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diff --git a/2249-0.txt b/2249-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6fb2e23 --- /dev/null +++ b/2249-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3393 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2249 *** + + +Executive Director's Notes: + +In addition to the notes below, and so you will *NOT* think all +the spelling errors introduced by the printers of the time have +been corrected, here are the first few lines of Hamlet, as they +are presented herein: + + Barnardo. Who's there? + Fran. Nay answer me: Stand & vnfold +your selfe + + Bar. Long liue the King + + * * * * * + +As I understand it, the printers often ran out of certain words +or letters they had often packed into a "cliche". . .this is the +original meaning of the term cliche. . .and thus, being unwilling +to unpack the cliches, and thus you will see some substitutions +that look very odd. . .such as the exchanges of u for v, v for u, +above. . .and you may wonder why they did it this way, presuming +Shakespeare did not actually write the play in this manner. . . . + +The answer is that they MAY have packed "liue" into a cliche at a +time when they were out of "v"'s. . .possibly having used "vv" in +place of some "w"'s, etc. This was a common practice of the day, +as print was still quite expensive, and they didn't want to spend +more on a wider selection of characters than they had to. + +You will find a lot of these kinds of "errors" in this text, as I +have mentioned in other times and places, many "scholars" have an +extreme attachment to these errors, and many have accorded them a +very high place in the "canon" of Shakespeare. My father read an +assortment of these made available to him by Cambridge University +in England for several months in a glass room constructed for the +purpose. To the best of my knowledge he read ALL those available +. . .in great detail. . .and determined from the various changes, +that Shakespeare most likely did not write in nearly as many of a +variety of errors we credit him for, even though he was in/famous +for signing his name with several different spellings. + +So, please take this into account when reading the comments below +made by our volunteer who prepared this file: you may see errors +that are "not" errors. . . . + +So. . .with this caveat. . .we have NOT changed the canon errors, +here is the Project Gutenberg Etext of Shakespeare's The first +Part of Henry the Sixt. + +Michael S. Hart +Project Gutenberg +Executive Director + + * * * * * + +Scanner's Notes: + +What this is and isn't. This was taken from a copy of +Shakespeare's first folio and it is as close as I can come in +ASCII to the printed text. + +The elongated S's have been changed to small s's and the +conjoined ae have been changed to ae. I have left the spelling, +punctuation, capitalization as close as possible to the printed +text. I have corrected some spelling mistakes (I have put +together a spelling dictionary devised from the spellings of +the Geneva Bible and Shakespeare's First Folio and have unified +spellings according to this template), typo's and expanded +abbreviations as I have come across them. Everything within +brackets [] is what I have added. So if you don't like that you +can delete everything within the brackets if you want a purer +Shakespeare. + +Another thing that you should be aware of is that there are +textual differences between various copies of the first folio. So +there may be differences (other than what I have mentioned above) +between this and other first folio editions. This is due to the +printer's habit of setting the type and running off a number of +copies and then proofing the printed copy and correcting the type +and then continuing the printing run. The proof run wasn't thrown +away but incorporated into the printed copies. This is just the +way it is. The text I have used was a composite of more than 30 +different First Folio editions' best pages. + +David Reed + +===================================================================== + + + + +The life and death of King John + + +Actus Primus, Scaena Prima. + +Enter King Iohn, Queene Elinor, Pembroke, Essex, and Salisbury, +with the +Chattylion of France. + + King Iohn. Now say Chatillion, what would France with vs? + Chat. Thus (after greeting) speakes the King +of France, +In my behauiour to the Maiesty, +The borrowed Maiesty of England heere + + Elea. A strange beginning: borrowed Maiesty? + K.Iohn. Silence (good mother) heare the Embassie + + Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalfe +Of thy deceased brother, Geffreyes sonne, +Arthur Plantaginet, laies most lawfull claime +To this faire Iland, and the Territories: +To Ireland, Poyctiers, Aniowe, Torayne, Maine, +Desiring thee to lay aside the sword +Which swaies vsurpingly these seuerall titles, +And put the same into yong Arthurs hand, +Thy Nephew, and right royall Soueraigne + + K.Iohn. What followes if we disallow of this? + Chat. The proud controle of fierce and bloudy warre, +To inforce these rights, so forcibly with-held, + K.Io. Heere haue we war for war, & bloud for bloud, +Controlement for controlement: so answer France + + Chat. Then take my Kings defiance from my mouth, +The farthest limit of my Embassie + + K.Iohn. Beare mine to him, and so depart in peace, +Be thou as lightning in the eies of France; +For ere thou canst report, I will be there: +The thunder of my Cannon shall be heard. +So hence: be thou the trumpet of our wrath, +And sullen presage of your owne decay: +An honourable conduct let him haue, +Pembroke looke too't: farewell Chattillion. + +Exit Chat. and Pem. + + Ele. What now my sonne, haue I not euer said +How that ambitious Constance would not cease +Till she had kindled France and all the world, +Vpon the right and party of her sonne. +This might haue beene preuented, and made whole +With very easie arguments of loue, +Which now the mannage of two kingdomes must +With fearefull bloudy issue arbitrate + + K.Iohn. Our strong possession, and our right for vs + + Eli. Your strong possessio[n] much more then your right, +Or else it must go wrong with you and me, +So much my conscience whispers in your eare, +Which none but heauen, and you, and I, shall heare. +Enter a Sheriffe. + + Essex. My Liege, here is the strangest controuersie +Come from the Country to be iudg'd by you +That ere I heard: shall I produce the men? + K.Iohn. Let them approach: +Our Abbies and our Priories shall pay +This expeditions charge: what men are you? +Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip. + + Philip. Your faithfull subiect, I a gentleman, +Borne in Northamptonshire, and eldest sonne +As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge, +A Souldier by the Honor-giuing-hand +Of Cordelion, Knighted in the field + + K.Iohn. What art thou? + Robert. The son and heire to that same Faulconbridge + + K.Iohn. Is that the elder, and art thou the heyre? +You came not of one mother then it seemes + + Philip. Most certain of one mother, mighty King, +That is well knowne, and as I thinke one father: +But for the certaine knowledge of that truth, +I put you o're to heauen, and to my mother; +Of that I doubt, as all mens children may + + Eli. Out on thee rude man, y dost shame thy mother, +And wound her honor with this diffidence + + Phil. I Madame? No, I haue no reason for it, +That is my brothers plea, and none of mine, +The which if he can proue, a pops me