Valoys whether I intende To skirmish not for pillage but for the Crowne Which thou dost weare and that I vowe to haue Or one of vs shall fall in to this graue Pri Ed: Looke not for crosse inuectiues at our hands Or rayling execrations of despight Let creeping serpents hide in hollow banckes Sting with theyr tongues we haue remorseles swordes And they shall pleade for vs and our affaires Yet thus much breefly by my fathers leaue As all the immodest poyson of thy throat Is scandalous and most notorious lyes And our pretended quarell is truly iust So end the battaile when we meet to daie May eyther of vs prosper and preuaile Or luckles curst receue eternall shame Kin Ed: That needs no further question and I knowe His conscience witnesseth it is my right Therfore Valoys say wilt thou yet resigne Before the sickles thrust into the Corne Or that inkindled fury turne to flame Ioh: Edward I know what right thou hast in France And ere I basely will resigne my Crowne This Champion field shall be a poole of bloode And all our prospect as a slaughter house Pr Ed: I that approues thee tyrant what thou art No father king or shepheard of thy realme But one that teares her entrailes with thy handes And like a thirstie tyger suckst her bloud Aud: You peeres of France why do you follow him That is so prodigall to spend your liues Ch: Whom should they follow aged impotent But he that is their true borne soueraigne Kin: Obraidst thou him because within his face Time hath ingraud deep caracters of age Know that these graue schollers of experience Like stiffe growen oakes will stand unmouable When whirle wind quickly turnes vp yonger trees Dar. Was euer anie of thy fathers house king But thy selfe before this present time Edwards great linage by the mothers side Fiue hundred yeeres hath helde the scepter vp Iudge then conspiratours by this descent Which is the true borne soueraigne this or that Pri Father range your battailes prate no more These English fame would spend the time in wodrs That night approching they might escape vnfought K Ioh: Lords and my louing Subiects knowes the time That your intended force must bide the touch Therfore my frinds consider this in breefe He that you fight for is your naturall King He against whom you fight a forrener He that you fight for rules in clemencie And fames you with a mild and gentle byt He against whome you fight if hee preuaile Will straight in throne himselfe in tyrranie Make slaues of you and with a heauie hand Curtall and courb your swetest libertie Then to protect your Country and your King Let but the haughty Courrage of your hartes Answere the number of your able handes And we shall quicklie chase theis fugitiues For what 's this Edward but a belly god A tender and lasciuious wantonnes That thother daie was almost dead for loue And what I praie you is his goodly gard Such as but scant them of their chines of beefe And take awaie their downie featherbedes And presently they are as resty stiffe As t were a many ouer ridden iades Then French men scorne that such should be your Lords And rather bind ye them in captiue bands All Fra Viue le Roy God saue King Iohn of France Io: Now on this plaine of Cressie spred your selues And Edward when thou darest begin the fight Ki. Ed: We presently wil meet thee Iohn of Fraunce And English Lordes let vs resolue the daie Either to cleere vs of that scandalous cryme Or be intombed in our innocence And Ned because this battell is the first That euer yet thou foughtest in pitched field As ancient custome is of Martialists To dub thee with the tipe of chiualrie In solemne manner wee will giue thee armes Come therefore Heralds orderly bring forth A strong attirement for the prince my sonne Enter foure Heraldes bringing in a coate armour a helmet a lance and a shield Kin: Edward Plantagenet in the name of God As with this armour I impall thy breast So be thy noble vnrelenting heart Wald in with flint of matchlesse fortitude That neuer base affections enter there Fight and be valiant conquere where thou comst Now follow Lords and do him honor to Dar: Edward Plantagenet prince of Wales As I do set this helmet on thy head Where with the chamber of this braine is fenst So may thy temples with Bellonas hand Be still adornd with lawrell victorie Fight and be valiant conquer where thou comst Aud. Edward Plantagenet prince of Wales Receiue this lance into thy manly hand Vse it in fashion of a brasen pen To drawe forth bloudie stratagems in France And print thy valiant deeds in honors booke Fight and be valiant vanquish where thou comst Art: Edward Plantagenet prince of Wales Hold take this target weare it on thy arme And may the view thereof like Perscus shield Astonish and transforme thy gazing foes To senselesse images of meger death Fight and be valiant conquer where thou comst Ki. Now wants there nought but knighthood which deferd Wee leaue till thou hast won it in the fielde My gratious father and yee forwarde peeres This honor you haue done me animates And chears my greene yet scarse appearing strength With comfortable good persaging signes No otherwise then did ould Iacobes wordes When as he breathed his blessings on his sonnes These hallowed giftes of yours when I prophane Or vse them not to glory of my God To patronage the fatherles and poore Or for the benefite of Englands peace Be numbe my ioynts waxe feeble both mine armes Wither my hart that like a saples tree I may remayne the map of infamy K. Ed: Then this our steelde Battailes shall be rainged The leading of the vowarde Ned is thyne To dignifie whose lusty spirit the more We temper it with Audlys grauitie That courage and experience ioynd in one Your manage may be second vnto none For the