Page:Richard II (1921) Yale.djvu/93

King Richard the Second, IV. i

K. Rich. Mine eyes are full of tears, I cannot see:

And yet salt water blinds them not so much

But they can see a sort of traitors here.

Nay, if I turn mine eyes upon myself,

I find myself a traitor with the rest;

For I have given here my soul's consent

To undeck the pompous body of a king;

Made glory base and sovereignty a slave,

Proud majesty a subject, state a peasant.

North. My lord,—

K. Rich. No lord of thine, thou haught insulting man,

Nor no man's lord; I have no name, no title,

No, not that name was given me at the font,

But 'tis usurp'd: alack the heavy day!

That I have worn so many winters out,

And know not now what name to call myself.

O! that I were a mockery king of snow,

Standing before the sun of Bolingbroke,

To melt myself away in water-drops.

Good king, great king,—and yet not greatly good—

An if my word be sterling yet in England,

Let it command a mirror hither straight,

That it may show me what a face I have,

Since it is bankrupt of his majesty.

Boling. Go some of you and fetch a looking-glass.

[Exit an Attendant.]

North. Read o'er this paper while the glass doth come.

K. Rich. Fiend! thou torment'st me ere I come to hell.

 246 sort: crew

252 state: grandeur

254 haught: haughty

256 Cf. n.

264 be sterling: pass current

