 | Ethwald |  |
SCENE I.
A forest: the view of an abbey with its spires in the background. Enter the King, attended by Seagurth and several Thanes and followers, some of them wounded, and their wounds bound up, as after a battle. A flourish of trumpets: the King stretches out his arm in the action of command; the trumpets cease, and they all halt.King.
Companions of this rough and bloody day,
Beneath the kindly shelter of this wood
Awhile repose, until our eager youth
Shall, from the widely spread pursuit return'd,
Rejoin our standards.
Brave seneschal, thou'rt weak with loss of blood;
Forbear attendance. Ay, and thou, good Baldrick;
And thou (to another),
and all of you.
Sen.
No, gracious king;
The sight of you, unhurt, doth make the blood
That in our veins is left so kindly glow,
We cannot faint.
King.
Thanks, noble chiefs! dear is the gain I earn,
Purchas'd with blood so precious. Who are those
Who hitherward in long procession move?
Sen.
It is the pious brethren, as I guess,
Come forth to meet you from yon neighb'ring abbey,
And at their head the holy Hexulf comes.
Enter Hexulf and monks.
Hex.
Accept our humble greetings, royal sire!
Victorious be your arms! and in the dust
Low be your foes, as in this glorious day!
Favour'd of heav'n, and of St. Alban, hail!
King.
I thank your kindly zeal, my rev'rend father;
And from these holy brethren do accept
With thanks this token of good will, not doubting
That much I am beholden to your prayers.
Hex.
In truth, most gracious king, your armed host
Has not more surely in your cause prevail'd
Than hath our joint petition, offered up
With holy fervour, most importunate.
Soon as the heav'n-rais'd voices sweetly reach'd
The echoing arches of yon sacred roofs,
Saint Alban heard, and to your favour'd side
Courage and strength, the soul of battle, sent;
Fear and distraction to th' opposing foe.
King.
Ah, then, good father, and ye pious monks,
Would that ye had begun your prayers the sooner!
For long in doubtful scales the battle hung;
And of the men who, with this morning's sun,
Buckled their harness on to follow me,
Full many a valiant warrior, on his back
Lies stiff'ning to the wind.
Hex.
The wicked sprite in ev'ry armed host
Will find his friends; who doubtless for a time
May counterpoise the prayers of holy men.
There are among your troops, I question not,
Many who do our sacred rites contemn:
Many who have blasphem'd—Ay, good my lord;
And many holding baleful heresies.
Fought Ethelbert, of Sexford, in your host?
King.
He did, my rev'rend father, bravely fought:
To him and valiant Selred, Mollo's son,
Belong the second honours of the day.
[Hexulf looks abashed and is silent.
Enter Edward attended, who, after making his obeisance to the King, runs up eagerly to Seagurth.
Edw.
You are not wounded, father?
Sea.
No, my boy.
Edw.
Thanks to preserving goodness! Noble Thanes,
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War wears a horrid, yet alluring face. (To King.)
Your friends, my lord, have done me great despite.
Had they not long detain'd me on the way,
I should have been with you before the battle.
King.
Complain not, youth; they had, in this, commands
Too high to be disputed. And 'tis well,
For we have had a rough and bloody day.
Edw.
Ha! is it so? But you have been victorious.
How went the field?
Sea.
Loud rose our battle's sound, and for a while
The Mercians bravely fought; when all at once,
From some unlook'd-for cause, as yet unknown,
A powerful panic seiz'd our better wing,
Which, back recoiling, turn'd and basely fled.
Touch'd quickly with a seeming sympathy,
Our centre-force began, in relax'd strength,
To yield contended space.—So stood the field;
When on a sudden, like those warrior spirits,
Whose scatter'd locks the streamy light'ning is,
Whose spear the bolt of heaven; such as the seer
In 'tranced gaze beholds midst hurtling storms;
Rush'd forth a youth unknown, and in a pass,
Narrow and steep, took his determin'd stand.
His beck'ning hand and loud commanding voice
Constrain'd our flying soldiers from behind,
And the sharp point of his opposing spear
Met the pale rout before.
The dark returning battle thicken'd round him.
His mighty arm deeds of amazement wrought;
Rapid, resistless, terrible.
High rose each warlike bosom at the sight,
And Mercia, like a broad increasing wave,
Up swell'd into a hugely billow'd height,
O'erwhelming in its might all lesser things,
Upon the foe return'd. Selred and Ethelbert
Fell on their weaken'd flank. Confusion, then,
And rout and horrid slaughter fill'd the field:
Wide spread the keen pursuit; the day is ours;
Yet many a noble Mercian strews the plain.
Edw.
(eagerly).
But the young hero fell not?
