Page 177 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

Let not the hours of this ungodly day
Wear out the day’s in peace; but, ere sunset, [110]
Set armed discord ’twixt these perjur’d kings!
Hear me, O, hear me!

AUSTRIA
Lady Constance, peace!

CONSTANCE
War! war! no peace! peace is to me a war.
O Limoges! O Austria! thou dost shame
That bloody spoil: thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward! [115]
Thou little valiant, great in villainy!

Thou ever strong upon the stronger side!
Thou fortune’s champion, that dost never fight
But when her humorous ladyship is by
To teach thee safety! thou art perjur’d too, [120]

And sooth’st up greatness. What a fool art thou,
A ramping fool, to brag, and stamp, and swear
Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave,
Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side,

Been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend [125]
Upon thy stars, thy fortune and thy strength,
And dost thou now fall over to my foes?
Thou wear a lion’s hide! doff it for shame,

And hang a calve’s-skin on those recreant limbs.

AUSTRIA
O, that a man should speak those words to me! [130]

BASTARD
And hang a calve’s-skin on those recreant limbs.

AUSTRIA
Thou dar’st not say so, villain, for thy life.

BASTARD