out, +At least from faire fiue hundred pound a yeere: +Heauen guard my mothers honor, and my Land + + K.Iohn. A good blunt fellow: why being yonger born +Doth he lay claime to thine inheritance? + Phil. I know not why, except to get the land: +But once he slanderd me with bastardy: +But where I be as true begot or no, +That still I lay vpon my mothers head, +But that I am as well begot my Liege +(Faire fall the bones that tooke the paines for me) +Compare our faces, and be Iudge your selfe +If old Sir Robert did beget vs both, +And were our father, and this sonne like him: +O old sir Robert Father, on my knee +I giue heauen thankes I was not like to thee + + K.Iohn. Why what a mad-cap hath heauen lent vs here? + Elen. He hath a tricke of Cordelions face, +The accent of his tongue affecteth him: +Doe you not read some tokens of my sonne +In the large composition of this man? + K.Iohn. Mine eye hath well examined his parts, +And findes them perfect Richard: sirra speake, +What doth moue you to claime your brothers land + + Philip. Because he hath a half-face like my father? +With halfe that face would he haue all my land, +A halfe-fac'd groat, fiue hundred pound a yeere? + Rob. My gracious Liege, when that my father liu'd, +Your brother did imploy my father much + + Phil. Well sir, by this you cannot get my land, +Your tale must be how he employ'd my mother + + Rob. And once dispatch'd him in an Embassie +To Germany, there with the Emperor +To treat of high affaires touching that time: +Th' aduantage of his absence tooke the King, +And in the meane time soiourn'd at my fathers; +Where how he did preuaile, I shame to speake: +But truth is truth, large lengths of seas and shores +Betweene my father, and my mother lay, +As I haue heard my father speake himselfe +When this same lusty gentleman was got: +Vpon his death-bed he by will bequeath'd +His lands to me, and tooke it on his death +That this my mothers sonne was none of his; +And if he were, he came into the world +Full fourteene weekes before the course of time: +Then good my Liedge let me haue what is mine, +My fathers land, as was my fathers will + + K.Iohn. Sirra, your brother is Legittimate, +Your fathers wife did after wedlocke beare him: +And if she did play false, the fault was hers, +Which fault lyes on the hazards of all husbands +That marry wiues: tell me, how if my brother +Who as you say, tooke paines to get this sonne, +Had of your father claim'd this sonne for his, +Insooth, good friend, your father might haue kept +This Calfe, bred from his Cow from all the world: +Insooth he might: then if he were my brothers, +My brother might not claime him, nor your father +Being none of his, refuse him: this concludes, +My mothers sonne did get your fathers heyre, +Your fathers heyre must haue your fathers land + + Rob. Shal then my fathers Will be of no force, +To dispossesse that childe which is not his + + Phil. Of no more force to dispossesse me sir, +Then was his will to get me, as I think + + Eli. Whether hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge, +And like thy brother to enioy thy land: +Or the reputed sonne of Cordelion, +Lord of thy presence, and no land beside + + Bast. Madam, and if my brother had my shape +And I had his, sir Roberts his like him, +And if my legs were two such riding rods, +My armes, such eele skins stuft, my face so thin, +That in mine eare I durst not sticke a rose, +Lest men should say, looke where three farthings goes, +And to his shape were heyre to all this land, +Would I might neuer stirre from off this place, +I would giue it euery foot to haue this face: +It would not be sir nobbe in any case + + Elinor. I like thee well: wilt thou forsake thy fortune, +Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me? +I am a Souldier, and now bound to France + + Bast. Brother, take you my land, Ile take my chance; +Your face hath got fiue hundred pound a yeere, +Yet sell your face for fiue pence and 'tis deere: +Madam, Ile follow you vnto the death + + Elinor. Nay, I would haue you go before me thither + + Bast. Our Country manners giue our betters way + + K.Iohn. What is thy name? + Bast. Philip my Liege, so is my name begun, +Philip, good old Sir Roberts wiues eldest sonne + + K.Iohn. From henceforth beare his name +Whose forme thou bearest: +Kneele thou downe Philip, but rise more great, +Arise Sir Richard, and Plantagenet + + Bast. Brother by th' mothers side, giue me your hand, +My father gaue me honor, yours gaue land: +Now blessed be the houre by night or day +When I was got, Sir Robert was away + + Ele. The very spirit of Plantaginet: +I am thy grandame Richard, call me so + + Bast. Madam by chance, but not by truth, what tho; +Something about a little from the right, +In at the window, or else ore the hatch: +Who dares not stirre by day, must walke by night, +And haue is haue, how euer men doe catch: +Neere or farre off, well wonne is still well shot, +And I am I, how ere I was begot + + K.Iohn. Goe, Faulconbridge, now hast thou thy desire, +A landlesse Knight, makes thee a landed Squire: +Come Madam, and come Richard, we must speed +For France, for France, for it is more then need + + Bast. Brother adieu, good fortune come to thee, +For thou wast got i'th way of honesty. + +Exeunt. all but bastard. + + Bast. A foot of Honor better then I was, +But many a many foot of Land the worse. +Well, now can I make any Ioane a Lady, +Good den Sir Richard, Godamercy fellow, +And if his name be George, Ile call him Peter; +For new made honor doth forget mens names: +'Tis two respectiue, and too sociable +For your conuersion, now your traueller, +Hee and his tooth-picke at my worships messe, +And when my knightly stomacke is suffis'd, +Why then I sucke my teeth, and catechize +My picked man of Countries: my deare sir, +Thus leaning on mine elbow I begin, +I shall beseech you; that is question now, +And then comes answer like an Absey booke: +O sir, sayes answer, at your best command, +At your employment, at your seruice sir: +No sir, saies question, I sweet sir at yours, +And so ere answer knowes what question would, +Sauing in Dialogue of Complement, +And talking of the Alpes and Appenines, +The Perennean and the riuer Poe, +It drawes toward supper in conclusion so. +But this is worshipfull society, +And fits the mounting spirit like my selfe; +For he is but a bastard to the time +That doth not smoake of obseruation, +And so am I whether I smacke or no: +And not alone in habit and deuice, +Exterior forme, outward accoutrement; +But from the inward motion to deliuer +Sweet, sweet, sweet poyson for the ages tooth, +Which though I will not practice to deceiue, +Yet to auoid deceit I meane to learne; +For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising: +But who comes in such haste in riding robes? +What woman post is this? hath she no husband +That will take paines to blow a horne before her? +O me, 'tis my mother: how now good Lady, +What brings you heere to Court so hastily? +Enter Lady Faulconbridge and Iames Gurney. + + Lady. Where is that slaue thy brother? where is he? +That holds in chase mine honour vp and downe + + Bast. My brother Robert, old Sir Roberts sonne: +Colbrand the Gyant, that same mighty man, +Is it Sir Roberts sonne that you seeke so? + Lady. Sir Roberts sonne, I thou vnreuerend boy, +Sir Roberts sonne? why scorn'st thou at sir Robert? +He is Sir Roberts sonne, and so art thou + + Bast. Iames Gournie, wilt thou giue vs leaue a while? + Gour. Good leaue good