mayne battells I will guide my selfe And Darby in the rereward march behind That orderly disposd and set in ray Let vs to horse and God graunt vs the daye Exeunt Alarum Enter a many French men flying After them Prince Edward runing Then enter King Iohn and Duke of Loraine Iohn Oh Lorrain say what meane our men to fly Our nomber is far greater then our foes Lor. The garrison of Genoaes my Lorde That cam from Paris weary with their march Grudging to be soddenly imployd No sooner in the forefront tooke their place But straite retyring so dismaide the rest As likewise they betook themselues to flight In which for hast to make a safe escape More in the clustering throng are prest to death Then by the ennimie a thousand fold K. Io: O haplesse fortune let vs yet assay If we can counsell some of them to stay Enter King Edward and Audley Ki E Lord Audley whiles our sonne is in the chase With draw our powers vnto this little hill And heere a season
infected poyson in my heart Beyond repulse of wit or cure of Art Now in the Sunne alone it doth not lye With light to take light from a mortall eye For here to day stars that myne eies would see More then the Sunne steales myne owne light from mee Contemplatiue desire desire to be In contemplation that may master thee Warwike Artoys to horse and le ts away Co: What might I speake to make my soueraigne stay King What needs a tongue to such a speaking eie That more perswads then winning Oratorie Co: Let not thy presence like the Aprill sunne Flatter our earth and sodenly be done More happie do not make our outward wall Then thou wilt grace our inner house withall Our house my liege is like a Country swaine Whose habitude and manners blunt and playne Presageth nought yet inly beautified With bounties riches and faire hidden pride For where the golden Ore doth buried lie The ground vndect with natures tapestrie Seemes barrayne sere vnfertill fructles dry And where the vpper turfe of earth doth boast His pride perfumes and party colloured cost Delue there and find this issue and their pride To spring from ordure and corruptions side But to make vp my all to long compare These ragged walles no testomie are What is within but like a cloake doth hide From weathers West the vnder garnisht pride More gratious then my tearmes can let thee be Intreat thy selfe to stay a while with mee Kin: As wise as faire what fond fit can be heard When wisedome keepes the gate as beuties gard Countesse albeit my busines vrgeth me Yt shall attend while I attend on thee Come on my Lords heere will I host to night Exeunt Lor: I might perceiue his eye in her eye lost His care to drinke her sweet tongues vtterance And changing passion like inconstant clouds That racke vpon the carriage of the windes Increase and die in his disturbed cheekes Loe when shee blusht euen then did he looke pale As if her cheekes by some inchaunted power Attracted had the cherie blood from his A none with reuerent feare when she grew pale His cheeke put on their scarlet ornaments But no more like her oryent all red Then Bricke to Corrall or liue things to dead Why did he then thus counterfeit her lookes If she did blush t was tender modest shame Being in the sacred present of a King If he did blush t was red immodest shame To waile his eyes amisse being a king If she lookt pale t was silly womans feare To beare her selfe in presence of a king If he lookt pale it was with guiltie feare To dote a misse being a mighty king Then Scottish warres farewell I feare t will prooue A lingring English seege of peeuish loue Here comes his highnes walking all alone Enter King Edward King Shee is growne more fairer far since I came thither Her voice more siluer euery word then other Her wit more fluent what a strange discourse Vnfolded she of Dauid and his Scots Euen thus quoth she he spake and then spoke broad With epithites and accents of the Scot But somewhat better then the Scot could speake And thus quoth she and answered then herselfe For who could speake like her but she herselfe Breathes from the wall an Angels note from Heauen Of sweete defiance to her barbarous foes When she would talke of peace me thinkes her tong Commanded war to prison when of war It wakened Caesar from his Romane graue To heare warre beautified by her discourse Wisedome is foolishnes but in her tongue Beauty a slander but in her faire face There is no summer but in her cheerefull lookes Nor frosty winter but in her disdayne I cannot blame the Scots that did besiege her For she is all the Treasure of our land But call them cowards that they ran away Hauing so rich and faire a cause to stay Art thou there Lodwicke giue me incke and paper Lo: I will my liege K And bid the Lords hold on their play at Chesse For wee will walke and meditate aloue Lo: I will my soueraigne Ki This fellow is well read in poetrie And hath a lustie and perswasiue spirite I will acquaint him with my passion Which he shall shadow with a vaile of lawne Through which the Queene of beauties Queene shall see Herselfe the ground of my infirmitie Enter Lodwike Ki Hast thou pen inke and paper ready Lodowike Lo: Ready my liege Ki Then in the sommer arber sit by me Make it our counsel house or cabynet Since greene our thoughts greene be the conuenticle Where we will case vs by disburdning them Now Lodwike inuocate some golden Muse To bring thee hither an inchanted pen That may for sighes set downe true sighes indeed Talking of griefe to make thee ready grone And when thou writest of teares encouch the word Before and after with such sweete laments That it may rayse drops in a Torters eye And make a flynt heart Sythian pytifull For so much moouing hath a Poets pen Then if thou be a Poet moue thou