Edward III (play)/Act 1

by William Shakespeare (attributed) and Thomas Kyd (attributed)

THE RAIGNE OF
K: Edward the third.

 

Enter King Edward, Derby, Prince Edward, Audely
and Artoys.
King.
RObert of Artoys banisht though thou be,
From Fraunce thy natiue Country, yet with vs,
Thou shalt retayne as great a Seigniorie:
For we create thee Earle of Richmond heere,
And now goe forwards with our pedegree,
Who next succeeded Phillip of Bew,

Ar. Three sonnes of his, which all successefully,
Did sit vpon their fathers regall Throne:
Yet dyed and left no issue of their loynes:

King: But was my mother sister vnto those:

Art: Shee was my Lord, and onely Issabel,
Was all the daughters that this Phillip had,
Whome afterward your father tooke to wife:
And from the fragrant garden of her wombe,
Your gratious selfe the flower of Europes hope:
Deriued is inheritor to Fraunce.
But not the rancor of rebellious mindes:
When thus the lynage of Bew was out;
The French obscurd your mothers Priuiledge,
And though she were the next of blood, proclaymed
Iohn of the house of Valoys now their king:
The reason was, they say the Realme of Fraunce,
Repleat with Princes of great parentage,
Ought not admit a gouernor to rule,
Except he be discended of the male,
And thats the speciall ground of their contempt:
Where with they study to exclude your grace:
But they shall finde that forged ground of theirs,
To be but dusty heapes, of brittile sande.

Art: Perhaps it will be thought a heynous thing,
That I a French man should discouer this,
But heauen I call to recorde of my vowes,
It is not hate nor any priuat wronge,
But loue vnto my country and the right,
Prouokes my tongue thus lauish in report.
You are the lyneal watch men of our peace,
And Iohn of Valoys, in directly climbes,
What then should subiects but imbrace their King,
Ah where in may our duety more be seene,
Then stryuing to rebate a tyrants pride,
And place the true shepheard of our comonwealth,

King: This counsayle Artoyes like to fruictfull shewers,
Hath added growth vnto my dignitye,
And by the fiery vigor of thy words,
Hot courage is engendred in my brest,
Which heretofore was rakt in ignorance,
But nowe doth mount with golden winges of fame,
And will approue faire Issabells discent,
Able to yoak their stubburne necks with steele,
That spurne against my souereignety in France.
sound a horne 
A messenger, Lord Awdley know from whence,

Enter a messenger Lorragne,

Aud: The Duke of Lorrayne, hauing crost the seas,
In treates he may haue conference with your highnes.

King: Admit him Lords, that we may heare the newes.
Say Duke of Lorrayne wherefore art thou come.

Lor: The most renowned prince K. Iohn of France,
Doth greete thee Edward, and by me commandes,
That for so much as by his liberall gift,
The Guyen Dukedome is entayld to thee,
Thou do him lowly homage for the same.
And for that purpose here I somon thee,
Repaire to France within these forty daies,
That there according as the coustome is.
Thou mayst be sworne true liegeman to our King,
Or else thy title in that prouince dyes,
And hee him self will repossesse the place.

K. Ed: See how occasion laughes me in the face,
No sooner minded to prepare for France,
But straight I am inuited, nay with threats,
Vppon a penaltie inioynd to come:
Twere but a childish part to say him nay,
Lorrayne returne this answere to thy Lord,
I meane to visit him as he requests,
But how? not seruilely disposd to bend,
But like a conquerer to make him bowe,
His lame vnpolisht shists are come to light,
And trueth hath puld the visard from his face,
That sett a glasse vpon his arrogannce,
Dare he commaund a fealty in mee,
Tell him the Crowne that hee vsurpes, is myne,
And where he sets his foote he ought to knele,
Tis not a petty Dukedome that I claime,
But all the whole Dominions, of the Realme,
Which if with grudging he refuse to yeld,
Ile take away those borrowed plumes of his,
And send him naked to the wildernes.

Lor: Then Edward here in spight of all thy Lords,
I doe pronounce defyaunce to thy face.

Pri: Defiance French man we rebound it backe,
Euen to the bottom of thy masters throat,
And be it spoke with reuerence of the King,
My gratious father and these other Lordes,
I hold thy message but as scurrylous,
And him that sent thee like the lazy droane,
Crept vp by stelth vnto the Eagles nest,
From whence wele shake him with so rough a storme,
As others shalbe warned by his harme,

War: Byd him leaue of the Lyons case he weares,
Least meeting with the Lyon in the feeld,
He chaunce to teare him peecemede for his pride.

