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As praises, of whose taste the wise are fond, |
Lascivious metres, to whose venom sound |
The open ear of youth doth always listen; |
Report of fashions in proud Italy, |
Whose manners still our tardy apish nation |
Limps after in base imitation. |
Where doth the world thrust forth a vanity-- |
So it be new, there's no respect how vile-- |
That is not quickly buzzed into his ears? |
Then all too late comes counsel to be heard, |
Where will doth mutiny with wit's regard. |
Direct not him whose way himself will choose: |
'Tis breath thou lack'st, and that breath wilt thou lose. |
JOHN OF GAUNT: |
Methinks I am a prophet new inspired |
And thus expiring do foretell of him: |
His rash fierce blaze of riot cannot last, |
For violent fires soon burn out themselves; |
Small showers last long, but sudden storms are short; |
He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes; |
With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder: |
Light vanity, insatiate cormorant, |
Consuming means, soon preys upon itself. |
This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle, |
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, |
This other Eden, demi-paradise, |
This fortress built by Nature for herself |
Against infection and the hand of war, |
This happy breed of men, this little world, |
This precious stone set in the silver sea, |
Which serves it in the office of a wall, |
Or as a moat defensive to a house, |
Against the envy of less happier lands, |
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England, |
This nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings, |
Fear'd by their breed and famous by their birth, |
Renowned for their deeds as far from home, |
For Christian service and true chivalry, |
As is the sepulchre in stubborn Jewry, |
Of the world's ransom, blessed Mary's Son, |
This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land, |
Dear for her reputation through the world, |
Is now leased out, I die pronouncing it, |
Like to a tenement or pelting farm: |
England, bound in with the triumphant sea |
Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege |
Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame, |
With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds: |
That England, that was wont to conquer others, |
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself. |
Ah, would the scandal vanish with my life, |
How happy then were my ensuing death! |
DUKE OF YORK: |
The king is come: deal mildly with his youth; |
For young hot colts being raged do rage the more. |
QUEEN: |
How fares our noble uncle, Lancaster? |
KING RICHARD II: |
What comfort, man? how is't with aged Gaunt? |
JOHN OF GAUNT: |
O how that name befits my composition! |
Old Gaunt indeed, and gaunt in being old: |
Within me grief hath kept a tedious fast; |
And who abstains from meat that is not gaunt? |
For sleeping England long time have I watch'd; |
Watching breeds leanness, leanness is all gaunt: |
The pleasure that some fathers feed upon, |
Is my strict fast; I mean, my children's looks; |
And therein fasting, hast thou made me gaunt: |
Gaunt am I for the grave, gaunt as a grave, |
Whose hollow womb inherits nought but bones. |
KING RICHARD II: |
Can sick men play so nicely with their names? |
JOHN OF GAUNT: |
No, misery makes sport to mock itself: |
Since thou dost seek to kill my name in me, |
I mock my name, great king, to flatter thee. |
KING RICHARD II: |
Should dying men flatter with those that live? |
JOHN OF GAUNT: |
No, no, men living flatter those that die. |
KING RICHARD II: |
Thou, now a-dying, say'st thou flatterest me. |
JOHN OF GAUNT: |
O, no! thou diest, though I the sicker be. |
KING RICHARD II: |
I am in health, I breathe, and see thee ill. |
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