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STITCH: Oh horrible scars, scars like blazing stars,

well counterfeited, master. ...

EDMUND: If this be true, I was too credulous.

EDRICUS: If it be true, my lord? Assure yourself

your grace was misinformed if otherwise,

and that my man can verify.

STITCH: Take heed what ye say, master: I can verify

nothing. Marry, I can verify anything. If you'll say so,

I'll swear to it, that 'tis false, I mean.

EDMUND: Then, Edricus, 'twas I that wronged thee

and I that will in all things make amends.

Bury unkindness in oblivion ...

and ne'er remember our suspicion.

EDRICUS: 'Twas not your highness but some fawning mate

that put mistrust into your grace's head,

hoping by my downfall to raise himself;

but heavens defend the wronged innocent.

EDMUND: Let this suffice, thou hast confirmed our love,

and Edricus, we mind to honor thee

with public notice of thy loyalty.

EDRICUS: See, see, what wit and will can bring about.

Canutus pays me for my villainy, ...

and Edmund loves me for my treachery.

STITCH: Give a man luck and cast him over the gallows. [Exeunt omnes.]

Scene V.II

[Enter Canutus reading of letter. With him Southampton, Archbishop

of Canterbury, Egina, Uskataulf and Swetho with soldiers.]

CANUTUS: My lord, my heart is firmly bound to you,

and I am pressed to do you any service;

but Edmund is grown strange to me of late,

and I am not familiar with his thoughts.

When I have once regained opinion,

I will not fail to be your faithful agent;

in meantime make ye strong to hold him play,

for he is coming with a mighty power.

By'r lady, this goes hard, these news are naught.

Is Edmund now grown wary? Then I doubt ...

I ne'er shall see the day I long have sought;

but I must bear a semblance of good news,

lest these perceive our hopes to falter;

and that would clean discourage all their hearts,

for all presume on Edric's policy.

SOUTHAMPTON: Son, is't good news?

CANUTUS: ~~~ My lord, exceeding good.

EGINA: Give me the letter.

CANUTUS: ~~~ Not for all the world.

I dare not trust myself with reading it ...

lest I, o'er-cloyed with joy, should play the blab.

Let this suffice: I am now confident

upon sure-grounded confirmations

that Edmund is my own. He writes to me

that he is coming with a mighty host,

but [saith he] be not you discomfited,

for were they millions, half should fight for you

and turn their weapons upon Ironside.

SOUTHAMPTON: 'Tis strange the prince should be so credulous.

[The drum sounds far off.]

CANUTUS: Yon drum doth tell us Edmund Ironside, ...

unwitting of his overthrow at hand,

comes gallantly attended on by troops

of horse and footmen to his funeral.

Oh that thou knewst thy dying day so nigh,

That thou mightest make thee fit to go to God.

In faith it grieves [me] at the very heart

to see him come so unprepared for death.

[Enter Edmund, Emma, Archbishop of York, Edricus, Alfric,

Godwin, Aylward, Ulfkettle, Leofric and Turkillus.]

EDMUND: Behold where Canute comes marching bravely on.

Methinks yon sight would make a sick man sound. ...

[They march along the stage, one after another.]

Canutus!

CANUTUS: Edmund!

EDMUND: The ground thou standst upon is Ironside's.

CANUTUS: The ground I stand on, Edmund, is mine own,

fallen to me not successively indeed,

but by forfeiture as copyhold,

rent-run and wanting reparations,

falls to the lord. Even so thy father's land,

for want of tribute-paying long since due,

I seize upon as lord to thee and that.

EDMUND: But for thou shalt perceive that Edmund can ...

temper the unruly stomach of his rage

and moderate his lusty youthful blood,

which springs through every vein to fly at thee,

not half these words without controlling strokes

should from thy lips have vomited their spleen.

Oh, how my heart beats! Much ado I have

to make it quiet till I answer thee.

Art thou the lord of me and of my land?

Uncivil Canutus, knowest thou to whom thou speakest?

This heart scorns all subjection, ...

and this head looks o'er the