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第7章

the life of sir john oldcastle-第7章

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My fortune was to marry; being too
By my grandfather of Kind Edward's line:
So of his sirname; I am called; you know;
Richard Plantagenet。  My father was
Edward; the Duke of York; and son and heir
To Edmund Langley; Edward the third's fifth son。

SCROOP。
So that it seems your claim comes by your wife;
As lawful heir to Roger Mortimer;
The son of Edmund; which did marry Phillip;
Daughter and heir to Lionel; Duke of Clarence。

CAMBRIDGE。
True; for this Harry and his father both;
Harry the first; as plainly doth appear;
Are false intruders and usurp the Crown。
For when young Richard was at Pomfret slain;
In him the title of prince Edward died;
That was the eldest of king Edward's sons:
William; of Hatfield; and their second brother;
Death in his nonage had before bereft:
So that my wife; derived from Lionel;
Third son unto king Edward; ought proceed;
And take possession of the Diadem
Before this Harry; or his father king;
Who fetched their title but from Lancaster;
Forth of that royal line。  And being thus;
What reason ist but she should have her right?

SCROOP。
I am resolved our enterprise is just。

GRAY。
Harry shall die; or else resign his crown。

CHARTRES。
Perform but that; and Charles; the king of France;
Shall aid you; lords; not only with his men;
But send you money to maintain your wars。
Five hundred thousand crowns he bade me profer;
If you can stop but Harry's voyage for France。

SCROOP。
We never had a fitter time than now;
The realm in such division as it is。

CAMBRIDGE。
Besides; you must persuade ye; there is due
Vengeance for Richard's murder; which; although
It be deferred; yet will it fall at last;
And now as likely as another time。
Sin hath had many years to ripen in;
And now the harvest cannot be far off;
Wherein the weeds of usurpation
Are to be cropped; and cast into the fire。

SCROOP。
No more; earl Cambridge; here I plight my faith;
To set up thee and thy renowned wife。

GRAY。
Gray will perform the same; as he is knight。

CHARTRES。
And to assist ye; as I said before;
Charters doth gage the honor of his king。

SCROOP。
We lack but now Lord Cobham's fellowship;
And then our plot were absolute indeed。

CAMBRIDGE。
Doubt not of him; my lord; his life's pursued
By the incensed Clergy; and of late;
Brought in displeasure with the king; assures
He may be quickly won unto our faction。
Who hath the articles were drawn at large
Of our whole purpose?

GRAY。
That have I; my Lord。

CAMBRIDGE。
We should not now be far off from his house;
Our serious conference hath beguiled the way。
See where his castle stands。  Give me the writing。
When we are come unto the speech of him;
Because we will not stand to make recount;
Of that which hath been said; here he shall read

'Enter Cobham。'

Our minds at large; and what we crave of him。

SCROOP。
A ready way。  Here comes the man himself;
Booted and spurred; it seems he hath been riding。

CAMBRIDGE。
Well met; lord Cobham。

COBHAM。
My lord of Cambridge?
Your honor is most welcome into Kent;
And all the rest of this fair company。
I am new come from London; gentle Lords;
But will ye not take Cowling for your host;
And see what entertainment it affords?

CAMBRIDGE。
We were intended to have been your guests:
But now this lucky meeting shall suffice
To end our business; and defer that kindness。

COBHAM。
Business; my lord? what business should you have
But to be merry?  We have no delicates;
But this I'll promise you:  a piece of venison;
A cup of wine; and so forthhunters' fare;
And if you please; we'll strike the stag our selves
Shall fill our dishes with his well…fed flesh。

SCROOP。
That is; indeed; the thing we all desire。

COBHAM。
My lords and you shall have your choice with me。

CAMBRIDGE。
Nay; but the stag which we desire to strike
Lives not in Cowling; if you will consent;
And go with us; we'll bring you to a forest;
Where runs a lusty herd; amongst the which
There is a stag superior to the rest;
A stately beast that; when his fellows run;
He leads the race; and beats the sullen earth;
As though he scorned it; with his trampling hooves。
Aloft he bears his head; and with his breast;
Like a huge bulwark; counter…checks the wind:
And when he standeth still; he stretcheth forth
His proud ambitious neck; as if he meant
To wound the firmament with forked horns。

