Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

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Sc. 6 Enter King Edward and the Earl of Derby with soldiers and Gobin de Grace

KING EDWARD

Where is the Frenchman by whose cunning guide

We found the shallow of this river Somme,

And had direction how to pass the sea?

GOBIN

Here, my good lord.

KING EDWARD

How art thou called? Tell me thy name.

GOBIN

Gobin de Grace, if please your excellence.

KING EDWARD

Then, Gobin, for the service thou hast done

We here enlarge and give thee liberty,

And for a recompense, beside this good,

Thou shalt receive five hundred marks in gold.

(To Derby) I know not how we should have missed our son,

Whom now in heart I wish I might behold.

Enter the Comte d’Artois

COMTE D’ARTOIS

Good news, my lord! The Prince is hard at hand,

And with him comes Lord Audley and the rest

Whom, since our landing, we could never meet.

Enter Edward Prince of Wales, Lord Audley and soldiers

KING EDWARD

Welcome, fair Prince. How hast thou sped, my son,

Since thy arrival on the coast of France?

PRINCE OF WALES

Successfully, I thank the gracious heavens.

Some of their strongest cities we have won—

As Harfleur, Lô, Crotoy and Carentan—

And others wasted, leaving at our heels

A wide, apparent field and beaten path

For solitariness to progress in.

Yet those that would submit we kindly pardoned,

For who in scorn refused our proffered peace

Endured the penalty of sharp revenge.

KING EDWARD

Ah, France, why shouldst thou be this obstinate

Against the kind embracement of thy friends?

How gently had we thought to touch thy breast

And set our foot upon thy tender mould,

But that in froward and disdainful pride

Thou, like a skittish and untamed colt,

Dost start aside and strike us with thy heels.

But tell me, Ned, in all thy warlike course

Hast thou not seen the usurping King of France?

PRINCE OF WALES

Yes, my good lord, and not two hours ago,

With full a hundred thousand fighting men

Upon the one side with the river’s bank,

And on the other, both his multitudes.

I feared he would have cropped our smaller power,

But happily, perceiving your approach,

He hath withdrawn himself to Crécy plains,

Where, as it seemeth by his good array,

He means to bid us battle presently.

KING EDWARD

He shall be welcome. That’s the thing we crave.

Enter Jean King of France, the Dauphin, the

Duc de Lorraine, the King of Bohemia, young

Prince Philippe and soldiers

KING OF FRANCE

Edward, know that Jean, the true King of France,

Musing thou shouldst encroach upon his land

And, in thy tyrannous proceeding, slay

His faithful subjects and subvert his towns,

Spits in thy face, and, in this manner following,

Upbraids thee with thine arrogant intrusion.

First, I condemn thee for a fugitive,

A thievish pirate and a needy mate,

One that hath either no abiding-place

Or else, inhabiting some barren soil,

Where neither herb or fruitful grain is had,

Dost altogether live by pilfering.

Next, insomuch thou hast infringed thy faith,

Broke league and solemn covenant made with me,

I hold thee for a false, pernicious wretch.

And last of all, although I scorn to cope

With one so much inferior to myself,

Yet in respect thy thirst is all for gold,

Thy labour rather to be feared than loved,

To satisfy thy lust, in either part,

Here am I come and with me have I brought

Exceeding store of treasure, pearl and coin.

Leave, therefore, now to persecute the weak,

And armed ent‘ring conflict with the armed,

Let it be seen, ’mongst other petty thefts,

How thou canst win this pillage manfully.

KING EDWARD

If gall or wormwood have a pleasant taste,

Then is thy salutation honey sweet.

But as the one hath no such property,

So is the other most satirical.

Yet wot how I regard thy worthless taunts.

If thou have uttered them to soil my fame,

Or dim the reputation of my birth,

Know that thy wolvish barking cannot hurt.

If slyly to insinuate with the world,

And with a strumpet’s artificial lime

To paint thy vicious and deformed cause,

Be well assured the counterfeit will fade,

And in the end thy foul defects be seen.

But if thou didst it to provoke me on,

As who should say I were but timorous,

Or, coldly negligent, did need a spur,

Bethink thyself how slack I was at sea,

How, since my landing, I have won no towns,

Entered no further but upon the coast,

And there have ever since securely slept.

But if I have been otherwise employed,

Imagine, Valois, whether I intend

To skirmish, not for pillage, but for the crown

Which thou dost wear and that I vow to have,

Or one of us shall fall into his grave.

PRINCE OF WALES

Look not for cross invectives at our hands,

Or railing execrations of despite.

Let creeping serpents hid in hollow banks

Sting with their tongues; we have remorseless swords,

And they shall plead for us and our affairs.

