The Birth of Merlin, or, the Childe Hath Found His Father
ACT IV, SCENE II


Enter Prince Uter, Edol, Cador, Edwin, Toclio, with drum and Soldiers.

PRINCE.
Stay, and advice; hold, drum!

EDOL.
Beat, slave! why do you pause?
Why make a stand? where are our enemies?
Or do you mean we fight amongst our selves?

PRINCE.
Nay, noble Edol,
Let us here take counsel, it cannot hurt,
It is the surest garison to safety.

EDOL.
Fie on such slow delays! so fearful men,
That are to pass over a flowing river,
Stand on the bank to parly of the danger,
Till the tide rise, and then be swallowed.
Is not the king in field?

CADOR.
Proud Vortiger, the trator, is in field.

EDWIN.
The murderer and usurper.

EDOL.
Let him be the devil, so I may fight with him.
For heavens love, sir, march on! Oh, my patience!
Will you delay, untill the Saxons come
To aid his party? (A tucket.

PRINCE.
There's no such fear: prithee, be calm a while.
Hark! it seems by this, he comes or sends to us.

EDOL.
If it be for parly, I will drown the summons,
If all our drums and hoarseness choke me not.

Enter Captain.

PRINCE.
Nay, prithee, hear.--From whence art thou?

CAPTAIN.
From the King Vortiger.

EDOL.
Traitor, there's none such: alarum, drum; strike, slave,
Or, by mine honor, I will break thy head,
And beat thy drums heads both about thine ears.

PRINCE.
Hold, noble Edol,
Let's hear what articles he can inforce.

EDOL.
What articles or what conditions
Can you expect to value half your wrong,
Unless he kill himself by thousand tortures,
And send his carcase to appease your vengeance
For the foul murder of Constantius,
And that's not a tenth part neither.

PRINCE.
'Tis true,
My brothers blood is crying to me now;
I do applaud thy counsel: hence, be gone!-- (Exit Captain.
We'l hear no parly now but by our swords.

EDOL.
And those shall speak home in death killing words:
Alarum to the fight; sound, sound the alarum. (Exeunt.

On to Act IV, Scene III
Back to Contents