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ACT III

Scene III.1

[Enter at one door the Archbishop of Canterbury,

at the other the Archbishop of York.]

CANTERBURY: Why bends not the presumptuous knee of York

when Canterbury speaks? Cannot the curse

of God and me, the metropolitan

under the Pope of all Dominions

within this realm of England, cause thee fear,

proud, irreligious prelate? Know my power

stretcheth beyond thy compass even as much

as Rome doth mine. Then quiver when I curse,

and like a child indeed prostrate thyself

before my feet, that thy humility ...

may move me to absolve thy former sins

and set thee free from hell's damnation.

YORK: Traitor to God and to thy lawful king,

where thou dost bless I curse, where curse I bless.

As thou art bishop, my commission

stretcheth as far as thine, and let me say

unless thou leave thy contumelious threats --

further than mine? No, Canterbury, no,

I humble me to God and not to thee.

A traitor, a betrayer of his king, ...

a rebel, a profane priest, a Pharisee,

a parasite, an enemy to peace,

a foe to truth and to religion:

I say I will not bend myself to him,

and such a one art thou, and therefore hear,

unless repentance bend thy stubborn heart,

I here pronounce the curse of God and man

upon thy soul, and so farewell and mend. [York offers to depart.]

CANTERBURY: Stay, York, and hear me speak. Thy puffy words,

thy windy threats, thy railing curses, light ...

upon thy stubborn neck unless with speed

thou dost forsake the part of Ironside

and cleave unto Canutus; and more, submit thyself

to me thy head, and to our mother church.

Reply not, bishop, for I seal thy lips

with my irrevocable bitter curse

if one untoward word slip from thy tongue.

YORK: So heapest thou coal of fire upon thy head

and blessest me with cursing, impious priest.

Oh let me die whenas I leave my king, ...

a true-born prince, for any foreigner.

CANTERBURY: Oh I could eat thee. Now my crozier staff

longs to be pelting that old hoary pate.

My hands do quake with rage.

YORK: You are a champion for the devil and Canutus;

I fly not from thy curses but thy strokes. [Exit York.]

CANTERBURY: I'll follow thee with curses and with clubs.

[Exit Canterbury.]

Scene III.2

[Enter Canutus, Southampton, Edricus, Uskataulf, Swetho,

herald-at-arms and soldiers.]

CANUTUS: Go to yon city which we mean to sack:

new Troy, the state of Edmund Ironside;

command a parley at the city gates;

bid them choose whether they will let us in

or else withstand the utmost of our wrath

and be consumed to ashes and to coals

with flaming fire, which whilom did destroy

their mother city, quondam called Troy.

[The herald departeth from the king to the walls sounding

his trumpet. The bailiffs appear above.]

HERALD: Canutus, king of England, prince of Danes,

greets you by me, his trusty messenger, ...

commanding you to serve him as your lord,

bidding you wait on him as on your king,

and you shall be entreated lovingly;

if not, he is prepared with fire and sword

to raze your city. Thus he sends you word.

1 BAILIFF: Go tell your master thus we answer him:

his ships that proudly ride upon the Thames

shall anchor on the ground where he abides,

borne by the bloodshed of our carcasses,

and we compelled by thirst to suck the stream ...

of this fair river dry, so that his men

may dry-shod march over the floating deeps

ere we will let him enter in these gates

or ope our lips to call him sovereign.

Tell him we are resolved to keep him back;

tell him we are no traitors, but are sworn

to be King Edmund's liege-men while we live,

and if he stay, that shall he soon perceive.

HERALD: Advise you, bailiffs, what is best to do;

incur not danger with security. ...

Canutus is your king, then him obey,

and to his gentle message say not nay.

BAILIFFS: We are resolved to put Canutus back.

He comes not here; his threats are spent in vain.

HERALD: I fear your wills will put your wits to pain

and you repent it when it is too late.

1 BAILIFF: You have your