With clamorous trumpets. To the Empress bear My salutation as befits the time. [Exeunt GLOCESTER and Forces. SCENE III.-The Field of Battle. Enter STEPHEN unarmed. Stephen. Another sword! And what if I could seize One from Bellona's gleaming armoury, Or choose the fairest of her sheaved spears! Where are my enemies? Here come the testy brood. Here, close at hand, O, for a sword! Enter DE KAIMS and Knights, &c. De Kaims. Is 't madness or a hunger after death That makes thee thus unarm'd throw taunts at us?Yield, Stephen, or my sword's point dips in The gloomy current of a traitor's heart. Stephen. Do it, De Kaims, I will not budge an inch. De Kaims. Yes, of thy madness thou shalt take the meed. Stephen. Darest thou? De Kaims. disarm'd? How dare, against a man Stephen. What weapons has the lion but himself? Το any but the second man of the realm, De Kaims. Thou shalt vail to me. Stephen. Shall I, when I have sworn against it, sir? Thou think'st it brave to take a breathing king, That, on a court-day bow'd to haughty Maud, The awed presence-chamber may be bold To whisper, there's the man who took alive Stephen-me-prisoner. Certes, De Kaims, The ambition is a noble one. De Kaims. "Tis true, And, Stephen, I must compass it. Stephen. No, no, Do not tempt me to throttle you on the gorge, A Soldier. Is an honest yeoman's spear Of no use at a need? Take that. Stephen. Ah, dastard! De Kaims. What, you are vulnerable! my prisoner! Stephen. No, not yet. I disclaim it, and demand Death as a sovereign right unto a king Who 'sdains to yield to any but his peer, The Earl of Glocester. Stab to the hilt, De Kaims, From this so famous field. Do you hear! Be quick! Trumpets. Enter the Earl of CHESTER and Knights. SCENE IV.-A Presence Chamber. Queen MAUD in a Chair of State, the Earls of GLOCESTER and CHESTER, Lords, Attendants. Maud. Glocester, no more: I will behold that Boulogne: Set him before me. Not for the poor sake Of regal pomp and a vain-glorious hour, As thou with wary speech, yet near enough, Hast hinted. Glocester. Faithful counsel have I given; If wary, for your Highness' benefit. Maud. The Heavens forbid that I should not think So, For by thy valour have I won this realm, To sage advisers let me ever bend A meek attentive ear, so that they treat Of the wide kingdom's rule and government, Advised, not school'd, I would be; and henceforth Spoken to in clear, plain, and open terms, Not side-ways sermon'd at. Glocester. Then in plain terms, Your pardon, Brother, Once more for the fallen king Maud, I would no more of that; for, as I said, The rebel, but as dooming judge to give Glocester. If 't must be so, I'll bring him to your presence. [Exit GLOCESTER. Maud. A meaner summoner might do as well— My Lord of Chester, is 't true what I hear Of Stephen of Boulogne, our prisoner, That he, as a fit penance for his crimes, Eats wholesome, sweet, and palatable food Off Glocester's golden dishes-drinks pure wine, Chester. More than that, my gracious Queen, Has anger'd me. The noble Earl, methinks, In counsel, dreams too much among his books. Maud. Truth! I think so. By Heavens it shall not last! Chester. It would amaze your Highness now to mark How Glocester overstrains his courtesy To that crime-loving rebel, that Boulogne Maud. That ingrate! Chester. For whose vast ingratitude To our late sovereign lord, your noble sire, Chester. And for his perjury, Glocester has fit rewards-nay, I believe, He sets his bustling household's wits at work |