Yet thus much briefly, by my father’s leave,

As all the immodest poison of thy throat

Is scandalous and most notorious lies,

And our pretended quarrel is truly just,

So end the battle when we meet today:

May either of us prosper and prevail

Or, luckless cursed, receive eternal shame.

KING EDWARD

That needs no further question, and I know

His conscience witnesseth it is my right.

Therefore, Valois, say: wilt thou yet resign

Before the sickle’s thrust into the corn,

Or that enkindled fury turn to flame?

KING OF FRANCE

Edward, I know what right thou hast in France,

And ere I basely will resign my crown

This champaign field shall be a pool of blood,

And all our prospect as a slaughterhouse.

PRINCE OF WALES

Ay, that approves thee, tyrant, what thou art.

No father, king, or shepherd of thy realm,

But one that tears her entrails with thy hands

And, like a thirsty tiger, suck’st her blood.

AUDLEY

You peers of France, why do you follow him

That is so prodigal to spend your lives?

DAUPHIN

Whom should they follow, aged impotent,

But he that is their true-born sovereign?

KING EDWARD

Upbraid’st thou him because within his face

Time hath engraved deep characters of age?

Know that these grave scholars of experience,

Like stiff-grown oaks, will stand immovable

When whirlwind quickly turns up younger trees.

EARL OF DERBY (to the King of France)

Was ever any of thy father’s house

King but thyself before this present time?

(To the French generally) Edward’s great lineage by the

mother’s side

Five hundred years hath held the sceptre up.

Judge then, conspirators, by this descent

Which is the true-born sovereign—this, or that.

PRINCE PHILIPPE (to the King of France)

Father, range your battles. Prate no more.

These English fain would spend the time in words

That, night approaching, they might scape unfought.

KING OF FRANCE

Lords and my loving subjects, now’s the time

That your intended force must bide the touch.

Therefore, my friends, consider this in brief.

He that you fight for is your natural king;

He against whom you fight a foreigner.

He that you fight for rules in clemency,

And reigns you with a mild and gentle bit;

He against whom you fight, if he prevail,

Will straight enthrone himself in tyranny,

Make slaves of you and with a heavy hand

Curtail and curb your sweetest liberty.

Then, to protect your country and your King,

Let but the haughty courage of your hearts

Answer the number of your able hands,

And we shall quickly chase these fugitives.

For what’s this Edward but a belly-god,

A tender and lascivious wantonness,

That th‘other day was almost dead for love?

And what, I pray you, is his goodly guard?

Such as, but scant them of their chines of beef,

And take away their downy feather beds,

And presently they are as resty-stiff

As ’twere a many overridden jades.

Then, Frenchmen, scorn that such should be your lords,

And rather bind ye them in captive bands.

ALL THE FRENCH

Vive le roil God save King Jean of Francel

KING OF FRANCE

Now, on this plain of Crécy, spread yourselves.

And, Edward, when thou dar’st, begin the fight!

Exit with the French

KING EDWARD (calling after)

We presently will meet thee, Jean of France!

(To the English) And, English lords, let us resolve the day

Either to clear us of that scandalous crime

Or be entombed in our innocence.

(To the Prince of Wales) And, Ned, because this battle is the first

That ever yet thou fought’st in pitched field,

As ancient custom is of martialists

To dub thee with the type of chivalry,

In solemn manner we will give thee arms.

Come, therefore, heralds; orderly bring forth

A strong attirement for the Prince my son.

Enter four heralds bringing in a coat armour, a helmet, a lance and a shield

Edward Plantagenet, in the name of God,

As with this armour I impale thy breast

So be thy noble, unrelenting heart

Walled in with flint of matchless fortitude

That never base affections enter there.

⌈The Prince of Wales is invested in armour⌉

Fight and be valiant; conquer where thou com’st.

(To Derby, Audley and Artois) Now follow, lords, and do him honour too.

EARL OF DERBY

Edward Plantagenet, Prince of Wales,

As I do set this helmet on thy head

Wherewith the chamber of thy brain is fenced,

So may thy temples with Bellona’s hand

Be still adorned with laurel victory.

⌈The helmet is placed on the Prince of Wales⌉

Fight and be valiant; conquer where thou com’st.

AUDLEY

Edward Plantagenet, Prince of Wales,

Receive this lance into thy manly hand.

Use it in fashion of a brazen pen

To draw forth bloody stratagems in France,

And print thy valiant deeds in honour’s book.

⌈The lance is given to the Prince of Wales⌉

Fight and be valiant; vanquish where thou com’st.

