Mordred and Hildebrand: A Book of Tragedies

_Hild._ Know, Peter, I am a man of single purpose, To make all Europe bow to Peter’s knee, To build the power of God o’er human thrones, And humble kings to Christ by me His Leg...

_2nd B._ Wine-pot, wine-pot, thou sayst ha! ha! nose i’ the wine-pot thou sayest, ’tis better than sticking it into every business save thine own, hey! neighbor Burnard! But wha...

_Mordred._ O mighty Merlin, I fear me all thine arts That compass ocean, air, and deepest mine, And have command of subtlest sciences, Have never found the power to brew a charm...

_Mordred._ Yea I am all determination now. Compunction’s dead. Yea, I am over-tired Of playing the wart upon the hand of time. But am resolved to be that hand itself, And move t...

_1st M._ The king of Europe! This be the Church’s hope, May every season send us a Pope. I must within ere Brother John doth make A fast which little fits my hunger’s constant a...

_Dagonet._ Meseems this King is like an April week. But yestermorn he was all smiles and sun, And now he skulks and prowls and scowls and mopes, As though existence were all a d...

_Mordred._ Now cursed be the womb that gave me birth! Thrice cursed be the paps that gave me suck! That I but made for hellish plots and hates, And inky thoughts and moods and b...

_Mordred._ Two roads there are for me in this dark world, Both shadowed by the gloom of haunted groves. One leads to quiet and kind nature’s peace. I’m part inclined to join a b...

_2nd Knight._ Meseems the kingdom’s severed like two tides That meet together in some mountain course To whelm other. Arthur’s star grows dark, And Mordred’s darker. ’Tis the Qu...

_Marg._ They would have stopped me, but my love’s good cunning Did cheat them all. O, my sweet, waxen Babe, The Holy Father, he will tell me true, An’ make thee smile agen, thou...

_Hen._ What is a king’s weak royalty to this Power That lifts the crowns from kings and plucks them down From earth-built majesties? I yesterday Who wore a crown and called me E...

_Launcelot._ Arthur, friend and lover of my youth, Could’st thou but throw this black mood from thee now, And get a sweeter hope into thy soul, Drive out the horrid phantoms of...

_Hild._ Little did I dream that it was I Would be the first to go. O, Peter, Peter, This world--ambition hath eaten up my heart, And my life with it. Better to be there Where sh...

_Launcelot._ This is a sunset bower for lovers made. The air seems faint with pale and ruddy bloom, The red for rosy dreams, the white for pure And holy maiden thoughts all unex...

_Marg._ Mother, Mother, take me, take me home. Home? Where be home? Are not these walls familiar? Did they not mean the place where we had dwelt, And hoped and loved? And what a...

_1st Sol._ God save us if it be true! Yet it is safe to say; God save the King an’ Queen. ’Tis better to cry a witch Queen than to be split i’ the gullet.

_Vivien._ ’Tis but a lack of manhood in thy blood, That runs to water dwelling on puerile things, Like parent-love and other sickly longings, Forgotten with forgetting of the pa...

_Arthur._ Would I had not done this! Heaven this hour Be kind to this poor king, suspend thy wrath. For my past frailties judge me not too heavy. Oh, were it dawning! Nay if it...

_Wast._ Ah, Brun, you gluttonous men know not of love. Such dangerous passions are beyond thy ken, lacking the attractive, the magnetic, you descend to lower pleasures. Now look...

_2nd Gent._ Yea, forbidding the carrying on of this strange war, And commanding Arthur to take back his Queen, And give Sir Launcelot passage from the Kingdom. He be a wondrous...

_1st Gent._ Hast heard the news? Mordred’s usurped the kingdom, hath seized the Queen, and backed by half the realm doth challenge Arthur to a warm homecoming. ’Tis said he hath...

_Page._ My Lord, it be but a rude petitioner hath come. He tells no beads, nor maketh any prayers, But rather stamps an’ mutters, raves an’ swears, And sendeth Rome an’ all her...

