 | Edmond Ironside : or War Hath Made All Friends |  |
Act 2d u s
The Drum̄e and Trumpetts sound Enter wt h a banquet: Then Enter Canutus South: Arch: Bish: Vskataulf and Swetho Edricus:/Canutus:
My lord My lo: you are to bountifull
half this expence would well have satisfied
the homely stomaches of our souldiers
and entertaind our self right royally
where is your Daughter
South:
Shee shall give attendance, to waight vppon
your grace at diner tyme
21
Nay good my lord vnlesse you give her leaue
to sitt at board and finde mee Table talke
[OMITTED] I shall not thincke my self awelcom̄e gueste
[OMITTED]uth:
May I Crave pardon of your Mat i e
my daughter beinge younge in yeares and maners
is far vnfitt to keepe a Queenes estate
Canutus:
I faith my lo: you are to scrupulous
to vnadvised to fearefull wt h out Cavse
to stand vppon such nice excuses
I love to see a Table furnished
and sure I will not sitt tell shee Comes in
South:
Egina daughter Come awaye sweete gerle·
Enter Egina
the kinge will have thee dine wt h him to daye
be not to coye, nor yet to flixable.
yf chaunce hee proffer anie Curtesie
behave your self in honorable sorte
22
A meanes may bee to make thee Queene
Canutus:
What is yor daughter come, welcome faire ladye
your presence is as welcom as the daye
after A longe and weary watchfull night
sitt downe faire ladie sitt downe noble lord
fill mee a Cuppe of wine heeres to the health
of Ironside and all his followers
whoe will pledge me
Egina:/
Pardon your hand maid and Egina will
Canutus
Wilt pledge me to the health of Ironside
what reason moues you soe to fancy him
Egina/
The good regard I beare your Maiestie
for should hee die before theis warrs were done
and you have ffinist strife through victory
som̄e other CADMVS bird worse then him self
might happe to broch som̄e new Com̄otion
and troble all the state wt h mutinies
where yf hee lives tell you have Conquerd him
none after him dares renovate the warres
Canutus:/
Sweetely and wisely answerd noble Queene
for by that name yf heaven and thou Consente
by Sun̄e sett all the Campe shall wish thee health
my lord what saye you to this mocōn
South:
As yt shall pleas your Royall Mat i e
dispose of mee and what soere is mine
Canutus:/
Madam pleaseth yt you to bee A Queene
Egina/
What my dread Sou'aigne, and my father willes
I dare not nay I will not Contradict
Canutus:
Then for a manuell seale receave this kisse
he kesseth h[OMITTED]
23
[and noble father, now Ile Call you soe [OMITTED]]
[yf this rash seemeinge match doe like you well [OMITTED]]
[deliver mee possion presently [OMITTED]]
[of this faire ladie, your beloved child [OMITTED]]
and wee will straigh to church and Celebrate [OMITTED]
the duties wc h belonge to Marriadges [OMITTED]
Bishope of Caunterbury you will marie vs [OMITTED]
wt h out the sibert askeinge will ye not
Arch: B:/
I am prepaird yf every ∥te bee pleased
Canutus:/
ffaith I am pleased
Arch: B:/
But what saye you
Egina:/
I saye a Woemans silence is Consente
Canutus:/
Whie heers a match ex tempore small adoe
a boute a waightie matter, som̄e perhapes
would have Consumed milions to effect
what I by som̄e spente breath have Compassed
24
espoused to night wt h all solemnitie
after our mariadge wee doe meane to goe
to meete in open feild our open foe
Exeunt omnes
Enter Edricke a poore man his wife and Stich:/
Edricke:/
Naye Stich and you once see my son̄e youle sweare hee is
a bouncer, all in silkes and gold vengable rich
Stich:/
How saye you that
Wife:/
I Cann tell you, you may blesse the daye that euer you
hapt in to his service, hee is a mann every haires bredth—
a most vilde brave man yfaith:/
Stich:/
Then we shalbe well mett for I love braverye and
clenlines out of all crye and indeed of all thinges I
cannot brooke an ilfavord face hange him that wantes
a good face
Edricke:/
you are of my minde we may saye a Poxe of all good
faces and never hvrte our owne
Stich:/
Wee may indeede god be praysd but what howse is this
how far off are wee from Southampton:/
Wife:/
whie wee are in the Towne th kinge Canutus lies heere
now, and my sonne is heere and all or neighbores wilbee heere
to daye, at the bridall for almesse
Enter Edricus
Edricus:/
