Floris, Count of Holland (onder ps. Niels Kobet)
(1976)–Frits Bolkestein–
Auteursrechtelijk beschermd
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Scene I
A room in Floris' castle.
Floris and Beatrice.
floris
Surprise and valour gave us victory.
While still at sea I split our fleet in two.
I took one half myself and told the rest
To wait until the morning and conceal
Themselves, while my contingent gained the land
And drew the Frisians away from their
Own camp: their rampart and defense against
The hot and murderous embrace of my
Embattled troops. This plan we carried out.
I got my men to put ashore not far
From where the Frisians had pitched their camp.
The night fell rapidly. We had to wait
Till morning grudgingly gave us a pale
And frigid light. The gusts of wind were hard
And miserably cold. No sleep, no food
And bodies almost numb. The Frisians
Advanced in furious and foaming rage.
They broke their ranks and vied who would display
The greatest courage by attaining us,
The hated enemy, the first. I had
Arranged my pikemen and my archers in
Their sturdy, disciplined and oft-rehearsed
Formations, that withstood their onslaught just
As rocks remain unyielding in a storm
And cause the waves to break and melt away
As foam. Tremendous was the shock but soon
Impetuous intensity was made
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To feel the weight of skilled experience.
At first my men advanced but slowly, step
By hard-fought step, but then one Frisian
Lost heart and in despair turned round and fled
To what he thought was safety. This became
A signal for the greatest part of that
Excited but unsteady crowd to beat
A hasty and disorderly retreat.
My other troops had meanwhile landed where
The Frisians had kept their ships. The guards
Were killed or put to flight within the hour.
My men had just set fire to one of their
Archaic cutters when they heard the first
Of that disheartened rabble drawing near.
They were thus in good time to welcome them
As anvil to the hammer on my side.
A number of the Frisians, caught in
This ring of steel, was killed; another part
Endeavoured to escape my veterans
By swimming out to sea. Alas for them,
The current was too strong - they sank from sight.
beatrice
Did none of those unlucky men survive?
floris
About one half remained. My officers
Proposed that they, without exception, should
Be killed but I preferred to follow the
Example of my Father who was wont
To separate the captains from the men
That in obedience and guiltlessness
Are used to do as told. I ordered my
Victorious troops to let the soldiers go,
But did allow them to retain the clothes
And trinkets that the enemy had brought.
Thus naked did they have to find their way.
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The captains and the noblemen I kept
As surety for good behaviour and
So that their ransom might defray the costs
Of this campaign.
beatrice
And did you find the grave?
floris
I did, but had to make more use than is
My habit of the rack and burning coals
To find out that before the battle there
Were four alive who had been witnesses
Of that event, now forty years ago.
And three of them had died in my attack...
The fourth took long to find and longer still
To persuade. At last the tortures caused
Him to reveal the place: a chimney in
A humble house. Beneath its hearth we found
My Father's skeleton. We wrapped it in
The finest cloth and brought it home with us.
I thank the Lord that I can soon perform
My duty to his soul and give his bones
A decent burial. He was a man
Of courage, honesty, restraint and pride:
A bubbling source of strength for all his men.
How young he was, no more than twenty-eight,
When he came to that ignominious end.
We must prepare ourselves to end our brief
Existence and to leave this ruthless world
At any sudden time.
beatrice
Please, Floris, stop
That melancholy talk! My mood is black
Enough. This land is full of clanking troops.
My mind's assailed by doubts. My body is
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Distended to accomodate the fruit
That's fully grown. My womb is yearning for
Delivery as does my soul for peace.
floris
Dear Beatrice - I know these times are hard
And shall no longer weary you with my
Discussions on affairs of state and war.
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Scene II
The English Court.
King Edward; Edmund of Lancaster, his brother.
edward
I'm getting old. I'm not the man I used
To be. In Syria, when on crusade,
They said I was the strongest lance that fought
Against the Turk. But that was twenty years
Ago. Since then my wife has died, my dear
Eleanor, who has left a desert in
My heart. Her Father battled with the Moor
And gained Cadiz, Seville and Cordoba
For Christianity. Our Mother too
Has died, whose sister Margaret was wife
Of Louis King of France. That wilful pair
Of women formed the link between the Crowns
Of France and England, which has gone as well.
