“
Here, till our navy of a thousand sail
Have made a breakfast to our foe by sea,
Let us encamp to wait their happy speed.-
Lorraine, what readiness is Edward in?
How hast thou heard that he provided is
Of martial furniture for this exploit?
Lorraine
To lay aside unnecessary soothing,
And not to spend the time in circumstance,
'Tis bruited for a certainty, my lord,
That he's exceeding strongly fortified;
His subjects flock as willingly to war
As if unto a triumph they were led.
Charles
England was wont to harbor malcontents,
Bloodthirsty and seditious Catilines,
Spendthrifts, and such as gape for nothing else
But changing and alteration of the state.
And is it possible that they are now
So loyal in themselves?
Lorraine
All but the Scot, who solemnly protests,
As heretofore I have informed his grace,
Never to sheathe his sword or take a truce.
King John
Ah, that's the anch'rage of some better hope.
But, on the other side, to think what friends
King Edward hath retained in Netherland
Among those ever-bibbing epicures --
Those frothy Dutchmen puffed with double beer,
That drink and swill in every place they come --
Doth not a little aggravate mine ire;
Besides we hear the emperor conjoins
And stalls him in his own authority.
But all the mightier that their number is,
The greater glory reaps the victory.
Some friends have we beside domestic power:
The stern Polonian, and the warlike Dane,
The King of Bohemia, and of Sicily
Are all become confederates with us,
And, as I think, are marching hither apace.
[Drums within.]
But soft, I hear the music of their drums,
By which I guess that their approach is near.
Enter the King of Bohemia, with Danes, and a Polonian Captain with other soldiers, some Muscovites, another way.
King of Bohemia
King John of France, as league and neighborhood
Requires when friends are any way distressed,
I come to aid thee with my country's force.
Polonian Captain
And from great Moscow, fearful to the Turk,
And lofty Poland, nurse of hardy men,
I bring these servitors to fight for thee,
Who willingly will venture in thy cause.
King John
Welcome Bohemian King, and welcome all.
This your great kindness I will not forget;
Besides your plentiful rewards in crowns
That from our treasury ye shall receive,
There comes a hare-brained nation decked in pride,
The spoil of whom will be a treble gain.
And now my hope is full, my joy complete.
At sea we are as puissant as the force
Of Agamemnon in the haven of Troy;
By land, with Xerxes we compare of strength,
Whose soldiers drank up rivers in their thirst.
Then Bayard-like, blind, overweening Ned,
To reach at our imperial diadem
Is either to be swallowed of the waves
Or hacked a-pieces when thou com'st ashore.
”
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