Whoe soe desires to mount a loftie pitch
must beare himself against the stoborne winde
and shun̄e bace Common popularitie:/
Stich./
whoe is this:
wife:/
Oh tis my son̄e, make yee handsome, tie yor garters for shame
wipe yor shooes, mend yor shirtband:/
Edricke:/
Oh lett mee goe to him first, God save yee sonne
Edricus:/
A pox apon him tis the knave my father
good fellow hast thou anie suite to vs
25
«Edr»icke:/
Oh Sr yee knowe mee well enough I am goodman Edricke
[OMITTED] your father
[OMITTED]«u»s:
My father grout heade ser knave I saye you lye
[OMITTED] you horeson̄e Cuckold you bace vacabond you slave
you mungrell peasant doulte and foole, canst thou not knowe
a Duke from com̄on men
Wife:/
By my troth I learnd him all theis names to call his father
when hee was a child, and see yf hee can forgett them yet
Oh hee is a wise man, for in faith my husband is none
of his father, for indeed a souldier begott him of mee
as I went once to a faire, But sonne knowe yee mee
Edricus:/
Thee old hagge, witch, queane slutt drab, whore
and theefe, how should I know the blacke Egiptian:/
26
This is his old trickes husband, Come, Come, son̄e I am sure, yee know«m»
Edricus:/
I yf not to well, wherefore comes yon sheepbiter, you sir knave
you are my brother are yee not I praye
Stich:/
Noe sir and yt like ye
Edricus:/
It likes mee very well, what is yor name,
wherefor Came ye heather:
Wife:/
His name is Stich my sonne, wee Came wt h him
to healpe him to your service
Edricus:/
You [āswer] answer for him gossippe, wantes hee tongue
Stich:/
Noe ser, I have tongve enough yf that bee good
hee shewes his tongue
Edricus:/
What Can yee doe
Stich:/
Anie thinge, dresse a horse, scoure a Chamber pott, goe to
plowe, Thrash, Dicke, and indeed what not:/
Edricus:/
Canst make cleane shooes
Stich:/
Whoe I. yt is ∥te of my occupacōn, you wine my harte.
I am a Cobler for neede I Can peice a shooe as well as the best
wipe a shooe looke you heere elce give mee your foote
Edricus:/
Staye not soe hastie
wee that by slie devices meane to mounte
and creepe into opinion by decepte
must not of all thinges have a scholler knowe
or practices, wee must supprese good witts
and keepe them vnder, wee must favor fooles
And wt h promotions winn theire shallow pates
[A Redie witt would quickly winde vs out]
[and prie into or secrett trecharies]
[and wade as deepe in pollecy as wee]
[But such loose braind windy headed slaves]
[such blockheades doltes, fooles, dunces, idiottes]
[such loggerheaded rogues are best for vs]
[for wee may woorke theire wills to what wee will]
27
Come hether Stich this villiane and this quean«e»
that brought thee heither Clame an entrest [OMITTED]
in my nobilitie, when as god knowes [OMITTED]
my noble father died longe sence in warres [OMITTED]
beinge duke of Mercia then as I am now
therefore, but first to Cutt of longe delayes
I entertane the for my Chamberlaine
and as thou shalt prove secret, trustie, trew
I will reward thee wt h som̄e higher place
but first to trye thee fetch the Constable
yet staye a while they would suspect the trewth
Ile have thee when thou seest mee gon awaye
beate theis Two beggers hence and teach them how
they shall heereafter Chose a meaner sonne
wilt thou bee trvsty, wilt thou Cudgell them:
28
Never take Care for that Ile beate them they were neaver
better beaten sence they weare borne
Edricus:/
I doe soe, Stich I preethee beate them well
harke yee? and see them whipt out of the Towne
and yf they speake or prattle Cvrse or Rave
for every woord give them Tenn blowes sweete slave
exit
Edricke:/
Oh sonne, sonne, staye
Stich:
Sonne Sonne wt h a pestelence, You are much like to bee his
father and you his mother you brought mee hether
Edricke:/
I
Stich:/
And I must beate you hence, and yf you desire
to [knw] knowe whie you must hereafter leare to finde
ameaner mann for yor sonne then my lord is
hee beates them about the stage
Wife:/
Hee is my sonne. Oh: Oh: Oh good Stich hold thie hand
Exeunt
Enter Canutus [South:] Arch B: Edricus Vskataulf Swetho:
Canutus:
Then are they gon, tis Certaine they are fleed
Turkullus and Leofricke whoe would have thought yt
did not I vse them well, gave them good woordes
