King John

Act 5, Scene 5

SCENE V. The French camp.

    Enter LEWIS and his train

LEWIS

    The sun of heaven methought was loath to set,
    But stay'd and made the western welkin blush,
    When English measure backward their own ground
    In faint retire. O, bravely came we off,
    When with a volley of our needless shot,
    After such bloody toil, we bid good night;
    And wound our tattering colours clearly up,
    Last in the field, and almost lords of it!

    Enter a Messenger

Messenger

    Where is my prince, the Dauphin?

LEWIS

    Here: what news?

Messenger

    The Count Melun is slain; the English lords
    By his persuasion are again fall'n off,
    And your supply, which you have wish'd so long,
    Are cast away and sunk on Goodwin Sands.

LEWIS

    Ah, foul shrewd news! beshrew thy very heart!
    I did not think to be so sad to-night
    As this hath made me. Who was he that said
    King John did fly an hour or two before
    The stumbling night did part our weary powers?

Messenger

    Whoever spoke it, it is true, my lord.

LEWIS

    Well; keep good quarter and good care to-night:
    The day shall not be up so soon as I,
    To try the fair adventure of to-morrow.

    Exeunt