of her eies I le say that like a glas they catch the sunne And thence the hot reflection doth rebounde Against my brest and burnes my hart within Ah what a world of descant makes my soule Vpon this voluntarie ground of loue Come Lodwick hast thou turnd thy inke to golde If not write but in letters Capitall my mistres name And it wil guild thy paper read Lorde reade Fill thou the emptie hollowes of mine eares With the sweete hearing of thy poetrie Lo: I haue not to a period brought her praise King Her praise is as my loue both infinit Which apprehend such violent extremes That they disdaine an ending period Her bewtie hath no match but my affection Hers more then most myne most and more then more Hers more to praise then tell the sea by drops Nay more then drop the massie earth by sands And said by said print them in memorie Then wherefore talkest thou of a period To that which craues vnended admiration Read let vs heare Lo: More faire and chast then is the queen of shades King That loue hath two falts grosse and palpable Comparest thou her to the pale queene of night Who being set in darke seemes therefore light What is she when the sunne lifts vp his head But like a fading taper dym and dead My loue shall braue the ey of heauen at noon And being vnmaskt outshine the golden sun Lo: What is the other faulte my soueraigne Lord King Reade ore the line againe Lo: More faire and chast King I did not bid thee talke of chastitie To ransack so the treason of her minde For I had rather haue her chased then chast Out with the moone line I wil none of it And let me haue hir likened to the sun Say shee hath thrice more splendour then the sun That her perfections emulats the sunne That shee breeds sweets as plenteous as the sunne That shee doth thaw cold winter like the sunne That she doth cheere fresh sommer like the sunne That shee doth dazle gazers like the sunne And in this application to the sunne Bid her be free and generall as the sunne Who smiles vpon the basest weed that growes As louinglie as on the fragrant rose Le ts see what followes that same moonelight line Lo: More faire and chast then is the louer of shades More bould in constancie King In constancie then who Lo: Then Iudith was King O monstrous line put in the next a sword And I shall woo her to cut of my head Blot blot good Lodwicke let vs heare the next Lo: There 's all that yet is donne King I thancke thee then thou hast don litle ill But what is don is passing passing ill No let the Captaine talke of boystrous warr The prisoner of emured darke constraint The sick man best sets downe the pangs of death The man that starues the sweetnes of a feast The frozen soule the benefite of fire And euery griefe his happie opposite Loue cannot sound well but in louers toungs Giue me the pen and paper I will write Enter Countes But soft here comes the treasurer of my spirit Lodwick thou knowst not how to drawe a battell These wings these flankars and these squadrons Argue in thee defectiue discipline Thou shouldest haue placed this here this other here Co. Pardon my boldnes my thrice gracious Lords Let my intrusion here be cald my duetie That comes to see my soueraigne how he fares Kin: Go draw the same I tell thee in what forme Lor: I go Con Sorry I am to see my liege so sad What may thy subiect do to driue from thee Thy gloomy consort sullome melancholie King Ah Lady I am blunt and cannot strawe The flowers of solace in a ground of shame Since I came hither Countes I am wronged Cont Now God forbid that anie in my howse Should thinck my soueraigne wrong thrice gentle King King Acquant me with theyr cause of discontent How neere then shall I be to remedie Cont As nere my Liege as all my womans power Can pawne it selfe to buy thy remedy King Yf thou speakst true then haue I my redresse Ingage thy power to redeeme my Ioyes And I am ioyfull Countes els I die Coun: I will my Liege King Sweare Counties that thou wilt Coun: By heauen I will King Then take thy selfe a litel waie a side And tell thy self a King doth dote on thee Say that within thy power doth lie To make him happy and that thou hast sworne To giue him all the Ioy within thy power Do this and tell me when I shall be happie Coun: All this is done my thrice dread souereigne That power of loue that I haue power to giue Thou hast with all deuout obedience Inploy me how thou wilt in profe therof King Thou hearst me saye that I do dote on thee Coun: Yf on my beauty take yt if thou canst Though litle I do prise it ten tymes lesse If on my vertue take it if thou canst For vertues store by giuing doth augment Be it on what it will that I can giue And thou canst take awaie inherit it King It is thy beautie that I woulde enioy Count O were it painted I would wipe it of And disposse my selfe to giue it thee But souereigne it is souldered to my life Take one and both for like an humble shaddow Yt hauntes the sunshine of my summers life But thou maist leue it me to sport with all Count As easie may my intellectual soule Be lent awaie and yet my bodie liue As lend my bodie pallace to my soule Awaie from her and yet retaine my soule My bodie is her bower her Court her abey And shee