Rewarded theire Indevors, and besides
graced them as much as anie parson heere
Edricus:
You vsd them but to well and lett mee saye
your linitie did Cavse them runne a waye
Canutus:
Have wee not pledges of theire loyaltie
Edricus:/
yee haue my lord
Canutus:
Theire eldest sonnes I thincke
Edricus:
Trew but they know you are to mercifull
Canutus:
They are deceyved, for sence they have disturbd
the settelled sollace of our marriadge daye
and daunted or determind merimentes
wt h Causeles flight, to plague theire fathers fact
Ile laye the treason on their Childrens backe
29
[OMITTED] fetch mee the Pledges swetho, and wt h them
[OMITTED] some bloody varlett from the Danish hoast
[OMITTED] and lett him bringe an axe, a blocke & knife
[OMITTED] alonge wt h him but doe yt quickly Sweth:
Exet Swetho:/
and Come againe as fast
Edricus:
What doth your grace intend to doe wt h them
Canutus
Ile Cutt theire handes and noses offe
Edricus:
Your Iudgment doth not far enough extend
vnto the hight of runawaies desarte
death is to light a punishment for traytor s
and losse of hands and nose is [worse] lesse then death
Vskata:
If an honest mann had said soe I would
have liked yt never the woorse
30
This punishment is worse then lose of life
for yt is a stingeinge Corsive to theire sovles
as often as they doe behold them selves
lopt and bereft of those Two ornamentes
wc h nessessary vse doth daily Crave
[Againe yt giveth others daily cavse]
[to thinke how trator s should bee handled
wheras the memory of present death
is quicly buried in oblivion
[doeinge noe good but whilst yt is in doeinge]
A trator maye be likened to a tree
wc h beinge shred and topt when yt is greene
doth for one twigge wc h from the same was cutt
yeald Twenty armes yea twenty armes for one
but beinge hackt and mangled wt h an Axe
the Roote straight dies and [peecemele] peacemeale rots awaye
Even soe of traytor s Cut mee off theire heades
still moore out of the self same stocke will sprout
but plauge them wt h the losse of nedfull members
as Eies nose, handes, eares, feete or anie such
Oh theis are Cuttinge Cardes vnto theire soules
[Eare marke to know a tratorous vilane by]
[even as a brand is to discrie a theefe]
[these desperate persons for examples sake]
[these Ruffaines theis aldaringe lustie bloodes]
[these Courte appendixes these madcape laddes]
[these nothinge fearinge hotspures that attend]
[or Royall Courte tell them of hanginge Cheare [OMITTED]]
[theile saye yt is a tricke or two a boue ground [OMITTED]]
[tell them of quarteringe or the heading Axe [OMITTED]]
[theile sweare beheadinge is a gallant death [OMITTED]]
[and hee is a dastard that doth feare to die [OMITTED]]
[But saie to them, you shalbee branded]
[or yor hands Cutt offe or you nostrilles slitt]
31
to speake abruptly, rather lett vs dye
then wee should suffer this vild Ignomie
A valliant harte estemeth light of death
but honorable mindes are Ielious
of honorable names, then to bee mark«ed»
32
theire hartes of Ioye, and like to irkesome owles
they wilbee bashefull to bee seene a broad
Vskataulf:/
Alas poore soules yt was against theire willes
that theire hardharted fathers broake the league
Edricus:/
Alas poore soules yt is against their willes
that they must loose theire noses and theire hands
Enter Swetho the Two Pledges and Stich wt h an Axe:/
Canutus:/
Come on Gentlemen Cause I have found
your fathers trvstie as they promised
vnto my father and to mee
Therefore I meane to make you worthie men
such as the world shall afterward reporte
did suffer torments for theire Cuntries good
[Come on I saye prepaire yor visadges]
[to beare the tokens of eternitie]
prepaire yor noses, bid yor handes adue
becavse your sires have proved themselves soe trew
i Pledge:/
Rather then this Oh kill vs presently
theis beinge gone wee doe abhore or lives
[and haveinge theis wee loth to live accvrst]
[accompted trator s to or native soyle]
Suffer vs first to trye or striplinge force
wt h anye Giant of your [Ciclo] Ciclopes Sise
and lett or armes fight once before or deathes
to reake theire mallice on theire maisters foes
soe lett vs perishe like to Gentelemen
like to our selves and like to Englishmen.