Philip + + Bast. Philip, sparrow, Iames, +There's toyes abroad, anon Ile tell thee more. + +Exit Iames. + +Madam, I was not old Sir Roberts sonne, +Sir Robert might haue eat his part in me +Vpon good Friday, and nere broke his fast: +Sir Robert could doe well, marrie to confesse +Could get me sir Robert could not doe it; +We know his handy-worke, therefore good mother +To whom am I beholding for these limmes? +Sir Robert neuer holpe to make this legge + + Lady. Hast thou conspired with thy brother too, +That for thine owne gaine shouldst defend mine honor? +What meanes this scorne, thou most vntoward knaue? + Bast. Knight, knight good mother, Basilisco-like: +What, I am dub'd, I haue it on my shoulder: +But mother, I am not Sir Roberts sonne, +I haue disclaim'd Sir Robert and my land, +Legitimation, name, and all is gone; +Then good my mother, let me know my father, +Some proper man I hope, who was it mother? + Lady. Hast thou denied thy selfe a Faulconbridge? + Bast. As faithfully as I denie the deuill + + Lady. King Richard Cordelion was thy father, +By long and vehement suit I was seduc'd +To make roome for him in my husbands bed: +Heauen lay not my transgression to my charge, +That art the issue of my deere offence +Which was so strongly vrg'd past my defence + + Bast. Now by this light were I to get againe, +Madam I would not wish a better father: +Some sinnes doe beare their priuiledge on earth, +And so doth yours: your fault, was not your follie, +Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose, +Subiected tribute to commanding loue, +Against whose furie and vnmatched force, +The awlesse Lion could not wage the fight, +Nor keepe his Princely heart from Richards hand: +He that perforce robs Lions of their hearts, +May easily winne a womans: aye my mother, +With all my heart I thanke thee for my father: +Who liues and dares but say, thou didst not well +When I was got, Ile send his soule to hell. +Come Lady I will shew thee to my kinne, +And they shall say, when Richard me begot, +If thou hadst sayd him nay, it had beene sinne; +Who sayes it was, he lyes, I say twas not. + +Exeunt. + + +Scaena Secunda. + +Enter before Angiers, Philip King of France, Lewis, Daulphin, +Austria, +Constance, Arthur. + + Lewis. Before Angiers well met braue Austria, +Arthur that great fore-runner of thy bloud, +Richard that rob'd the Lion of his heart, +And fought the holy Warres in Palestine, +By this braue Duke came early to his graue: +And for amends to his posteritie, +At our importance hether is he come, +To spread his colours boy, in thy behalfe, +And to rebuke the vsurpation +Of thy vnnaturall Vncle, English Iohn, +Embrace him, loue him, giue him welcome hether + + Arth. God shall forgiue you Cordelions death +The rather, that you giue his off-spring life, +Shadowing their right vnder your wings of warre: +I giue you welcome with a powerlesse hand, +But with a heart full of vnstained loue, +Welcome before the gates Angiers Duke + + Lewis. A noble boy, who would not doe thee right? + Aust. Vpon thy cheeke lay I this zelous kisse, +As seale to this indenture of my loue: +That to my home I will no more returne +Till Angiers, and the right thou hast in France, +Together with that pale, that white-fac'd shore, +Whose foot spurnes backe the Oceans roaring tides, +And coopes from other lands her Ilanders, +Euen till that England hedg'd in with the maine, +That Water-walled Bulwarke, still secure +And confident from forreine purposes, +Euen till that vtmost corner of the West +Salute thee for her King, till then faire boy +Will I not thinke of home, but follow Armes + + Const. O take his mothers thanks, a widdows thanks, +Till your strong hand shall helpe to giue him strength, +To make a more requitall to your loue + + Aust. The peace of heauen is theirs y lift their swords +In such a iust and charitable warre + + King. Well, then to worke our Cannon shall be bent +Against the browes of this resisting towne, +Call for our cheefest men of discipline, +To cull the plots of best aduantages: +Wee'll lay before this towne our Royal bones, +Wade to the market-place in French-mens bloud, +But we will make it subiect to this boy + + Con. Stay for an answer to your Embassie, +Lest vnaduis'd you staine your swords with bloud, +My Lord Chattilion may from England bring +That right in peace which heere we vrge in warre, +And then we shall repent each drop of bloud, +That hot rash haste so indirectly shedde. +Enter Chattilion. + + King. A wonder Lady: lo vpon thy wish +Our Messenger Chattilion is arriu'd, +What England saies, say breefely gentle Lord, +We coldly pause for thee, Chatilion speake, + Chat. Then turne your forces from this paltry siege, +And stirre them vp against a mightier taske: +England impatient of your iust demands, +Hath put himselfe in Armes, the aduerse windes +Whose leisure I haue staid, haue giuen him time +To land his Legions all as soone as I: +His marches are expedient to this towne, +His forces strong, his Souldiers confident: +With him along is come the Mother Queene, +An Ace stirring him to bloud and strife, +With her her Neece, the Lady Blanch of Spaine, +With them a Bastard of the Kings deceast, +And all th' vnsetled humors of the Land, +Rash, inconsiderate, fiery voluntaries, +With Ladies faces, and fierce Dragons spleenes, +Haue sold their fortunes at their natiue homes, +Bearing their birth-rights proudly on their backs, +To make a hazard of new fortunes heere: +In briefe, a brauer choyse of dauntlesse spirits +Then now the English bottomes haue waft o're, +Did neuer flote vpon the swelling tide, +To doe offence and scathe in Christendome: +The interruption of their churlish drums +Cuts off more circumstance, they are at hand, + +Drum beats. + +To parlie or to fight, therefore prepare + + Kin. How much vnlook'd for, is this expedition + + Aust. By how much vnexpected, by so much +We must awake indeuor for defence, +For courage mounteth with occasion, +Let them be welcome then, we are prepar'd. +Enter K[ing]. of England, Bastard, Queene, Blanch, Pembroke, and +others. + + K.Iohn. Peace be to France: If France in peace permit +Our iust and lineall entrance to our owne; +If not, bleede France, and peace ascend to heauen. +Whiles we Gods wrathfull agent doe correct +Their proud contempt that beats his peace to heauen + + Fran. Peace be to England, if that warre returne +From France to England, there to liue in peace: +England we loue, and for that Englands sake, +With burden of our armor heere we sweat: +This toyle of ours should be a worke of thine; +But thou from louing England art so farre, +That thou hast vnder-wrought his lawfull King, +Cut off the sequence of posterity, +Out-faced Infant State, and done a rape +Vpon the maiden vertue of the Crowne: +Looke heere vpon thy brother Geffreyes face, +These eyes, these browes, were moulded out of his; +This little abstract doth containe that large, +Which died in Geffrey: and the hand of time, +Shall draw this breefe into as huge a volume: +That Geffrey was thy elder brother borne, +And this his sonne, England was Geffreys right, +And this is Geffreyes in the name of God: +How comes it then that thou art call'd a King, +When liuing blood doth in these temples beat +Which owe the crowne, that thou ore-masterest? + K.Iohn. From whom hast thou this great commission France, +To draw my answer from thy Articles? + Fra. Fro[m] that supernal Iudge that stirs good thoughts +In any breast of strong authoritie, +To looke into the blots and