Page:Henry VI Part 1 (1918) Yale.djvu/52

40

Swift-winged with desire to get a grave,

As witting I no other comfort have.

But tell me, keeper, will my nephew come?

First Keep. Richard Plantagenet, my lord, will come:

We sent unto the Temple, unto his chamber,

And answer was return'd that he will come.

Mor. Enough: my soul shall then be satisfied.

Poor gentleman! his wrong doth equal mine.

Since Henry Monmouth first began to reign,

Before whose glory I was great in arms,

This loathsome sequestration have I had;

And even since then hath Richard been obscur'd,

Depriv'd of honour and inheritance.

But now the arbitrator of despairs,

Just death, kind umpire of men's miseries,

With sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence:

I would his troubles likewise were expir'd,

That so he might recover what was lost.

First Keep. My lord, your loving nephew now is come.

Mor. Richard Plantagenet, my friend, is he come?

Plan. Ay, noble uncle, thus ignobly us'd,

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,

That I may kindly give one fainting kiss.

And now declare, sweet stem from York's great stock,

Why didst thou say of late thou wert despis'd?

Plan. First, lean thine aged back against mine arm;

 25 sequestration: seclusion, imprisonment

38 latter: final 