Britain ... - Blue-Lite

386 THE VARANGIAN. [Act IV.
Enter Waltheof.
KING.
Welcome, right worthy Earl.
Thy coming is well timed, for thou dost wear
A soldier's weapon, and in giant strength
Mightst rival famed Sir Bevis. Nor would thy
Unflinching virtue and unshaken truth
Do offices of good to those who put
Our high authority to shame, as here
Too long these rebel slaves have done, or stain
With one disloyal
act thy well-tried courage.
WALTHEOF.
My gracious sovereign, at thy feet I bow,
And offer here my sword. If in thy wrath
Thou to the hilt should st it in plunge my blood,
With my last breath I shall applaud the deed,
And own it is the doom I
justly
merit.
KING.
Northumberland, in thee our confidence
And faith have long been placed ; and thou hast shone
Amid our stormy councils like a star
To guide us to the shrine of infant Peace,
New born to bless thy country ;
while in love
And service fast to bind thee to our heart,
With king-becoming gifts thy worth we crowned,
And our imperial blood allied to thine :
It therefore cannot be, that thou shouldst do
A. deed beyond our pardon.
WALTHEOF.
Ah, my liege !
I now am fallen from honour's glorious height,
Where, like a goodly cedar, long I towered