COMTE D’ARTOIS

Edward Plantagenet, Prince of Wales,

Hold, take this target; wear it on thy arm.

And may the view thereof, like Perseus’ shield,

Astonish and transform thy gazing foes

To senseless images of meagre death.

⌈The shield is given to the Prince of Wales⌉

Fight and be valiant; conquer where thou com’st.

KING EDWARD

Now wants there naught but knighthood, which deferred

We leave till thou hast won it in the field.

PRINCE OF WALES

My gracious father and ye forward peers,

This honour you have done me animates

And cheers my green, yet scarce-appearing, strength

With comfortable, good-presaging signs,

No otherwise than did old Jacob’s words

Whenas he breathed his blessings on his sons.

These hallowed gifts of yours, when I profane

Or use them not to glory of my God

To patronage the fatherless and poor,

Or for the benefit of England’s peace,

Be numb my joints, wax feeble both mine arms,

Wither my heart that, like a sapless tree,

I may remain the map of infamy.

KING EDWARD

Then thus our steeled battles shall be ranged.

(To the Prince of Wales) The leading of the vanguard, Ned, is thine,

To dignify whose lusty spirit the more

We temper it with Audley’s gravity,

That courage and experience, joined in one,

Your manège may be second unto none.

(To all) For the main battles I will guide myself,

And Derby in the rearward march behind,

That orderly disposed and set in ’ray

Let us to horse, and God grant us the day!

Exeunt

Sc. 7 Alarum. Enter and exit a many Frenchmen flying. Chasing after them, enter and exit Edward Prince of Wales running. Then enter Jean King of France and the Due de Lorraine

KING OF FRANCE

O Lorraine, say: what mean our men to fly?

Our number is far greater than our foes.

DUC DE LORRAINE

The garrison of Genoese, my lord,

That came from Paris, weary with their march,

Grudging to be so suddenly employed,

No sooner in the forefront took their place,

But straight retiring, so dismayed the rest

As likewise they betook themselves to flight,

In which, for haste to make a safe escape,

More in the clustering throng are pressed to death

Than by the enemy a thousandfold.

KING OF FRANCE

O, hapless fortune! Let us yet assay

If we can counsel some of them to stay.

Exeunt

Sc. 8 Enter King Edward and Lord Audley

KING EDWARD

Lord Audley, whiles our son is in the chase,

Withdraw our powers unto this little hill,

And here a season let us breathe ourselves.

AUDLEY I will, my lord. Exit

Sound retreat within

KING EDWARD

Just-dooming heaven, whose secret providence

To our gross judgement is inscrutable,

How are we bound to praise thy wondrous works

That hast, this day, given way unto the right,

And made the wicked stumble at themselves?

Enter the Comte d’Artois

COMTE D’ARTOIS

Rescue, King Edward! Rescue for thy son!

KING EDWARD

Rescue, Artois? What, is he prisoner,

Or fell by violence beside his horse?

COMTE D’ARTOIS

Neither, my lord, but narrowly beset

With turning Frenchmen, whom he did pursue,

As ’tis impossible that he should scape

Except your highness presently descend.

KING EDWARD

Tut, let him fight. We gave him arms today,

And he is labouring for a knighthood, man!

Enter the Earl of Derby

EARL OF DERBY

The Prince, my lord, the Prince! O, succour him!

He’s close encompassed with a world of odds.

KING EDWARD

Then will he win a world of honour too

If he by valour can redeem him thence.

If not, what remedy? We have more sons

Than one to comfort our declining age.

Enter Lord Audley

AUDLEY

Renowned Edward, give me leave, I pray,

To lead my soldiers where I may relieve

Your grace’s son, in danger to be slain.

The snares of French, like emmets on a bank,

Muster about him whilst he, lion-like,

Entangled in the net of their assaults,

Franticly rends and bites the woven toil.

But all in vain. He cannot free himself.

KING EDWARD

Audley, content. I will not have a man,

On pain of death, sent forth to succour him.

This is the day ordained by destiny

To season his green courage with those grievous

thoughts

That, if he breaketh out, Nestor’s years on earth

Will make him savour still of this exploit.

EARL OF DERBY

Ah, but he shall not live to see those days!

KING EDWARD

Why, then, his epitaph is lasting praise.

AUDLEY

Yet, good my lord, ’tis too much wilfulness

To let his blood be spilt, that may be saved.

KING EDWARD

Exclaim no more, for none of you can tell

Whether a borrowed aid will serve or no.

Perhaps he is already slain or ta’en.

And dare a falcon when she’s in her flight,

And ever after she’ll be haggard-like.

Let Edward be delivered by our hands

And, still in danger, he’ll expect the like.

