_K. Rich._ Northumberland, say thus the king returns:[1463] His noble cousin is right welcome hither; And all the number of his fair demands Shall be accomplish'd without contradiction:[1464] With all the gracious utterance thou hast[1464][1465] 125 Speak to his gentle hearing kind commends.[1466] We do debase ourselves, cousin, do we not, [_To Aumerle._[1467] To look so poorly and to speak so fair? Shall we call back Northumberland, and send Defiance to the traitor, and so die? 130
_Aum._ No, good my lord; let's fight with gentle words[1468] Till time lend friends and friends their helpful swords.[1469]
_K. Rich._ O God, O God! that e'er this tongue of mine, That laid the sentence of dread banishment On yon proud man, should take it off again[1470] 135 With words of sooth! O that I were as great As is my grief, or lesser than my name! Or that I could forget what I have been, Or not remember what I must be now! Swell'st thou, proud heart? I'll give thee scope to beat, 140 Since foes have scope to beat both thee and me.
_Aum._ Northumberland comes back from Bolingbroke.
_K. Rich._ What must the king do now? must he submit? The king shall do it: must he be deposed? The king shall be contented: must he lose 145 The name of king? o' God's name, let it go:[1471] I'll give my jewels for a set of beads, My gorgeous palace for a hermitage, My gay apparel for an almsman's gown,[1472] My figured goblets for a dish of wood, 150 My sceptre for a palmer's walking-staff, My subjects for a pair of carved saints And my large kingdom for a little grave, A little little grave, an obscure grave; Or I'll be buried in the king's highway, 155 Some way of common trade, where subjects' feet[1473] May hourly trample on their sovereign's head; For on my heart they tread now whilst I live;[1474] And buried once, why not upon my head?[1474] Aumerle, thou weep'st, my tender-hearted cousin![1475] 160 We'll make foul weather with despised tears; Our sighs and they shall lodge the summer corn, And make a dearth in this revolting land. Or shall we play the wantons with our woes, And make some pretty match with shedding tears?[1476] 165 As thus, to drop them still upon one place,[1477] Till they have fretted us a pair of graves Within the earth; and, therein laid,--there lies[1478][1479] Two kinsmen digg'd their graves with weeping eyes.[1478] Would not this ill do well? Well, well, I see[1478] 170 I talk but idly, and you laugh at me.[1478][1480] Most mighty prince, my Lord Northumberland, What says King Bolingbroke? will his majesty Give Richard leave to live till Richard die? You make a leg, and Bolingbroke says ay. 175