All original dramatic works including 'The Viziers of Bassora', 'Rodogune', 'Perseus the Deliverer', 'Eric' and 'Vasavadutta'.; and works of prose fiction.
All original dramatic works and works of prose fiction. Volume 1: The Viziers of Bassora, Rodogune, and Perseus the Deliverer. Volume II: Eric and Vasavadutta; seven incomplete or fragmentary plays; and six stories, two of them complete.
A Play
BRUTUS - Prince of Britain.
CORINEUS, ASSARAC - his brothers.
DEVON - son of Corineus.
Sons of Brutus CAMBRE - Prince of Cambria. ALBANACT - Prince of Albany. LOCRINE - Prince of Leogrys. HUMBER - King of Norway.
OFFA, SIGFRID - Norwegian leaders.
GUENDOLEN - daughter of Corineus.
ESTRILD - A Pictish princess, concubine of Humber.
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The camp of Humber.
Humber, Offa, Norwegians.
HUMBER Drinkhael, dragons and stormwinds of the sea!
(drinks)
Spare not to drain this sweetened force of earth, You Vikings! How it bubbles to the lips Vigorous as newspilt blood. Drink deep, and shout "Glory to Thor and Humber!" With the sun Upon the force of Albanact we march. Shout, Norsemen! Let the heavens hear your menace. Drinkhael!
ALL Washael! Glory to ancient Thor And Humber.
HUMBER I am the hammer old of Thor When he would crush the nations. He is merry With wine and smites the world with me.
Or wherefore Should I derive my glory? Have I not Rushed through the angry waters when the whale Was stunned between two waves and slain my foe
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Betwixt the thunders? Have not the burning hamlets Of Gaul lighted me homeward for a league? Erin has felt me, Norsemen.
ALL Glory to Humber.
HUMBER Have I not slain the Alban hosts and bound The necks of princes? Yea, their glorious star And wonder for whom three kingdoms strove, Estrild, Led to my ships? The queens of the Orcades Are slaves and concubines to private Norsemen.
ALL Glory to Humber, Thor's hammer! Humber! Humber!
HUMBER Have I not harried Ireland, Denmark, Orkney? Shattered the Pictish wheels, broken their scythes, Unpeopled living tracts? Why then prefer you Thor's self to me? Has he filled up your ships With gold and wines of France, rich rings and jewels, Metals untold and beautiful sharp steel? Who has enriched and aggrandized you all Till you are gods, to each hand a country's wealth, To each sword a century's glory? Who has given The commonest man beauty divine to sleep with, Made queens your slaves and kings your thralls, you Norsemen?
ALL Humber, Humber! Not Thor, but mightier Humber.
HUMBER Drink, Norsemen. Ye shall all be kings. Scotia And Albany and Ireland shall be mine. I'll have as many kingdoms as the year
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Has moons. Do you doubt me, Vikings? Do you mutter? But you shall see my glory. Call Estrild, You thralls of Humber.
ALL Glory to great Humber! Humber shall now be Thor. He shall new-make The bones of Heimir in his hands. Cry "Humber!"
HUMBER This river we ascend, shall now no more Bear its old name but mine; and all this region Be Albany no more but Humberland. The world's name changed shall be my monument.
Enter thralls with Estrild.
ESTRILD Gods, if you be, protect me!
HUMBER Lo she whose starlike eyes enthral the nations, Comes to do reverence to Humber, glad To be his glory's meanest satellite. Kneel down, daughter of princes, favoured more Than Freya or Gudrun; for these were wives Of gods or demigods, but thou the slave Of Humber. Lo whose pleasure kingdoms strove To do, is made my footstool. I have slain Nations to win her and have ravished her Before her father's eyes, not yet made blood And faces of a hundred warlike lovers. Yet all these could not help her cries.
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ALL Humber!
OFFA The strong, the noble Humber!
HUMBER Girl, arise And serve me. Thou shalt do it royally. This is thy father's skull [incomplete]
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