University of Virginia Library

Scene II.

The Field.
Ethel armed, save his head; his sword in his hand as from battle. Cornelius, Olave, and Officers, &c. apart.
Eth.
What! against majesty?
Does the great King choose his vice-regents here
So carelessly, that we weak atomies
May judge them, and condemn? I tremble at it.
Shall power exempt? When ministerial kings
Handle iniquity, and stain their brows,
Which should be crystal, who shall punish them?
Heaven.
Ay, but by instruments. What influence is't
That whispers me, “Thou art that instrument”?
O sacred Justice, warrior of God,
Strong brother of the precious weanling Mercy,
Evener of the Fates, thou passionless arbiter,
That with a forceful and unsparing hand
Knittest me up into thy purposes,
Make me not only a base instrument,
And sword of execution; enter me
Into thy secret counsels; clear these eyes,
That are so bitterly possessed with dark,
That only in the blindness of my night
I sometimes seem to touch thy guiding hand,
But see thee never.

[Exit musing.
Ol.
What is't, Cornelius?

Cor.
I think he broods
On his great injuries. The battle over,
His sword unwiped, his reeking hair thus matted
About his brows, his face begrimed with dust,
Plashed with the blood of others—for he took
No touch himself,—unrested, nay, not asking
Particulars of our victory, he falls
Into this musing humour. You may speak to him;
He hears it not.

Off.
I came with the new levies.
How went the battle? It was short at least.

Ol.
Ay, and a perfect rout; the Swedish King
Lies on the field. The Ingelwalds have fled,
Though they fought well.

Cor.
They had good cause for it.

Ol.
Yet we fought better; and for our reward
What shall we reap? cold looks, thin smiles at court,
And the white faces of smooth table-servers
Thrust in before us. We must keep our distance,—
We, but for whose bold lives, set in the breach,
His breath were stopped ere now. Go out and look
How many slain unburied men lie cold,
Brave hearts too, ay and noble ones among them,
And all for what? Why, for a King that is not
Worth the least spirit among them. While we bleed,
He lies in the lap of riot. That breeds plaguy thoughts.

First Off.
Ay, and makes free with our wives too.

Sec. Off.
Curses on him!
I had a daughter. Well, she was a light girl,
And I thank God she is buried.

Ol.
Had you so?
I have a tender loving wife at home,
I think there is no woman kinder, truer,
And yet she fain would go to court to see
What 'tis this King is made of, that so takes
The hearts of all her sex. She says she hates him,
And yet would gladly see him. Trust me, I'll see her
In her coffin first.

Third Off.
D'ye think so, my good captain?
While you are here she may slip there unknown.
Will you trust her, then, good Olave?

Ol.
I'll trust fools
With a taste of my sharp sword, sir!

Fourth Off.
I'll be curst,
I think the women love him for his wickedness.

Cor.
'Tis not the women only;—he taxes us
For his luxurious feasts, and nourishes
Flatterers and devils for his favourites.
Why did our Ethel make us fight for him?

Ol.
Why, let us think 'twas not for him we fought,
But for our country and ourselves against
Foreign invasion, and which not to have done
Were indeed treason.

Cor.
I think Felborg means yet
Something against the King.

Ol.
I would he did;
I would he would depose him, and get up
Into his place.

Off.
That were a king to live under!

Ol.
Ingelwald would well join in such a scheme.

Cor.
What, for another?

Ol.
Ay, for he would see
The best must be put up; and Arthur too.
Well, for my part, if he should aim at it,
My best aid shall not fail.

Cor.
Nor mine.

Officers.
Nor mine.

Ol.
How gallantly he showed i' the field to-day!
Where did he lose his helmet?

Cor.
'Twas the clasp broke.
I would have picked it up, but he stopped not.
“Let it lie,” he cried; “I shall not die to-day.”

Off.
I saw it too; and still in all the battle,
Where there was stand of men or desperate charge
His unarmed face shone like a morning-star
Gleaming among the drifting clouds of war.
They were bold men that met his angry eyes,
And dared the terrible swiftness of his arm;
And yet instinctive mercy clung to his sword,
Over defenceless and disarmed heads
It hung i' the air.