an Angell pure deuine vnspotted If I should leaue her house my Lord to thee I kill my poore soule and my poore soule me King Didst thou not swere to giue me what I would Count I did my liege so what you would I could King I wish no more of thee then thou maist giue Nor beg I do not but I rather buie That is thy loue and for that loue of thine In rich exchaunge I tender to thee myne Count But that your lippes were sacred my Lord You would prophane the holie name of loue That loue you offer me you cannot giue For Caesar owes that tribut to his Queene That loue you beg of me I cannot giue For Sara owes that duetie to her Lord He that doth clip or counterfeit your stamp Shall die my Lord and will your sacred selfe Comit high treason against the King of heauen To stamp his Image in forbidden mettel For getting your alleageance and your othe In violating mariage secred law You breake a greater honor then your selfe To be a King is of a yonger house Then to be maried your progenitour Sole ragning Adam on the vniuerse By God was honored for a married man But not by him annointed for a king It is a pennalty to breake your statutes Though not enacted with your highnes hand How much more
encompassed the roote No maruell though the leprous infant dye When the sterne dame inuennometh the Dug Why then giue sinne a pasport to offend And youth the dangerous reigne of liberty Blot out the strict forbidding of the law And cancell euery cannon that prescribes A shame for shame or pennance for offence No let me die if his too boystrous will Will haue it so before I will consent To be an actor in his gracelesse lust Wa: Why now thou speakst as I would haue thee speake And marke how I vnsaie my words againe An honorable graue is more esteemd Then the polluted closet of a king The greater man the greater is the thing Be it good or bad that he shall vndertake An vnreputed mote flying in the Sunne Presents a greater substaunce then it is The freshest summers day doth soonest taint The lothed carrion that it seemes to kisse Deepe are the blowes made with a mightie Axe That sinne doth ten times agreuate it selfe That is committed in a holie place An euill deed done by authoritie Is sin and subbornation Decke an Ape In tissue and the beautie of the robe Adds but the greater scorne vnto the beast A spatious field of reasons could I vrge Betweene his gloomie daughter and thy shame That poyson shewes worst in a golden cup Darke night seemes darker by the lightning flash Lillies that fester smel far worse then weeds And euery glory that inclynes to sin The shame is treble by the opposite So leaue I with my blessing in thy bosome Which then conuert to a most heauie curse When thou conuertest from honors golden name To the blacke faction of bed blotting shame Coun: Ils follow thee and when my minde turnes so My body sinke my soule in endles woo Exeunt Enter at one doore Derby from Fraunce At an other doore Audley with a Drum Der. Thrice noble Audley well incountred heere How is it with our soueraigne and his peeres Aud. T is full a fortnight since I saw his highnes What time he sent me forth to muster men Which I accordingly haue done and bring them hither In faire aray before his maiestie King What newes my Lord of Derby from the Emperor Der. As good as we desire the Emperor Hath yeelded to his highnes friendly ayd And makes our king leiuetenant generall In all his lands and large dominions Then via for the spatious bounds of Fraunce Aud. What doth his highnes leap to heare these newes Der. I haue not yet found time to open them The king is in his closet malcontent For what I know not but he gaue in charge Till after dinner none should interrupt him The Countesse Salisbury and her father Warwike Artoyes and all looke vnderneath the browes Aud: Vndoubtedly then some thing is a misse Enter the King Dar. The Trumpets sound the king is now abroad Ar. Here comes his highnes Der. Befall my soueraigne all my soueraignes wish King Ah that thou wert a Witch to make it so Der. The Emperour greeteth you Kin. Would it were the Countesse Der. And hath accorded to your highnes suite King Thou lyest she hath not but I would she had Au. All loue and duety to my Lord the King Kin. Well all but one is none what newes with you Au. I haue my liege leuied those horse and foote According as your charge and brought them hither Kin. Then let those foote trudge hence vpon those horse According too our discharge and be gonne Darby I le looke vpon the Countesse minde anone Dar The Countesse minde my liege Kin. I meane the Emperour leaue me alone Au. What is his mind Dar: Le ts leaue him to his humor Exunt Ki Thus from the harts aboundant speakes the tongue Countesse for Emperour and indeed why not She is as imperator ouer me and I to her Am as a kneeling vassaile that obserues The pleasure or displeasure of her eye Enter Lodwike Ki What saies the more then Cleopatras match To Caesar now Lo: That yet my liege ere night She will resolue your maiestie Ki What drum is this that thunders forth this march To start the tender Cupid in my bosome Poore shipskin how it braules with him that beateth it Go breake the thundring parchment