staines of right, +That Iudge hath made me guardian to this boy, +Vnder whose warrant I impeach thy wrong, +And by whose helpe I meane to chastise it + + K.Iohn. Alack thou dost vsurpe authoritie + + Fran. Excuse it is to beat vsurping downe + + Queen. Who is it thou dost call vsurper France? + Const. Let me make answer: thy vsurping sonne + + Queen. Out insolent, thy bastard shall be King, +That thou maist be a Queen, and checke the world + + Con. My bed was euer to thy sonne as true +As thine was to thy husband, and this boy +Liker in feature to his father Geffrey +Then thou and Iohn, in manners being as like, +As raine to water, or deuill to his damme; +My boy a bastard? by my soule I thinke +His father neuer was so true begot, +It cannot be, and if thou wert his mother + + Queen. Theres a good mother boy, that blots thy father + Const. There's a good grandame boy +That would blot thee + + Aust. Peace + + Bast. Heare the Cryer + + Aust. What the deuill art thou? + Bast. One that wil play the deuill sir with you, +And a may catch your hide and you alone: +You are the Hare of whom the Prouerb goes +Whose valour plucks dead Lyons by the beard; +Ile smoake your skin-coat and I catch you right, +Sirra looke too't, yfaith I will, yfaith + + Blan. O well did he become that Lyons robe, +That did disrobe the Lion of that robe + + Bast. It lies as sightly on the backe of him +As great Alcides shooes vpon an Asse: +But Asse, Ile take that burthen from your backe, +Or lay on that shall make your shoulders cracke + + Aust. What cracker is this same that deafes our eares +With this abundance of superfluous breath? +King Lewis, determine what we shall doe strait + + Lew. Women & fooles, breake off your conference. +King Iohn, this is the very summe of all: +England and Ireland, Angiers, Toraine, Maine, +In right of Arthur doe I claime of thee: +Wilt thou resigne them, and lay downe thy Armes? + Iohn. My life as soone: I doe defie thee France, +Arthur of Britaine, yeeld thee to my hand, +And out of my deere loue Ile giue thee more, +Then ere the coward hand of France can win; +Submit thee boy + + Queen. Come to thy grandame child + + Cons. Doe childe, goe to yt grandame childe, +Giue grandame kingdome, and it grandame will +Giue yt a plum, a cherry, and a figge, +There's a good grandame + + Arthur. Good my mother peace, +I would that I were low laid in my graue, +I am not worth this coyle that's made for me + + Qu.Mo. His mother shames him so, poore boy hee weepes + + Con. Now shame vpon you where she does or no, +His grandames wrongs, and not his mothers shames +Drawes those heauen-mouing pearles fro[m] his poor eies, +Which heauen shall take in nature of a fee: +I, with these Christall beads heauen shall be brib'd +To doe him Iustice, and reuenge on you + + Qu. Thou monstrous slanderer of heauen and earth + + Con. Thou monstrous Iniurer of heauen and earth, +Call not me slanderer, thou and thine vsurpe +The Dominations, Royalties, and rights +Of this oppressed boy; this is thy eldest sonnes sonne, +Infortunate in nothing but in thee: +Thy sinnes are visited in this poore childe, +The Canon of the Law is laide on him, +Being but the second generation +Remoued from thy sinne-conceiuing wombe + + Iohn. Bedlam haue done + + Con. I haue but this to say, +That he is not onely plagued for her sin, +But God hath made her sinne and her, the plague +On this remoued issue, plagued for her, +And with her plague her sinne: his iniury +Her iniurie the Beadle to her sinne, +All punish'd in the person of this childe, +And all for her, a plague vpon her + + Que. Thou vnaduised scold, I can produce +A Will, that barres the title of thy sonne + + Con. I who doubts that, a Will: a wicked will, +A womans will, a cankred Grandams will + + Fra. Peace Lady, pause, or be more temperate, +It ill beseemes this presence to cry ayme +To these ill-tuned repetitions: +Some Trumpet summon hither to the walles +These men of Angiers, let vs heare them speake, +Whose title they admit, Arthurs or Iohns. + +Trumpet sounds. Enter a Citizen vpon the walles. + + Cit. Who is it that hath warn'd vs to the walles? + Fra. 'Tis France, for England + + Iohn. England for it selfe: +You men of Angiers, and my louing subiects + + Fra. You louing men of Angiers, Arthurs subiects, +Our Trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle + + Iohn. For our aduantage, therefore heare vs first: +These flagges of France that are aduanced heere +Before the eye and prospect of your Towne, +Haue hither march'd to your endamagement. +The Canons haue their bowels full of wrath, +And ready mounted are they to spit forth +Their Iron indignation 'gainst your walles: +All preparation for a bloody siedge +And merciles proceeding, by these French. +Comfort your Citties eies, your winking gates: +And but for our approch, those sleeping stones, +That as a waste doth girdle you about +By the compulsion of their Ordinance, +By this time from their fixed beds of lime +Had bin dishabited, and wide hauocke made +For bloody power to rush vppon your peace. +But on the sight of vs your lawfull King, +Who painefully with much expedient march +Haue brought a counter-checke before your gates, +To saue vnscratch'd your Citties threatned cheekes: +Behold the French amaz'd vouchsafe a parle, +And now insteed of bulletts wrapt in fire +To make a shaking feuer in your walles, +They shoote but calme words, folded vp in smoake, +To make a faithlesse errour in your eares, +Which trust accordingly kinde Cittizens, +And let vs in. Your King, whose labour'd spirits +Fore-wearied in this action of swift speede, +Craues harbourage within your Citie walles + + France. When I haue saide, make answer to vs both. +Loe in this right hand, whose protection +Is most diuinely vow'd vpon the right +Of him it holds, stands yong Plantagenet, +Sonne to the elder brother of this man, +And King ore him, and all that he enioyes: +For this downe-troden equity, we tread +In warlike march, these greenes before your Towne, +Being no further enemy to you +Then the constraint of hospitable zeale, +In the releefe of this oppressed childe, +Religiously prouokes. Be pleased then +To pay that dutie which you truly owe, +To him that owes it, namely, this yong Prince, +And then our Armes, like to a muzled Beare, +Saue in aspect, hath all offence seal'd vp: +Our Cannons malice vainly shall be spent +Against th' involnerable clouds of heauen, +And with a blessed and vn-vext retyre, +With vnhack'd swords, and Helmets all vnbruis'd, +We will beare home that lustie blood againe, +Which heere we came to spout against your Towne, +And leaue your children, wiues, and you in peace. +But if you fondly passe our proffer'd offer, +'Tis not the rounder of your old-fac'd walles, +Can hide you from our messengers of Warre, +Though all these English, and their discipline +Were harbour'd in their rude circumference: +Then tell vs, Shall your Citie call vs Lord, +In that behalfe which we haue challeng'd it? +Or shall we giue the signall to our rage, +And stalke in blood to our possession? + Cit. In breefe, we are the King of Englands subiects +For him, and in his right, we hold this Towne + + Iohn. