[Scene 11]
11.11829Enter [Prince] Charles [Duke] of Normandy and Villiers. I wonder, Villiers, thou shouldst importune me
11.31831For one that is our deadly enemy.
Not for his sake, my gracious lord, so much
11.51833Am I become an earnest advocate,
11.61834As that thereby my ransom will be quit.
Thy ransom, man? Why needst thou talk of that?
11.81836Art thou not free? And are not all occasions
11.91837That happen for advantage of our foes
No, good my lord, except the same be just;
11.121840For profit must with honor be commixed,
11.131841Or else our actions are but scandalous.
11.141842But letting pass these intricate objections,
11.151843Will't please your highness to subscribe or no?
Villiers, I will not nor I cannot do it.
11.171845Salisbury shall not have his will so much
11.181846To claim a passport how it pleaseth himself.
Why then I know the extremity, my lord:
11.201848I must return to prison whence I came.
Return! I hope thou wilt not.
11.221850What bird that hath escaped the fowler's gin
11.231851Will not beware how she's ensnared again?
11.241852Or what is he so senseless and secure
11.251853That, having hardly passed a dangerous gulf,
11.261854Will put himself in peril there again?
Ah, but it is mine oath, my gracious lord,
11.281856Which I in conscience may not violate,
11.291857Or else a kingdom should not draw me hence.
Thine oath! Why that doth bind thee to abide.
11.311859Hast thou not sworn obedience to thy prince?
In all things that uprightly he commands.
11.331861But either to persuade or threaten me
11.341862Not to perform the covenant of my word
Why, is it lawful for a man to kill,
11.371865And not to break a promise with his foe?
To kill, my lord, when war is once proclaimed,
11.391867So that our quarrel be for wrongs received,
11.411869But in an oath we must be well advised
11.421870How we do swear, and, when we once have sworn,
11.431871Not to infringe it though we die therefor.
11.441872Therefore, my lord, as willing I return
Stay, my Villiers, thine honorable mind
11.481876Thy suit shall be no longer thus deferred --
11.491877Give me the paper; I'll subscribe to it,
11.501878And wheretofore I loved thee as Villiers,
11.511879Hereafter I'll embrace thee as myself.
11.521880Stay, and be still in favor with thy lord.
I humbly thank your grace; I must dispatch
11.541882And send this passport first unto the earl,
11.551883And then I will attend your highness' pleasure.
Do so, Villiers; and, Charles, when he hath need,
11.571885Be such his soldiers, howsoever he speed.
Come, Charles, and arm thee: Edward is entrapped.
11.611888The Prince of Wales is fall'n into our hands,
11.621889And we have compassed him -- he cannot scape.
But will your highness fight today?
What else, my son? He's scarce eight thousand strong
11.651892And we are threescore thousand at the least.
I have a prophecy, my gracious lord,
11.671894Wherein is written what success is like
11.681895To happen us in this outrageous war.
11.691896It was delivered me at Crécy's field
11.701897By one that is an aged hermit there:
11.711898[Reads] 'When feathered fowl shall make thine army tremble,
11.721899And flintstones rise and break the battle 'ray,
11.731900Then think on him that doth not now dissemble,
11.741901For that shall be the hapless dreadful day;
11.751902Yet in the end thy foot thou shalt advance,
11.761903As far in England as thy foe in France.'
By this it seems we shall be fortunate.
11.791906Should ever rise and break the battle 'ray,
11.801907Or airy fowl make men in arms to quake,
11.811908So is it like we shall not be subdued.
11.821909Or say this might be true, yet in the end,
11.831910Since he doth promise we shall drive him hence
11.841911And forage their country as they have done ours,
11.851912By this revenge that loss will seem the less.
11.861913But all are frivolous fancies, toys and dreams;
11.871914Once we are sure we have ensnared the son,
11.881915Catch we the father after how we can.