MORTIMER

Kind Keepers of my weak decaying Age, Let dying Mortimer here rest himself. Even Like a man new haled from the Wrack, So fare my Limbs with long Imprisonment: And these grey Locks, the Pursuivants of death, Nestor -Like aged, in and Age of Care, Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer. These Eyes, Like Lamps, whose wasting Oil is spent, Wax dim, as drawing to their Exigent. Weak Shoulders, overborne with burdened Grief, And pyth-lesse Arms, Like to a withered Vine, That droupes his sappe-lesse Branches to the ground. Yet are these Feet, whose strengthless stay is numb, (Unable to support this Lump of Clay) Swift-winged with desire to get a Grave, As witting I no other comfort have. But tell me, Keeper, will my Nephew come? Enough: my Soul shall then be satisfied. Poor Gentleman, his wrong does 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 obscured, Deprived of Honour and Inheritance. But now, the Arbitrator of Despairs, Just Death, kind Umpire of men's Misery's, With sweet enlargement does dismiss me hence: I would his troubles likewise were expired, That so he might recover what was lost. 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 Yorks great Stock, Why didst thou say of late thou Wertenberg despised? That cause (fair Nephew) that imprisoned me, And hath detained me all my flowering Youth, Within a loathsome Dungeon, there to pine, Was cursed Instrument of his decease. I will, if that my fading breath permit, And Death approach not, ere my Tale be done. Henry the Fourth, Grandfather to this King, Deposed his Nephew Richard, Edwards Son, The first begotten, and the lawful Heir Of Edward King, the Third of that Descent. During whose Reign, the Percies of the North, Finding his Usurpation most unjust, Endeavoured my advancement to the Throne. The reason moved these Warlike Lords to this, Was, for that (young Richard thus removed, Leaving no Heir begotten of his Body) I was the next by Birth and Parentage: For by my Mother, I derived am From Lionel Duke of Clarence, third Son To King Edward the Third; whereas he, From John of Gaunt does bring his Pedigree, Being but fourth of that Heroic Line. But mark: as in this haughty great attempt, They laboured, to plant the rightful Heir, I lost my Liberty, and they their Lives. Long after this, when Henry the Fifth (Succeeding his Father Bullingbrook ) did reign: Thy Father, Earl of Cambridge, then derived From famous Edmund Langley, Duke of York, Marrying my Sister, that thy Mother was; Again, in pity of my hard distress, Levied and Army, weening to redeem, And have installed me in the Diadem: But as the rest, so fell that Noble Earl, And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers, In whom the Title rested, were suppressed. True; and thou seest, that I no Issue have, And that my fainting words do warrant death: Thou art my Heir; the rest, I wish thee gather: But yet be wary in thy studious care. With silence, Nephew, be thou politic, Strong fixed is the House of Lancaster, And Like a Mountain, not to be removed. But now thy Uncle is removing hence, As Princes do their Courts, when they are cloyed With long continuance in a settled place. Thou dost then wrong me, as y to slaughterer does, Which gives many Wounds, when one will kill. Mourn not, except thou sorrow for my good, Only give order for my Funeral. And so farewell, and fair be all thy Hope's, And prosperous be thy Life in Peace and War. Richard Plantagenet, my friend, is he come?