Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editors: Amy Lidster, Sonia Massai
Not Peer Reviewed

Edward III (Modern)

[Scene 14]
Alarum. Enter Prince Edward and Artois.
Artois
How fares your grace? Are you not shot, my lord?
Prince
No, dear Artois, but choked with dust and smoke,
2215And stepped aside for breath and fresher air.
Artois
Breathe then, and to it again. The amazed French
Are quite distract with gazing on the crows,
And were our quivers full of shafts again
Your grace should see a glorious day of this.
2220O for more arrows, Lord; that's our want.
Prince
Courage, Artois; a fig for feathered shafts
When feathered fowls do bandy on our side!
What need we fight and sweat and keep a coil,
When railing crows outscold our adversaries?
2225Up, up, Artois! The ground itself is armed
With fire-containing flint; command our bows
To hurl away their pretty colored yew
And to it with stones. Away, Artois, away!
My soul doth prophecy we win the day.
Exeunt.
2230Alarum. Enter King John.
King John
Our multitudes are in themselves confounded,
Dismayèd, and distraught; swift-starting fear
Hath buzzed a cold dismay through all our army,
And every petty disadvantage prompts
2235The fear-possessèd abject soul to fly.
Myself, whose spirit is steel to their dull lead,
What with recalling of the prophecy,
And that our native stones from English arms
Rebel against us, find myself attainted
2240With strong surprise of weak and yielding fear.
Enter Charles.
Charles
Fly, father, fly! The French do kill the French:
Some that would stand let drive at some that fly.
Our drums strike nothing but discouragement,
2245Our trumpets sound dishonor and retire,
The spirit of fear that feareth naught but death
Cowardly works confusion on itself.
Enter Philip.
Philip
Pluck out your eyes, and see not this day's shame!
2250An arm hath beat an army: one poor David
Hath with a stone foiled twenty stout Goliaths;
Some twenty naked starvelings with small flints
Hath driven back a puissant host of men
Arrayed and fenced in all accomplements.
2255King John
Mort Dieu! They quoit at us and kill us up.
No less than forty thousand wicked elders
Have forty lean slaves this day stoned to death.
Charles
Oh, that I were some other countryman!
This day hath set derision on the French
2260And all the world will blurt and scorn at us.
King John
What, is there no hope left?
Philip
No hope but death to bury up our shame.
King John
Make up once more with me! The twentieth part
Of those that live are men enow to quail
2265The feeble handful on the adverse part.
Charles
Then charge again; if heaven be not opposed
We cannot lose the day.
King John
On, away.
Exeunt.
Enter Audley wounded and rescued by two Esquires.
22701 Esquire
How fares my lord?
Audley
Even as a man may do
That dines at such a bloody feast as this.
2 Esquire
I hope, my lord, that is no mortal scar.
Audley
No matter if it be, the count is cast,
2275And in the worst ends but a mortal man.
Good friends, convey me to the princely Edward,
That in the crimson bravery of my blood
I may become him with saluting him;
I'll smile and tell him that this open scar
2280Doth end the harvest of his Audley's war.
Exeunt.