The Tragedy of Arthur_ A Novel - Arthur Phillips [148]
Yet still he falters and outstreams his life.
It flows from ev’ry outlet, king. He fails.
Enter Mordred, with train.
CONRANUS
The prince with retinue is back from war,
And surely wants the king his father’s ear.
Go learn if audience may yet be had.—
Exit Doctor
Good Mordred, Duke, we missed you here at court.
MORDRED
I bear hard news of noble death, war’s tithe.
The thanes2 of Bute and Moray, Linlithgow,
And Douglas ride birlinns3 to Colmekill’s shores.4
CONRANUS
Such heavy loss, so light an argument.
MORDRED
How light, my uncle? Tell. A crown? A throne?
A kingdom stole from thee stirs not thy gall?
A tyrant who doth threat thy land and clan?5
Who torments lawful embassy, hates peace
And would lock Pict and Scot in steely yoke?
CONRANUS
A petty prince thou told’st this court was weak,
Who wanted nought of us ’til thou like dog
Didst bite at him as would a bear and now
Dost whine what thou hast learnt of his sharp claws.
Speak troth, thou wert impatient of God’s will.
An God did wish thee sat on London’s throne,
He would not send thee home with thanesmen’s dooms.
MORDRED
At Lincoln, King, I fought beside your son.
CONRANUS
Speak thou no more a word. He follows not?
Waits not upon thee nor presents to me?
MORDRED
Brave Hebrides gave battle like to none.
On horse and foot—
CONRANUS
No more. I want no more.
MORDRED
But Scotland! King! We must record his deeds!
You weep that yet must gaze upon his valor!
CONRANUS
Show mercy on my soul and heed my plea.
MORDRED
Art thou a man? But ope thy frighted ear
That I may teach thy tongue some noble words.
For God, who makes us labor for our cause,
Doth bid us praise each death as sacrifice,
Necessity, the proving of our right.
He wants not that we mourn His project’s cost,
But celebrate all blood that lifts us on.
[Enter Loth, carried, with attendants and Doctor]
Make red thy lily heart; my father’s come—
[To Loth] My king, you must prepare yourself at once.
But briefly: Calvan would that we should come
To London’s tower, thence to bring him home
In change for some few scarcely valued words
That Arthur would have spoke at him.6
The hour of our strength will spring again,
We’ll seize anew the vantage in the strife.
DOCTOR
Your father’s apoplexy, Prince, forbids
His travel e’en from here to castle gate.
[Loth makes a sound or gesture]
MORDRED
What? Would he speak? Explain these signs to me.
Or would he have me nearer to his ear?
DOCTOR
His speech is off and on confused, and I
Cannot, I fear, know always his intent.
Enter first messenger
CONRANUS
Make haste.
FIRST MSG.
The Saxons did forswear their bail,
Set down again and now lay siege to Bath.
MORDRED
At Colgerne’s word?
FIRST MSG.
It was.
MORDRED
On him the stain.
Yet should he bloody the usurper’s nose,
It does become the voice of God’s reply
To Arthur’s unconfinèd blasphemy.
Yet still we’ll pay for Calvan with our words.
Enter messenger with bag
The tidings like the tide do press and press
Against our bonny shore. What jocund word?
The bastard’s killed? Or Saxons fled to sea?
This battle cannot end but well for me,
With one or other of my foes defeat.
Thou, sirrah, canst not fail but please, so speak.
SECOND MSG.
I bear no happy words and beg your grace.
I dare not speak.
MORDRED
You choose to speak or die.
SECOND MSG.
I speak and die, or do in silence die.
MORDRED
’Tis thus we all do live, my boy. Now speak.
SECOND MSG.
The Saxon treachery told to the king—
MORDRED
What king?
SECOND MSG.
King Arthur, lord.
MORDRED
Say not “the king”
As he is none, or is but for a day.
Say rather “bastard” or “usurping swine.”
SECOND MSG.
The Saxon treachery told to the swine,
He put to death all ransom-waiting men.
MORDRED
Say rather “ransom-waiting Saxon men”
As Saxony forswore itself, not we.
SECOND MSG.
But this in truth I cannot say, my lord.
He gave command for every ransomed man
And in unholy anger he did slay
One man himself.
MORDRED
’Twere better thou held tongue.
CONRANUS
Nay, nay, speak on, go on.