University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

A small cavern, in which is discovered a wizard, sitting by a fire of embers, baking his scanty meal of parched corn, and counting out some money from a bag; a book and other things belonging to his art are strewed near him on the ground.
Wiz.
(alone).
Thanks to the restless soul of Mollo's son!
Well thrives my trade. Here, the last hoarded coin
Of the spare widow, trembling for the fate
Of her remaining son, and the gay jewel
Of fearful maid, who steals by fall of eve,
With muffled face, to learn her warrior's doom,
Lie in strange fellowship; so doth misfortune
Make strange acquaintance meet. Enter a Scout.

Brother, thou com'st in haste; what news, I pray?

Scout.
Put up thy book, and bag, and wizard's wand:
This is no time for witchery and wiles.
Thy cave, I trow, will soon be fill'd with those,
Who are by present ills too roughly shent
To look through vision'd spells on those to come.

Wiz.
What thou wouldst tell me, tell in plainer words.

Scout.
Well, plainly then, Ethwald, who thought full surely
The British, in their weak-divided state,
To the first onset of his arms would yield
Their ill-defended towers, has found them strengthen'd
With aid from Wessex. and unwillingly
Led back with cautions skill the Mercian troops;
Meaning to tempt the foe, as it is thought,
To follow him into our open plains,
Where they must needs with least advantage fight.

Wiz.
Who told thee this?

Scout.
Mine eyes have seen them. Scarcely three miles off,
The armies, at this moment, are engaged
In bloody battle. On my way I met
A crowd of helpless women, from their homes
Who fly with terror, each upon her back
Bearing some helpless babe or valued piece
Of household goods snatch'd up in haste. I hear
Their crowding steps e'en now within your cave:
They follow close behind.

Enter a crowd of women, young and old, some leading children and carrying infants on their backs or in their arms, others carrying bundles and pieces of household stuff.
Wiz.
Who are ye, wretched women,
Who, all so pale and haggard, bear along
Those hapless infants, and those seeming wrecks,
From desolation saved? What do you want?

1st wom.
Nought but the friendly shelter of your cave,
For now or house, or home, or blazing hearth,
Good wizard. we have none.

Wiz.
And are the armies then so near your dwellings?

1st wom.
Ay, round them, in them the loud battle clangs.
Within our very walls fierce spearmen push,
And weapon'd warriors cross their clashing blades.

2d wom.
Ah, woe is me! our warm and cheerful hearths,
And rushed floors, whereon our children play'd,
Are now the bloody lair of dying men.

Old wom.
Ah, woe is me! those yellow thatched roofs,
Which I have seen these sixty years and ten,
Smoking so sweetly 'midst our tufted thorns,
And the turf'd graves wherein our fathers sleep!

Young wom.
Ah, woe is me! my little helpless babes!
Now must some mossy rock or shading tree
Be your cold home, and the wild haws your food.
No cheerful blazing fire and seething pot
Shall now, returning from his daily toil,
Your father cheer! if that, if that indeed
Ye have a father still.

[Bursting into tears.
3d wom.
Alack, alack! of all my goodly stuff
I've saved but only this! my winter's webs,
And all the stores that I so dearly saved!
I thought to have them to my dying day!

Enter a young man leading in an idiot.
Young wom.
(running up to him).
Ah, my dear Swithick! art thou safe indeed?
Why didst thou leave me?

Young man.
To save our idiot brother, seest thou here?
I could not leave him in that pitiless broil.

Young wom.
Well hast thou done! poor helpless Balderkin!
We've fed thee long, unweeting of our care,
And in our little dwelling still thou'st held
The warmest nook; and wheresoe'er we be,
So shalt thou still, albeit thou knowst it not.

Enter man carrying an old man on his back.
Young man.
And see here, too, our neighbour Edwin comes,
Bearing his bed-rid father on his back.
Come in, good man. How dost thou, aged neighbour?
Cheer up again! thou shalt be shelter'd still;
The wizard has receiv'd us.

Wiz.
True, good folks;
I wish my means were better for your sakes.
But we are crowded here; that winding passage
Leads us into an inner cave full wide,
Where we may take our room and freely breathe;
Come, let us enter there.

[Exeunt, all following the wizard into the inner cave.