Sea.
No, my son.
Edw.
Then bless'd be heaven! there beats no noble heart
Which shall not henceforth love him as a brother.
Would he were come unhurt from the pursuit!
O that I had beheld him in his might,
When the dark battle turn'd!
Sea.
Your wish is soon fulfill'd, my eager boy;
For here, in truth, the youthful warrior comes,
And, captive by his side, the British Prince.
Enter Ethwald with the British Prince prisoner, accompanied by Selred and Ethelbert, and presents his prisoner to the King.
King
(to Prince).
Prince of the Britons, clear thy cloudy brow;
The varied fate of war the bravest prove.
And though I might complain that thy aggressions
Have burnt my towns, and filled my land with blood,
Thy state forbids it. Here, good seneschal,
Receive your charge, and let him know no change
Unsuited to a prince. (To Ethwald.)
And thou, brave warrior, whose youthful arm
Has brought unto thy king so high a gift,
Say what proud man may lift his honour'd head,
And boast he is thy father.
Ethw.
A Thane, my lord, forgotten and retired;
I am the youngest son of aged Mollo,
And Ethwald is my name.
King.
Youngest in years, though not in honour, youth,
E'en though the valiant Selred is thy brother. (Turning to Selred.)
And now be thou the first and noble root,
From which a noble race shall take its growth,
Wearing thy honours proudly!
Of Mairnieth's earldom be henceforth the lord!
For well I know the council of the states
Will not refuse to ratify my grant.
And thou, brave Ethelbert, and Selred, too,
Ye well have earn'd a noble recompense,
And shall not be forgot. Come hither, Edward;
Take thou this hero's hand; and, noble Ethwald,
Thus let the kingdom's ethling join with me
In honouring thy worth.
Edw.
(who has gazed at some distance upon Ethwald, springing forward eagerly).
Give him my hand, my lord! have you not said
That I should fold him to my burning heart? (Embraces Ethw.)
Most valiant Ethwald,
Fain would I speak the thoughts I bear to thee,
But they do choke and flutter in my throat,
And make me like a child.
(Passing his hand across his eyes.)
Ethw.
(kissing Edward's hand).
I am repaid beyond a kingdom's worth.
Edw.
(to Sea. bounding joyfully).
Father, have you embraced him?
Ethwald, my father is a valiant man.
(Sea. embraces Ethw., but not so eagerly as Edw.)
King.
(to Ethw.)
Brave youth, with you, and with your noble friends,
I shall, ere long, have further conference.
(Retires to the bottom of the stage with Hexulf.)
[Edward, after gazing with admiration upon Ethw., puts his hand upon his head, as if to measure his height; then upon both his shoulders, as if he were considering the breadth of his chest; then steps some paces back and gazes at him again.
Edw.
How tall and strong thou art! broad is thy chest:
Stretch forth, I pray, that arm of mighty deeds.
Ethw. smiles and stretches out his arm; Edw. looks at it, and then at his own.
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It is of weight to suit no vulgar arm. (Returning it.)
There, hero; graceful is the sword of war
In its bold master's grasp.
Ethw.
Nay, good my lord, if you will honour me,
It does become too well your noble hand
To be return'd to mine.
Edw.
Ha! sayst thou so? Yes, I will keep thy pledge.
Perhaps my arm—Ah, no! it will not be!
But what returning token can I give?
I have bright spears and shields and shining blades
But nought ennobled by the owner's use.
[Takes a bracelet from his arm and fastens it round Ethwald's.
King
(advancing from the bottom of the stage).
My worthy chiefs and Thanes, the night wears on,
The rev'rend bishop, and these pious men,
Beneath their fane give hospitality,
And woo us to accept it for the night.
Sea.
I thought, my lord, you meant to pass the night
With your brave soldiers in the open field:
Already they have learnt the pleasing tale.
Shall I unsay it?
King.
Nay, that were unfit.
I pray you pardon me, my rev'rend father!
I cannot house with you; it were unfit.
Hex.
Should not your greatness spend the night with those
To whom, in truth, you owe the victory?
We chant at midnight to St. Alban's praise:
Surely my lord regards those sacred things.
[Whispers the King.
King.
Brave Seagurth, there are reasons of good weight
Why I should lay aside my first intent.
Let all these wounded chieftains follow me!
The rest who list may keep the open field. (To Edw.)
Nephew, thou must not prove a soldier's hardships,
Ere thou hast earn'd a soldier's name. Nay, nay,
It must be so.
[Exeunt King, wounded chiefs, Hexulf, and monks, followed by Edward very unwillingly.
Sea.
Who loves a soldier's pillow, follow me.
[Exeunt.
| Ethwald | |