Well met, my masters. How now, what's the news?

6.31243And wherefore are ye laden thus with stuff?

6.41244What, is it quarter day that you remove,

6.51245And carry bag and baggage too?

Quarter day, ay, and quartering day I fear.

6.71247Have ye not heard the news that flies abroad?

What news?

How the French navy is destroyed at sea,

6.101250And that the English army is arrived.

What then?

What then, quoth you? Why is't not time to fly,

6.131253When envy and destruction is so nigh?

Content thee, man; they are far enough from hence,

6.151255And will be met, I warrant ye, to their cost

6.161256Before they break so far into the realm.

Ay, so the grasshopper doth spend the time

6.181258In mirthful jollity till winter come,

6.191259And then too late he would redeem his time

6.201260When frozen cold hath nipped his careless head;

6.211261He that no sooner will provide a cloak

6.221262Than when he sees it doth begin to rain,

6.231263May peradventure, for his negligence,

6.241264Be throughly washed when he suspects it not.

6.251265We that have charge and such a train as this

6.261266Must look in time to look for them and us,

6.271267Lest when we would, we cannot be relieved.

Belike you then despair of ill success,

6.291269And think your country will be subjugate.

We cannot tell; 'tis good to fear the worst.

Yet rather fight than, like unnatural sons,

6.321272Forsake your loving parents in distress.

Tush, they that have already taken arms

6.341274Are many fearful millions in respect

6.351275Of that small handful of our enemies.

6.361276But 'tis a rightful quarrel must prevail:

6.371277Edward is son unto our late king's sister,

6.381278Where John Valois is three degrees removed.

Besides, there goes a prophecy abroad,

6.401280Published by one that was a friar once,

6.411281Whose oracles have many times proved true,

6.421282And now, he says, the time will shortly come

6.431283Whenas a lion rousèd in the west

6.441284Shall carry hence the fleur-de-lis of France.

6.451285These I can tell ye, and such like surmises

6.461286Strike many Frenchmen cold unto the heart.

Fly, countrymen and citizens of France!

6.491289Sweet flow'ring peace, the root of happy life,

6.501290Is quite abandoned and expulsed the land,

6.511291Instead of whom, ransack-constraining war

6.521292Sits like to ravens upon your houses' tops.

6.531293Slaughter and mischief walk within your streets

6.541294And unrestrained make havoc as they pass,

6.551295The form whereof even now myself beheld,

6.561296Upon this fair mountain whence I came:

6.571297For so far off as I directed mine eyes,

6.581298I might perceive five cities all on fire,

6.591299Cornfields and vineyards burning like an oven;

6.601300And as the leaking vapor in the wind

6.611301Turned but aside I likewise might discern

6.621302The poor inhabitants, escaped the flame,

6.631303Fall numberless upon the soldiers' pikes.

6.641304Three ways these dreadful ministers of wrath

6.651305Do tread the measures of their tragic march:

6.661306Upon the right hand comes the conquering king,

6.671307Upon the left his hot unbridled son,

6.681308And in the midst their nation's glittering host;

6.691309All which, though distant, yet conspire in one

6.701310To leave a desolation where they come.

6.711311Fly, therefore, citizens. If you be wise,

6.721312Seek out some habitation further off;

6.731313Here if you stay, your wives will be abused,

6.741314Your treasure shared before your weeping eyes.

6.751315Shelter yourselves for now the storm doth rise.

6.761316Away, away! Methinks I hear their drums.

6.771317Ah, wretched France, I greatly fear thy fall,

6.781318Thy glory shaketh like a tottering wall.