Art: Thee soundest counsell I can giue his grace,
Is to surrender ere he be constraynd.
A voluntarie mischiefe hath lesse scorne,
Then when reproch with violence is borne,

Lor. Regenerate Traytor, viper to the place,
Where thou was fostred in thine infancy:
Bearest thou a part in this conspiracy?
He drawes his Sword. 

K. Ed. Lorraine behold the sharpnes of this steele:
Feruent desire that sits against my heart,
Is farre more thornie pricking than this blade.
That with the nightingale I shall be scard:
As oft as I dispose my selfe to rest,
Vntill my collours be displaide in Fraunce:
This is thy finall Answere, so be gone.

Lor. It is not that nor any English braue,
Afflicts me so, as doth his poysoned view,
That is most false, should most of all be true.

K. Ed. Now Lord our fleeting Barke is vnder sayle:
Our gage is throwne, and warre is soone began,
But not so quickely brought vnto an end.

Enter Mountague.

Moun. But wherefore comes Sir william Mountague?
How stands the league betweene the Scot and vs?

Mo. Crackt and disseuered my renowned Lord:
The treacherous King no sooner was informde,
Of your with drawing of your army backe:
But straight forgetting of his former othe,
He made inuasion on the bordering Townes:
Barwicke is woon, Newcastle spoyld and lost,
And now the tyrant hath beguirt with seege,
The Castle of Rocksborough, where inclosd,
The Countes Salsbury is like to perish:

King. That is thy daughter Warwicke is it not?
Whose husband hath in Brittayne serud so long,
About the planting of Lord Mouneford there?

War. It is my Lord.

Ki: Ignoble Dauid hast thou none to greeue,
But silly Ladies with thy threatning armes:
But I will make you shrinke your snailie hornes,
First therefore Audley this shalbe thy charge,
Go leuie footemen for our warres in Fraunce;
And Ned take muster of our men at armes,
In euery shire elect a seuerall band,
Let them be Souldiers of a lustie spirite,
Such as dread nothing but dishonors blot,
Be warie therefore since we do comence,
A famous Warre, and with so mighty a nation:
Derby be thou Embassador for vs,
Vnto our Father in Law the Earle of Henalt:
Make him acquainted with our enterprise,
And likewise will him with our owne allies,
That are in Flaundsrs, to solicite to,
The Emperour of Almaigne in our name:
Myselfe whilst you are ioyntly thus employd,
Will with these forces that I haue at hand,
March, and once more repulse the trayterous Scot:
But Sirs be resolute, we shal haue warres
On euery side, and Ned, thou must begin,
Now to forget thy study and thy bookes,
And yre thy shoulders to an Armors weight.

Pr. As cheereful sounding to my youthfull spleene,
This tumult is of warres increasing broyles,
As at the Coronation of a king,
The ioyfull clamours of the people are,
When Aue Cæsar they pronounce alowd;
Within this schoole of honor I shal learne,
Either to sacrifice my foes to death,
Or in a rightfull quarrel spend my breath,
Then cheerefully forward ech a seuerall way,
In great affaires tis nought to vse delay.
Exunt. 

Enter the Countesse.

Alas how much in vaine my poore eyes gaze,
For souccour that my soueraigne should send;
A co sin Mountague, I feare thou wants,
The liuely spirirt sharpely to solicit,
W th vehement sute the king in my behalfe:
Thou dost not tell him what a griefe it is,
To be the scornefull captiue to a Scot,
Either to be wooed with broad vntuned othes,
Or forst by rough insulting barbarisme:
Thou doest not tell him if he heere preuaile,
How much they will deride vs in the North,
And in their vild vnseuill skipping giggs,
Bray foorth their Conquest, and our ouerthrow,
Euen in the barraine, bleake and fruitlesse aire,
Enter Dauid and Douglas, Lorraine.
I must withdraw, the euerlasting soe,
Comes to the wall, Ile closely step aside,
And list their babble blunt and full of pride.

K. Da: My Lord of Lorrayne, to our brother of Fraunce,
Commend vs as the man in Christendome,
That we must reuerence and intirely loue,
Touching your embassage, returne and say,
That we with England will not enter parlie,
Nor neuer make faire wether, or take truce,
But burne their neighbor townes and so persist
With eager Rods beyond their Citie Yorke,
And neuer shall our bonny riders rest:
Nor rust in canker, haue the time to eate,
Their light borne snaffles, nor their nimble spu
Nor lay a side their Iacks of Gymould mayle,
Nor hang their staues of grayned Scottish ash,
In peacefull wise, vpon their Citie wals,
Nor from their buttoned tawny leatherne belts,
Dismisse their byting whinyards, till your King,
Cry out enough, spare England now for pittie,
Farewell, and tell him that you leaue vs heare,
Before this Castle, say you came from vs,
Euen when we had that yeelded to our hands,

Lor: take my leaue and fayrely will returne
Exit Lor. Your acceptable greeting to my king.