But if himself himself redeem from thence,

He will have vanquished, cheerful, death and fear,

And ever after dread their force no more

Than if they were but babes or captive slaves.

AUDLEY

O cruel father! Farewell Edward, then.

EARL OF DERBY

Farewell, sweet Prince, the hope of chivalry.

COMTE D’ARTOIS

O, would my life might ransom him from death!

Trumpets sound retreat within

KING EDWARD But soft—methinks I hear

The dismal charge of trumpets’ loud retreat.

All are not slain, I hope, that went with him.

Some will return with tidings, good or bad.

Enter Edward Prince of Wales in triumph, bearing in his hand his shivered lance. The body of the King of Bohemia is borne before, wrapped in the colours of Bohemia. The English run and embrace the Prince

AUDLEY

O, joyful sight! Victorious Edward lives!

EARL OF DERBY

Welcome, brave Prince.

KINC EDWARD

Welcome, Plantagenet.

The Prince kneels and kisses his father’s hand

PRINCE OF WALES

First, having done my duty as beseemed,

Lords, I regreet you all with hearty thanks.

And now behold after my winter’s toil

My painful voyage on the boist’rous sea

Of war’s devouring gulfs and steely rocks

I bring my freight unto the wished port,

My summer’s hope, my travail’s sweet reward.

(Pointing at Bohemia’s body) And here, with humble duty, I present

This sacrifice, this first fruit of my sword,

Cropped and cut down even at the gate of death:

The King of Bohême, father, whom I slew,

Whose thousands had entrenched me round about,

And lay as thick upon my battered crest

As on an anvil with their ponderous glaives.

Yet marble courage still did underprop,

And when my weary arms with often blows,

Like the continual labouring woodman’s axe

That is enjoined to fell a load of oaks,

Began to falter, straight I would recover

My gifts you gave me and my zealous vow,

And then new courage made me fresh again

That, in despite, I carved my passage forth,

And put the multitude to speedy flight.

Lo, thus hath Edward’s hand filled your request

And done, I hope, the duty of a knight.

His sword borne forth by a soldier

KING EDWARD

Ay, well thou hast deserved a knighthood, Ned,

He takes the sword

And therefore, with thy sword yet reeking warm

With blood of those that fought to be thy bane,

He knights the Prince

Arise Prince Edward, trusty knight-at-arms.

This day thou hast confounded me with joy

And proved thyself fit heir unto a king.

PRINCE OF WALES (rising, and then giving the King a paper)

Here is a note, my gracious lord, of those

That in this conflict of our foes were slain:

Eleven princes of esteem, fourscore barons,

A hundred and twenty knights, and thirty thousand

Common soldiers—and of our men, a thousand.

KING EDWARD

Our God be praised! Now, Jean of France, I hope

Thou know’st King Edward for no wantonness,

No love-sick cockney, nor his soldiers jades.

But which way is the fearful King escaped?

PRINCE OF WALES

Towards Poitiers, noble father, and his sons.

KING EDWARD

Ned, thou and Audley shall pursue them still.

Myself and Derby will to Calais straight,

And there begirt that haven town with siege.

Now lies it on an upshot: therefore, strike,

And wistly follow whiles the game’s on foot. Exeunt

Sc. 9 Enter the Comte de Montfort with a coronet in his hand and with him the Earl of Salisbury

COMTE DE MONTFORT

My lord of Salisbury, since by your aid

Mine enemy Sir Charles of Blois is slain,

And I again am quietly possessed

In Bretagne’s dukedom, know that I resolve,

For this kind furtherance of your king and you,

To swear allegiance to his majesty—

He offers Salisbury the coronet

In sign whereof receive this coronet.

Bear it unto him, and withal mine oath

Never to be but Edward’s faithful friend.

EARL OF SALISBURY (taking the coronet)

I take it, Montfort. Thus I hope ere long

The whole dominions of the realm of France

Will be surrendered to his conquering hand.

Exit Montfort

Now, if I knew but safely how to pass,

I would at Calais gladly meet his grace,

Whither I am by letters certified

That he intends to have his host removed.

It shall be so. This policy will serve.

(Calling) Ho, who’s within? Bring Villiers to me.

Enter Villiers

Villiers, thou know’st thou art my prisoner,

And that I might for ransom, if I would,

Require of thee a hundred thousand francs,

Or else retain and keep thee captive still.

But so it is that for a smaller charge

Thou mayst be quit, an if thou wilt thyself.

And this it is: procure me but a passport

Of Charles, the Duke of Normandy, that I

Without restraint may have recourse to Calais

Through all the countries where he hath to do—

Which thou mayst easily obtain, I think,

By reason I have often heard thee say

He and thou were students once together—

And then thou shalt be set at liberty.

