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to speak abruptly -- 'rather let us die

than we should suffer this vild ignominy'.

A valiant heart esteemeth light of death,

but honorable minds are jealous of

honorable names, then to be marked, ...

which robs them of their honors, likewise robs

their hearts of joy; and like to irksome owls,

they will be bashful to be seen abroad.

USKATAULF: Alas, poor souls, it was against their wills

that their hard-hearted fathers broke the league.

EDRICUS: Alas, poor souls, it is against their wills

that they must lose their noses and their hands.

[Enter Swetho, the two pledges, and Stitch with an axe.]

CANUTUS: Come on, gentlemen, 'cause I have found

your fathers trusty as they promised

unto my father and to me; ...

therefore I mean to make you worthy men

such as the world shall afterward report

did suffer torments for their country's good.

Come on, I say, prepare your visages

to bear the tokens of eternity; prepare

your noses, bid your hands adieu,

because your sires have proved themselves so true.

1 PLEDGE: Rather than this, oh kill us presently;

these being gone, we do abhor our lives,

and having these we loathe to live accursed, ...

accompted traitors to our native soil.

Suffer us first to try our stripling force

with any giant of your Cyclops' size,

and let our arms fight once before our deaths

to wreak their malice on their masters' foes,

so let us perish like to gentlemen,

like to ourselves, and like to Englishmen.

CANUTUS: Look how cold water cast on burning coals

doth make the fire more fervently to flame;

even so your tears doth add unto my rage ...

and makes it hotter when it 'gins to cool.

'Tis not my pleasure you should suffer death,

'cause I believe 'twould ease your fathers' griefs;

'tis not my pleasure you should try your powers

so I should give you honors undeserved

and you perchance might so redeem yourselves;

but you shall see our judgments straight performed.

Do execution on them presently!

I'll teach your fathers if they do not know

what 'tis to violate a lawful oath. ...

I'll teach them what it is to play with kings,

presuming on their mercy: come I say,

what trifle ye? Delay no more the time,

for you must suffer for your fathers' crime.

2 PLEDGE: What sir, must you cut off my hands?

STITCH: Aye, and your noses too, 'twere pity in faith to mar two

such faces. Boys, will you change beards with me?

1 PLEDGE: You shall not touch my nose with those base hands:

by heaven, I'll sooner cut it off myself!

STITCH: You will think a worse pair than these a good ...

pair ere night. How they'll look when their noses be off!

Everyone will take them for Frenchmen.

CANUTUS: Dispatch, I say, I must not stay so long:

the more you delay the time, the worse you speed.

1 PLEDGE: Give me the axe, I'll quickly execute

this direful judgment on my guiltless hands.

STITCH: With all my heart, you save me a labor.

CANUTUS: Stay, unadvised villain, hold thy hand,

or I will hack thee piecemeal with thy axe.

Why, art thou mad, to give thy enemy ...

an instrument to kill thyself and me?

Cut off his hands first, then deliver it him. [He cuts off one hand.]

So, cut off th'other. [He cuts off the other hand.]

Now sir, fight your fill.

1 PLEDGE: Let these my stumps crave vengeance at thy hands,

thou judge of judges and thou king of kings!

CANUTUS: Cut off his nose, then let him pray again:

perchance his praying mitigates his pain. [He cuts off his nose.]

1 PLEDGE: Pour thy vengeance on this bloody Dane,

and let him die some unheard monstrous death! ...

CANUTUS: Make quick dispatch to execute the other.

I am sure you will not now be pardoned?

2 PLEDGE: Not I, thou murthering stony-hearted Dane.

I am resolved to suffer this and more

to do my father or my country good;

they gave me life; for them I'll shed my blood.

[He cuts off his hands and nose.]

1 PLEDGE: Now thou hast spit thy venom, bloody king,

we do return defiance in thy face.

CANUTUS: Sirs, temper well your tongues and be advised

if not, I'll cut