K. D: Now Duglas to our former taske again,
For the deuision of this certayne spoyle.

Dou: My liege I craue the Ladie and no more,

King. Nay soft ye sir, first I must make my choyse,
And first I do bespeake her for my self,

Da. Why then my liege let me enioy her iewels,

King. Those are her owne still liable to her,
And who inherits her, hath those with all.

Enter a Scot in hast.

Mes: My liege, as we were pricking on the hils,
To fetch in booty, marching hitherward,
We might discry a mighty host of men,
The Sunne reflicting on the armour shewed,
A field of plate, a wood of pickes aduanced:
Bethinke your highnes speedely herein,
An easie march within foure howres will bring,
The hindmost rancke, vnto this place my liege.

King: Dislodge, dislodge, it is the king of England.

Dug: Iemmy my man, saddle my bonny blacke.

King: Meanst thou to fight, Duglas we are to weake.

Du: I know it well my liege, and therefore flie.

Cou: My Lords of Scotland will ye stay and drinke:

King: She mocks at vs Duglas, I cannot endure it.

Count, Say good my Lord, which is he must haue the Ladie,
And which her iewels, I am sure my Lords
Ye will not hence, till you haue shard the spoyles.

King: Shee heard the messenger, and heard our talke.
And now that comfort makes her scorne at vs.

Annother messenger.

Mes: Arme my good Lord, O we are all surprisde.
After the French embassador my liege,
And tell him that you dare not ride to Yorke,
Excuse it that your bonnie horse is lame.

K. He heard that to, intollerable griefe:
Exunt Scots.Woman farewell although I do not stay.

Count: Tis not for feare, and yet you run away,
O happie comfort welcome to our house,
The confident and boystrous boasting Scot,
That swore before my walls they would not backe,
For all the armed power of this land,
With facelesse feare that euer turnes his backe:
Turnd hence againe the blasting North-east winde:
Vpon the bare report and name of Armes.

Enter Mountague.

Mo: O Sommers day, see where my Cosin comes:
How fares my Aunt? we are not Scots,
Why do you shut your gates against your friends?

Co: Well may I giue a welcome Cosin to thee:
For thou comst well to chase my foes from hence.

Mo: The king himselfe is come in person hither:
Deare Aunt discend and gratulate his highnes.

Co: How may I entertayne his Maiestie,
To shew my duety, and his dignitie.

Enter king Edward, Warwike, Artoyes, with others.

K. Ed: What are the stealing Foxes fled and gone
Before we could vncupple at their heeles.

War: They are my liege, but with a cheereful cry,
Hot hunds and hardie chase them at the heeles.

Enter Countesse.

K. Ed: This is the Countesse Warwike, is it not.

War: Euen shee liege, whose beauty tyrants feare,
As a May blossome with pernitious winds,
Hath sullied, withered ouercast and donne.

K. Ed: Hath she been fairer Warwike then she is?

War: My gratious King, faire is she not at all,
If that her selfe were by to staine herselfe,
As I haue seene her when she was her selfe.

K. Ed: What strange enchantment lurke in those her eyes?
When they exceld this excellence they haue,
That now her dym declyne hath power to draw,
My subiect eyes from persing maiestie,
To gaze on her with doting admiration.

Count: In duetie lower then the ground I kneele,
And for my dul knees bow my feeling heart,
To witnes my obedience to your highnes,
With many millions of a subiects thanks.
For this your Royall presence, whose approch,
Hath driuen war and danger from my gate.

K. Lady stand vp, I come to bring thee peace,
How euer thereby I haue purchast war.

Co: No war to you my liege, the Scots are gone,
And gallop home toward Scotland with their hate,
Least yeelding heere, I pyne in shamefull loue:
Come wele persue the Scots, Artoyes away.

Co: A little while my gratious soueraigne stay,
And let the power of a mighty king
Honor our roofe: my husband in the warres,
When he shall heare it will triumph for ioy.
Then deare my liege, now niggard not thy state,
Being at the wall, enter our homely gate.

King. Pardon me countesse, I will come no neare,
I dreamde to night of treason and I feare.

Co: Far from this place let vgly treasonly.

K: No farther off, then her conspyring eye,
Which shoots 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 lets 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 habit iude, and wanners 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:
Exeunt.Come on my Lords, heere will I host to night.