The Tragedy of Arthur_ A Novel - Arthur Phillips [138]
These arms embraced King Uter as he died,
A man twice me, twice thee, twice any lord.
Beneath the walls of York he cried to me,
“Prince Arthur now will be your lawful king.”
KENT
O, tender-feeling Cumbria, ’tis well,
But you have not seen Arthur sith his youth
When that boy sprouted no more manly beard
Than trims a raspberry15 in August heat.
SOMERSET
And sith his beard has grown, you’ll find no man
Hath seen the prince’s thumbs.16
KENT
So long as that?17
SOMERSET
Renowned like to a serpent or a tailor’s.18
GLOUCESTER
What ancient barons’ rights are these t’abuse?
NORFOLK
These ten and seven summers hath the prince
In Gloucestershire reclined, whence rumor tells
That Arthur’s luxury-amazed,19 but king
Of milking maids, and each new queen he leads
By kecksie flourish20 to a clover bed.
No continence21 hath he and none dare bar
The boy from exercising his mad lusts.
SOMERSET
The father’s passions storm within the son!
Will abbey words becalm the prince’s rage,
The ire descried22 by those who should speak love,
That Arthur soars to fury when but touched,
Doth strike a man of noble birth for spite,
And spends his words of love upon a cook?
GLOUCESTER
Thus tales lead beasts, and heads too willing follow23
The boy is stern for war. Come tilt with him.
First pass he’ll lay you on your plated back
Like to a flea within a walnut-shell.
He’ll lift great sword and drop it on your pate24
With edge or flat or fig-ball pommel: choose.25
In York will he course fast as rolling floods,
As swift as you in thought may cross the globe.
KENT
Like to his father then he longs for war?
The father’s war did steal the father’s life.
The father’s son would match the father’s feat
And on his feet march all of us to death,
So son might set, like father, in the north.26
Forever war, forever war, and on.
Yet Saxons find war-stubbled York a prize
And would content themselves in its embrace.
This land’s o’er-marched, o’er-bled, o’er-wearied o’war,
Yet still Prince Arthur comes to wield a sword!
CUMBRIA
What danger cowards so the southern Kent
While Cumbria is gripped from north and east?
KENT
I am not wished to hear thy slanders, cur!
CUMBRIA
Nor Saxons wished to peace by Kent’s desires!
CAERLEON
Enough vain heat! My lords of England, peace!27
Enter Alexander
GLOUCESTER
What word hast thou, sirrah?28
ALEXANDER
No king is here.
GLOUCESTER
He comes anon. Again: what word? Make haste.
ALEXANDER
My master bids me say: “No king is here.”
NORFOLK
What master, fool?
ALEXANDER
Which is the lord protector?
GLOUCESTER
Thou clog’st29 him, stamm’ring chough.30
ALEXANDER
He greets you thus:
“Vice-regent for unrightful, sneaking prince.”
GLOUCESTER
What master lays such words upon thy tongue?
ALEXANDER
Grant leave, ye English nobles, I my words
May unconstrained display, as charged by Loth,
Great Pictish king, and Mordred, Duke of Rothesay.
GLOUCESTER
Thou tarried long for license, messenger,
By now is absolution pertinent.31
Yet doubt32 no moody welcome here. Proceed.
ALEXANDER
Then thus speaks Loth, the king of Picts.
KENT
And Mordred.
ALEXANDER
Yes, too, and Mordred, Duke of Rothesay, too.
’Tis thus they speak, in fewness and in truth.
KENT
So plainly warned do I now hope for neither.
Come, tell, what would thy dwarfish duke33 proclaim?
ALEXANDER
That Arthur was by boist’rous violence34
And out of holy wedded state begot.
King Uter stole a womb from Cornwall’s bed,
There planted criminal35 seed, and slew the earl,
Ennobled false pretender, spawned no heir.
By any Christian law, adultery
Creates a bastard with no right to throne,
And crime ’gainst God it is to lift a sword
To pillar36 so triobular37 a claim.
Nor Uter nor his brother left no issue.38
Their elder sister, Anne, was wife to Loth,
Who rules all Pictland, Scots, and Irish lands,
Who’s now, by Anne’s bond, English king and Welsh.
King Loth and Mordred bid you, English lords
And bishops, rouse up London, ope its abbey
Wherein pay homage due to Loth, your king,
According as the