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were made to tread o'er kings, Canutus, over thee.

Nay, storm not, Canutus. Learn how to mix thy speech

with more beseeming terms, and govern thou

thy surly terms with reason, not with rage.

I say I am a king: so art not thou;

therefore I am thy better. I say more --

I have a kingdom: this I stand upon

is mine. Thou standst upon my ground.

I say this land is mine, Canutus, it is mine. ...

CANUTUS: By usurpation thine, by conquest mine.

Who knows not conquest is inheritage?

EDMUND: So rape and theft is true possession

if malefactors go unpunished.

CANUTUS: It seems indeed possession is of force,

for by possession you withhold my crown.

EDMUND: Nay, you and Sveyn your gripple-minded dad,

by treason, not by force of valiant arms,

against all justice, law and equity,

did first intrude yourselves and then extrude ...

our woeful subjects from their native home,

and that I come to prove, and therefore thus -- [He draweth.]

CANUTUS: Then to confute thy forged argument,

thus argue I; my sword is reason's proof. [He draweth.]

EDMUND: That is, of force to put back reason's proof,

which proves you, like your sword, unreasonable.

[They train their soldiers (about) the stage. Edricus speaketh.]

EDRICUS: Edmund is strong, Canutus is weak in [part],

Edmund gracious in the people's eyes;

Canutus is not so, what had I best to do?

Fain would I have Canutus win, and he is weak; ...

I would have Edmund lose, and he is strong.

Oh gracious stars, inspire my nimble wit

with some device, and as I ever have,

I will employ it to some villainy.

Soft, let me see -- oh, it is excellent!

Fountain of wit, the spring of policy,

the flower of treason and of villainy.

How much undecent is it that this cap,

this homely cape should overload this crow

when thou deservest a crown of beaten gold. ...

But to the matter. So it needs must fadge,

for can I bring them to a single fight,

whosoever hath the better, yet shall I

be gracious in his eye, as who should say

I was the causer of his victory.

Besides, I shall insinuate myself

into the bosom of opinion

and be esteemed my country's buckler.

Well, I'll about it, meaning no man good

but that my speech may shed king Edmund's blood. ...

[The armies make towards one another when Edricus standing

between sayeth]

EDRICUS: Renowned Edmund, first I speak to thee.

Let these my words, proceeding from true zeal,

beg at thy ears a little audience;

and worthy Canutus, sheathe up thy slaught'ring sword

till I have spoke my mind, that all may see

my words proceed from perfect piety.

EDMUND: Edricus, be brief.

CANUTUS: Go to, I'll stay a little, but be not tedious.

ALFRIC: When the fox preaches, then beware the geese.

EDRICUS: What strive you for, imperious Ironside? ...

Renowned Canutus, what do you level at?

We daily to appease your mortal wars

offer our slaughtered bodies to the sword,

yet neither of you have the upper hand.

Today he that was foiled tomorrow foils;

he that even now did faintly sound retreat

renews again the fight with double force:

thus in quandaries hangs the victory

and wavering fortune frowns and smiles on both.

Canutus is not to be overcome ...

because his brother Sveyn doth succor him;

and Edmund likewise is invincible,

for force and valor hews him through his foes.

What then is the' end of this your endless grudge?

None other but when all your men be slain,

you then must fight alone or else accord,

and he that then is king shall rule no men

nor govern nations, for consuming war

will quite devour this solitary isle,

not leaving any over whom to rule ...

nor to resist foreign invasions.

If love of kingdoms be the cause of this,

suppress the boiling of your haughty minds;

you have approved your soldiers' forwardness,

then now at last shake hands and join in league;

agree like noble kings and part the land;

have now compassion of this little isle,

whose soil is manured with carcasses

and made a sea with blood of innocents;

but if your emulation be so great ...

that either scorns