The Black Prince Author:Maurice Baring Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ACT I SCENE I Hall in the Black Prince's Palace at Bordeaux. A Veteran, the Nurse, and a Courtier Veteran To-morrow morning our most noble sovran... more » Edward, the Duke of Aquitaine, and heir Of England, gallant Edward, the Black Prince, Sets out to fight King Henry of Castile, With John of Gaunt his brother, and the flower Of England's chivalry. Before the dawn He starts; thus must we stir betimes to-morrow To bid farewell, and wish Godspeed. Nurse Not once The Prince has gone to war but I have held His stirrup with a blessing and a prayer. Veteran Do you remember him a little child ? Nurse A child ? I mind him ever since his birth : He at the first grew quickly as the grass In April, or a lamb in windy March. When came the Summer, how he would pester me To take him to the hayfields ; more than aught He loved to gambol in the hay, or lie On a green hillock, gazing at the Heavens, And listening to the music of the scythe : And oft, when I had searched and panted long, I found him buried in the hay; dear heart, How he would fright me by the water's edge ! I mind the day when screaming for sheer joy He ran to meet me with a speckled egg, The first that he had found. I mind my tears, The time when he set sail for France and Crecy, All clad, my tender lamb, in heavy armour, And mounted on a warhorse, with a sword Beside him, big enough to please a giant. He was turned sixteen years ; beneath his helmet His innocent fresh face was like a cherub's : Oh ! 'twas a sorry shame I thought, that day, To take my pretty darling to the war, And bitterly I wept; but he was strong And tough as a young sapling in the forest, And nimble as a bee. Veteran Wa...« less