so And be enriched by thy soueraigne loue For if the touch of sweet concordant strings Could force attendance in the eares of hel How much more shall the straines of poets wit Beguild and rauish soft and humane myndes Lor: To whome my Lord shal I direct my stile King To one that shames the faire and sots the wise Whose bodie is an abstract or a breefe Containes ech generall vertue in the worlde Better then bewtifull thou must begin Deuise for faire a fairer word then faire And euery ornament that thou wouldest praise Fly it a pitch aboue the soare of praise For flattery feare thou not to be conuicted For were thy admiration ten tymes more Ten tymes ten thousand more thy worth exceeds Of that thou art to praise their praises worth Beginne I will to contemplat the while Forget not to set downe how passionat How hart sicke and how full of languishment Her beautie makes mee Lor: Writ I to a woman King What bewtie els could triumph on me Or who but women doe our loue layes greet What thinkest thou I did bid thee praise a horse Lor, Of what condicion or estate she is T were requisit that I should know my Lord King Of such estate that hers is as a throane And my estate the footstoole where shee treads Then maist thou iudge what her condition is By the proportion of her mightines Write on while I peruse her in my thoughts Her voice to musicke or the nightingale To musicke euery sommer leaping swaine Compares his sunburnt louer when shee speakes And why should I speake of the nightingale The nightingale singes of adulterate wrong And that compared is to satyrical For sinne though synne would not be so esteemd But rather vertue sin synne vertue deemd Her hair far softer then the silke wormes twist Like to a flattering glas doth make more faire The yellow Amber like a flattering glas Comes in to soone for writing
of her eies I le say that like a glas they catch the sunne And thence the hot reflection doth rebounde Against my brest and burnes my hart within Ah what a world of descant makes my soule Vpon this voluntarie ground of loue Come Lodwick hast thou turnd thy inke to golde If not write but in letters Capitall my mistres name And it wil guild thy paper read Lorde reade Fill thou the emptie hollowes of mine eares With the sweete hearing of thy poetrie Lo: I haue not to a period brought her praise King Her praise is as my loue both infinit Which apprehend such violent extremes That they disdaine an ending period Her bewtie hath no match but my affection Hers more then most myne most and more then more Hers more to praise then tell the sea by drops Nay more then drop the massie earth by sands And said by said print them in memorie Then wherefore talkest thou of a period To that which craues vnended admiration Read let vs heare Lo: More faire and chast then is the queen of shades King That loue hath two falts grosse and palpable Comparest thou her to the pale queene of night Who being set in darke seemes therefore light What is she when the sunne lifts vp his head But like a fading taper dym and dead My loue shall braue the ey of heauen at noon And being vnmaskt outshine the golden sun Lo: What is the other faulte my soueraigne Lord King Reade ore the line againe Lo: More faire and chast King I did not bid thee talke of chastitie To ransack so the treason of her minde For I had rather haue her chased then chast Out with the moone line I wil none of it And let me haue hir likened to the sun Say shee hath thrice more splendour then the sun That her perfections emulats the sunne That shee breeds sweets as plenteous as the sunne That shee doth thaw cold winter like the sunne That she doth cheere fresh sommer like the sunne That shee doth dazle gazers like the sunne And in this application to the sunne Bid her be free and generall as the sunne Who smiles vpon the basest weed that growes As louinglie as on the fragrant rose Le ts see what followes that same moonelight line Lo: More faire and chast then is the louer of shades More bould in constancie King In constancie then who Lo: Then Iudith was King O monstrous line put in the next a sword And I shall woo her to cut of my head Blot blot good Lodwicke let vs heare the next Lo: There 's all that yet is donne King I thancke thee then thou hast don litle ill But what is don is passing passing ill No let the Captaine talke of boystrous warr The prisoner of emured darke constraint The sick man best sets downe the pangs of death The man that starues the sweetnes of a feast The frozen soule the benefite of fire And euery griefe his happie opposite Loue cannot sound well but in louers toungs Giue me the pen and paper I will write Enter Countes But soft here comes the treasurer of my spirit Lodwick thou knowst not how to drawe a battell These wings these flankars and these squadrons Argue in thee defectiue discipline Thou shouldest haue placed this here this other here Co. Pardon my boldnes my thrice gracious Lords Let my intrusion here be cald my duetie That comes to see my soueraigne how he fares Kin: Go draw the same I tell thee in what forme Lor: I go Con Sorry I am to see my liege so sad What may thy subiect do to driue from thee Thy gloomy consort sullome melancholie King Ah Lady I am blunt and cannot strawe The flowers of solace in a ground of shame Since I came hither Countes I am wronged Cont Now God forbid that anie in my howse Should thinck my soueraigne wrong thrice gentle King King Acquant me with theyr cause of discontent How neere then shall I be to remedie Cont As nere my Liege as all my womans power Can pawne it selfe to buy thy remedy King Yf thou speakst true then haue I my redresse Ingage thy power to redeeme my Ioyes And I am ioyfull Countes els I die Coun: I will my Liege King Sweare Counties that thou wilt Coun: By heauen I will King Then take thy selfe a litel waie a side And tell thy self a King doth dote on thee Say that within thy power doth lie To make him happy and that thou hast sworne To giue him all the Ioy within thy power Do this and tell me when I shall be happie Coun: All this is done my thrice dread souereigne That power of loue that I haue power to giue Thou hast with all deuout obedience Inploy me how thou wilt in profe therof King Thou hearst me saye that I do dote on thee Coun: Yf on my beauty take yt if thou canst Though litle I do prise it ten tymes lesse If on my vertue take it if thou canst For vertues store by giuing doth augment Be it on what it will that I can giue And thou canst take awaie inherit it King It is thy beautie that I woulde enioy Count O were it painted I would wipe it of And disposse my selfe to giue it thee But souereigne it is souldered to my life Take one and both for like an humble shaddow Yt hauntes the sunshine of my summers life But thou maist leue it me to sport with all Count As easie may my intellectual soule Be lent awaie and yet my bodie liue As lend my bodie pallace to my soule Awaie from her and yet retaine my soule My bodie is her bower her Court her abey And shee an Angell pure deuine vnspotted If I should leaue her house my Lord to thee I kill my poore soule and my poore soule me King Didst thou not swere to giue me what I would Count I did my liege so what you would I could King I wish no more of thee then thou maist giue Nor beg I do not but I rather buie That is thy loue and for that loue of thine In rich exchaunge I tender to thee myne Count But that your lippes were sacred my Lord You would prophane the holie name of loue That loue you offer me you cannot giue For Caesar owes that tribut to his Queene That loue you beg of me I cannot giue For Sara owes that duetie to her Lord He that doth clip or counterfeit your stamp Shall die my Lord and will your sacred selfe Comit high treason against the King of heauen To stamp his Image in forbidden mettel For getting your alleageance and your othe In violating mariage secred law You breake a greater honor then your selfe To be a King is of a yonger house Then to be maried your progenitour Sole ragning Adam on the vniuerse By God was honored for a married man But not by him annointed for a king It is a pennalty to breake your statutes Though not enacted with your highnes hand How much more
to infringe the holy act Made by the mouth of God seald with his hand I know my souereigne in my husbands loue Who now doth loyall seruice in his warrs Doth but to try the wife of Salisbury Whither shee will heare a wantons tale or no Lest being therein giulty by my stay From that not from my leige I tourne awaie Exit King Whether is her bewtie by her words dyuine Or are her words sweet chaplaines to her bewtie Like as the wind doth beautifie a saile And as a saile becomes the vnseene winde So doe her words her bewties bewtie wordes O that I were a honie gathering bee To beare the combe of vertue from his flower And not a poison sucking enuious spider To turne the vice I take to deadlie venom Religion is austere and bewty gentle To stricke a gardion for so faire a weed O that shee were as is the aire to mee Why so she is for when I would embrace her This do I and catch nothing but my selfe I must enioy her for I cannot beate With reason and reproofe fond loue awaie Enter Warwicke Here comes her father I will worke with him To beare my collours in this feild of loue War: How is it that my souereigne is so sad May I with pardon know your highnes griefe And that my old endeuor will remoue it It shall not comber long your maiestie King A kind and voluntary gift thou proferest That I was forwarde to haue begd of thee But O thou world great nurse of flatterie Whie dost thou tip mens tongues with golden words And peise their deedes with weight of heauie leade That faire performance cannot follow promise O that a man might hold the hartes close booke And choke the lauish tongue when it doth vtter The breath of falshood not carectred there War: Far be it from the honor of my age That I should owe bright gould and render lead Age is a cyncke not a flatterer I saye againe that I if knew your griefe And that by me it may be lesned My proper harme should buy your highnes good These are the vulger tenders of false men That neuer pay the duetie of their words Kin: Thou wilt not sticke to sweare what thou hast said But when thou knowest my greifes condition This rash disgorged vomit of thy word Thou wilt eate vp againe and leaue me helples War By heauen I will not though your maiestie Did byd me run vpon your sworde and die Say that my greefe is no way medicinable But by the losse and bruising of thine honour War: Yf nothing but that losse may vantage you I would accomplish that losse my vauntage to King Thinkst that thou canst answere thy oth againe War: I cannot nor I would not if I could King But if thou dost what shal I say to thee War: What may be said to anie periurd villane That breake the sacred warrant of an oath King What wilt thou say to one that breaks an othe War That hee hath broke his faith with God and man And from them both standes excommunicat King What office were it to suggest a man To breake a lawfull and religious vowe War An office for the deuill not for man Ki. That destilles office must thou do for me Or breake thy oth or cancell all the bondes Of loue and duetie twixt thy self and mee And therefore Warwike if thou art thy selfe The Lord and master of thy word and othe Go to thy daughter and in my behalfe Comaund her woo her win her anie wares To be my mistres