_Guin._ Yea that frail pink-and-white that pillowed thy breast, What time thou did’st faint, some slim cowslip miss Such as do flatter you strong men by their weakness. Go flipp...

_Sir Mador._ ’Twas at the banquet, Sir King, where we all invited of thy Queen, the Madam Guinevere, who sitteth there, and after meat, she with much courtesy of seeming, did pr...

_Mordred._ ’Tis a delicate business we be come upon, Though one of grave importance, therefore I Will stand i’ the background, thou Sir Agravaine, Being a kinsman not o’ the sin...

_Vivien._ Now slave but do the bidding of thy master, And soon the boding hour will draw anigh When Guinevere will queen a royal hunch-back. Now serve me well my wits until I pl...

_Dagonet._ I’m but the ghost of mine old former self, Who once a jester, am now but the jest Of some outrageous fortune. Sleep hath fled, My meat hath no more taste unto my mout...

_Dagonet._ ’Tis little I can do, but I will mend The devilment that I have helped to cause. Hark, now they come! Here will I take my stand. ’Tis over my dead body when they come...

Once there was a castle hall, Fair, fair to see, Armored dight, and splendored all, Filled with shout o’ revelry. Came the hosts o’ fate and rage Thundered on its walls amain. S...

_Vivien._ Nine days are past and gone, most noble King, Since thou didst advertise throughout the land The kingdom be opened for tests at Camelot And marvellous feats might here...

_Marg._ O Gerbhert! Gerbhert! in what living stone Are you entombed, dead to our sorrow now? Ah, my poor Baby, fatherless, fatherless, now. Dying! dying! Like a pallid candle, I...

_Guinevere._ Now Unid I have seen this noble Arthur. I spied him from my turret as he rode, And all my heart went out in love to him, The knight incarnate of my girlhood’s dream...

_Hen._ Now by my crown, I’ll harry those villains out. (_To the Page._) Quick, wine! (_To Gilbert.]_) You say this news be true. This Saxon Rodulph, would pluck Henry down, And...

_Arthur._ I would I were on British soil again This leaguer goes but feebly. I am sick Of losing battles to this Launcelot, Whose strength and prowess in far kinder days, Was my...

_Leo._ Now is the day auspicious to my house When Guinevere will wed the mighty Arthur. Golden the mornings, happy speed the nights, With constellations soft and wooing hours Th...

_Arthur._ Stay, Knight, Arthur of England is a lonely man, Betrayed of those who should have loved him best. To-night perchance he fronts the brink of death, In bloody battle fo...

_Guin._ (_Rises._) That I Guinevere, Queen of Britain, am innocent of this most foul charge of which I am here accused, and here call on Heaven to prove on the body of that foul...

_Gwaine._ Launcelot, thou art a fool. Thou art the King’s man, and the best. Thou hast an arm and a sword on it. Thou must come. I will no longer here.

_Merlin._ Tarry we here, for I am fain for rest. [_sinks down._ Oh mighty Slumber, sweet Oblivion, Make this day night and seal my sleep-ward eyes; And bear me in thy light and...

_Elaine._ Oh most noble lady, I am a maid, Called Elaine, daughter unto Astolat’s lord, Who cometh unto thee, Madam, for kind help Upon the matter of a maiden’s love. It rendeth...

_Gwaine._ And so wilt thou some day, and like a milksop, i’ thy bed. ’Twas a poor prophesy though a sure one. It is naught. Turn me over. Yea, I wedged some skulls, and clipped...

_2nd O._ Woe with poor Germany, her lands lie waste, Her cities either sacked or arméd forts, Withstand the common foe; her King outcast, Battles for his rule with his own vassals.

_Queen._ You speak me, majesty. I am no Queen, The lowest woman in this mighty realm, Reigning in some humble herdsman’s heart, Might top my queenship. O Henry, Henry, What is t...

_Sir Ban._ Strange horrors woke us frozen from our beds. Hideous nightmares beset us. Some heard moanings, some that grave-bells rang, and others saw strange spectres, and I mys...