Canutus:/
Looke how Cold water Cast on burnīge Coles
doth make the fier more fervently to flame
Even so your teares doth adde vnto my rage
33
[OMITTED] [tis not my pleasure you should suffer death]
[OMITTED] [Cavse I beleve twould ease your fathers greefes]
[OMITTED] [tis not my pleasure you should trye yor powers]
[OMITTED] [so I should give you honnors vndeseved]
[OMITTED] [and you perchaunce might soe reedeme yor selves]
[But you shall see or Iudments straight performed]
[doe execucōn on them presently]
Ile teach yor fathers yf they doe not knowe
what tis to violate a lawfull othe
I teach them what yt is to playe wt h kinges
presuminge on theire mercy, Come I saye
what trifle yee delaye noe more the tyme
for you must suffer for yor fathers Cryme
2 Pledge:/
What ser must you Cutt offe my handes
Stich:/
I and yor noses too, twere pittie in faith to marr two such faces
34
i Pledge:/
You shall not touch my nose wt h those bace hands
by heaven Ile son̄er Cutt yt offe myself
Stich:/
You will thinke A worse paire then theis agood paire ere nig[OMITTED]
how theile looke when theire noses bee offe, every one wil«l»
take them for ffrenchmen
Canutus:
dispatch I saie I must not staye soe longe
the more you delaye the tyme the worse you speede
i Pledge:/
Give mee the Axe Ile quicly execute
this direfull Iudgment on my guiltles handes
Stich:/
wt h all my harte you save mee a labor
Canutus:/
Staye vnadvised vilaine hold thy hand
or I will hacke the peacemeale wt h thy Axe
whie art thou madd to give thie enimie
an instrument to Kill thie self and mee
Cutt offe his handes first, then deliver yt him
Hee cutts offe one hande
Soe Cutt offe th'other.
Hee Cutts offe the other hande
now ser fight yor fill
i Pledge:/
Lett theis my stumpes Crave vengance at thie handes
thou Iudge of Iudges and thou kinge of kinges
Canutus:
Cutt off his nose then lett him praye againe
perchance his prayeinge metigates his paine
Hee Cutts off his Nose
i Pledge:
Powre thie vengance on this bloody daine
and lett him die some vnherd monstrous death
Canutus:
Make quick dispatch to execut the other
I am sure you will not now bee pardoned
2 Pledge
Not I thou Murtheringe stonie hated daine
I am resolved to suffer this and more
to doe my father or my Cuntry good
35
Hee Cutts his handes and Nose [OMITTED]
i Pledge:
Now thou hast spitt thie venome bloody kinge [OMITTED]
wee doe retone defiance in thie face [OMITTED]
Canutus:
Sers temper well yor tongues and bee advse«d»
yf not Ile Cutt them shorter by an Inch
remember that you both have lost yor handes
becavse your fathers did abuse theire tongues
in periurye, goe quickly away
and tell your tratrous fathes what I say
2 Pledge:
Wee goe but to thie Cost proud Danish Canute
throughout this Ile thie tiranie to brute
i Pledge
Wee goe thie Crewell butchery to Ringe
oh England never trust a forraine kinge
Exit Pledes
Edricus:
Ha. Ha. Ha
Canutus:
Whie laughest thou Edricus
Edricus:
I Cannot chuse to see the villaines rave
Ent [OMITTED] Mess nger
36
And I must needes laugh to beare my Mr Companie
Enter a messenger runinge
Canutus:
What newes wt h thee
Messenger:
Renownd Canutus thy forces in the North
wc h thou didst send gainst Edmond Ironside
are Cleene disperst and peecemeale overthrowne
by him, as theis letters signifie.
