SCENE III.
The Duke of YORK's Palace.
Enter York, and his Dutchess.
Dutch.
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?
Dutch.
At that sad stop, my lord,
Where rude mis-govern'd hands, from window-tops,
Threw dust and rubbish on King Richard's head.
&plquo;York.
&plquo;Then, as I said, the Duke, great Bolingbroke,
&plquo;Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed,
&plquo;Which his aspiring Rider seem'd to know,
&plquo;With slow, but stately pace, kept on his course:
&plquo;While all tongues cry'd, God save thee, Bolingbroke!
-- 79 --
&plquo;You wou'd have thought, the very windows spake,
&plquo;So many greedy looks of young and old
&plquo;Through casements darted their desiring eyes
&plquo;Upon his visage; and that all the walls
&plquo;With painted imag'ry had said at once,
&plquo;Jesu, preserve thee! welcome, Bolingbroke!
&plquo;Whilst he, from one side to the other turning,
&plquo;Bare-headed, lower than his proud steed's neck,
&plquo;Bespoke them thus; I thank you, Country-men;
&plquo;And thus still doing, thus he past along.&prquo;
Dutch.
Alas! poor Richard, where rides he the while?
&plquo;York.
&plquo;As in a Theatre, the eyes of men,
&plquo;After a well-grac'd Actor leaves the Stage,
&plquo;Are idly bent on him that enters next,
&plquo;Thinking his prattle to be tedious:
&plquo;Even so, or with much more contempt, men's eyes
&plquo;Did scowl on Richard; no man cry'd, God save him!
&plquo;No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home;
&plquo;But dust was thrown upon his sacred head;
&plquo;Which with such gentle sorrow he shook off,
&plquo;His face still combating with tears and smiles,
&plquo;The badges of his grief and patience;
&plquo;That had not God, for some strong purpose, steel'd
&plquo;The hearts of men, they must perforce have melted:
&plquo;And barbarism it self have pitied him.&prquo;
But heaven hath a hand in these events,
To whose high will we bound our calm contents.
To Bolingbroke are we sworn Subjects now,
Whose State, and Honour, I for aye allow.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
