garbage on Richard's head from their windows. |
YORK
Then, as I said, the Duke, great Bolingbroke,
Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed,
Which his aspiring rider seemed to know, 10
With slow but stately pace kept on his course,
Whilst all tongues cried “God save thee,
Bolingbroke!”
You would have thought the very windows spake,
So many greedy looks of young and old 15
Through casements darted their desiring eyes
Upon his visage, and that all the walls
With painted imagery had said at once
“Jesu preserve thee! Welcome, Bolingbroke!”
Whilst he, from the one side to the other turning, 20
Bareheaded, lower than his proud steed’s neck,
Bespake them thus: “I thank you, countrymen.”
And thus still doing, thus he passed along. | Bolingbroke, York continues, rode on horseback and was welcomed by the people. |
DUCHESS
Alack, poor Richard! Where rode he the whilst? YORK
As in a theater the eyes of men, 25
After a well-graced actor leaves the stage,
Are idly bent on him that enters next,
Thinking his prattle to be tedious,
Even so, or with much more contempt, men’s eyes
Did scowl on gentle Richard. No man cried “God 30
save him!”
No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home,
But dust was thrown upon his sacred head,
Which with such gentle sorrow he shook off,
His face still combating with tears and smiles, 35
The badges of his grief and patience,
That had not God for some strong purpose steeled
The hearts of men, they must perforce have melted,
And barbarism itself have pitied him.
But heaven hath a hand in these events, 40
To whose high will we bound our calm contents.
To Bolingbroke are we sworn subjects now,
Whose state and honor I for aye allow. | The Duchess asks where Richard was riding. York compares Richard's appearance after York to an actor who shows up onstage after the star has left. No one welcomed him. They threw dust at him, which he shook off patiently. Despite all of this, York says, heaven had a hand in it all, and he and she are sworn subjects of Bolingbroke's now. |
Enter Aumerle. DUCHESS
Here comes my son Aumerle. YORK Aumerle that was; 45
But that is lost for being Richard’s friend,
And, madam, you must call him Rutland now.
I am in parliament pledge for his truth
And lasting fealty to the new-made king. DUCHESS
Welcome, my son. Who are the violets now 50
That strew the green lap of the new-come spring? AUMERLE
Madam, I know not, nor I greatly care not.
God knows I had as lief be none as one. YORK
Well, bear you well in this new spring of time,
Lest you be cropped before you come to prime. 55
What news from Oxford? Do these jousts and
triumphs hold? | Aumerle comes in, and York laments his friendship with Richard, since he's now been stripped of his title. He tells his wife their son isn't Aumerle anymore. He's the Earl of Rutland. The Duchess welcomes her son and asks him "who are the violets now?" – meaning, who is in favor at the new court? Aumerle says he doesn't know or care. York warns him to be careful or he'll be "cropped" before his time. |
AUMERLE For aught I know, my lord, they do. YORK You will be there, I know. AUMERLE If God prevent not, I purpose so. 60 YORK
What seal is that that hangs without thy bosom?
Yea, lookst thou pale? Let me see the writing. AUMERLE
My lord, ’tis nothing. YORK No matter, then, who see it.
I will be satisfied. Let me see the writing. 65 AUMERLE
I do beseech your Grace to pardon me.
It is a matter of small consequence,
Which for some reasons I would not have seen. YORK
Which for some reasons, sir, I mean to see.
I fear, I fear— 70 DUCHESS What should you fear?
’Tis nothing but some bond that he is entered into
For gay apparel ’gainst the triumph day. YORK
Bound to himself? What doth he with a bond
That he is bound to? Wife, thou art a fool.— 75
Boy, let me see the writing. AUMERLE
I do beseech you, pardon me. I may not show it. YORK
I will be satisfied. Let me see it, I say.
He plucks it out of his bosom and reads it. YORK
Treason! Foul treason! Villain, traitor, slave! | York notices a seal around his son's neck and asks to read it. Aumerle
tries to stop him but York insists and finds evidence of a conspiracy
against Bolingbroke. |
DUCHESS What is the matter, my lord? 80 YORK, calling 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, calling offstage
Give me my boots, I say! Saddle my horse!—
Now by mine honor, by my life, by my troth, 85
I will appeach the villain. DUCHESS What is the matter? YORK Peace, foolish woman. DUCHESS
I will not peace!—What is the matter, Aumerle? AUMERLE
Good mother, be content. It is no more 90
Than my poor life must answer. DUCHESS Thy life answer? YORK, calling offstage
Bring me my boots!—I will unto the King. His man enters with his boots. DUCHESS
Strike him, Aumerle! Poor boy, thou art amazed.—
Hence, villain, never more come in my sight. 95 YORK Give me my boots, I say. His man helps him on with his boots, then exits. | Furious, York tells a Servingman to saddle his horse. He swears to
denounce his son. The Duchess, perplexed, asks what's going on. Aumerle
tells her their son will have to pay for his treachery with his life.
York calls for his boots. The serving man arrives with the boots. The
Duchess tells Aumerle to hit the serving man. He doesn't, and she tells
the serving man to go away. |
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? 100
And wilt thou pluck my fair son from mine age
And rob me of a happy mother’s name?
Is he not like thee? Is he not thine own? YORK Thou fond mad woman,
Wilt thou conceal this dark conspiracy? 105
A dozen of them here have ta’en the sacrament
And interchangeably set down their hands
To kill the King at Oxford. | The Duchess asks York whether he won't hide his son's mistakes, pointing
out they're unlikely to have any more sons. York calls her a madwoman
and asks whether she really wants to hide "this dark conspiracy" to kill
the king at Oxford. |
DUCHESS
He shall be none. We’ll keep him here.
Then what is that to him? 110 YORK
Away, fond woman! Were he twenty times my son,
I would appeach him. DUCHESS
Hadst thou groaned for him as I have done,
Thou wouldst be more pitiful.
But now I know thy mind: thou dost suspect 115
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, 120
And yet I love him. | The Duchess suggests they keep their son at home and prevent his participation. York refuses and says he would denounce him if he were twenty times his own son. The Duchess replies that he would have more pity if he had delivered him himself, and accuses York of suspecting that Aumerle isn't his own son. (She implies that he's accusing her of being unfaithful.) She swears she's been loyal and points out that Aumerle takes after his dad's family more than hers. |
YORK Make way, unruly woman! He exits. DUCHESS
After, Aumerle! Mount thee upon his horse,
Spur post, and get before him to the King,
And beg thy pardon ere he do accuse thee. 125
I’ll not be long behind. Though I be old,
I doubt not but to ride as fast as York.
And never will I rise up from the ground
Till Bolingbroke have pardoned thee. Away, begone! They exit. | York tells her to get out of his way and goes. The Duchess tells Aumerle
to try to get to the king before his father does and beg his pardon.
She plans to go too. |