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in + + Cit. That can we not: but he that proues the King +To him will we proue loyall, till that time +Haue we ramm'd vp our gates against the world + + Iohn. Doth not the Crowne of England, prooue the +King? +And if not that, I bring you Witnesses +Twice fifteene thousand hearts of Englands breed + + Bast. Bastards and else + + Iohn. To verifie our title with their liues + + Fran. As many and as well-borne bloods as those + + Bast. Some Bastards too + + Fran. Stand in his face to contradict his claime + + Cit. Till you compound whose right is worthiest, +We for the worthiest hold the right from both + + Iohn. Then God forgiue the sinne of all those soules, +That to their euerlasting residence, +Before the dew of euening fall, shall fleete +In dreadfull triall of our kingdomes King + + Fran. Amen, Amen, mount Cheualiers to Armes + + Bast. Saint George that swindg'd the Dragon, +And ere since sit's on's horsebacke at mine Hostesse dore +Teach vs some sence. Sirrah, were I at home +At your den sirrah, with your Lionnesse, +I would set an Oxe-head to your Lyons hide: +And make a monster of you + + Aust. Peace, no more + + Bast. O tremble: for you heare the Lyon rore + + Iohn. Vp higher to the plaine, where we'l set forth +In best appointment all our Regiments + + Bast. Speed then to take aduantage of the field + + Fra. It shall be so, and at the other hill +Command the rest to stand, God and our right. + +Exeunt. + +Heere after excursions, Enter the Herald of France with Trumpets +to the +gates. + + F.Her. You men of Angiers open wide your gates, +And let yong Arthur Duke of Britaine in, +Who by the hand of France, this day hath made +Much worke for teares in many an English mother, +Whose sonnes lye scattered on the bleeding ground: +Many a widdowes husband groueling lies, +Coldly embracing the discoloured earth, +And victorie with little losse doth play +Vpon the dancing banners of the French, +Who are at hand triumphantly displayed +To enter Conquerors, and to proclaime +Arthur of Britaine, Englands King, and yours. +Enter English Herald with Trumpet. + + E.Har. Reioyce you men of Angiers, ring your bels, +King Iohn, your king and Englands, doth approach, +Commander of this hot malicious day, +Their Armours that march'd hence so siluer bright, +Hither returne all gilt with Frenchmens blood: +There stucke no plume in any English Crest, +That is remoued by a staffe of France. +Our colours do returne in those same hands +That did display them when we first marcht forth: +And like a iolly troope of Huntsmen come +Our lustie English, all with purpled hands, +Dide in the dying slaughter of their foes, +Open your gates, and giue the Victors way + + Hubert. Heralds, from off our towres we might behold +From first to last, the on-set and retyre: +Of both your Armies, whose equality +By our best eyes cannot be censured: +Blood hath bought blood, and blowes haue answerd blowes: +Strength matcht with strength, and power confronted +power, +Both are alike, and both alike we like: +One must proue greatest. While they weigh so euen, +We hold our Towne for neither: yet for both. +Enter the two Kings with their powers, at seuerall doores. + + Iohn. France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away? +Say, shall the currant of our right rome on, +Whose passage vext with thy impediment, +Shall leaue his natiue channell, and ore-swell +With course disturb'd euen thy confining shores, +Vnlesse thou let his siluer Water, keepe +A peacefull progresse to the Ocean + + Fra. England thou hast not sau'd one drop of blood +In this hot triall more then we of France, +Rather lost more. And by this hand I sweare +That swayes the earth this Climate ouer-lookes, +Before we will lay downe our iust-borne Armes, +Wee'l put thee downe, 'gainst whom these Armes wee beare, +Or adde a royall number to the dead: +Gracing the scroule that tels of this warres losse, +With slaughter coupled to the name of kings + + Bast. Ha Maiesty: how high thy glory towres, +When the rich blood of kings is set on fire: +Oh now doth death line his dead chaps with steele, +The swords of souldiers are his teeth, his phangs, +And now he feasts, mousing the flesh of men +In vndetermin'd differences of kings. +Why stand these royall fronts amazed thus: +Cry hauocke kings, backe to the stained field +You equall Potents, fierie kindled spirits, +Then let confusion of one part confirm +The others peace: till then, blowes, blood, and death + + Iohn. Whose party do the Townesmen yet admit? + Fra. Speake Citizens for England, whose your king + + Hub. The king of England, when we know the king + + Fra. Know him in vs, that heere hold vp his right + + Iohn. In Vs, that are our owne great Deputie, +And beare possession of our Person heere, +Lord of our presence Angiers, and of you + + Fra. A greater powre then We denies all this, +And till it be vndoubted, we do locke +Our former scruple in our strong barr'd gates: +Kings of our feare, vntill our feares resolu'd +Be by some certaine king, purg'd and depos'd + + Bast. By heauen, these scroyles of Angiers flout you kings, +And stand securely on their battelments, +As in a Theater, whence they gape and point +At your industrious Scenes and acts of death. +Your Royall presences be rul'd by mee, +Do like the Mutines of Ierusalem, +Be friends a-while, and both conioyntly bend +Your sharpest Deeds of malice on this Towne. +By East and West let France and England mount. +Their battering Canon charged to the mouthes, +Till their soule-fearing clamours haue braul'd downe +The flintie ribbes of this contemptuous Citie, +I'de play incessantly vpon these Iades, +Euen till vnfenced desolation +Leaue them as naked as the vulgar ayre: +That done, disseuer your vnited strengths, +And part your mingled colours once againe, +Turne face to face, and bloody point to point: +Then in a moment Fortune shall cull forth +Out of one side her happy Minion, +To whom in fauour she shall giue the day, +And kisse him with a glorious victory: +How like you this wilde counsell mighty States, +Smackes it not something of the policie + + Iohn. Now by the sky that hangs aboue our heads, +I like it well. France, shall we knit our powres, +And lay this Angiers euen with the ground, +Then after fight who shall be king of it? + Bast. And if thou hast the mettle of a king, +Being wrong'd as we are by this peeuish Towne: +Turne thou the mouth of thy Artillerie, +As we will ours, against these sawcie walles, +And when that we haue dash'd them to the ground, +Why then defie each other, and pell-mell, +Make worke vpon our selues, for heauen or hell + + Fra. Let it be so: say, where will you assault? + Iohn. We from the West will send destruction +Into this Cities bosome + + Aust. I from the North + + Fran. Our Thunder from the South, +Shall raine their drift of bullets on this Towne + + Bast. O prudent discipline! From North to South: +Austria and France shoot in each others mouth. +Ile stirre them to it: Come, away, away + + Hub. Heare vs great kings, vouchsafe awhile to stay +And I shall shew you peace, and faire-fac'd league: +Win you this Citie without stroke, or wound, +Rescue those breathing liues to dye in beds, +That heere come sacrifices for the field. +Perseuer not, but heare me mighty kings + + Iohn. Speake on with fauour, we are bent to heare + + Hub. That daughter there of Spaine, the Lady Blanch +Is neere to England, looke vpon the yeeres +Of Lewes the Dolphin, and that louely maid. +If lustie loue should go in quest of beautie, +Where should he finde it fairer, then in Blanch: +If zealous loue should go in search of vertue, +Where should he finde it purer then in Blanch? +If loue ambitious, sought a match of birth, +Whose veines bound richer blood then Lady Blanch? +Such as she is, in