I do not like or trust its present King.
I had four sons. But two of them remain.
The other two are dead. My chancelor
Burnell is also dead. For eighteen years
He served the cause of England and my own.
It often seems our acts are no more of
Account than are the withered leaves that fall
In autumn from the trees. We live to die.
edmund
The law remains.
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edward
The law remains. To each
His own. An instrument to stem the rush
Of turbulence and pride. A tool to bring
All men within the reach of justice and
The Courts. The only way in which the weight
Of force is made to yield to rule and wit.
Stability. Proportion. Precedent.
Those are the cornerstones that hold erect
The legal edifice and form the bounds
Of any orderly and peaceful realm.
I could not tolerate the Welsh to stay
Apart and to infect the Marcher Earls
With their vindictive disposition and
Habitual revenge. They have been brought
Within the law. They've lost through negligence
The gains of their agility and as
Their chieftains lack unanimous intent
The natural advantages of free
And hardy mountaineers gave way before
Our disciplined assault and better arms.
And so the Earl of Warwick caught the last
Of those rebellious chiefs: at night he placed
A ring of cavalry and archers round
The desperate and bitter band. The Welsh
Did not give in. They stuck their spears into
The ground and turned the points against the charge.
But first the bolts and arrows broke their ranks
And then our horse dispersed and killed them off.
edmund
As Wales has gone so Scotland now must go.
Enter footman.
footman
My Lord, the Bishop Antony is here.
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edward
Let him come in.
Footman exit.
Enter Antony Bek, Bishop of Durham.
How goes it, Antony?
How did you do, across the sea, and what's
Your news?
antony bek
My Lord, the Count of Holland would
Conclude a treaty with your Majesty.
His only child, a girl, is fourteen years:
He puts her forward as Alfonso's bride.
edward
What dowry would she bring?
antony bek
One half of all
The lands that Floris owns, provided that
No son is borne to him.
edward
What chance of that?
antony bek
His wife, the Count of Flanders' child, has yet
To bear a son that lives past infancy
And she appears of sickly character.
edward
What is the value of those lands of his?
antony bek
The sum of eighteen thousand pounds per year.
edward
What does he want himself?
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antony bek
Your wool.
edward
Aha!
I should have known. The mainspring of our wealth.
Its power came to light as a result
Of disputes that the Countess Margaret
Of Flanders, mother of the present Count,
Had with my Father Henry. Bent with age,
Though not of will, she claimed my Father owed
Arrears of pension and sought recompense
By seizing all the goods of Englishmen
That happened to be in her land. A most
Unwise idea, thought her countrymen.
My Father had no sooner ordered all
Our merchants to abstain from trading wool
With Flanders or her citizens were out
Of work. She did not give in easily.
Three years she managed to hold out against
Her people's bitter discontent. At last
She bowed her head. I settled all complaints
With Guy, her son, an old crusading friend.
That was, however, the occasion when
I gathered in my hands control of all
The wool that leaves these shores and when I placed
A standing duty on each sack: a good
And profitable source of revenue.
Why does he want our wool at such a price?
antony bek
The more to sap and weaken Guy Dampierre,
With whom he seems intent to go to war.
edward
I see. What sort of man is he?
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antony bek
A strong
And forceful one. Well built, of middle height,
With clear and penetrating eyes. He seems
Of energetic character and most
Ambitious for his country and himself.
His ruthlessness is not in doubt: some of
His men are plainly disaffected.
edward
That
Might be a future source of strength for us.
Now let me see - what costs, what benefits
Would be the consequence of such a move?
The wool itself might just as well be sold
In Holland as in Flanders, as its yield
Does not depend upon the place of sale.
The dowry of his daughter Margaret,
While not enormous, still deserves respect.
But more important is the weight I add
To England's influence in that obscure
Yet growing corner of the continent.
The Duke of Brabant is our ally and
Our relative: my eldest daughter has
Been promised to his son in marriage.
Alfonso's marriage to Floris' girl
Could be the counterpart and cornerstone
That would complete an iron Triangle
Of Brabant, Holland and Plantagenet
To dominate the rivers and the seas
That hold the wealth of Europe and the world.