bottome out And I will teach it to conduct sweete lynes Vnto the bosome of a heauenly Nymph For I will vse it as my writing paper And so reduce him from a scoulding drum To be the herald and deare counsaile bearer Betwixt a goddesse and a mighty king Go bid the drummer learne to touch the Lute Or hang him in the braces of his drum For now we thinke it an vnciuill thing To trouble heauen with such harsh resounds Away Exit The quarrell that I haue requires no armes But these of myne and these shall meete my foe In a deepe march of penytrable grones My eyes shall be my arrowes and my sighes Shall serue me as the vantage of the winde To wherle away my sweetest artyilerie Ah but alas she winnes the sunne of me For that is she her selfe and thence it comes That Poets tearme the wanton warriour blinde But loue hath eyes as iudgement to his steps Till two much loued glory dazies them How now Enter Lodwike Lo. My liege the drum that stroke the lusty march Stands with Prince Edward your thrice valiant sonne Enter Prince Edward King I see the boy oh how his mothers face Modeld in his corrects my straid desire And rates my heart and chides my theeuish eie Who being rich ennough in seeing her Yet seeke elsewhere and basest theft is that Which cannot cloke it selfe on pouertie Now boy what newes Pr. E. I haue assembled my deare Lord and father The choysest buds of all our English blood For our affaires to Fraunce and heere we come To take direction from your maiestie Kin: Still do I see in him deliniate His mothers visage those his eies are hers Who looking wistely on me make me blush For faults against themselues giue euidence Lust as a fire and me like lanthorne show Light lust within themselues euen through them selues Away loose silkes or wauering vanitie Shall the large limmit of faire Brittayne By me be ouerthrowne and shall I not Master this little mansion of my selfe Giue me an Armor of eternall steele I go to conquer kings and shall I not then Subdue my selfe and be my enimies friend It must not be come boy forward aduaunce Le ts with our coullours sweete the Aire of Fraunce Enter Lodwike Lo. My liege the Countesse with a smiling cheere Desires accesse vnto your Maiestie King Why there it goes that verie smile of hers Hath ransomed captiue Fraunce and set the King The Dolphin and the Peeres at liberty Goe leaue me Ned and reuell with thy friends Exit Pr. Thy mother is but blacke and thou like her Dost put it in my minde how foule she is Goe fetch the Countesse hether in thy hand Exit Lod. And let her chase away these winter clouds For shee giues beautie both
to infringe the holy act Made by the mouth of God seald with his hand I know my souereigne in my husbands loue Who now doth loyall seruice in his warrs Doth but to try the wife of Salisbury Whither shee will heare a wantons tale or no Lest being therein giulty by my stay From that not from my leige I tourne awaie Exit King Whether is her bewtie by her words dyuine Or are her words sweet chaplaines to her bewtie Like as the wind doth beautifie a saile And as a saile becomes the vnseene winde So doe her words her bewties bewtie wordes O that I were a honie gathering bee To beare the combe of vertue from his flower And not a poison sucking enuious spider To turne the vice I take to deadlie venom Religion is austere and bewty gentle To stricke a gardion for so faire a weed O that shee were as is the aire to mee Why so she is for when I would embrace her This do I and catch nothing but my selfe I must enioy her for I cannot beate With reason and reproofe fond loue awaie Enter Warwicke Here comes her father I will worke with him To beare my collours in this feild of loue War: How is it that my souereigne is so sad May I with pardon know your highnes griefe And that my old endeuor will remoue it It shall not comber long your maiestie King A kind and voluntary gift thou proferest That I was forwarde to haue begd of thee But O thou world great nurse of flatterie Whie dost thou tip mens tongues with golden words And peise their deedes with weight of heauie leade That faire performance cannot follow promise O that a man might hold the hartes close booke And choke the lauish tongue when it doth vtter The breath of falshood not carectred there War: Far be it from the honor of my age That I should owe bright gould and render lead Age is a cyncke not a flatterer I saye againe that I if knew your griefe And that by me it may be lesned My proper harme should buy your highnes good These are the vulger tenders of false men That neuer pay the duetie of their words Kin: Thou wilt not sticke to sweare what thou hast said But when thou knowest my greifes condition This rash disgorged vomit of thy word Thou wilt eate vp againe and leaue me helples War By heauen I will not though your maiestie Did byd me run vpon your sworde and die Say that my greefe is no way medicinable But by the losse and bruising of thine honour War: Yf nothing but that losse may vantage you I would accomplish that losse my vauntage to King Thinkst that thou canst answere thy oth againe War: I cannot nor I would not if I could King But if thou dost what shal I say to thee