How sayst thou? Wilt thou undertake to do it?

VILLIERS

I will, my lord. But I must speak with him.

EARL OF SALISBURY

Why, so thou shalt! Take horse and post from hence—

Only before thou go’st, swear by thy faith

That if thou canst not compass my desire,

Thou wilt return my prisoner back again,

And that shall be sufficient warrant for me.

VILLIERS

To that condition I agree, my lord,

And will unfeignedly perform the same.

Exit

EARL or SALISBURY Farewell, Villiers!

Thus once I mean to try a Frenchman’s faith.

Exit

Sc. 10 Enter King Edward and the Earl of Derby with soldiers

KING EDWARD

Since they refuse our proffered league, my lord,

And will not ope their gates and let us in,

We will entrench ourselves on every side,

That neither victuals nor supply of men

May come to succour this accursed town.

Famine shall combat where our swords are stopped.

Enter six poor Frenchmen

EARL OF DERBY

The promised aid that made them stand aloof

Is now retired and gone another way.

It will repent them of their stubborn will.

But what are these poor, ragged slaves, my lord?

KING EDWARD

Ask what they are. It seems they come from Calais.

EARL OF DERBY (to the poor Frenchmen)

You wretched patterns of despair and woe—

What are you? Living men, or gliding ghosts

Crept from your graves to walk upon the earth?

POOR MAN

No ghosts, my lord, but men that breathe a life

Far worse than is the quiet sleep of death.

We are distressed poor inhabitants

That long have been diseased, sick and lame.

And now, because we are not fit to serve,

The Captain of the town hath thrust us forth

That so expense of victuals may be saved.

KING EDWARD

A charitable deed, no doubt, and worthy praise!

But how do you imagine, then, to speed?

We are your enemies: in such a case

We can no less but put ye to the sword,

Since, when we proffered truce, it was refused.

POOR MAN

An if your grace no otherwise vouchsafe,

As welcome death is unto us as life.

KING EDWARD

Poor seely men, much wronged, and more distressed!

Go, Derby, go, and see they be relieved.

Command that victuals be appointed them,

And give to every one five crowns apiece.

Exeunt the Earl of Derby and the six poor Frenchmen

The lion scorns to touch the yielding prey,

And Edward’s sword must fresh itself in such

As wilful stubbornness hath made perverse.

Enter Lord Percy

Lord Percy, welcome. What’s the news in England?

PERCY

The Queen, my lord, commends her to your grace,

And from her highness and the lord vicegerent

I bring this happy tidings of success:

David of Scotland, lately up in arms,

Thinking belike he soonest should prevail—

Your highness being absent from the realm—

Is by the fruitful service of your peers

And painful travail of the Queen herself—

That, big with child, was every day in arms—

Vanquished, subdued and taken prisoner.

KING EDWARD

Thanks, Percy, for thy news, with all my heart!

What was he took him prisoner in the field?

PERCY

A squire, my lord. John Copland is his name,

Who, since entreated by her majesty,

Denies to make surrender of his prize

To any but unto your grace alone—

Whereat the Queen is grievously displeased.

KING EDWARD

Well then, we’ll have a pursuivant dispatched

To summon Copland hither out of hand,

And with him he shall bring his prisoner-king.

PERCY

The Queen, my lord, herself by this at sea,

And purposeth, as soon as wind will serve,

To land at Calais, and to visit you.

KING EDWARD

She shall be welcome, and to wait her coming

I’ll pitch my tent near to the sandy shore.

Enter a Captain of Calais

CAPTAIN OF CALAIS

The burgesses of Calais, mighty king,

Have, by a council, willingly decreed

To yield the town and castle to your hands

Upon condition it will please your grace

To grant them benefit of life and goods.

KING EDWARD

They will so? Then, belike, they may command,

Dispose, elect and govern as they list!

No, sirrah. Tell them, since they did refuse

Our princely clemency at first proclaimed,

They shall not have it now, although they would.

I will accept of naught but fire and sword—

Except within these two days, six of them,

That are the wealthiest merchants in the town,

Come naked all but for their linen shirts,

With each a halter hanged about his neck,

And, prostrate, yield themselves upon their knees

To be afflicted, hanged or what I please.

And so you may inform their masterships.

Exeunt all but the Captain

CAPTAIN OF CALAIS

Why, this it is to trust a broken staff. Had we not been persuaded Jean, our king, Would, with his army, have relieved the town, We had not stood upon defiance so. But now ’tis past that no man can recall, 84 And better some do go to wreck than all.

Exit