第13章 ACT III(4)

Know,these grave scholars of experience,Like stiff grown oaks,will stand immovable,When whirl wind quickly turns up younger trees.

DARBY.

Was ever any of thy father's house King but thyself,before this present time?

Edward's great linage,by the mother's side,Five hundred years hath held the scepter up:

Judge then,conspiratours,by this descent,Which is the true borne sovereign,this or that.

PHILIP.

Father,range your battles,prate no more;

These English fain would spend the time in words,That,night approaching,they might escape unfought.

KING JOHN.

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 reins you with a mild and gentle bit;He against whom you fight,if he prevail,Will straight inthrone himself in tyranny,Makes 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 wantoness,That thother 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 featherbeds,And presently they are as resty stiff,As twere a many over ridden jades.

Then,French men,scorn that such should be your Lords,And rather bind ye them in captive bands.

ALL FRENCHMEN.

Vive le Roy!God save King John of France!

KING JOHN.

Now on this plain of Cressy spread your selves,--And,Edward,when thou darest,begin the fight.

[Exeunt King John,Charles,Philip,Lorrain,Boheme,and Forces.]

KING EDWARD.

We presently will meet thee,John of France:--And,English Lords,let us resolve this day,Either to clear us of that scandalous crime,Or be intombed in our innocence.

And,Ned,because this battle is the first That ever yet thou foughtest in pitched field,As ancient custom is of Martialists,To dub thee with the tip 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.]

KING EDWARD.

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:

Fight and be valiant,conquer where thou comest!

Now follow,Lords,and do him honor to.

DARBY.

Edward Plantagenet,prince of Wales,As I do set this helmet on thy head,Wherewith the chamber of thy brain is fenst,So may thy temples,with Bellona's hand,Be still adorned with laurel victory:

Fight and be valiant,conquer where thou comest!

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 honor's book:

Fight and be valiant,vanquish where thou comest!

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 meager death:

Fight and be valiant,conquer where thou comest!

KING EDWARD.

Now wants there nought but knighthood,which deferred We leave,till thou hast won it in the field.

PRINCE EDWARD.

My gracious father and ye forward peers,This honor you have done me,animates And cheers my green,yet scarce appearing strength With comfortable good presaging signs,No other wise than did old Jacob's words,When as 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:

The leading of the vaward,Ned,is thine;

To dignify whose lusty spirit the more,We temper it with Audly's gravity,That,courage and experience joined in one,Your manage may be second unto none:

For the main battles,I will guide my self;

And,Darby,in the rearward march behind,That orderly disposed and set in ray,Let us to horse;and God grant us the day!

[Exeunt.]

SCENE IV.The Same.

[Alarum.Enter a many French men flying.After them Prince Edward,running.Then enter King John and Duke of Lorrain.]

KING JOHN.

Oh,Lorrain,say,what mean our men to fly?

Our number is far greater than our foes.

LORRAIN.

The garrison of Genoaes,my Lord,That came from Paris weary with their march,Grudging to be so suddenly imployd,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 thousand fold.

KING JOHN.

O hapless fortune!Let us yet assay,If we can counsel some of them to stay.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE V.The Same.

[Enter King Edward and Audley.]

KING EDWARD.