The Tragedy of Arthur_ A Novel - Arthur Phillips [149]
SECOND MSG.
To honor rank
He offered Calvan sword and liberty
If he could singly7 vanquish him.
MORDRED
No more.
SECOND MSG.
Enragèd passion seized King Arthur’s limbs.
MORDRED
No more, I say! No more, no more, no more!
SECOND MSG.
He smote your brother down and raught8 his locks
And by those hairs he drew his head hard back.
On Arthur’s face there shone a demon’s hate.
He sends to you the head and broken sword
Within this bag and bids me tell—
MORDRED
No more!
[Mordred] kills messenger
SECOND MSG.
I curse thee, villain prince, and all thy seed!9
CONRANUS
How, nephew? Now thy site’s10 thine own, no word?
Thy heart that spoke bravado now is cold.
So whither appetite for chronicle?
MORDRED
Thou wouldst come o’er me with my right rebuke.11
Then hear what manly speech I have for thee
And bastard pup who wet his casual thirst
With purest blood.12
He opens bag
O Calvan, brother, prince! O murdered boy!
DOCTOR
But soft. These words do close your father’s throat.
This rattle sure is death’s unjointed13 talk.
MORDRED
Nay, sire! Can Arthur, malt-horse,14 paper king
Still reign while breath itself rebels your will?
But softly, King, my father’s only son
Doth beg you not to yield t’imperious death.
I cannot lose my father now.15
You would yet speak? I bend to you my ear.
[He leans close to Loth]
Again, again. I swear it, father, aye.
All shall be done to your precise command.—
[To servants] You, bear him to his chapel, there to shrive
His soul and read the verses due to him.
[Exeunt except Mordred and Conranus]
CONRANUS
Such chatt’ring! How the dying king did buzz!
MORDRED
But sure the company imbibed each word?
CONRANUS
We heard from him no sound: thy table’s16 clean.
MORDRED
He urged me on to lose no days in tears,
But clad in gimmaled17 mail and glimm’ring crown,
Receive thy oath of fealty now and more:
Assigned me Scotland’s heir and with thy death
Unite two kingdoms as God’s certain will.
And when our strength’s restored, fill Arthur’s tomb.
CONRANUS
All this the wheezing king did set in charge?
MORDRED
All this and more, perchance.
CONRANUS
Loquacity18
In dying men is rare, though not unknown.
And of my death spoke he as urgently?
MORDRED
A natural death, years hence. But his is nigh,
So let us lend a comfort at his side.
Exeunt
ACT III, SCENE I
[Location: The court in London]
Enter Gloucester and French Ambassador, attendants
FRENCH AMB.
Mon duc de Gloosestayre,1 my king à vous
Envoys his royal love and hail Arthur.2
GLOUCESTER
We thank you and your great King Childebert
Who hath to France brought peace and gentle ways.
FRENCH AMB.
But your Arthur has in small years defeat
The Saxons cross the German Ocean’s3 waves.
Rebels4 who fought do now cry up to God,
“We are subdued! Who take our side? Hélas!”
Arthur will now make for his kingdom laws
And art and prosperous virtues, you say.
But still revolters5 come as always do,
And also more of savages who no
Do love Lord Jesu but false cloven gods.
I am much sad in heart to make these words
But King Arthur has not alone the means,
The arms and treasure, he require for all
He wish. He must have loving friends beside.
GLOUCESTER
My lord, we are quite perfectly agreed.
FRENCH AMB.
And France can be to such this loving friend!
My king would now make friendship’s girdle6 fast
About the waist of him and of Arthur,
Together joined will both be more of men.
Also, the king has maked a daughter-child
To give and place her on your king as queen,
So make Arthur the heir to Childebert!
I bring this portrait covered7 of the lady,
Arthur may look on it and fall in love.
And here, she writing letters to your king,
He gives letters
In which she make expressures most sincere.
GLOUCESTER
Which he will read with all attentive speed.
Good sir, I will return to you anon,
But beg you sit awhile in the hall.
FRENCH AMB.
Merci, bon duc. I think we make good match.
GLOUCESTER
Were’t ours alone to make, I know we would.
Exit Ambassador
Were all good counsel heeded by our lords
All kingdoms