The Tragedy of Arthur_ A Novel - Arthur Phillips [145]
later learn me more of this soldier science.
Exeunt
[ACT II, SCENE VI]
[Location: Lincoln]
Alarums and excursions, including Gloucester in Arthur’s armor
Enter Mordred, Calvan, Colgerne, Scottish and Pictish nobles, Saxon soldiers
MORDRED
What dev’lish hag was mother to this fiend?
Yet Arthur holds the field, untouched by blades!
No man is he but war itself come down
To earth to look upon the death of souls.
We melt before his charge, our heart is broke!
COLGERNE
No Uter, he: more war-like is the son.
He stalks full silent as with windpipe slit.
CALVAN
We are enow still armed and holding ranks
That with a voice to stir us to our task
We yet can thrash back south these enemies
And hoist our father’s arms on Lincoln’s walls.
But ope your throat and lust’ly call the fight!
MORDRED
Great Calvan’s words do fill my lungs with air:
On northmen, on! To arms, to arms, to th’fight!
In Arthur’s blood I’ll bathe my limbs tonight,
And Britain stride undoubted in my right!
Alarums and exeunt
[ACT II, SCENE VII]
[Location: Lincoln]
Alarums, excursions. Enter Gloucester for Arthur and Hebrides. They fight.
Hebrides is slain. Enter English nobles
NORFOLK
The shamèd enemy displays his haunch!1
DERBY
’Tis Lincoln now, not York, that English tongues
Will speak when they would conjure victory.
Four-fold the threat we doubted lurked in stealth,2
The city was well-manned and fortified,
But Arthur’s greyhound-sight did note a gap
And lusty-blooded split it with his arm.
CUMBRIA
While Gloucester passed the battle’s day at rest.
By this proud flesh3 upon my arms and face,
All striped these many years in England’s wars,
That seneschal is recreant4 and base.
SOMERSET
But softly, Cumbria, hold tongue. The king
Doth wave us off to solitary pray.
Exeunt
[Gloucester unhelms and kneels]
GLOUCESTER
Deception ’pon deception preys and fats
Itself, the stronger to deceive anew.
’Twas ever thus, but now is Gloucester’s name
All shard bestrewn,5 so Arthur’s fledgèd6 name
Might tower7 up to all the world’s esteem.
Because I winked at his small boyish deeds,
Now habit binds me tighter, cuts my flesh,
And I omit behaviors grosser still.
What kingdom have we won this day at war?
What rule deserve from such unhonest8 toil?
Enter Arthur as friar9
ARTHUR
[Aside] Why here’s a glass that shows one’s better face.
Were I of suppler knee, as there I seem,
I’d bow to earth my joints and plant my thanks.
Would this one here could reign instead of me,
A wise old king, resolved yet never rash.
I would I saw such pious king as this
When I do peer into my subjects’ eyes.
But no.
Imperfect is the glass of others’ eyes
Wherein we seek in hope of handsome glimpse
Yet find dim shapes, reversed and versed again,
Which will not ease our self-love’s appetites.
But let us make more pleasant now our thoughts:
I’ll hood myself and from my bloodied twin
[Hooding himself]
Glean news of Lincoln’s fate and mine.— [To Gloucester] O, King!
Might errant10 friar ease your soul’s distress?
In earth and blood you are o’er-crusted, still
The soul may be clean searched11 and truly healed.
GLOUCESTER
Thou startled, priest, and near did feel my blade.
ARTHUR
Confess and I will shrive you back to war
New-cleansed and shent.12
GLOUCESTER
But I must hoard my act.
The blackest sins I bear are sins I share,
So my conspirator must kneel with me.13
And kings, what’s more, may whisper14 but to popes,
Or to your lord, my Bishop Caerleon.
ARTHUR
A friend, i’truth, and his stiff bishopric
I visit oft, where he and I partake
Of meals of fish and pear, ’til full to burst.15
GLOUCESTER
What priest can talk such filth upon his lord?
My blade will teach thee mannerly discourse!
[He draws his sword]
ARTHUR
But Gloucester, nay! Slice not this royal meat,
Or wait until we change again our coats
So by my carbonado16 you might whet
An appetite for vengeance in my men.
GLOUCESTER
Is’t Arthur safely back to us from York,
And first of all his business is to sport?
ARTHUR
But soft, let’s dress each one in