War: What may be said to anie periurd villane That breake the sacred warrant of an oath King What wilt thou say to one that breaks an othe War That hee hath broke his faith with God and man And from them both standes excommunicat King What office were it to suggest a man To breake a lawfull and religious vowe War An office for the deuill not for man Ki. That destilles office must thou do for me Or breake thy oth or cancell all the bondes Of loue and duetie twixt thy self and mee And therefore Warwike if thou art thy selfe The Lord and master of thy word and othe Go to thy daughter and in my behalfe Comaund her woo her win her anie wares To be my mistres and my secret loue I will not stand to heare thee make reply Thy oth breake hers or let thy souereigne dye Exit King O doting King or detestable office Well may I tempt my self to wrong my self When he hath sworne me by the name of God To breake a vowe made by the name of God What if I sweare by this right hand of mine To cut this right hande of the better waie Were to prophaine the Idoll then confound it But neither will I do I le keepe myne oath And to my daughter make a recantation Of all the vertue I haue preacht to her I le say she must forget her husband Salisbury If she remember to embrace the king I le say an othe may easily be broken But not so easily pardoned being broken I le say it is true charitie to loue But not true loue to be so charitable I le say his greatnes may beare out the shame But not his kingdome can buy out the sinne I le say it is my duety to perswade But not her honestie to giue consent Enter Countesse See where she comes was neuer father had Against his child an embassage so bad Co: My Lord and father I haue sought for you My mother and the Peeres importune you To keepe in promise of his maiestie And do your best to make his highnes merrie War: How shall I enter in this gracelesse arrant I must not call her child for wheres the father That will in such a sute seduce his child Then wife of Salisbury shall I so begin No hee s my friend and where is found the friend That will doe friendship such indammagement Neither my daughter nor my deare friends wife I am not Warwike as thou thinkst I am But an atturnie from the Court of hell That thus haue housd my spirite in his forme To do a message to thee from the king The mighty king of England dotes on thee He that hath power to take away thy life Hath power to take thy honor then consent To pawne thine honor rather then thy life Honor is often lost and got againe But life once gon hath no recouerie The Sunne that withers heye doth nourish grasse The king that would distaine thee will aduance thee The Poets write that great Achilles speare Could heale the wound it made the morrall is What mighty men misdoo they can amend The Lyon doth become his bloody iawes And grace his forragement by being milde When vassell feare lies trembling at his feete The king will in his glory hide thy shame And those that gaze on him to finde out thee Will loose their eie-sight looking in the Sunne What can one drop of poyson harme the Sea Whose hugie vastures can digest the ill And make it loose his operation The kings great name will temper their misdeeds And giue the bitter portion of reproch A sugred sweet and most delitious tast Besides it is no harme to do the thing Which without shame could not be left vndone Thus haue I in his maiesties behalfe Apparraled sin in vertuous sentences And dwel vpon thy answere in his sute Cou: Vnnaturall beseege woe me vnhappie To haue escapt the danger of my foes And to be ten times worse iniuerd by friends Hath he no meanes to stayne my honest blood But to corrupt the author of my blood To be his scandalous and vile soliciter No maruell though the braunches be then infected When poyson hath
let vs breath our selues Au. I will my Lord Exit sound Retreat K. Ed. Iust dooming heauen whose secret prouidence To our grosse iudgement is inscrutable How are we bound to praise thy wondrous works That hast this day giuen way vnto the right And made the wicked stumble at them selues Enter Artoys Rescue king Edward rescue for thy sonne Kin: Rescue Artoys what is he prisoner Or by violence fell beside his horse Ar. Neither my Lord but narrowly beset With turning Frenchmen whom he did persue As t is impossible that he should scape Except your highnes presently descend Kin: Tut let him fight we gaue him armes to day And he is laboring for a knighthood man Enter Derby Da: The Prince my Lord the Prince oh succour him Hee s close incompast with a world of odds Ki Then will he win a world of honor to If he by vallour can redeeme him thence If not what remedy we haue more sonnes Then one to comfort our declyning age Enter Audley Au, Renowned Edward giue me leaue I pray To lead my souldiers where I may releeue Your Graces sonne in danger to be slayne The snares of French like Emmets on a banke Muster about him whilest he Lion like Intangled in the net of their assaults Frantiquely wrends and byts the wouen toyle But all in vaine he cannot free him selfe K Ed: Audley content I will not haue a man On paine of death sent forth to succour him This is the day