Enter Ethel.
Eth.
Cornelius, come hither. Speak to me;
May I do justice on this King?

Cor.
Do justice!
Surely you know he's dead?

Eth.
Dead!

Cor.
Ay, as dead as
A well-thrust lance sent through a man could make him.
'Tis not yet known who did it.

Eth.
Not the Swede;
I mean our own King.

Cor.
May you punish him?

Eth.
Ay, may I punish him?

Cor.
I think you may;
'Tis easy, if you will.

Eth.
I know I can,
And I conceive I may. Alas! I must.

Cor.
You will do good service to your country by it,
To free it from a most pernicious tyrant.

Eth.
The Lord doth lay his hand upon my head,
And says, Do this. Shall I refuse the Lord,
Who through great toils and tears, heavy affliction,
And trials touching to mortality,
Moulds me unto his mighty purposes?
Shall I, that am his child, tremble at it?
Alas! I tremble at it. Who shall believe me?
Shall I not be alone in all the world?
Oh, if in meditation of this act
I melt with ruth thus, and my flooded eyes
Rain these afflicted tears, what shall I do,
When, in the face of scorn and keen contempt,
These little, but the misconstructing hearts
Of dear-loved friends coldly confirmed against me,
And good men's faces turned away, and even
God's face sometimes (oh, grievous!) hidden in mist,
I must enact what now I do but dream.—
O Thou that shak'st me with these thoughts, put in me
The power to execute them!—I am resolved,
And all my mortal being dedicate
To this great service, that all men may see
The hand of God reaches iniquity.

Enter an Officer hastily.
Off.
Where is the General?

Eth.
Here. What seek you with him?

Off.
Earl Robert, my good lord, and Arthur of Ingelwald
Are brought in prisoners.

Eth.
Prisoners! to me!
Oh, no, great God! not that! oh, add not that!

Off.
Shall they be brought before you? Those that took them
Await your voice.

Eth.
(hurriedly.)
They are traitors taken in arms;
I am the judge and executioner.
There is no doubt, no question, no escape.

Off.
They were not taken without long pursuit
And stout resistance.

Eth.
Idiots! dolts! madmen!
It is the over-forwardness of fools
That spoils the world.—Give me a seat, kind sir.

[He sits.
Cor.
What is it, sir? Ingelwald prisoner?

[To the Officer.
Off.
Ay, both of them.

Ol.
By cross! that's mischief done.

Off.
You look askance at that which should rejoice you.

Cor.
Should we rejoice? What will he do?

Eth.
Cornelius!
Robert of Ingelwald and his brother Arthur
Are taken prisoners; bring them in here.
[Exit Cornelius.
Olave and gentlemen, stand round about me.

Enter Cornelius, with Robert and Arthur brought in guarded.
Rob.
Ethel, the fortune of the day is with you.
Fools, to make compact with the dastard Swede!
You are generous, and therefore I must tell you,
If you should say, go free, it cannot win us
To change our aims.

Arth.
Peace, man! there's death in his face.

Eth.
What is the doom of traitors taken in arms?

Arth.
Death.

Eth.
Death let it be.
I do not see how I can show you mercy.

Arth.
We do not ask it. Yet, until the morning
Grant us reprieve.

Eth.
Until the morning be it;
And make your peace with Heaven.—Cornelius,
Remove them hence, and have them in your charge.

[Exeunt Cornelius, Robert and Arthur guarded.
Eth.
Silent, gentlemen?
Have I not acted well? was it not just?

Ol.
Most just, and yet most bloody.

Eth.
O bloody justice,
That break'st the heart of the world!
They were my only brothers.
[Covers his face.
Leave me, gentlemen,
And draw into the town of Engelborg.—
Good Olave, stay awhile;—and, gentlemen,
Look well to the wounded; be as diligent
As if your children lay with frosted sores
And quenchless thirst, waiting your charity,
On the cold remorseless ground. Spare not for means;
What any man expends I will repay him,
And think he honours me.
[Exeunt Officers.
Let me lean on you;
[To Olave.
I am weary past imagination.

[Exeunt.