Page:Richard II (1921) Yale.djvu/20

8

Shall I seem crest-fall'n in my father's sight,

Or with pale beggar-fear impeach my height

Before this out-dar'd dastard? Ere my tongue

Shall wound mine honour with such feeble wrong,

Or sound so base a parle, my teeth shall tear

The slavish motive of recanting fear,

And spit it bleeding in his high disgrace,

Where shame doth harbour, even in Mowbray's face.

Exit Gaunt.

K. Rich. We were not born to sue, but to command:

Which since we cannot do to make you friends,

Be ready, as your lives shall answer it,

At Coventry, upon Saint Lambert's day:

There shall your swords and lances arbitrate

The swelling difference of your settled hate:

Since we cannot atone you, we shall see

Justice design the victor's chivalry.

Marshal, command our officers-at-arms

Be ready to direct these home alarms.

Gaunt. Alas! the part I had in Woodstock's blood

Doth more solicit me than your exclaims,

To stir against the butchers of his life.

 189 height: high rank

192 sound parle; cf. n.

193 motive: moving organ, i.e., tongue

199 Saint Lambert's day: September 17

202 atone: reconcile, make 'at one'

203 design: indicate

204 officers-at-arms; cf. n.

205 alarms: disturbances

 1 Woodstock's blood; cf. n. on I. i. and App. F

2 solicit: urge

exclaims: exclamations

