CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
- HENRY III, King of England
- EARL OF KENT
- EARL OF ALBEMARLE
- EARL OF PEMBROKE
- ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
- BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
- LORD WYNNE
- COUNT DE ROUILLET, attending Adelais
- STEPHEN GODFREY, a soldier
- ORSON, a servant to Glaia
- ADELAIS, a princess of France
- MARGARET, wife of Kent
- ELEANOR, wife of Albemarle
- GLAIA, ward of Kent
- ELDRA, servant to Glaia
- Lords and ladies of the court, barons, prelates, guards, attendants, &c.
Time: 13th Century
Scene: England
ACT I
Scene 1. Autumn in Greenot woods near Glaia's cottage. Table, seats, mugs and ale. Enter Eldra with a plate of cakes.
Eld. [Putting plate on table] It's the very day and hour he'll be coming, and he's not the man to count leaves by the roadside. He likes my cookin', as I've had proof, and he looks so cunnin' at me lately I could swear he was fallin' in love all over again. And I'm picking up my looks, I must say. Ay, there's nothin' like a soft tongue for keepin' a woman young. I feel 'most like a lassie, though he did say some words at first that made my heart sore, not knowing me after ten years away. And he's that handsome yet,—since he's shaved off the beard that got so between us I didn't know my own good man that married me in Dummerlie kirk on as sweet a Sunday morn as you ever see, and the priest in a new frock from Wappington, as the housekeeper told me herself—La, I forgot my lady!
[Runs out. Stephen steps from behind a shrub]
Ste. So, mistress, you've known me all the time, have you? And me playin' the fool courtin' my own wife that was ready to jump into my arms at the drop o' a hat! But I'll play you a game, my lady!