beautie, vertue, birth, +Is the yong Dolphin euery way compleat, +If not compleat of, say he is not shee, +And she againe wants nothing, to name want, +If want it be not, that she is not hee. +He is the halfe part of a blessed man, +Left to be finished by such as shee, +And she a faire diuided excellence, +Whose fulnesse of perfection lyes in him. +O two such siluer currents when they ioyne +Do glorifie the bankes that bound them in: +And two such shores, to two such streames made one, +Two such controlling bounds shall you be, kings, +To these two Princes, if you marrie them: +This Vnion shall do more then batterie can +To our fast closed gates: for at this match, +With swifter spleene then powder can enforce +The mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope, +And giue you entrance: but without this match, +The sea enraged is not halfe so deafe, +Lyons more confident, Mountaines and rockes +More free from motion, no not death himselfe +In mortall furie halfe so peremptorie, +As we to keepe this Citie + + Bast. Heeres a stay, +That shakes the rotten carkasse of old death +Out of his ragges. Here's a large mouth indeede, +That spits forth death, and mountaines, rockes, and seas, +Talkes as familiarly of roaring Lyons, +As maids of thirteene do of puppi-dogges. +What Cannoneere begot this lustie blood, +He speakes plaine Cannon fire, and smoake, and bounce, +He giues the bastinado with his tongue: +Our eares are cudgel'd, not a word of his +But buffets better then a fist of France: +Zounds, I was neuer so bethumpt with words, +Since I first cal'd my brothers father Dad + + Old Qu. Son, list to this coniunction, make this match +Giue with our Neece a dowrie large enough, +For by this knot, thou shalt so surely tye +Thy now vnsur'd assurance to the Crowne, +That yon greene boy shall haue no Sunne to ripe +The bloome that promiseth a mightie fruite. +I see a yeelding in the lookes of France: +Marke how they whisper, vrge them while their soules +Are capeable of this ambition, +Least zeale now melted by the windie breath +Of soft petitions, pittie and remorse, +Coole and congeale againe to what it was + + Hub. Why answer not the double Maiesties, +This friendly treatie of our threatned Towne + + Fra. Speake England first, that hath bin forward first +To speake vnto this Cittie: what say you? + Iohn. If that the Dolphin there thy Princely sonne, +Can in this booke of beautie read, I loue: +Her Dowrie shall weigh equall with a Queene: +For Angiers, and faire Toraine Maine, Poyctiers, +And all that we vpon this side the Sea, +(Except this Cittie now by vs besiedg'd) +Finde liable to our Crowne and Dignitie, +Shall gild her bridall bed and make her rich +In titles, honors, and promotions, +As she in beautie, education, blood, +Holdes hand with any Princesse of the world + + Fra. What sai'st thou boy? looke in the Ladies face + + Dol. I do my Lord, and in her eie I find +A wonder, or a wondrous miracle, +The shadow of my selfe form'd in her eye, +Which being but the shadow of your sonne, +Becomes a sonne and makes your sonne a shadow: +I do protest I neuer lou'd my selfe +Till now, infixed I beheld my selfe, +Drawne in the flattering table of her eie. + +Whispers with Blanch. + + Bast. Drawne in the flattering table of her eie, +Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow, +And quarter'd in her heart, hee doth espie +Himselfe loues traytor, this is pittie now; +That hang'd, and drawne, and quarter'd there should be +In such a loue, so vile a Lout as he + + Blan. My vnckles will in this respect is mine, +If he see ought in you that makes him like, +That any thing he see's which moues his liking, +I can with ease translate it to my will: +Or if you will, to speake more properly, +I will enforce it easlie to my loue. +Further I will not flatter you, my Lord, +That all I see in you is worthie loue, +Then this, that nothing do I see in you, +Though churlish thoughts themselues should bee your +Iudge, +That I can finde, should merit any hate + + Iohn. What saie these yong-ones? What say you my +Neece? + Blan. That she is bound in honor still to do +What you in wisedome still vouchsafe to say + + Iohn. Speake then Prince Dolphin, can you loue this +Ladie? + Dol. Nay aske me if I can refraine from loue, +For I doe loue her most vnfainedly + + Iohn. Then I doe giue Volquessen, Toraine, Maine, +Poyctiers and Aniow, these fiue Prouinces +With her to thee, and this addition more, +Full thirty thousand Markes of English coyne: +Phillip of France, if thou be pleas'd withall, +Command thy sonne and daughter to ioyne hands + + Fra. It likes vs well young Princes: close your hands + Aust. And your lippes too, for I am well assur'd, +That I did so when I was first assur'd + + Fra. Now Cittizens of Angires ope your gates, +Let in that amitie which you haue made, +For at Saint Maries Chappell presently, +The rights of marriage shallbe solemniz'd. +Is not the Ladie Constance in this troope? +I know she is not for this match made vp, +Her presence would haue interrupted much. +Where is she and her sonne, tell me, who knowes? + Dol. She is sad and passionate at your highnes Tent + + Fra. And by my faith, this league that we haue made +Will giue her sadnesse very little cure: +Brother of England, how may we content +This widdow Lady? In her right we came, +Which we God knowes, haue turn'd another way, +To our owne vantage + + Iohn. We will heale vp all, +For wee'l create yong Arthur Duke of Britaine +And Earle of Richmond, and this rich faire Towne +We make him Lord of. Call the Lady Constance, +Some speedy Messenger bid her repaire +To our solemnity: I trust we shall, +(If not fill vp the measure of her will) +Yet in some measure satisfie her so, +That we shall stop her exclamation, +Go we as well as hast will suffer vs, +To this vnlook'd for vnprepared pompe. + +Exeunt. + + Bast. Mad world, mad kings, mad composition: +Iohn to stop Arthurs Title in the whole, +Hath willingly departed with a part, +And France, whose armour Conscience buckled on, +Whom zeale and charitie brought to the field, +As Gods owne souldier, rounded in the eare, +With that same purpose-changer, that slye diuel, +That Broker, that still breakes the pate of faith, +That dayly breake-vow, he that winnes of all, +Of kings, of beggers, old men, yong men, maids, +Who hauing no externall thing to loose, +But the word Maid, cheats the poore Maide of that. +That smooth-fac'd Gentleman, tickling commoditie, +Commoditie, the byas of the world, +The world, who of it selfe is peysed well, +Made to run euen, vpon euen ground; +Till this aduantage, this vile drawing byas, +This sway of motion, this commoditie, +Makes it take head from all indifferency, +From all direction, purpose, course, intent. +And this same byas, this Commoditie, +This Bawd, this Broker, this all-changing-word, +Clap'd on the outward eye of fickle France, +Hath drawne him from his owne determin'd ayd, +From a resolu'd and honourable warre, +To a most base and vile-concluded peace. +And why rayle I on this Commoditie? +But for because he hath not wooed me yet: +Not that I haue the power to clutch my hand, +When his faire Angels would salute my palme, +But for my hand, as vnattempted yet, +Like a poore begger, raileth on the rich. +Well, whiles I am a begger, I will raile, +And say there is no sin but to be rich: +And being rich, my vertue then shall be, +To say there is no vice, but beggerie: +Since Kings breake faith vpon commoditie, +Gaine be my Lord, for I will worship