So far, so good. There is one major fault
That must be rectified. The impact of
This shift in balance would, of course, distress
The Count of Flanders, as indeed is the
Intention: just as well that he should be
Reminded of the source of all his wealth.
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We should however not let Floris go
So far in his pugnacity as to
Embark upon an actual state of war
With Guy Dampierre and so disturb the peace
That Flanders needs in order to resist
The French... The Count of Holland must be made
To see the light of reason.
Let us be
Oblique. He is a fighting friend of John,
The Duke of Brabant, whom he helped to win
His battle with the Bishop of Cologne.
Let Brabant be our instrument to make
And keep the peace between those two.
Yes - tell the Count of Holland we accept!
antony bek
He also lays a claim to Scotland's throne
Through his descent from Ada Huntingdon
And asks for your support.
edward
Why, let him be
The thirteenth claimant to that throne and let
Him try his luck. He is not likely to
Succeed, for three of David Huntingdon's
Descendants - Hastings, Baliol and Bruce-
Are still alive today and are preferred
To those that stem from David's sister.
But
He must declare, as all the others have,
That all pretended right must be professed
To him, and judged by him, who has been shown
To have the power and the cognizance
To hear and to decide: that is to say,
To me, to Edward, King of England, Duke
Of Aquitaine and Scotland's sovereign Lord.
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Scene III
A room in Floris' castle.
Floris and the Friar.
floris
So far your fears have been unjustified.
The Frisians have now been broken and
My Father's soul can rest in peace. It's true,
The fortresses I hold in pawn have been
Invested by that idiotic rogue
The Bishop of Utrecht, but they are held
By Amstel and by Velzen and will not
Surrender soon. King Edward has become
Supporter of my cause. I now must turn
My mind to Zeeland, whither I shall soon
Depart with new and rested troops, to clear
The way and build a sturdy base from which
I can thereafter take the battle to
The cities and the heartland that make up
The power and the wealth of Guy Dampierre.
friar
So far my fears have been in vain. One should
However not acclaim the day until
The evening has come and so beware
Of Edward: England's guiding principle
Has always been to let the others fight,
The better to control the much reduced
And weak survivor of the fight.
Beware
Of what the Frisians may do, once you
Have turned your back: they do not easily
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Take to the bit that you have forced into
Their mouth and may rise once again to fight
A last despairing battle for a free
And independent land.
Beware of Guy:
He is a sly and cunning man who is
Not likely to forget the impact of
His gold on disaffected noblemen.
Postpone your march to Zeeland and relieve
Instead the knights that are now threatened by
The Bishop of Utrecht.
floris
I do not feel
The need to hasten to their aid. Those men
Are safely put away and neutralized
While I establish law and order in
The South. I can moreover dry the tears
And sup the charms of Velzen's succulent
And spicy wife.
friar
Oh Floris!
floris
Father?
friar
No!
Not that, not that, do not add guilt to all
The hazards that you are to undertake!
floris
Why, it's a trifle she's not likely to
Deny.
friar
Remember David, Floris, think
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Of David and Bathsheba! Do not kill
Uriah for the pleasure of the hour!
floris
I too have read the book of Samuel.
The child of David and Bathsheba had
The name of Solomon, Beloved of
The Lord.
friar
leaving
The sword shall never leave your house.
Enter Maud.
floris
Why, tell me Maud, what's rounder than a wheel?
And what can fill the valleys to the brim?
What dresses best in royal halls? And whose
May be the whitest breast?
maud
It's snow that fills
The valleys and the sun is rounder than
A wheel. It's courage that can dress the best.
The whitest breast is mine.
But what can call
A greater distance than the crane? And what
Is quicker than a deer? And what can make
The widest bridge? And whose the strongest arm?
floris
The call of thunder goes the longer way.
My thought of you is quicker than a deer.
It's ice that makes the widest bridge, and mine
The strongest arm.
Whose beard is worn upon
His back? And what is whiter than a swan?
Or blacker than a bolt? The coldest bed
Is whose?
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maud
The peewit's beard is on his back.
An angel's whiter than a swan. It's sin
That's blacker than a bolt. The coldest bed
Is mine.
floris
And whose the warmest heart?
maud
It's yours.
floris
The whitest breast.
maud
The strongest arm.
floris
It's yours.
They laugh.
maud
The warmest heart.
floris
The coldest bed.
maud
It's yours.
