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the life of sir john oldcastle-第9节

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SUFFOLK。
He's in the Camp; and if he know of this;
I undertake he would not be long hence。

KING。
Trip; Dick; trip; George。

'They trip。'

HUNTINGTON。
I must have the dice。
What do we play at?

'They play at dice。'

SUFFOLK。
Passage; if ye please。

HUNTINGTON。
Set round then; so; at all。

KING。
George; you are out。
Give me the dice。  I pass for twenty pound。
Here's to our lucky passage into France。

HUNTINGTON。
Harry; you pass indeed; for you sweep all。

SUFFOLK。
A sign king Harry shall sweep all in France。

'Enter Sir John。'

SIR JOHN。
Edge ye; good fellows; take a fresh gamester in。


KING。
Master Parson?  We play nothing but gold。

SIR JOHN。
And; fellow; I tell thee that the priest hath gold。  Gold?
sblood; ye are but beggarly soldiers to me。  I think I have
more gold than all you three。

HUNTINGTON。
It may be so; but we believe it not。

KING。
Set; priest; set。  I pass for all that gold。

SIR JOHN。
Ye pass; indeed。

KING。
Priest; hast thou any more?

SIR JOHN。
Zounds; what a question's that?
I tell thee I have more than all you three。
At these ten Angels!

KING。
I wonder how thou comest by all this gold;
How many benefices hast thou; priest?

SIR JOHN。
Yfaith; but one。  Dost wonder how I come by gold?  I
wonder rather how poor soldiers should have gold; for
I'll tell thee; good fellow:  we have every day tithes;
offerings; christenings; weddings; burials; and you poor
snakes come seldom to a booty。  I'll speak a proud word:
I have but one parsonage; Wrotham; tis better than the 
Bishopric of Rochester。  There's ne'er a hill; heath; nor
down in all Kent; but tis in my parish:  Barham down; 
Chobham down; Gad's Hill; Wrotham hill; Black heath;
Cock's heath; Birchen wood; all pay me tithe。 Gold; 
quoth a? ye pass not for that。

SUFFOLK。
Harry; ye are out; now; parson; shake the dice。

SIR JOHN。
Set; set; I'll cover ye at all。  A plague on't; I am out:  the
devil; and dice; and a wench; who will trust them?

SUFFOLK。
Sayest thou so; priest?  Set fair; at all for once。

KING。
Out; sir; pay all。

SIR JOHN。
Sblood; pay me angel gold。 
I'll none of your cracked French crowns nor pistolets。
Pay me fair angel gold; as I pay you。

KING。
No cracked French crowns?  I hope to see more cracked
French crowns ere long。

SIR JOHN。
Thou meanest of French men's crowns; when the King is
in France。

HUNTINGTON。
Set round; at all。

SIR JOHN。
Pay all:  this is some luck。

KING。
Give me the dice; tis I must shred the priest:
At all; sir John。

SIR JOHN。
The devil and all is yours。  At that!  Sdeath; what casting 
is this?

SUFFOLK。
Well thrown; Harry; yfaith。

KING。
I'll cast better yet。

SIR JOHN。
Then I'll be hanged。  Sirra; hast thou not given thy soul to
the devil for casting?


KING。
I pass for all。

SIR JOHN。
Thou passest all that e'er I played withal。
Sirra; dost thou not cog; nor foist; nor slur?

KING。
Set; parson; set; the dice die in my hand:
When parson; when? what; can ye find no more?
Already dry? wast you bragged of your store?

SIR JOHN。
All's gone but that。

HUNTINGTON。
What? half a broken angel?

SIR JOHN。
Why sir; tis gold。

KING。
Yea; and I'll cover it。

SIR JOHN。
The devil do ye good on't; I am blind; ye have blown me up。

KING。
Nay; tarry; priest; ye shall not leave us yet。
Do not these pieces fit each other well?

SIR JOHN。
What if they do?

KING。
Thereby begins a tale:
There was a thief; in face much like Sir John
But twas not he; that thief was all in green
Met me last day at Black Heath; near the park;
With him a woman。  I was all alone
And weaponless; my boy had all my tools;
And was before providing me a boat。
Short tale to make; sir Johnthe thief; I mean
Took a just hundreth pound in gold from me。
I stormed at it; and swore to be revenged
If e'er we met。  He; like a lusty thief;
Brake with his teeth this Angel just in two
To be a token at our meeting next;
Provided I should charge no Officer
To apprehend him; but at weapon's point
Recover that and what he had beside。
Well met; sir John; betake ye to your tools
By torch light; for; master parson; you are he
That had my gold。

SIR JOHN。
Zounds; I won 't in play; in fair square play; of the
keeper of Eltham park; and that I will maintain with
this poor whinyard; be you two honest men to stand
and look upon's; and let's alone; and take neither part。

KING。
Agreed!  I charge ye do not budget a foot。
Sir John; have at ye。

SIR JOHN。
Soldier; ware your sconce。

'Here; as they are ready to strike; enter Butler and draws
his weapon and steps betwixt them。'

BUTLER。
Hold; villains; hold! my Lords; what do you mean;
To see a traitor draw against the King?

