Edward III (Quarto 1, 1596)
Not Peer Reviewed
The Raigne of King
1890And we haue compast him he cannot scape.
¶Ch: But will your highnes fight to day.
¶and we are threescore thousand at the least,
¶Ch: I haue a prophecy my gratious Lord,
1895Wherein is written what successe is like
¶To happen vs in this outragious warre,
¶It was deliuered me at Cresses field,
¶By one that is an aged Hermyt there,
¶when fethered foul shal make thine army tremble,
1900and flint stones rise and breake the battell ray:
¶Then thinke on him that doth not now dissemble
¶For that shalbe the haples dreadfull day,
¶Yet in the end thy foot thou shalt aduance,
¶as farre in England, as thy foe in Fraunce,
1905Io: By this it seemes we shalbe fortunate:
¶For as it is impossible that stones
¶Should euer rise and breake the battaile ray,
¶Or airie foule make men in armes to quake,
¶So is it like we shall not be subdude:
1910Or say this might be true, yet in the end,
¶Since he doth promise we shall driue him hence,
¶And forrage their Countrie as they haue don ours
¶By this reuenge, that losse will seeme the lesse,
¶But all are fryuolous, fancies, toyes and dreames,
1915Once we are sure we haue insnard the sonne,
¶Catch we the father after how we can.
Exeunt.
¶
Enter Prince Edward, Audley andothers.
¶Pr: Audley the armes of death embrace vs round,
¶And comfort haue we none saue that to die,
1920We pay sower earnest for a sweeter life,
¶At Cressey field our Clouds of Warlike smoke,
¶chokt vp those French mouths, & disseuered them
¶But now their multitudes of millions hide
¶Masking as twere the beautious burning Sunne,
1925Leauing no hope to vs but sullen darke,
And