They kiss; exeunt.
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Scene IV
A prison.
Floris.
floris
What Godforsaken fool am I! Why did
I trust that doublecrossing scoundrel with
His treacherous proposals of a place
‘Where you can safely meet with Guy Dampierre
In order to discuss your various
Indictments and complaints so that you may
Compose your quarrels and tranquillity
May once again return to both your lands’.
How could I ever have believed that John
Would be a loyal and trustworthy friend
Because I helped him in his battle with
The Bishop of Cologne?
My rule is not
To trust a single man whose interests
Are different from mine. I broke that rule.
And then: what recklessness to come alone!
I wonder what his price has been, the rat!
By God, if ever I get out of this
Disgusting, foul and stinking hole - beware!
I told the Friar that it's either eat
Or else be eaten. Little did I know
How soon my turn would come to serve as meat.
Enter John, Duke of Brabant.
Why, Duke of Brabant, welcome to this hall,
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My trusted comrade of the battlefield!
I'm honoured by your visit. Do forgive
The sparseness of the furniture and pay
No heed to any furry little beasts
That you may see along those cheerful walls.
They are my pets and keep me company.
And have some wine! Perhaps it tastes as if
It were but putrid water but I can
Assure you that it once belonged to the
Distinguished cellar of the Bishop of
Cologne, the man whom we together fought.
john
I understand that you must feel betrayed.
floris
Not only do I feel betrayed: I am!
john
Please hear me out: I think I can explain.
floris
What reasons can explain the breaking of
A truce?
john
The higher interests of both
Your lands, of Holland and of Flanders.
floris
Why,
I think you mean the higher interests
Of John, the Duke of Brabant!
john
No I'm not
Concerned, I merely used this stratagem
To force the two of you to come to terms.
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floris
Your equitable impartiality
Must surely also have arranged for the
Imprisonment of Guy, so that we can
Negotiate or fight on equal ground.
john
No, Guy is free but ready to come down
And talk it out and come to some consent.
floris
How kind of him. Please give him my regards
And tell him I will not negotiate
As long as I am kept a prisoner.
john
Well, think it over, you'll have ample time.
John exit.
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Scene V
A room.
John of Brabant. Guy Dampierre, Count of Flanders.
guy
What does the rascal say?
john
His mood is foul.
He says he does not want to come to terms.
guy
I'll send a man to kill him.
john
No you won't!
I'm doing this because we all need peace
And not in order to create a cause
For endless war.
guy
I can't afford to have
A fight on both my borders. Philip's men
Are pressing hard to gain advantages
For France. I must dispatch this man while he
Is in my power.
john
Not while I am here!
I got ahold of him so he would have
To listen to your argument but not
To make him lose his head. I'm sure he'll see
The wisdom of a tripartite consent.
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guy
And what exactly does that mean?
john
It means
That you and he will part in peace...
guy
In peace!
john
...And that you each allow the other to
Appoint a certain number of the men
That rule those miserable islands which
Are clearly of such vital interest
To each of you that you are bent upon
A war.
guy
I've told you once before: it's not
Those islands in themselves that are of such
Concern to me - it's just that I cannot
Afford to have this mad adventurer
Continuously worrying within
My own backyard because I have much more
Important fish to fry.
john
I think that he
Will be prepared to leave your land alone.
guy
Can I be sure that he will keep his word?
john
I shall myself give bond and guarantee.
guy
The bond is twenty thousand pounds.
john
Agreed.
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Scene VI
A prison.
Floris.
floris
There's little I can do. These walls look strong.
I do not think I can escape, at least
Not easily nor soon. I kept my trip
A secret from my men. The Friar does
Not know where I have gone, nor when I would
Return. I can't expect much help from him.
I fear I'll have to come to terms and bide
My time until I can collect this debt
With interest.
Who would have thought that John
Was capable of such a perfidy?
Enter John, Duke of Brabant.
john
Whatever you may think, I am your friend.
You helped me once - I'll help you in return.
Your war with Guy is most unwise and will,
By harming both of you, bring benefit
To France, whose King is most desirous to
Extend his power to include the mouths
Of those great waterways through which the wealth
Of Europe is transported to the sea.