and my secret loue I will not stand to heare thee make reply Thy oth breake hers or let thy souereigne dye Exit King O doting King or detestable office Well may I tempt my self to wrong my self When he hath sworne me by the name of God To breake a vowe made by the name of God What if I sweare by this right hand of mine To cut this right hande of the better waie Were to prophaine the Idoll then confound it But neither will I do I le keepe myne oath And to my daughter make a recantation Of all the vertue I haue preacht to her I le say she must forget her husband Salisbury If she remember to embrace the king I le say an othe may easily be broken But not so easily pardoned being broken I le say it is true charitie to loue But not true loue to be so charitable I le say his greatnes may beare out the shame But not his kingdome can buy out the sinne I le say it is my duety to perswade But not her honestie to giue consent Enter Countesse See where she comes was neuer father had Against his child an embassage so bad Co: My Lord and father I haue sought for you My mother and the Peeres importune you To keepe in promise of his maiestie And do your best to make his highnes merrie War: How shall I enter in this gracelesse arrant I must not call her child for wheres the father That will in such a sute seduce his child Then wife of Salisbury shall I so begin No hee s my friend and where is found the friend That will doe friendship such indammagement Neither my daughter nor my deare friends wife I am not Warwike as thou thinkst I am But an atturnie from the Court of hell That thus haue housd my spirite in his forme To do a message to thee from the king The mighty king of England dotes on thee He that hath power to take away thy life Hath power to take thy honor then consent To pawne thine honor rather then thy life Honor is often lost and got againe But life once gon hath no recouerie The Sunne that withers heye doth nourish grasse The king that would distaine thee will aduance thee The Poets write that great Achilles speare Could heale the wound it made the morrall is What mighty men misdoo they can amend The Lyon doth become his bloody iawes And grace his forragement by being milde When vassell feare lies trembling at his feete The king will in his glory hide thy shame And those that gaze on him to finde out thee Will loose their eie-sight looking in the Sunne What can one drop of poyson harme the Sea Whose hugie vastures can digest the ill And make it loose his operation The kings great name will temper their misdeeds And giue the bitter portion of reproch A sugred sweet and most delitious tast Besides it is no harme to do the thing Which without shame could not be left vndone Thus haue I in his maiesties behalfe Apparraled sin in vertuous sentences And dwel vpon thy answere in his sute Cou: Vnnaturall beseege woe me vnhappie To haue escapt the danger of my foes And to be ten times worse iniuerd by friends Hath he no meanes to stayne my honest blood But to corrupt the author of my blood To be his scandalous and vile soliciter No maruell though the braunches be then infected When poyson hath
encompassed the roote No maruell though the leprous infant dye When the sterne dame inuennometh the Dug Why then giue sinne a pasport to offend And youth the dangerous reigne of liberty Blot out the strict forbidding of the law And cancell euery cannon that prescribes A shame for shame or pennance for offence No let me die if his too boystrous will Will haue it so before I will consent To be an actor in his gracelesse lust Wa: Why now thou speakst as I would haue thee speake And marke how I vnsaie my words againe An honorable graue is more esteemd Then the polluted closet of a king The greater man the greater is the thing Be it good or bad that he shall vndertake An vnreputed mote flying in the Sunne Presents a greater substaunce then it is The freshest summers day doth soonest taint The lothed carrion that it seemes to kisse Deepe are the blowes made with a mightie Axe That sinne doth ten times agreuate it selfe That is committed in a holie place An euill deed done by authoritie Is sin and subbornation Decke an Ape In tissue and the beautie of the robe Adds but the greater scorne vnto the beast A spatious field of reasons could I vrge Betweene his gloomie daughter and thy shame That poyson shewes worst in a golden cup Darke night seemes darker by the lightning flash Lillies that fester smel far worse then weeds And euery glory that inclynes to sin The shame is treble by the opposite So leaue I with my blessing in thy bosome Which then conuert to a most heauie curse When thou conuertest from honors golden name To the blacke faction of bed blotting shame Coun: Ils follow thee and when my minde turnes so My body sinke my soule in endles woo Exeunt Enter at one doore Derby from Fraunce At an other doore Audley with a Drum Der. Thrice noble Audley well incountred heere How is it with our soueraigne and his peeres Aud. T is full a fortnight since I saw his highnes What time he sent me forth to muster men Which I accordingly haue done and bring them hither In faire aray before his maiestie King What newes my Lord of Derby from the Emperor Der. As good as we desire the Emperor Hath yeelded to his highnes friendly ayd And makes our king leiuetenant generall In all his lands and large dominions Then via for the spatious bounds of Fraunce Aud. What doth his highnes leap to heare these newes Der. I haue not yet found time to open them The king is in his closet malcontent For what I know not but he gaue in charge Till after dinner none should interrupt him The Countesse Salisbury and her father Warwike Artoyes and all looke vnderneath the