Canutus reades and then sayeth
Canutus:
Tis wonderfull what Twenty Thowsand slaine
of Com̄on souldiers this vnwelcome newes
nipes like a hory frost our springeinge hopes
and makes my fearefull souldiers hange theire heades
[Come hether Edricus voyd the Companie]
[that I and you may talke in secresie]
Exeunt omnes
Ah Edricus what had I best to doe
to race out this dishonorable blott
out of the brasse leaved booke of liveinge fame
[shall yt be said heereafter when Report]
[shall Celebrate my noble fathers actes]
[that Canutus did lose, what noble Swanus gott]
shall yt be said that Edmond Ironside
vnfrinded poore forsaken desolate
did ouerthrowe the power of mightie Canutus
whose wealth was great, frindes more, but forces most
Never sence Edmond was of force to beare
a massey helmet and a [Cv] Curtlaxe
Could I retorne a victor from the feild
vnlesse as I remember thou betraydst
the gallant striplinge once into or hands
[then had not vallour hewed him throw or troopes]
[OMITTED] [that daye had made an end of all or greefes]
[OMITTED] But now what now, oh tell mee yf thou knowest
37
[OMITTED] that after age may not reporte my shame
«Ed»ricus:
dispaire not noble kinge tyme Comes in tyme
know yee not tis a deede of pollecye
in fickell Chaunce to Crosse yor mightienesse
[for elce in Tyme you might dismounte the Queene]
[and throw her headlonge from her rowlinge stone]
[and take her whele whirlinge wheele into your hand]
I tell yor grace Chaunce ever envies wise men
and favors fooles promotinge them aloft
But as for this fleaspott of dishonor
the greatest monarches have indured more
even blinckeinge Phillipes sonne and manie more [OMITTED]
38
Canutus:
I preethee flatter still, on, on, what more
speake wee of fortune honest Sicophante
Chaunce favoreth not a foole in favoringe thee
thy flatery is gracious in her eye
[Come hether Edricus oh strange miracle]
see you not in the heavens prodigious signes
looke how the Sunne lookes paile the moone shines red
The starres appeare in the perturbed heven
like little Comettes and not Twelve a Clocke
what is the Cavse then that the starres are seene
Edricus:/
I see them · well my lord: yett knowe noe cause
vnles yet shewes the fall of Ironside
Canutus:/
Shurely yt doth: looke now they all are gonne
tis night, tis darke, beware ye stumble not
lend mee yor hand, but first goe fetch a torch
Exit Edricus
to light mee to my tente. make hast I praye
hees gonne to fetch a torch to light the daye
Enter Edricus
Edricus:
My lord the mistie vapors weare soe thicke
they almost quencht the torch
Canutus:/
Trve as all the rest, I say thie witt is thicke
grose flattery: all sothing Sicophant
doth blind thie eies and will not lett thee see
[that others see thou art a flatterer]
[Amend, amend thie life learne to speake trewth]
[for shame doe not in thie declineinge age]
Children may see thie lies they are so plaine
Oh whilst yee live from flattery refraine
Edricus::
Yt standes not wt h my Zeale and plighted faith
otherwise to saye then as yor hignes saith
your grace is hable to give all theire due
to make truth lye and likewise make lies true[OMITTED]
39
I would Yt laye in mee to make thee true [OMITTED]
but whoe cann Change the Ethiophians hew[OMITTED]
| Edmond Ironside : or War Hath Made All Friends | |