COBHAM。
Tis pity such a goodly beast should die。

CAMBRIDGE。
Not so; sir John; for he is tyrannous;
And gores the other deer; and will not keep
Within the limits are appointed him。
Of late he's broke into a several;
Which doth belong to me; and there he spoils 
Both corn and pasture。  Two of his wild race;
Alike for stealth and covetous encroaching;
Already are removed; if he were dead;
I should not only be secure from hurt;
But with his body make a royal feast。

SCROOP。
How say you; then; will you first hunt with us?

COBHAM。
Faith; Lords; I like the pastime; where's the place》

CAMBRIDGE。
Peruse this writing; it will shew you all;
And what occasion we have for the sport。

'He reads。'

COBHAM。
Call ye this hunting; my lords?  Is this the stag
You fain would chaseHarry our dread king?
So we may make a banquet for the devil;
And in the stead of wholesome meat; prepare
A dish of poison to confound our selves。

CAMBRIDGE。
Why so; lord Cobham?  See you not our claim?
And how imperiously he holds the crown?

SCROOP。
Besides; you know your self is in disgrace;
Held as a recreant; and pursued to death。
This will defend you from your enemies;
And stablish your religion through the land。

COBHAM。
Notorious treason! yet I will conceal 'Aside。'
My secret thoughts; to sound the depth of it。
My lord of Cambridge; I do see your claim;
And what good may redound unto the land
By prosecuting of this enterprise。
But where are the men? where's power and furniture
To order such an action?  We are weak;
Harry; you know's a mighty potentate。

CAMBRIDGE。
Tut; we are strong enough:  you are beloved;
And many will be glad to follow you;
We are the like; and some will follow us。
Besides; there is hope from France:  here's an ambassador
That promiseth both men and money too。
The commons likewise (as we hear) pretend
A sudden tumult; we will join with them。

COBHAM。
Some likelihood; I must confess; to speed;
But how shall I believe this is plain truth?
You are; my lords; such men as live in Court;
And highly have been favoured of the king;
Especially lord Scroop; whom oftentimes 
He maketh choice of for his bedfellow;
And you; lord Gray; are of his privy counsel:
Is not this a train to entrap my life?

CAMBRIDGE。
Then perish may my soul!  What; think you so?

SCROOP。
We'll swear to you。

GRAY。
Or take the sacrament。

COBHAM。
Nay; you are noble men; and I imagine;
As you are honorable by birth and blood;
So you will be in heart; in thought; in word。
I crave no other testimony but this:
That you would all subscribe; and set your hands
Unto this writing which you gave to me。

CAMBRIDGE。
With all our hearts。  Who hath any pen and ink?

SCROOP。
My pocket should have one:  yea; here it is。

CAMBRIDGE。
Give it me; lord Scroop。There is my name。

SCROOP。
And there is my name。

GRAY。
And mine。

COBHAM。
Sir; let me crave;
That you would likewise write your name with theirs;
For confirmation of your master's word;
The king of France。

CHARTRES。
That will I; noble Lord。

COBHAM。
So now this action is well knit together;
And I am for you。  Where's our meeting; lords?

CAMBRIDGE。
Here; if you please; the tenth of July next。

COBHAM。
In Kent? agreed:  now let us in to supper。
I hope your honors will not away to night。

CAMBRIDGE。
Yes; presently; for I have far to ride;
About soliciting of other friends。

SCROOP。
And we would not be absent from the court;
Lest thereby grow suspicion in the king。

COBHAM。
Yet taste a cup of wine before ye go。

CAMBRIDGE。
Not now; my lord; we thank you:  so farewell。

'Exeunt all but Cobham。'

COBHAM。
Farewell; my noble lords。My noble lords?
My noble villains; base conspirators。
How can they look his Highness in the face;
Whom they so closely study to betray?
But I'll not 

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