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Edward III: Act III, Scene 3

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Edward III
Act III, Scene 3

Picardy. The fields near Cressy.

  1. Enter King Edward, and the Earl of Derby, with Soldiers, and
  2. Gobin de Grey.

Edward III

1 - 3
  1. Where’s the Frenchman by whose cunning guide
  2. We found the shallow of this river Somme,
  3. And had directions how to pass the sea?

Gobin de Grey

4
  1. Here, my good lord.

Edward III

5
  1. How art thou called? Tell me thy name.

Gobin de Grey

6
  1. Gobin de Grey, if please your excellence.

Edward III

7 - 12
  1. Then, Gobin, for the service thou hast done,
  2. We here enlarge and give thee liberty;
  3. And, for recompense beside this good,
  4. Thou shalt receive five hundred marks in gold.—
  5. I know not how, we should have met our son,
  6. Whom now in heart I wish I might behold.
  1. Enter Artois.

Robert of Artois

13 - 15
  1. Good news, my lord; the prince is hard at hand,
  2. And with him comes Lord Audley and the rest,
  3. Whom since our landing we could never meet.
  1. Drums sound. Enter Prince Edward, Lord Audley, and Soldiers.

Edward III

16 - 17
  1. Welcome, fair prince! How hast thou sped, my son,
  2. Since thy arrival on the coast of France?

Prince Edward

18 - 26
  1. Successfully, I thank the gracious heavens:
  2. Some of their strongest cities we have won,
  3. As Harfleur, Lo, Crotay, and Carentigne,
  4. And others wasted, leaving at our heels
  5. A wide apparent field and beaten path
  6. For solitariness to progress in:
  7. Yet those that would submit we kindly pardoned,
  8. But who in scorn refused our proffered peace,
  9. Endured the penalty of sharp revenge.

Edward III

27 - 35
  1. Ah, France, why shouldest thou be thus obstinate
  2. Against the kind embracement of thy friends?
  3. How gently had we thought to touch thy breast
  4. And set our foot upon thy tender mould,
  5. But that, in froward and disdainful pride,
  6. Thou, like a skittish and untamed colt,
  7. Dost start aside and strike us with thy heels!
  8. But tell me, Ned, in all thy warlike course,
  9. Hast thou not seen the usurping King of France?

Prince Edward

36 - 44
  1. Yes, my good lord, and not two hours ago,
  2. With full a hundred thousand fighting men—
  3. Upon the one side of the river’s bank
  4. And on the other both, his multitudes.
  5. I feared he would have cropped our smaller power:
  6. But happily, perceiving your approach,
  7. He hath with drawn himself to Cressy plains;
  8. Where, as it seemeth by his good array,
  9. He means to bid us battle presently.

Edward III

45
  1. He shall be welcome; that’s the thing we crave.
  1. Drums. Enter King John, the Dukes of Normandy and Lorraine,
  2. King of Bohemia, young Prince Philip, and Soldiers.

John de Valois, King of France

46 - 71
  1. Edward, know that John, the true king of France,
  2. Musing thou shouldst encroach upon his land,
  3. And in thy tyrannous proceeding slay
  4. His faithful subjects and subvert his towns,
  5. Spits in thy face; and in this manner following
  6. Obraids thee with thine arrogant intrusion:
  7. First, I condemn thee for a fugitive,
  8. A thievish pirate, and a needy mate,
  9. One that hath either no abiding place,
  10. Or else, inhabiting some barren soil,
  11. Where neither herb or fruitful grain is had,
  12. Doest altogether live by pilfering:
  13. Next, insomuch thou hast infringed thy faith,
  14. Broke league and solemn covenant made with me,
  15. I hold thee for a false pernicious wretch:
  16. And, last of all, although I scorn to cope
  17. With one so much inferior to myself,
  18. Yet, in respect thy thirst is all for gold,
  19. Thy labor rather to be feared than loved,
  20. To satisfy thy lust in either part,
  21. Here am I come, and with me have I brought
  22. Exceeding store of treasure, pearl, and coin.
  23. Leave, therefore, now to persecute the weak,
  24. And armed entering conflict with the armed,
  25. Let it be seen, ’mongst other petty thefts,
  26. How thou canst win this pillage manfully.

