Page:Henry IV Part 1 (1917) Yale.djvu/83

King Henry the Fourth, III. ii

He was but as the cuckoo is in June,

Heard, not regarded; seen, but with such eyes

As, sick and blunted with community,

Afford no extraordinary gaze,

Such as is bent on sun-like majesty

When it shines seldom in admiring eyes;

But rather drows'd and hung their eyelids down,

Slept in his face, and render'd such aspect

As cloudy men use to their adversaries,

Being with his presence glutted, gorg'd, and full.

And in that very line, Harry, stand'st thou;

For thou hast lost thy princely privilege

With vile participation: not an eye

But is aweary of thy common sight,

Save mine, which hath desir'd to see thee more;

Which now doth that I would not have it do,

Make blind itself with foolish tenderness.

Prince. I shall hereafter, my thrice gracious lord,

Be more myself.

King. For all the world,

As thou art to this hour was Richard then

When I from France set foot at Ravenspurgh;

And even as I was then is Percy now.

Now, by my sceptre and my soul to boot,

He hath more worthy interest to the state

Than thou the shadow of succession;

For of no right, nor colour like to right,

He doth fill fields with harness in the realm,

Turns head against the lion's armed jaws,

And, being no more in debt to years than thou,

 77 community: commonness

83 cloudy: sullen

87 vile participation: base companionship

98 interest: claim

99 shadow of succession; cf. n.

100 colour: pretext

101 harness: armour 