University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

—Castle of Montrose.
King Edward, Sir John Cuming.
KING EDWARD.
Cuming, thou comest from thy kinsman; what
Means he to do? Interpret his intention;
If still he scorns to yield his body up,
And, maugre fortune, will persist to be
Hunted up to the margins of the world,
Why, we will bay him round about with mouths
Of howling and determined enemies,
Until he shall be straiten'd and hemm'd in
Unto a coffin's length:—If, diffident
Of his affairs, and confident in us,
He throw himself beseeching at our feet,
We will not stint our tender mercies then;
We will let peer our goodness, and despoil him,
Not of his life, but of his taberd merely,
And ship him, shorn and disencumber'd thus
Of all oppressive ornament, for London,
Where some beneficent and kindly roof
Shall fend the bleak winds of adversity
From farther beating on his batter'd locks.
Speak, Cuming, what he wills.

SIR JOHN CUMING.
Most honour'd sire,
My kinsman John, a-weary now of pomp,
Sick with the tossings of disastrous days,
Seeks only rest, most willing to forego
Into your hands that crown that has to him
Been but a thorny coronet of cares:
His prayer has stirr'd me hither to your grace,
That I might proffer for him, and receive
Your royal pleasure.

KING EDWARD.
I am glad of this;
Cuming, thou dealest well; I do commend
Thy forward zeal, for thy poor kinsman's sake;
'Tis for his own and for his country's weal,
That he endure demission:—Bid him come
To-morrow, decorated cap-a-pee,
With diadem, and ring, and robe, and sceptre;
And strip himself with voluntary hand,
Of all these vain misplaced appendages,
Freely to put them in the hands of him
To whom they appertain.

SIR JOHN CUMING.
He shall be here,
At the due hour, in all th'accoutrements
Of royalty, about to be thrown off
By him, for ever.

KING EDWARD.
We shall have a ship,
Equipt with mariners and goodly tackle,
Riding within the basin, ready to slip
Her haulsers, and put straightway out to sea;
Her cabin shall be wainscotted and warm,
Appointed well with viands and with wines.
We will inship him on the instant after
His resignation; he'll be quite at home
Under the hatches; and, as now the weather
Seems smooth and untormented with loud winds,
He'll find a nimble voyage, and arrive
Soon at his gladsome port.

SIR JOHN CUMING.
'Tis well arranged;
To-morrow we will wait upon your grace,
And celebrate demission in due form.

[Exeunt.