Edward III

72 - 96
  1. If gall or wormwood have a pleasant taste,
  2. Then is thy salutation honey sweet;
  3. But as the one hath no such property,
  4. So is the other most satirical.
  5. Yet wot how I regard thy worthless taunts:
  6. If thou have uttered them to foil my fame
  7. Or dim the reputation of my birth,
  8. Know that thy wolvish barking cannot hurt;
  9. If slyly to insinuate with the world,
  10. And with a strumpet’s artificial line
  11. To paint thy vicious and deformed cause,
  12. Be well assured, the counterfeit will fade,
  13. And in the end thy foul defects be seen;
  14. But if thou didst it to provoke me on,
  15. As who should say I were but timorous.
  16. Or, coldly negligent, did need a spur,
  17. Bethink thyself how slack I was at sea,
  18. How since my landing I have won no towns,
  19. Entered no further but upon the coast,
  20. And there have ever since securely slept.
  21. But if I have been other wise employed,
  22. Imagine, Valois, whether I intend
  23. To skirmish, not for pillage, but for the crown
  24. Which thou dost wear; and that I vow to have,
  25. Or one of us shall fall into his grave.

Prince Edward

97 - 108
  1. Look not for cross invectives at our hands,
  2. Or railing execrations of despite:
  3. Let creeping serpents, hid in hollow banks,
  4. Sting with their tongues; we have remorseless swords,
  5. And they shall plead for us and our affairs.
  6. Yet thus much, briefly, by my father’s leave:
  7. As all the immodest poison of thy throat
  8. Is scandalous and most notorious lies,
  9. And our pretended quarrel is truly just,
  10. So end the battle when we meet today:
  11. May either of us prosper and prevail,
  12. Or, luckless, curst, receive eternal shame!

Edward III

109 - 113
  1. That needs no further question; and I know,
  2. His conscience witnesseth, it is my right.—
  3. Therefore, Valois, say, wilt thou yet resign,
  4. Before the sickles thrust into the corn,
  5. Or that inkindled fury turn to flame?

John de Valois, King of France

114 - 117
  1. Edward, I know what right thou hast in France;
  2. And ere I basely will resign my crown,
  3. This champion field shall be a pool of blood,
  4. And all our prospect as a slaughter house.

Prince Edward

118 - 121
  1. Aye, that approves thee, tyrant, what thou art:
  2. No father, king, or shepherd of thy realm,
  3. But one, that tears her entrails with thy hands,
  4. And, like a thirsty tiger, suckst her blood.

Audley

122 - 123
  1. You peers of France, why do you follow him
  2. That is so prodigal to spend your lives?

Charles

124 - 125
  1. Whom should they follow, aged impotent,
  2. But he that is their true borne sovereign?

Edward III

126 - 130
  1. Obraidst thou him, because within his face
  2. Time hath ingraved deep characters of age?
  3. Know, these grave scholars of experience,
  4. Like stiff grown oaks, will stand immovable,
  5. When whirl wind quickly turns up younger trees.

Earl of Derby

131 - 136
  1. Was ever any of thy father’s house
  2. King but thyself, before this present time?
  3. Edward’s great linage, by the mother’s side,
  4. Five hundred years hath held the sceptre up:
  5. Judge then, conspirators, by this descent,
  6. Which is the true borne sovereign, this or that.

Philip

137 - 139
  1. Father, range your battles, prate no more;
  2. These English fain would spend the time in words,
  3. That, night approaching, they might escape unfought.

John de Valois, King of France

140 - 164
  1. Lords and my loving subjects, now’s the time,
  2. That your intended force must bide the touch.
  3. Therefore, my friends, consider this in brief:
  4. He that you fight for is your natural King;
  5. He against whom you fight, a foreigner:
  6. He that you fight for, rules in clemency,
  7. And reins you with a mild and gentle bit;
  8. He against whom you fight, if he prevail,
  9. Will straight inthrone himself in tyranny,
  10. Makes slaves of you, and with a heavy hand
  11. Curtail and curb your sweetest liberty.
  12. Then, to protect your country and your King,
  13. Let but the haughty courage of your hearts
  14. Answer the number of your able hands,
  15. And we shall quickly chase these fugitives.
  16. For what’s this Edward but a belly god,
  17. A tender and lascivious wantoness,
  18. That thother day was almost dead for love?
  19. And what, I pray you, is his goodly guard?
  20. Such as, but scant them of their chines of beef
  21. And take away their downy featherbeds,
  22. And presently they are as resty stiff,
  23. As ’twere a many over ridden jades.
  24. Then, Frenchmen, scorn that such should be your lords,
  25. And rather bind ye them in captive bands.

