K. Rich. Why, uncle, thou hast many years to live.225
Gaunt. But not a minute, king, that thou canst give:
Shorten my days thou canst with sullen sorrow,[919]
And pluck nights from me, but not lend a morrow;
Thou canst help time to furrow me with age,
But stop no wrinkle in his pilgrimage;230
Thy word is current with him for my death,
But dead, thy kingdom cannot buy my breath.
K. Rich. Thy son is banish'd upon good advice,[920]
Whereto thy tongue a party-verdict gave:[921]
Why at our justice seem'st thou then to lour?[922]235
Gaunt. Things sweet to taste prove in digestion sour.[923]
You urged me as a judge; but I had rather[924]
You would have bid me argue like a father.
O, had it been a stranger, not my child,[925][926]
To smooth his fault I should have been more mild:[925][927]240
A partial slander sought I to avoid,[925][928]
And in the sentence my own life destroy'd.[925]
Alas, I look'd when some of you should say,
I was too strict to make mine own away;
But you gave leave to my unwilling tongue245
Against my will to do myself this wrong.
K. Rich. Cousin, farewell; and, uncle, bid him so:
Six years we banish him, and he shall go.
[Flourish. Exeunt King Richard and train.[929]
Aum. Cousin, farewell: what presence must not know,[930]
From where you do remain let paper show.250
Mar. My lord, no leave take I; for I will ride,
As far as land will let me, by your side.
Gaunt. O, to what purpose dost thou hoard thy words,
That thou return'st no greeting to thy friends?[931]
Boling. I have too few to take my leave of you,255
When the tongue's office should be prodigal
To breathe the abundant dolour of the heart.