Windsor. A Room in the Castle.
 Enter BOLINGBROKE as king, HARRY PERCY, and other LORDS.

Bolingbroke	Can no man tell me of my unthrifty son?
	'Tis full three months since I did see him last.
	If any plague hang over us, 'tis he.
	I would to God, my lords, he might be found.
	Inquire at London, 'mongst the taverns there,
	For there, they say, he daily doth frequent
	With unrestraind loose companions,
	Even such, they say, as stand in narrow lanes
	And beat our watch and rob our passengers,
	While he, young wanton and effeminate boy,
	Takes on the point of honour to support
	So dissolute a crew.

Harry Percy	My lord, some two days since I saw the prince,
	And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.

Bolingbroke	And what said the gallant?

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.

Bolingbroke	As dissolute as desperate! But yet
	Through both I see some sparks of better hope,
	Which elder years may happily bring forth.
	But who comes here?

                          Enter AUMERLE, amazed.

Aumerle							Where is the king?

Bolingbroke											What means
	Our cousin that he stares and looks so wildly?

Aumerle	[Kneels.] God save your grace! I do beseech your majesty
	To have some conference with your grace alone.

Bolingbroke	Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.
								   [Exeunt HARRY PERCY and LORDS.
	What is the matter with our cousin now?

Aumerle	For ever may my knees grow to the earth,
	My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth,
	Unless a pardon ere I rise or speak.

Bolingbroke	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	Then give me leave that I may turn the key,
	That no man enter till my tale be done.

Bolingbroke	Have thy desire.
											[AUMERLE locks the door.

             The DUKE OF YORK knocks at the door and crieth.

Duke of York	[Within.] My liege, beware! Look to thyself;
	Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.

Bolingbroke	[Drawing.] Villain, I'll make thee safe.

Aumerle	Stay thy revengeful hand; thou hast no cause to fear.

Duke of York	[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.
								   [BOLINGBROKE unlocks the door.

              Enter YORK, and BOLINGBROKE relocks the door.

Bolingbroke	What is the matter, uncle? Speak,
	Recover breath, tell us how near is danger
	That we may arm us to encounter it.

Duke of York	Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know
	The treason that my haste forbids me show.

Aumerle	Remember, as thou read'st, thy promise passed.
	I do repent me, read not my name there,
	My heart is not confederate with my hand.

Duke of 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 thy pity prove
	A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.

Bolingbroke	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.

Duke of 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!

Bolingbroke	What shrill-voiced suppliant makes this eager cry?

Duchess
of York	[Within.] A woman, and thine aunt, great king; 'tis I.
	Speak with me, pity me, open the door:
	A beggar begs that never begged before.

Bolingbroke	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's come to pray for your foul sin.
										[AUMERLE unlocks the door.

Duke of 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.

                          Enter DUCHESS OF YORK.

Duchess
of York	O king, believe not this hard-hearted man!
	Love, loving not itself, none other can.

Duke of 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.
													[Kneels.
Bolingbroke	Rise up, good aunt.

Duchess
of York							Not yet, I thee beseech.
	For ever will I walk 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	Unto my mother's prayers I bend my knee.
													[Kneels.
Duke of York	Against them both my true joints bended be.
													[Kneels.
	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 still 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.

Bolingbroke	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,
	'Pardon' should be the first word of thy speech.
	I never longed to hear a word till now:
	Say 'Pardon', king, let pity teach thee how.
	The word is short, but not so short as sweet;
	No word like 'Pardon' for kings' mouths so meet.

Duke of York	Speak it in French, king, say 'Pardonnez-moi'.

Duchess
of York	Dost thou teach pardon pardon to destroy?
	Ah, my sour husband, my hard-hearted lord,
	That sets the word itself against the word!
	Speak 'Pardon' as 'tis current in our land;
	The chopping French we do not understand.
	Thine eye begins to speak, set thy tongue there,
	Or in thy piteous heart plant thou thine ear,
	That hearing how our plaints and prayers do pierce,
	Pity may move thee 'Pardon' to rehearse.

Bolingbroke	Good aunt, stand up.

Duchess
of York							I do not sue to stand.
	Pardon is all the suit I have in hand.

Bolingbroke	I pardon him, as God shall pardon me.

Duchess
of York	O happy vantage of a kneeling knee!
	Yet am I sick for fear: speak it again;
	Twice saying 'Pardon' doth not pardon twain,
	But makes one pardon strong.

Bolingbroke								With all my heart
	I pardon him.

Duchess
of York			[Rising.] A god on earth thou art.
												[YORK and AUMERLE rise.

Bolingbroke	But for our trusty brother-in-law and the abbot,
	With all the rest of that consorted crew,
	Destruction straight shall dog them at the heels.
	Good uncle, help to order several powers
	To Oxford, or where'er these traitors are.
	They shall not live within this world, I swear,
	But I will have them, if I once know where.
	Uncle, farewell; and cousin too, adieu:
	Your mother well hath prayed, and prove you true.

Duchess
of York	Come, my old son; I pray God make thee new.
													[Exeunt.
