User:Sbh/Sir Clyomon and Sir Clamydes (critical edition)/Scene v

Scene v

Enter Sir Clyomon, Knight of the Golden Shield.

Clyomon

Now, Clyomon, a knight thou art, though some perhaps may say,

Thou cowardly cam’st to Clamydes and stole his right away.

No, no,

It was no cowardly part, to come in presence of a king,

And in the face of all his court to do so worthy a thing;

Amidst the mates that martial be, and stern knights of his hall,

To take the knighthood from their prince even maugre of them all,

It gives a guerdon of good-will to make my glory glance;

When warlike wights shall hear thereof, my fame they will advance:

And where I was pretended late to Denmark King, my sire,

His royal grace to see, homeward to retire,

Now is my purpose altered by bruit of late report;

And where fame resteth to be had, thither Clyomon will resort.

For, as I understand by fame, that worthy prince of might,

The conqueror of conquerors, who Alexander hight,

Returning is to Macedon from many a bloody broil,

And there to keep his royal court now after weary toil;

Which makes the mind of Clyomon with joys to be clad,

For there, I know, of martial mates is company to be had.

Adieu, therefore, both Denmark King and Suavia Prince beside:

To Alexander’s court I will; the gods my journey guide!

Enter Clamydes and Shift.

Clamydes

Come, Knowledge, here he is.—Nay, stay, thou cowardly knight,

That, like a dastard, cam’st to steal away my right.

Clyomon

What, what? you rail, sir princox-prince, me coward for to call.

Subtle Shift

And’t shall please you, he is a coward; he would have hired me, amidst your father’s hall,

To have done it for him, being himself in such fear

That scarcely he durst before your presence appear.

Clyomon

Why, how now, Knowledge! what, forsake thy master so soon?

Subtle Shift

Nay, master was, but not master is; with you I have done.

Clamydes

Well for what intent camest thou my honor to steal away?

Clyomon

That I took aught from thee, I utterly denay.

Clamydes

Didst not thou take the honor which my father to me gave?

Clyomon

Of that thou hadest not, I could thee not deprave.

Clamydes

Didst not thou take away my knighthood from me?

Clyomon

No, for I had it before it was given unto thee;

And having it before thee, what argument canst thou make

That ever from thee the same I did take?

Subtle Shift

That’s true; he received the blow before at you it came,

And therefore he took it not from you, because you had not the same.

Clamydes

Well, what hight thy name? let me that understand;

And wherefore thou traveled’st here in my father’s land,

So boldly to attempt in his court such a thing?

Clyomon

The bolder the attempt is, more fame it doth bring:

But what my name is desirest thou to know?

Subtle Shift

Nay he hath stolen sheep I think, for he is ashamed his name for to show.

Clamydes

What thy name is I would gladly perstand.

Clyomon

Nay that shall never none know, unless by force of hand

He vanquish me in fight, such a vow have I made;

And therefore to combat with me thyself do persuade,

If thou wilt know my name.

Clamydes

Well, I accord to the same.

Subtle Shift

Nay, then God be with you! if you be at that point I am gone;

If you be of the fighter’s disposition, I’ll leave you alone.

Clamydes

Why stay, Knowledge; although I fight, thou shalt not be molested.

Subtle Shift

And’t shall please you, this fear hath made me beray myself with a proin-stone that was not digested.

Clyomon

Well, Clamydes, stay thyself, and mark my sayings here:

And do not think I speak this same for that thy force I fear,

But that more honor may redound unto the victor’s part,

Wilt thou here give thy hand to me, withouten fraud of heart,

Upon the faith which to a knight doth rightly appertain,

And by the loyalty of a knight I’ll swear to thee again

For to observe my promise just; which is, if thou agree,

The fifteenth day next following to meet, sir prince, with me,

Before King Alexander’s grace, in Macedonia soil,

Who all the world subject hath, through force of warlike toil;

For he is chief of chivalry and king of martial mates,

And to his royal court, thou know’st, repair all estates:

Give me thy hand upon thy faith of promise not to fail,

And here is mine to thee again, if Fortune’s froward gale,

Resist me not, the day forespoke to meet, sir prince, with thee,

Before that king to try our strengths: say if thou dost agree;

For triple honor will it be to him that gets the victory

Before so worthy a prince as he and nobles all so publicly,

Where otherwise, if in this place we should attempt the same,

Of the honor that were got thereby but small would be the fame.

Clamydes

Well, sir knight, here is my hand, I’ll meet in place forespoke.

Clyomon

And, by the loyalty of a knight, I’ll not my words revoke.

Clamydes

Till then adieu; I’ll keep my day.

Clyomon

And I, if fates do not gainsay.

[Exit.]

Subtle Shift

What, is he gone, and did take no leave of me?

Jesu, so unmannerly a gentleman did any man see?

But now, my lord, which way will you travel, declare.

Clamydes

Sith I have fifteen days’ respite myself to prepare,

My lady’s charge for to fulfill, behold, I do intend.

Subtle Shift

Your lady! and’t shall please you, why, who is your lady? may a man be so bold as ask and not offend?

Clamydes

Juliana, daughter to the King of Denmark, lo, is she,

Whose knight I am, and from her hands this shield was given to me

In sign and token of good-will; whose noble grace to gain,

I have protested in her cause for to omit no pain

Nor travail till I have subdued the flying serpent’s force,

Which in the Forest of Marvels is, who taketh no remorse

Of womenkind, but doth devour all such as are astray,

So that no one dares go abroad nor wander forth the way;

And sith I have yet fifteen days myself for to prepare

To meet the Knight of the Golden Shield, my heart is void of care:

I will unto the forest wend, sith it is in my way,

And for my Juliana’s sake that cruel serpent slay.

Subtle Shift

What, are you a madman? will you willfully be slain?

If you go into that forest, you will never come out again.

Clamydes

Why so, Knowledge? dost thou think the serpent I fear?

Subtle Shift

No; but do you not know of Bryan Sans-foy, the champion, dwells there?

Clamydes

A cowardly knight, Knowledge, is he, and dares fight with no man.

Subtle Shift

Ah, a noble match! Couple him and me together than.

Yea, but although he dares not fight, an enchanter he is,

And whosoever comes in that forest to enchant he doth not miss.

Clamydes

Tush, tush, I fear him not, Knowledge; and therefore come away.

Subtle Shift

Well, seeing you are so willful, go you before, I’ll not stay.

[Exit Clamydes.]

Ah sirrah, now I know all my master’s mind, the which I did not before:

He adventureth for a lady—well, I say no more.

But to escape the enchantments of Bryan Sans-foy,—

That’s Bryan Without-faith,—I have devised a noble toy;

For he and I am both of one consanguinity;

The veriest cowardly villain that ever was born, that’s of a certainty,

I’ll fight with no man; no more will Bryan, that’s plain,

But by his enchantments he putteth many to great pain,

And in a forest of strange marvels doth he keep,

Altogether by enchantments to bring men asleep

Till he have wrought his will of them. To Bryan straight will I,

And of my master’s coming to the forest inform him privily:

So shall I win his favor; and, Subtle Shift, in the end

Thou shalt escape his enchantment, for he will be thy friend.

Well, unknown to my master, for mine own safeguard, this will I do;

And now, like a subtle shifting knave, after him I’ll go.

[Exit.]

Explanatory Notes

maugre: in spite