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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Enter King Edward and Derby with Souldiers.
    1740Kin: Since they refuse our profered league my Lord,
    And will not ope their gates and let vs in,
    We will intrench our selues on euery side,
    That neithet vituals, nor supply of men,
    May come to succour this accursed towne,
    1745Famine shall combate where our swords are stopt.
    3 Enter
    The Raigne of king
    Enter sixe poore Frenchmen.
    Der. The promised aid that made them stand aloofe,
    Is now retirde and gone an other way:
    It will repent them of their stubborne will,
    1750But what are these poore ragged slaues my Lord?
    Ki: Edw: Aske what they are, it seemes they come from
    Callis.
    Der. You wretched patterns of dispayre and woe,
    What are you liuing men, er glyding ghosts,
    1755Crept from your graues to walke vpon the earth,
    Poore: No ghosts my Lord, but men that breath a life,
    Farre worse then is the quiet sleepe of death:
    Wee are distressed poore inhabitants,
    That long haue been deseased, sicke and lame;
    1760And now because we are not fit to serue,
    The Captayne of the towne hath thrust vs foorth,
    That so expence of victuals may be saued.
    K. Ed. A charitable deed no doubt, and worthy praise:
    But how do you imagine then to speed?
    1765We are your enemies in such a case,
    We can no lesse but put ye to the sword,
    Since when we proffered truce, it was refusde,
    So: And if your grace no otherwise vouchsafe,
    As welcome death is vnto vs as life.
    1770Ki: Poore silly men, much wrongd, and more distrest,
    Go Derby go, and see they be relieud,
    Command that victuals be appoynted them,
    And giue to euery one fiue Crownes a peece:
    The Lion scornes to touch the yeelding pray,
    1775And Edwards sword must fresh it selfe in such,
    As wilfull stubbornnes hath made peruerse.
    Enter Lord Pearsie.
    Ki: Lord Persie welcome: whats the newes in England:
    Per: The Queene my Lord comes heere to your Grace,
    1780And from hir highnesse, and the Lord vicegerent,
    I
    Edward the third.
    I bring this happie tidings of successe,
    Dauid of Scotland lately vp in armes,
    Thinking belike he soonest should preuaile,
    Your highnes being absent from the Realme,
    1785Is by the fruitfull seruice of your peeres,
    And painefull trauell of the Queene her selfe:
    That big with child was euery day in armes,
    Vanquisht, subdude, and taken prisoner.
    Ki: Thanks Persie for thy newes with all my hart,
    1790What was he tooke him prisoner in the field.
    Per. A Esquire my Lord, Iohn Copland is his name:
    Who since intreated by her Maiestie,
    Denies to make surrender of his prize,
    To anie but vnto your grace alone:
    1795Whereat the Queene is greouously displeasd.
    Ki: Well then wele haue a Pursiuaunt dispatch,
    To summon Copland hither out of hand,
    And with him he shall bring his prisoner king.
    Per: The Queene my Lord her selfe by this at Sea,
    1800And purposeth as soone as winde will serue,
    To land at Callis, and to visit you,
    Ki: She shall be welcome, and to wait her comming,
    Ile pitch my tent neere to the sandy shore.
    Enter a Captayne.
    1805 The Burgesses of Callis mighty king,
    Haue by a counsell willingly decreed,
    To yeeld the towne and Castle to your hands,
    Vpon condition it will please your grace,
    To graunt them benefite of life and goods.
    1810K. Ed. They wil so: Then belike they may command,
    Dispose, elect, and gouerne as they list,
    No sirra, tell them since they did refuse,
    Our princely clemencie at first proclaymed,
    They shall not haue it now although they would,
    I will
    The Raigne of King
    1815Will accept of nought but fire and sword,
    Except within these two daies sixe of them
    That are the welthiest marchaunts in the towne,
    Come naked all but for their linnen shirts,
    With each a halter hangd about his necke,
    1820And prostrate yeeld themselues vpon their knees,
    To be afflicted, hanged, or what I please,
    And so you may informe their masterships. Exeunt
    Cap. Why this it is to trust a broken staffe.
    Had we not been perswaded Iohn our King,
    1825Would with his armie haue releeud the towne,
    We had not stood vpon defiance so:
    But now tis past that no man can recall,
    And better some do go to wrack then all. Exit,
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