browes Aud: Vndoubtedly then some thing is a misse Enter the King Dar. The Trumpets sound the king is now abroad Ar. Here comes his highnes Der. Befall my soueraigne all my soueraignes wish King Ah that thou wert a Witch to make it so Der. The Emperour greeteth you Kin. Would it were the Countesse Der. And hath accorded to your highnes suite King Thou lyest she hath not but I would she had Au. All loue and duety to my Lord the King Kin. Well all but one is none what newes with you Au. I haue my liege leuied those horse and foote According as your charge and brought them hither Kin. Then let those foote trudge hence vpon those horse According too our discharge and be gonne Darby I le looke vpon the Countesse minde anone Dar The Countesse minde my liege Kin. I meane the Emperour leaue me alone Au. What is his mind Dar: Le ts leaue him to his humor Exunt Ki Thus from the harts aboundant speakes the tongue Countesse for Emperour and indeed why not She is as imperator ouer me and I to her Am as a kneeling vassaile that obserues The pleasure or displeasure of her eye Enter Lodwike Ki What saies the more then Cleopatras match To Caesar now Lo: That yet my liege ere night She will resolue your maiestie Ki What drum is this that thunders forth this march To start the tender Cupid in my bosome Poore shipskin how it braules with him that beateth it Go breake the thundring parchment bottome out And I will teach it to conduct sweete lynes Vnto the bosome of a heauenly Nymph For I will vse it as my writing paper And so reduce him from a scoulding drum To be the herald and deare counsaile bearer Betwixt a goddesse and a mighty king Go bid the drummer learne to touch the Lute Or hang him in the braces of his drum For now we thinke it an vnciuill thing To trouble heauen with such harsh resounds Away Exit The quarrell that I haue requires no armes But these of myne and these shall meete my foe In a deepe march of penytrable grones My eyes shall be my arrowes and my sighes Shall serue me as the vantage of the winde To wherle away my sweetest artyilerie Ah but alas she winnes the sunne of me For that is she her selfe and thence it comes That Poets tearme the wanton warriour blinde But loue hath eyes as iudgement to his steps Till two much loued glory dazies them How now Enter Lodwike Lo. My liege the drum that stroke the lusty march Stands with Prince Edward your thrice valiant sonne Enter Prince Edward King I see the boy oh how his mothers face Modeld in his corrects my straid desire And rates my heart and chides my theeuish eie Who being rich ennough in seeing her Yet seeke elsewhere and basest theft is that Which cannot cloke it selfe on pouertie Now boy what newes Pr. E. I haue assembled my deare Lord and father The choysest buds of all our English blood For our affaires to Fraunce and heere we come To take direction from your maiestie Kin: Still do I see in him deliniate His mothers visage those his eies are hers Who looking wistely on me make me blush For faults against themselues giue euidence Lust as a fire and me like lanthorne show Light lust within themselues euen through them selues Away loose silkes or wauering vanitie Shall the large limmit of faire Brittayne By me be ouerthrowne and shall I not Master this little mansion of my selfe Giue me an Armor of eternall steele I go to conquer kings and shall I not then Subdue my selfe and be my enimies friend It must not be come boy forward aduaunce Le ts with our coullours sweete the Aire of Fraunce Enter Lodwike Lo. My liege the Countesse with a smiling cheere Desires accesse vnto your Maiestie King Why there it goes that verie smile of hers Hath ransomed captiue Fraunce and set the King The Dolphin and the Peeres at liberty Goe leaue me Ned and reuell with thy friends Exit Pr. Thy mother is but blacke and thou like her Dost put it in my minde how foule she is Goe fetch the Countesse hether in thy hand Exit Lod. And let her chase away these winter clouds For shee giues beautie both
Enter King Iohn K. Io: Come Charles and arme thee Edward is intrapt The Prince of Wales is falne into our hands And we haue compast him he cannot scape Ch: But will your highnes fight to day Io: What else my son hee s scarse eight thousand strong and we are threescore thousand at the least Ch: I haue a prophecy my gratious Lord Wherein is written what successe is like To happen vs in this outragious warre It was deliuered me at Cresses field By one that is an aged Hermyt there when fethered soul shal make thine army tremble and flint stones rise and breake the battell ray Then thinke on him that doth not now dissemble For that shal be the haples dreadfull day Yet in the end thy foot thou shalt aduance as farre in England as thy foe in Fraunce Io: By this it seemes we shal be fortunate For as it is impossible that stones Should euer rise and breake the battaile ray Or airie foule make men in armes to quake So is it like we shall not be subdude Or say this might be true yet in the end Since he doth promise we shall driue him hence And forrage their Countrie as they haue don ours By this reuenge that losse will seeme the lesse But all are fryuolous fancies toyes and dreames Once we are sure we haue insnard the sonne Catch we the father after how we can Exeunt Enter Prince Edward Audley and others Pr: Audley the armes of death embrace vs round And comfort haue we none saue that to die We pay sower earnest for a sweeter life At Cressey field our Clouds of Warlike smoke chokt vp those French mouths disseuered them But now their multitudes of millions hide Masking as t were the beautious burning Sunne Leauing no hope to vs but sullen darke And eie lesse terror of all ending night Au. This suddaine