SIR JOHN。
The King!  God's will; I am in a proper pickle。

KING。
Butler; what news? why dost thou trouble us?

BUTLER。
Please it your Highness; it is break of day;
And as I scouted near to Islington;
The gray eyed morning gave me glimmering
Of armed men coming down Highgate hill;
Who by their course are coasting hitherward。

KING。
Let us withdraw; my Lords。  Prepare our troops
To charge the rebels; if there be such cause。

For this lewd priest; this devilish hypocrite;
That is a thief; a gamester; and what not;
Let him be hanged up for example sake。

SIR JOHN。
Not so my gracious sovereign。  I confess that I am
a frail man; flesh and blood as other are:  but; set my
imperfections aside; by this light; ye have not a taller
man; nor a truer subject to the Crown and State; than
Sir John of Wrotham。

KING。
Will a true subject rob his King?

SIR JOHN。
Alas; twas ignorance and want; my gracious liege。

KING。
Twas want of grace。  Why; you should be as salt
To season others with good document;
Your lives as lamps to give the people light;
As shepherds; not as wolves to spoil the flock。
Go hang him; Butler。

BUTLER。
Didst thou not rob me?

SIR JOHN。
I must confess I saw some of your gold。  But; my dread
Lord; I am in no humor for death; therefore; save my life。
God will that sinners live; do not you cause me die。  Once
in their lives the best may go astray; and if the world say
true; your self (my liege) have been a thief。

KING。
I confess I have;
But I repent and have reclaimed my self。

SIR JOHN。
So will I do; if you will give me time。

KING。
Wilt thou?  My lords; will you be his sureties?

HUNTINGTON。
That when he robs again; he shall be hanged。


SIR JOHN。
I ask no more。

KING。
And we will grant thee that。
Live and repent; and prove an honest man;
Which when I hear; and safe return from France;
I'll give thee living:  till then take thy gold;
But spend it better than at cards or wine;
For better virtues fit that coat of thine。

SIR JOHN。
Vivat Rex & curat lex!  My liege; if ye have cause
of battle; ye shall see Sir John of Wrotham bestir
himself in your quarrel。

'Exeunt。'


ACT IV。 SCENE II。 A field of Battle near London。

'After an alarum enter Harry; Suffolk; Huntington;
Sir John; bringing forth Acton; Beverley; and Murley 
prisoners。'

KING。
Bring in those traitors; whose aspiring minds
Thought to have triumpht in our overthrow。
But now ye see; base villains; what success
Attends ill actions wrongfully attempted。
Sir Roger Acton; thou retainst the name
Of knight; and shouldst be more discreetly tempered;
Than join with peasants:  gentry is divine;
But thou hast made it more than popular。

ACTON。
Pardon; my Lord; my conscience urged me to it。

KING。
Thy conscience? then thy conscience is corrupt;
For in thy conscience thou art bound to us;
And in thy conscience thou shouldst love thy country;
Else what's the difference twixt a Christian
And the uncivil manners of the Turk?

BEVERLEY。
We meant no hurt unto your majesty;
But reformation of Religion。

KING。
Reform Religion? was it that ye sought?
I pray who gave you that authority?
Belike; then; we do hold the scepter up
And sit within the throne but for a cipher。
Time was; good subjects would make known their grief
And pray amendment; not enforce the same;
Unless their King were tyrant; which I hope
You cannot justly say that Harry is。
What is that other?

SUFFOLK。
A malt…man; my Lord;
And dwelling in Dunstable as he says。

KING。
Sirra; what made you leave your barley broth;
To come in armour thus against your King?

MURLEY。
Fie; paltry; paltry; to and fro; in and out upon occasion;
what a world's this!  Knight…hood (my liege) twas
knight…hood brought me hither。  They told me I had
wealth enough to make my wife a lady。

KING。
And so you brought those horses which we saw;
Trapped all in costly furniture; and meant
To wear these spurs when you were knighted once?

MURLEY。
In and out upon occasion; I did。

KING。
In and out upon occasion; therefore;
You shall be handed; and in the stead of wearing
These spurs upon your heels; about your neck
They shall bewray your folly to the world。

SIR JOHN。
In and out upon occasion; that goes hard。

MURLEY。
Fie; paltry; paltry; to and fro; good my liege; a
pardon。  I am sorry for my fault。

KING。
That comes too late:  but tell me; went there none
Beside sir Roger Acton; upon whom
You did depend to 

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