All Frenchmen

165
  1. Vive le Roy! God save King John of France!

John de Valois, King of France

166 - 167
  1. Now on this plain of Cressy spread yourselves,—
  2. And, Edward, when thou darest, begin the fight.
  1. Exeunt King John, Charles, Philip, Lorraine, Boheme, and
  2. forces.

Edward III

168 - 178
  1. We presently will meet thee, John of France:—
  2. And, English lords, let us resolve this day,
  3. Either to clear us of that scandalous crime,
  4. Or be intombed in our innocence.
  5. And, Ned, because this battle is the first
  6. That ever yet thou foughtest in pitched field,
  7. As ancient custom is of martialists,
  8. To dub thee with the tip of chivalry,
  9. In solemn manner we will give thee arms.
  10. Come, therefore, heralds, orderly bring forth
  11. A strong attirement for the prince my son.
  1. Enter four Heralds, bringing in a coat-armor, a helmet, a
  2. lance, and a shield.
  1. The first Herald delivers the armor to King Edward, who puts
  2. it on his son.

Edward III

179 - 185
  1. Edward Plantagenet, in the name of God,
  2. As with this armor I impale thy breast,
  3. So be thy noble unrelenting heart
  4. Walled in with flint of matchless fortitude,
  5. That never base affections enter there:
  6. Fight and be valiant, conquer where thou comest!
  7. Now follow, lords, and do him honor to.

Earl of Derby

186 - 191
  1. Edward Plantagenet, prince of Wales,
  2. As I do set this helmet on thy head,
  3. Wherewith the chamber of thy brain is fenc’d,
  4. So may thy temples, with Bellona’s hand,
  5. Be still adorned with laurel victory:
  6. Fight and be valiant, conquer where thou comest!

Audley

192 - 197
  1. Edward Plantagenet, prince of Wales,
  2. Receive this lance into thy manly hand;
  3. Use it in fashion of a brazen pen,
  4. To draw forth bloody stratagems in France,
  5. And print thy valiant deeds in honor’s book:
  6. Fight and be valiant, vanquish where thou comest!

Robert of Artois

198 - 203
  1. Edward Plantagenet, prince of Wales,
  2. Hold, take this target, wear it on thy arm;
  3. And may the view thereof, like Perseus’ shield,
  4. Astonish and transform thy gazing foes
  5. To senseless images of meager death:
  6. Fight and be valiant, conquer where thou comest!

Edward III

204 - 205
  1. Now wants there nought but knighthood, which deferred
  2. We leave, till thou hast won it in the field.

Prince Edward

206 - 218
  1. My gracious father and ye forward peers,
  2. This honor you have done me, animates
  3. And cheers my green, yet scarce appearing strength
  4. With comfortable good presaging signs,
  5. No other wise than did old Jacob’s words,
  6. When as he breathed his blessings on his sons.
  7. These hallowed gifts of yours when I profane,
  8. Or use them not to glory of my God,
  9. To patronage the fatherless and poor,
  10. Or for the benefit of England’s peace,
  11. Be numb my joints, wax feeble both mine arms,
  12. Wither my heart, that, like a sapless tree,
  13. I may remain the map of infamy.

Edward III

219 - 228
  1. Then thus our steeled battles shall be ranged:
  2. The leading of the vaward, Ned, is thine;
  3. To dignify whose lusty spirit the more,
  4. We temper it with Audley’s gravity,
  5. That, courage and experience joined in one,
  6. Your manage may be second unto none:
  7. For the main battles, I will guide myself;
  8. And, Darby, in the rearward march behind,
  9. That orderly disposed and set in ray,
  10. Let us to horse; and God grant us the day!
  1. Exeunt.
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