Plan. Now, Somerset, where is your argument? Som. Here, in my scabbard; meditating that, Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red. Plan. Mean time, your cheeks do counterfeit our roses; For pale they look with fear, as witnessing The truth on our side. No, Plantagenet, Som. Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood. roses, That shall maintain what I have said is true, Plan. Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand, I scorn thee and thy faction,' peevish boy. Suff. Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet. Plan. Proud Poole, I will; and scorn both him and thee. Suff. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat. Som. Away, away, good William De-la-Poole! We grace the yeoman, by conversing with him. War. Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, Som erset! His grandfather was Lionel, duke of Clarence,2 1 Theobald altered fashion, which is the reading of the old copy, to faction. Warburton contends that “by fashion is meant the badge of the red rose." 2 The Poet mistakes. Plantagenet's paternal grandfather was Edmund of Langley, duke of York. His maternal grandfather was Roger Mortimer, earl of March, who was the son of Philippa, the daughter of Lionel, duke of Clarence. The duke, therefore, was his maternal great great grandfather. Plan. He bears him on the place's privilege,1 Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus. Som. By him that made me, I'll maintain my words On any plot of ground in Christendom. Was not thy father, Richard, earl of Cambridge, [Exit. Suff. Go forward, and be choked with thy ambition! And so farewell, until I meet thee next. Som. Have with thee, Poole.-Farewell, ambitious Richard. [Exit. Plan. How I am braved, and must perforce endure it! War. This blot, that they object against your house, 1 It does not appear that the Temple had any privilege of sanctuary at this time, being then, as now, the residence of law students. The author might imagine it to have derived some such privilege from the knights templars, or knights hospitallers, both religious orders, its former inhabitants. 2 Exempt for excluded. 3 Partaker, in ancient language, signifies one who takes part with another; an accomplice, a confederate. Shall be wiped out in the next parliament, Plan. Good master Vernon, I am bound to you, Plan. Thanks, gentle sir. Come, let us four to dinner. I dare say, [Exeunt. SCENE V. The same. A Room in the Tower. Enter MORTIMER,' brought in a chair by two Keepers. Let dying Mortimer here rest himself.- And these gray locks, the pursuivants of death, Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer. These eyes-like lamps whose wasting oil is spent— 1 This is at variance with the strict truth of history. Edmund Mortimer, who was trusted and employed by Henry V. throughout his reign, died of the plague in his own castle at Trim, in Ireland, in 1424-5; being then only thirty-two years old. 2 Exigent is here used for end. That droops his sapless branches to the ground;- 1 Keep. Richard Plantagenet, my lord, will come : We sent unto the Temple, to his chamber; And answer was returned that he will come. Mor. Enough; my soul shall then be satisfied.— But now, the arbitrator of despairs, Just death, kind umpire of men's miseries, That so he might recover what was lost. Enter RICHARD PLANTAGENET. 1 Keep. My lord, your loving nephew now is come. Mor. Richard Plantagenet, my friend? Is he come? Plan. Ay, noble uncle, thus ignobly used, Your nephew, late-despised Richard, comes. Mor. Direct mine arms, I may embrace his neck, And in his bosom spend my latter gasp. O, tell me, when my lips do touch his cheeks, And now declare, sweet stem from York's great stock, Plan. First, lean thine aged back against mine arm ; And, in that ease, I'll tell thee my disease.1 This day, in argument upon a case, 1 Disease for uneasiness, trouble, or grief. It is used in this sense by other ancient writers. Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me; And for alliance' sake,-declare the cause Mor. That cause, fair nephew, that imprisoned me, Was cursed instrument of his decease. Plan. Discover more at large what cause that was; For I am ignorant, and cannot guess. Mor. I will; if that my fading breath permit, Endeavored my advancement to the throne: I was the next by birth and parentage; From Lionel duke of Clarence, the third son But mark; as, in this haughty, great attempt, 1 Nephew has sometimes the power of the Latin nepos, signifying grandchild, and is used with great laxity among our ancient English writers. It is here used instead of cousin. |