You must compose your quarrels and present
A single front. Those islands which have been
The incident and cause of all this strife
Are simply not commensurate with all
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The risks and dangers that you undertake.
You should allow them to return to the
Obscurity which they so richly have
Deserved.
I have proposed the following
To Guy and he already has agreed.
I have proposed that both of you depart
From here in peace; and that you each appoint
An equal number of the magistrates
To rule the islands that will form a sphere
Of separate but equal interest.
Of this agreement I have promised to
Remain a bondsman and a guarantor
With twenty thousand pounds at risk. Are you,
Like Guy, prepared to stake your name on the
Observance of this firm agreement?
floris
Yes!
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Scene VII
A room in Floris' castle.
Floris and the Friar.
friar
For God's sake, leave the man alone until
You have had time to rearrange and mend
Your interests in Zeeland, after this
Disastrous episode, and put to use
Your marvelous good fortune, having had
A son. Forget the Flemish; concentrate
Upon your own affairs; do not forget
That by attacking Flanders you will add
Another enemy to those that you
Already have: I do not think the Duke
Of Brabant will be overcome with joy
To realise that he has lost the sum
Of twenty thousand pounds.
floris
I must impose
My will on those of Zeeland's noblemen
That treacherously cherish and support
The Flemish lion - and strike fast or else
The rot will spread. As yet I do not have
To fear attack from other parts because
The Frisians are turned into a scared
And witless crowd while over in the East
The Bishop of Utrecht is still contained.
But who can tell how long all that will last?
I cannot hesitate but must at once
Invade the provinces of Guy while he
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Is still preoccupied with the to him
Far greater danger of attack from France.
But yes, I also must negotiate
A new and better treaty with the King
Of England, now that I have had a son
Whose birth invalidates the heart and main
Component of the present protocol.
friar
I think that you are being most unwise
But go with God - I wish you well.
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Scene VIII
Beatrice's room.
Beatrice.
beatrice.
This joyless life will shortly end for me.
It's just as well. The bitter cup is full.
I've been no more than a receptacle
And breeding ground for Floris' seed. What love,
What thought or what affection has he had
For me? Ambition, lust and clashing pride
Is what has filled this place. I hate it now.
How young and gay I was when first I came
To this austere and sombre world, this world
Of men, where women are of no account
Except as animals of pleasure and
As instruments to breed and reproduce.
How young and gay I was: how quickly I
Was brought to heel; how long did I deceive
Myself that this was as it ought to be.
I would have been content with just a bit
Of lightness, just a touch of colour or
Of fantasy - a thoughtful word, a kind
Remark - a little common charity.
But as I've lived so shall I die, a cold
Ungrateful death, a stern and mournful priest
Beside my bed, my husband doubtlessly
Engaged in what he always calls ‘Affairs
Of State’ - that is, unless he grunts and snorts
Between the legs of Maud, that bitch on heat.
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Why, let him win his battles, let him win
His wars against the Frisians and let
Him break the Bishop's back. Yes, let him beat
My Father's army and the King of France.
What does it mean? How long will all that last?
A border here, a bailiff there, what is
The difference for ordinary folk?
The glory that is won by some, it seems,
Inevitably means the misery
Of other men. The only thing that counts
Is peace, within oneself and in the world.
The rest is words - just empty sounds - just noise.
Enter Floris.
floris
Oh Beatrice, I cannot say how proud
I am of you for having given me
A son and heir. The country thanks our Lord
For this divine assistance in a time
Of danger and uncertainty. You must
Be pleased yourself.
beatrice
I am.
floris
If only he
Will live! You must look after him yourself!
beatrice
I shall.
floris
This means that Margaret will not
Bring any dowry to her marriage
And that my treaty with King Edward will
Be null and void. You see, your fears about
Your daughter were unjustified.
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beatrice
I see.
floris
Our son would be an even better link
Between the Houses of Plantagenet
And Holland, don't you think?
beatrice
Of course.
floris
And how are you yourself?
beatrice
A little weak.
floris
You must be careful to take as much rest
As you may need to nurse yourself to health.
Floris exit.
beatrice
So little gain,
So much in vain
Such utter selfishness;
Why all this pain
Just to attain
A little happiness?
My husband chose
To cut this rose
And now it is forlorn;
My death is close
I envy those
That never have been born.
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