mightie and expedient head That they haue made faire Prince is wonderfull Before vs in the vallie lies the king Vantagd with all that heauen and earth can yeeld His partie stronger battaild then our whole His sonne the brauing Duke of Normandie Hath trimd the Mountaine on our right hand vp In shining plate that now the aspiring hill Shewes like a siluer quarrie or an orbe Aloft the which the Banners bannarets And new replenisht pendants cuff the aire And beat the windes that for their gaudinesse Struggles to kisse them on our left handlies Phillip the younger issue of the king Coting the other hill in such arraie That all his guilded vpright pikes do seeme Streight trees of gold the pendant leaues And their deuice of Antique heraldry Quartred in collours seeming sundy fruits Makes it the Orchard of the Hesperides Behinde vs two the hill doth beare his height For like a halfe Moone opening but one way It rounds vs in there at our backs are lodgd The fatall Crosbowes and the battaile there Is gouernd by the rough Chattillion Then thus it stands the valleie for our flight The king binds in the hils on either hand Are proudly royalized by his sonnes And on the Hill behind stands certaine death In pay and seruice with Chattillion Pr: Deathes name is much more mightie then his deeds Thy parcelling this power hath made it more As many sands as these my hands can hold are but my handful of so many sands Then all the world and call it but a power Easely tane vp and quickly throwne away But if I stand to count them sand by sand The number would confound my memorie And make a thousand millions of a taske Which briefelie is no more indeed then one These quarters squadrons and these regements Before behinde vs and on either hand Are but a power when we name a man His hand his foote his head hath seuerall strengthes And being al but one selfe instant strength Why all this many Audely is but one And we can call it all but one mans strength He that hath farre to goe tels it by miles If he should tell the steps it kills his hart The drops are infinite that make a floud And yet thou knowest we call it but a Raine There is but one Fraunce one king of Fraunce That Fraunce hath no more kings and that same king Hath but the puissant legion of one king And we haue one then apprehend no ods For one to one is faire equalitie Enter an Herald from king Iohn Pr: What tidings messenger be playne and briefe He: The king of Fraunce my soueraigne Lord and master Greets by me his fo the Prince of Wals If thou call forth a hundred men of name Of Lords Knights Esquires and English gentlemen And with thy selfe and those kneele at his feete He straight will fold his bloody collours vp And ransome shall redeeme liues forfeited If not this day shall drinke more English blood Then ere was buried in our Bryttish earth What is the answere to his profered mercy Pr: This heauen that couers Fraunce containes the mercy That drawes from me submissiue orizons That such base breath should vanish from my lips To vrge the plea of mercie to a man The Lord forbid returne and tell the king My tongue is made of steele and it shall beg My mercie on his coward burgonet Tell him my colours are as red as his My men as bold our English armes as strong returne him my defiance in his face He. I go Enter another Pr: What newes with thee He. I he Duke of Normandie my Lord master Pittying thy youth is so ingirt with perill By me hath sent a nimble ioynted iennet As swift as euer yet thou didst bestride And therewithall he counsels thee to flie Els death himself hath sworne that thou shalt die P Back with the beast vnto the beast that sent him Tell him I cannot sit a cowards horse Bid him to daie bestride the iade himselfe For I will staine my horse quite ore with bloud And double guild my spurs but I will catch him So tell the capring boy and get thee gone Enter another He: Edward of Wales Phillip the second sonne To the most mightie christian king of France Seeing thy bodies liuing date expird All full of charitie and christian loue Commends this booke full fraught with prayers To thy faire hand and for thy houre of lyfe Intreats thee that thou meditate therein And arme thy soule for hir long iourney towards Thus haue I done his bidding and returne Pr. Herald of Phillip greet thy Lord from me All good that he can send I can receiue But thinkst thou not the vnaduised boy Hath wrongd himselfe in this far tendering me Happily he cannot praie without the booke I thinke him no diuine extemporall Then render backe this common place of prayer To do himselfe good in aduersitie Besides he knows not my sinnes qualitie and therefore knowes no praiers for my auaile Ere night his praier may be to praie to God To put it in my heart to heare his praier So tell the courtly wanton and be gone He.
our lookes And now vnto this proud resisting towne Souldiers assault I will no longer stay To be deluded by their false delaies Put all to sword and make the spoyle your owne All Mercy king Edward mercie gratious Lord Ki Contemptuous villaines call ye now for truce Mine eares are stopt against your bootelesse cryes Sound drums allarum draw threatning swords All Ah noble Prince take pittie on this towne And heare vs mightie king We claime the promise that your highnes made The two daies respit is not yet expirde And we are come with willingnes to beare What tortering death or punishment you please So that the trembling multitude be saued Ki My promise wel I do confesse as much But I require the cheefest Citizens And men of most account that should submit You peraduenture are but seruile groomes Or some fellonious robbers on the Sea Whome apprehended law would execute Albeit seuerity lay dead