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Läsebok". N:o 70—71.
Enter Messenger.
Messengi r. The Queen is arrived, and has brought a
powerful reinforcement with her, of those gallant troops with
which she has conquered Scotland.
King Edward. Manny, go out and receive her.
Manny. With pleasure shall 1 perform that office.
[He goes out and returns with the Queen.]
King Edivard. Most welcome, my dear Philippa:
welcome at all times; but thy return at this moment is
particularly so. Thy victorious conquest of Scotland endears thee to
my heart. 1 also have subdued my rebellious subjects, the
proud citizens of Calais. They have just opened their gates
to me, and I am going to make an example of six of the
principal inhabitants.
Queen. I am indeed arrived in a fortunate moment, as
1 have a petition to make, which respects the honour of the
English nation, the glory of my Edward, my husband, my
king. You think you have sentenced six of your enemies to
death. No, my Lord, they have sentenced themselves, and
their execution would be the performance of their own
orders, not the orders of Edward. They have behaved
themselves worthily — they have behaved themselves like true
patriots. I cannot but respect, while J envy, while I hate
them, for leaving us no share in the honour of this action,
but that of granting a poor and indispensable pardon. I
admit they have deserved every thing that is evil at your
hands. They have proved the most inveterate and powerful
of your enemies. They alone withstood the rapid course of
your conquests, and have withheld from you the crown to
which you were born. Is it therefore thus that you would
reward them? that you would gratify their desires? that you
would indulge their ambition? and inwreathe them with
everlasting glory and applause?
But if such a death would exalt simple citizens over the
fame of the most illustrious heroes, how would the name of
my Edward, with all his triumphs and honours, be tarnished
by it? Would it not be said, that magnanimity and virtue
are grown contemptible in the eyes of Britain’s monarch?
and that the objects, whom he destines to the punishment of
felons, are the very men who deserve the praise and esteem
of mankind? The stage on which they should suffer, would
be to them a stage of honour; but a stage of shame to
Edward: a reproach to his conquests — a dark and indelible
disgrace to his name.
No, my lord, let us rather disappoint the saucy ambition
of these burghers, who wish to invest themselves with glory
at our expence. WTe cannot, indeed, wholly deprive them of
the merit of a sacrifice so nobly intended; but we may cut
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