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  • Title: Edward III (Quarto 1, 1596)
  • Editor: Sonia Massai

  • Copyright Sonia Massai. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Sonia Massai
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Edward III (Quarto 1, 1596)

    The Raigne of King
    Wee leaue till thou hast won it in the fielde,
    My gratious father and yee forwarde peeres,
    This honor you haue done me animates,
    And chears my greene yet scarse appearing strength,
    1535With comfortable good persaging signes,
    No other wise then did ould Iacobes wordes,
    When as he breathed his blessings on his sonnes,
    These hallowed giftes of yours when I prophane,
    Or vse them not to glory of my God,
    1540To patronage the fatherles and poore,
    Or for the benefite of Englands peace,
    Be numbe my ioynts, waxe feeble both mine armes,
    Wither my hart that like a saples tree,
    I may remayne the map of infamy,
    1545K. Ed: Then this our steelde Battailes shall be rainged,
    The leading of the vowarde Ned is thyne,
    To dignifie whose lusty spirit the more
    We temper it with Audlys grauitie,
    That courage and experience ioynd in one,
    1550Your manage may be second vnto none,
    For the mayne battells I will guide my selfe,
    And Darby in the rereward march behind,
    That orderly disposd and set in ray,
    Let vs to horse and God graunt vs the daye. Exeunt:
    1555Alarum. Enter a many French men flying.
    After them Prince Edward runing.
    Then enter King Iohn and Duke of Loraine.
    Iohn. Oh Lorrain say, what meane our men to fly,
    Our nomber is far greater then our foes,
    1560Lor. The garrison of Genoaes my Lorde,
    That cam from Paris weary with their march,
    Grudging to be soddenly imployd,
    No sooner in the forefront tooke their place.
    But straite retyring so dismaide the rest,
    1565As likewise they betook themselues to flight
    In which for hast to make a safe escape,
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