ordaynd by desteny To season his courage with those greeuous thoughts That if he breaketh out Nestors yeares on earth Will make him sauor still of this exployt Dar: Ah but he shall not liue to see those dayes Ki Why then his Ephitaph is lasting prayse An Yet good my Lord t is too much wilfulnes To let his blood be spilt that may be saude Kin. Exclayme no more for none of you can tell Whether a borrowed aid will serue or no Perhapps he is already slayne or tane And dare a Falcon when shee s in her flight And euer after shee le be huggard like Let Edward be deliuered by our hands And still in danger he le expect the like But if himselfe himselfe redeeme from thence He wil haue vanquisht cheerefull death and feare And euer after dread their force no more Then if they were but babes or Captiue slaues Aud. O cruell Father farewell Edward then Da: Farewell sweete Prince the hope of chiualry Art: O would my life might ransome him from death K. Ed: But soft me thinkes I heare The dismall charge of Trumpets loud retreat All are not slayne I hope that went with him Some will returne with tidings good or bad Enter Prince Edward in tryumph bearing in his hande hit shiuered Launce and the King of Boheme borne before wrapt in the Coullours They runne and imbrace him Aud, O ioyfull sight victorious Edward liues Der: Welcome braue Prince Ki Welcome Plantagenet Pr. kneele and kisse his fathers hand First hauing donne my duety as beseemed Lords I le greet you all with harty thanks And now behold after my winters toyle My paynefull voyage on the boystrous sea Of warres deuouring gulphes and steely rocks I bring my fraught vnto the wished port My Summers hope my trauels sweet reward And heere with humble duety I present This sacrifice this first fruit of my sword Cropt and cut downe euen at the gate of death The king of Boheme father whome I slue Whom you sayd had intrencht me round about And laye as thicke vpon my battered crest As on an Anuell with their ponderous glaues Yet marble courage still did vnderprop And when my weary armes with often blowes Like the continuall laboring Wood-mans Axe That is enioynd to fell a load of Oakes Began to faulter straight I would recouer My gifts you gaue me and my zealous vow And then new courage made me fresh againe That in despight I craud my passage forth And put the multitude to speedy flyght his Sword borne by a Soldier Lo this hath Edwards hand fild your request And done I hope the duety of a Knight Ki I well thou hast deserud a knight-hood Ned And therefore with thy sword yet reaking warme With blood of those that fought to be thy bane Arise Prince Edward trusty knight at armes This day thou hast confounded me with ioy And proude thy selfe fit heire vnto a king Pr Heere is a note my gratious Lord of those That in this conflict of our foes were slaine Eleuen Princes of esteeme Foure score Barons A hundred and twenty knights and thirty thousand Common souldiers and of our men a thousand Our God be praised Now Iohn of Fraunce I hope Thou knowest King Edward for no wantonesse No loue sicke cockney nor his souldiers iades But which way is the fearefull king escapt Pr: Towards Poyctiers noble father and his sonnes King Ned thou and Audley shall pursue them still Myselfe and Derby will to Calice streight And there begyrt that Hauen towne with seege Now lies it on an vpshot therefore strike And wistlie follow whiles the games on foote Ki. What Pictures this Pr: A Pellican my Lord Wounding her bosome with her crooked beak That so her nest of young ones might be fed With drops of blood that issue from her hart The motto Sic vos and so should you Exeunt Enter Lord Mountford with a Coronet in his hande with him the Earle of Salisbury Mo: My Lord of Salisbury since by our aide Mine ennemie Sir Charles of Bloys is slaine And I againe am quietly possest In Brittaines Dukedome knowe that I resolue For this kind furtherance of your king and you To sweare allegeance to his maiesty In sign where of receiue this Coronet Beare it vnto him and with all mine othe Neuer to be but Edwards faithful friend Sa: I take it Mountfort thus I hope eare long The whole Dominions of the Realme of Fraunce Wil be surrendred to his conquering hand Exit Now if I knew but safely how to passe I would to Calice gladly meete his Grace Whether I am by letters certified Yet he intends to haue his host remooude It shal be so this pollicy will serue Ho whos 's within bring Villiers to me Enter Villeirs Villiers thou knowest thou art my prisoner And that I might for ransome if I would Require of thee a hundred thousand Francks Or else retayne and keepe thee captiue still But so it is that for a smaller charge Thou maist be quit and if thou wilt thy selfe And this it is procure me but a pasport Of Charles the Duke of Normandy that I Without restraint may haue recourse to Callis Through all the Countries where he hath to doe Which thou maist easely obtayne I thinke By reason I haue often heard thee say He and thou were students once together And then thou shalt be set at libertie How saiest thou wilt thou vndertake to do it Vil. I will my Lord but I must speake with him Sa. Why so thou shalt