in vs No no ye cannot ouerreach vs thus Two The Sun dread Lord that in the western fall Beholds vs now low brought through miserie Did in the Orient purple of the morne Salute our comming forth when we were knowne Or may our portion be with damned fiends Ki If it be so then let our couenant stand We take possession of the towne in peace But for your selues looke you for no remorse But as imperiall iustice hath decreed Your bodies shal be dragd about these wals And after feele the stroake of quartering steele This is your dome go souldiers see it done Qu Ah be more milde vnto these yeelding men It is a glorious thing to stablish peace And kings approch the nearest vnto God By giuing life and fafety vnto men As thou intendest to be king of Fraunce So let her people liue to call thee king For what the sword cuts down or fire hath spoyld Is held in reputation none of ours Ki Although experience teach vs this is true That peacefull quietnes brings most delight When most of all abuses are controld Yet insomuch it shal be knowne that we Aswell can master our affections As conquer other by the dynt of sword Phillip preuaile we yeeld to thy request These men shall liue to boast of clemencie And tyrannie strike terror to thy selfe Two long liue your highnes happy be your reigne Ki Go get you hence returne vnto the towne And if this kindnes hath deserud your loue Learne then to reuerence Edw as your king Ex. Now might we heare of our affaires abroad We would till glomy Winter were ore spent Dispose our men in garrison a while But who comes heere Enter Copland and King Dauid De, Copland my Lord and Dauid King of Scots Ki Is this the proud presumtious Esquire of the North That would not yeeld his prisoner to my Queen Cop: I am my liege a Northen Esquire indeed But neither proud nor insolent I trust Ki What moude thee then to be so obstinate To contradict our royall Queenes desire Co. No wilfull disobedience mightie Lord But my desert and publike law at armes I tooke the king my selfe in single fight and like a souldier would be loath to loose The least preheminence that I had won And Copland straight vpon your highnes charge Is come to Fraunce and with a lowly minde Doth vale the bonnet of his victory Receiue dread Lorde the custome of my fraught The wealthie tribute of my laboring hands Which should long since haue been surrendred vp Had but your gratious selfe bin there in place Q But Copland thou didst scorne the kings command Neglecting our commission in his name Cop. His name I reuerence but his person more His name shall keepe me in alleagaunce still But to his person I will bend my knee King I praie thee Phillip let displeasure passe This man doth please mee and I like his words For what is he that will attempt great deeds and loose the glory that ensues the same all riuers haue recourse vnto the Sea and Coplands faith relation to his king Kneele therefore downe now rise king Edwards knight and to maintayne thy state I freely giue Fiue hundred marks a yeere to thee and thine Welcom Lord Salisburie what news from Brittaine Enter Salsbury Sa: This mightie king the Country we haue won And Charles de Mountford regent of that place Presents your highnes with this Coronet Protesting true allegeaunce to your Grace Ki We thanke thee for thy seruice valient Earle Challenge our fauour for we owe it thee Sa: But now my Lord as this is ioyful newes So must my voice be tragicall againe and I must sing of dolefull accidents Ki What haue our men the ouerthrow at Poitiers Oris our sonne beset with too much odds Sa. He was my Lord and as my worthlesse selfe With fortie other seruiceable knights Vnder safe conduct of the Dolphins seale Did trauaile that way finding him distrest A troupe of Launces met vs on the way Surprisd and brought vs prisoners to the king Who proud of this and eager of reuenge Commanded straight to cut of all our heads And surely we had died but that the Duke More full of honor then his angry syre Procurd our quicke deliuerance from thence But ere we went salute your king quoth hee Bid him prouide a funerall for his sonne To day our sword shall cut his thred of life And sooner then he thinkes we le be with him To quittance those displeasures he hath done This said we past not daring to reply Our harts were dead our lookes diffusd and wan Wandring at last we clymd vnto a hill From whence although our griefe were much before Yet now to see the occasion with our eies Did thrice so much increase our heauines For there my Lord oh there we did descry Downe in a vallie how both armies laie The French had cast their trenches like a ring And euery Barricados open front Was thicke imbost with brasen ordynaunce Heere stood a battaile of ten thousand horse There twise as many pikes in quadrant wise Here Crosbowes and deadly wounding darts And in the midst like to a slender poynt Within the compasse of the horison as t were a rising bubble in the sea A Hasle wand a midst a wood of Pynes Or as a beare fast chaind vnto a stake Stood famous Edward still expecting when Those doggs of Fraunce would fasten on his flesh Anon the death procuring knell begins Off goe the Cannons that with trembling noyse Did shake the very Mountayne where they stood Then sound the Trumpets clangor in the aire The battailes ioyne and when we could no more Discerne the difference twixt the friend and so So intricate the darke confusion was Away we turnd our watrie eies with sighs as blacke as pouder fuming into smoke And thus I feare vnhappie haue I told The most vntimely tale of Edwards fall Qu Ah me is this my welcome into Fraunce Is this the comfort that I lookt to haue When I should meete with my belooued sonne Sweete Ned I would thy mother