thee. +Enter. + + +Actus Secundus + +Enter Constance, Arthur, and Salisbury. + + Con. Gone to be married? Gone to sweare a peace? +False blood to false blood ioyn'd. Gone to be freinds? +Shall Lewis haue Blaunch, and Blaunch those Prouinces? +It is not so, thou hast mispoke, misheard, +Be well aduis'd, tell ore thy tale againe. +It cannot be, thou do'st but say 'tis so. +I trust I may not trust thee, for thy word +Is but the vaine breath of a common man: +Beleeue me, I doe not beleeue thee man, +I haue a Kings oath to the contrarie. +Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me, +For I am sicke, and capeable of feares, +Opprest with wrongs, and therefore full of feares, +A widdow, husbandles, subiect to feares, +A woman naturally borne to feares; +And though thou now confesse thou didst but iest +With my vext spirits, I cannot take a Truce, +But they will quake and tremble all this day. +What dost thou meane by shaking of thy head? +Why dost thou looke so sadly on my sonne? +What meanes that hand vpon that breast of thine? +Why holdes thine eie that lamentable rhewme, +Like a proud riuer peering ore his bounds? +Be these sad signes confirmers of thy words? +Then speake againe, not all thy former tale, +But this one word, whether thy tale be true + + Sal. As true as I beleeue you thinke them false, +That giue you cause to proue my saying true + + Con. Oh if thou teach me to beleeue this sorrow, +Teach thou this sorrow, how to make me dye, +And let beleefe, and life encounter so, +As doth the furie of two desperate men, +Which in the very meeting fall, and dye. +Lewes marry Blaunch? O boy, then where art thou? +France friend with England, what becomes of me? +Fellow be gone: I cannot brooke thy sight, +This newes hath made thee a most vgly man + + Sal. What other harme haue I good Lady done, +But spoke the harme, that is by others done? + Con. Which harme within it selfe so heynous is, +As it makes harmefull all that speake of it + + Ar. I do beseech you Madam be content + + Con. If thou that bidst me be content, wert grim +Vgly, and slandrous to thy Mothers wombe, +Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines, +Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious, +Patch'd with foule Moles, and eye-offending markes, +I would not care, I then would be content, +For then I should not loue thee: no, nor thou +Become thy great birth, nor deserue a Crowne. +But thou art faire, and at thy birth (deere boy) +Nature and Fortune ioyn'd to make thee great. +Of Natures guifts, thou mayst with Lillies boast, +And with the halfe-blowne Rose. But Fortune, oh, +She is corrupted, chang'd, and wonne from thee, +Sh' adulterates hourely with thine Vnckle Iohn, +And with her golden hand hath pluckt on France +To tread downe faire respect of Soueraigntie, +And made his Maiestie the bawd to theirs. +France is a Bawd to Fortune, and king Iohn, +That strumpet Fortune, that vsurping Iohn: +Tell me thou fellow, is not France forsworne? +Envenom him with words, or get thee gone, +And leaue those woes alone, which I alone +Am bound to vnder-beare + + Sal. Pardon me Madam, +I may not goe without you to the kings + + Con. Thou maist, thou shalt, I will not go with thee, +I will instruct my sorrowes to bee proud, +For greefe is proud, and makes his owner stoope, +To me and to the state of my great greefe, +Lets kings assemble: for my greefe's so great, +That no supporter but the huge firme earth +Can hold it vp: here I and sorrowes sit, +Heere is my Throne bid kings come bow to it. + + +Actus Tertius, Scaena prima. + +Enter King Iohn, France, Dolphin, Blanch, Elianor, Philip, Austria, +Constance. + + Fran. 'Tis true (faire daughter) and this blessed day, +Euer in France shall be kept festiuall: +To solemnize this day the glorious sunne +Stayes in his course, and playes the Alchymist, +Turning with splendor of his precious eye +The meager cloddy earth to glittering gold: +The yearely course that brings this day about, +Shall neuer see it, but a holy day + + Const. A wicked day, and not a holy day. +What hath this day deseru'd? what hath it done, +That it in golden letters should be set +Among the high tides in the Kalender? +Nay, rather turne this day out of the weeke, +This day of shame, oppression, periury. +Or if it must stand still, let wiues with childe +Pray that their burthens may not fall this day, +Lest that their hopes prodigiously be crost: +But (on this day) let Sea-men feare no wracke, +No bargaines breake that are not this day made; +This day all things begun, come to ill end, +Yea, faith it selfe to hollow falshood change + + Fra. By heauen Lady, you shall haue no cause +To curse the faire proceedings of this day: +Haue I not pawn'd to you my Maiesty? + Const. You haue beguil'd me with a counterfeit +Resembling Maiesty, which being touch'd and tride, +Proues valuelesse: you are forsworne, forsworne, +You came in Armes to spill mine enemies bloud, +But now in Armes, you strengthen it with yours. +The grapling vigor, and rough frowne of Warre +Is cold in amitie, and painted peace, +And our oppression hath made vp this league: +Arme, arme, you heauens, against these periur'd Kings, +A widdow cries, be husband to me (heauens) +Let not the howres of this vngodly day +Weare out the daies in Peace; but ere Sun-set, +Set armed discord 'twixt these periur'd Kings, +Heare me, Oh, heare me + + Aust. Lady Constance, peace + + Const. War, war, no peace, peace is to me a warre: +O Lymoges, O Austria, thou dost shame +That bloudy spoyle: thou slaue, thou wretch, y coward, +Thou little valiant, great in villanie, +Thou euer strong vpon the stronger side; +Thou Fortunes Champion, that do'st neuer fight +But when her humourous Ladiship is by +To teach thee safety: thou art periur'd too, +And sooth'st vp greatnesse. What a foole art thou, +A ramping foole, to brag, and stamp, and sweare, +Vpon my partie: thou cold blooded slaue, +Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side? +Beene sworne my Souldier, bidding me depend +Vpon thy starres, thy fortune, and thy strength, +And dost thou now fall ouer to my foes? +Thou weare a Lyons hide, doff it for shame, +And hang a Calues skin on those recreant limbes + + Aus. O that a man should speake those words to me + + Phil. And hang a Calues-skin on those recreant limbs + Aus. Thou dar'st not say so villaine for thy life + + Phil. And hang a Calues-skin on those recreant limbs + + Iohn. We like not this, thou dost forget thy selfe. +Enter Pandulph. + + Fra. Heere comes the holy Legat of the Pope + + Pan. Haile you annointed deputies of heauen; +To thee King Iohn my holy errand is: +I Pandulph, of faire Millane Cardinall, +And from Pope Innocent the Legate heere, +Doe in his name religiously demand +Why thou against the Church, our holy Mother, +So wilfully dost spurne; and force perforce +Keepe Stephen Langton chosen Archbishop +Of Canterbury from that holy Sea: +This in our foresaid holy Fathers name +Pope Innocent, I doe demand of thee + + Iohn. What earthie name to Interrogatories +Can tast the free breath of a sacred King? +Thou canst not (Cardinall) deuise a name +So slight, vnworthy, and ridiculous +To charge me to an answere, as the Pope: +Tell him this tale, and from the mouth of England, +Adde thus much more, that no Italian Priest +Shall tythe or toll in our dominions: +But as we, vnder heauen, are supreame head, +So vnder him that great supremacy +Where we doe reigne, we will alone vphold +Without th' assistance of a mortall hand: +So tell the Pope, all reuerence set apart +To him and his vsurp'd authoritie + + Fra. Brother of England, you blaspheme in this + + Iohn. Though you, and all the Kings of Christendom +Are led so grossely by this medling Priest, +Dreading the curse that money may buy out, +And by the merit of vilde gold, drosse, dust, +Purchase corrupted pardon of a man, +Who in that sale sels pardon from himselfe: +Though you, and al the rest so grossely led, +This iugling witchcraft with reuennue cherish, +Yet I alone, alone doe me oppose +Against the Pope, and count his friends my foes + + Pand. Then by the lawfull power that I haue, +Thou shalt stand curst, and excommunicate, +And blessed shall he be that doth reuolt +From his Allegeance to an heretique, +And meritorious shall that hand be call'd, +Canonized and worship'd as a Saint, +That takes away by any secret course +Thy hatefull life + + Con. O lawfull let it be +That I haue roome with Rome to curse a while, +Good Father Cardinall, cry thou Amen +To my keene curses; for without my wrong +There is no tongue hath power to curse him right + + Pan. There's Law and Warrant (Lady) for my curse + + Cons. And for mine too, when Law can do no right. +Let it be lawfull, that Law barre no wrong: +Law cannot giue my childe his kingdome heere; +For he that holds his Kingdome, holds the Law: +Therefore since Law it selfe is perfect wrong, +How can the Law forbid my tongue to curse? + Pand. Philip of France, on perill of a curse, +Let goe the hand of that Arch-heretique, +And raise the power of France vpon his head, +Vnlesse he doe submit himselfe to Rome + + Elea. Look'st thou pale France? do not let go thy hand + + Con. Looke to that Deuill, lest that France repent, +And by disioyning hands hell lose a soule + + Aust. King Philip, listen to the Cardinall + + Bast. And hang a Calues-skin on his recreant limbs + + Aust. Well ruffian, I must pocket vp these wrongs, +Because, + Bast. Your breeches best may carry them + + Iohn. Philip, what saist thou to the Cardinall? + Con. What should he say, but as the Cardinall? + Dolph. Bethinke you father, for the difference +Is purchase of a heauy curse from Rome, +Or the light losse of England, for a friend: +Forgoe the easier + + Bla. That's the curse of Rome + + Con. O Lewis, stand fast, the deuill tempts thee heere +In likenesse of a new vntrimmed Bride + + Bla. The Lady Constance speakes not from her faith, +But from her need + + Con. Oh, if thou grant my need, +Which onely liues but by the death of faith, +That need, must needs inferre this principle, +That faith would liue againe by death of need: +O then tread downe my need, and faith mounts vp, +Keepe my need vp, and faith is trodden downe + + Iohn. The king is moud, and answers not to this + + Con. O be remou'd from him, and answere well + + Aust. Doe so king Philip, hang no more in doubt + + Bast. Hang nothing but a Calues skin most sweet lout + + Fra. I am perplext, and know not what to say + + Pan. What canst thou say, but wil perplex thee more? +If thou stand excommunicate, and curst? + Fra. Good reuerend father, make my person yours, +And tell me how you would bestow your selfe? +This royall hand and mine are newly knit, +And the coniunction of our inward soules +Married in league, coupled, and link'd together +With all religous strength of sacred vowes, +The latest breath that gaue the sound of words +Was deepe-sworne faith, peace, amity, true loue +Betweene our kingdomes and our royall selues, +And euen before this truce, but new before, +No longer then we well could wash our hands, +To clap this royall bargaine vp of peace, +Heauen knowes they were besmear'd and ouer-staind +With slaughters pencill; where reuenge did paint +The fearefull difference of incensed kings: +And shall these hands so lately purg'd of bloud? +So newly ioyn'd in loue? so strong in both, +Vnyoke this seysure, and this kinde regreete? +Play fast and loose with faith? so iest with heauen, +Make such vnconstant children of our selues +As now againe to snatch our palme from palme: +Vn-sweare faith sworne, and on the marriage bed +Of smiling peace to march a bloody hoast, +And make a ryot on the gentle brow +Of true sincerity? O holy Sir +My reuerend father, let it not be so; +Out of your grace, deuise, ordaine, impose +Some gentle order, and then we shall be blest +To doe your pleasure, and continue friends + + Pand. All forme is formelesse, Order orderlesse, +Saue what is opposite to Englands loue. +Therefore to Armes, be Champion of our Church, +Or let the Church our mother breathe her curse, +A mothers curse, on her reuolting sonne: +France, thou maist hold a serpent by the tongue, +A cased Lion by the mortall paw, +A fasting Tyger safer by the tooth, +Then keepe in peace that hand which thou dost hold + + Fra. I may dis-ioyne my hand, but not my faith + + Pand. So mak'st thou faith an enemy to faith, +And like a ciuill warre setst oath to oath, +Thy tongue against thy tongue. O let thy vow +First made to heauen, first be to heauen perform'd, +That is, to be the Champion of our Church, +What since thou sworst, is sworne against thy selfe, +And may not be performed by thy selfe, +For that which thou hast sworne to doe amisse, +Is not amisse when it is truely done: +And being not done, where doing tends to ill, +The truth is then most done not doing it: +The better Act of purposes mistooke, +Is to mistake again, though indirect, +Yet indirection thereby growes direct, +And falshood, falshood cures, as fire cooles fire +Within the scorched veines of one new burn'd: +It is religion that doth make vowes kept, +But thou hast sworne against religion: +By what thou swear'st against the thing thou swear'st, +And mak'st an oath the suretie for thy truth, +Against an oath the truth, thou art vnsure +To sweare, sweares onely not to be forsworne, +Else what a mockerie should it be to sweare? +But thou dost sweare, onely to be forsworne, +And most forsworne, to keepe what thou dost sweare, +Therefore thy later vowes, against thy first, +Is in thy selfe rebellion to thy selfe: +And better conquest neuer canst thou make, +Then arme thy constant and thy nobler parts +Against these giddy loose suggestions: +Vpon which better part, our prayrs come in, +If thou vouchsafe them. But if not, then know +The perill of our curses light on thee +So heauy, as thou shalt not shake them off +But in despaire, dye vnder their blacke weight + + Aust. Rebellion, flat rebellion + + Bast. Wil't not be? +Will not a Calues-skin stop that mouth of thine? + Daul. Father, to Armes + + Blanch. Vpon thy wedding day? +Against the blood that thou hast married? +What, shall our feast be kept with slaughtered men? +Shall braying trumpets, and loud churlish drums +Clamors of hell, be measures to our pomp? +O husband heare me: aye, alacke, how new +Is husband in my mouth? euen for that name +Which till this time my tongue did nere pronounce; +Vpon my knee I beg, goe not to Armes +Against mine Vncle + + Const. O, vpon my knee made hard with kneeling, +I doe pray to thee, thou vertuous Daulphin, +Alter not the doome fore-thought by heauen + + Blan. Now shall I see thy loue, what motiue may +Be stronger with thee, then the name of wife? + Con. That which vpholdeth him, that thee vpholds, +His Honor, Oh thine Honor, Lewis thine Honor + + Dolph. I muse your Maiesty doth seeme so cold, +When such profound respects doe pull you on? + Pand. I will denounce a curse vpon his head + + Fra. Thou shalt not need. England, I will fall fro[m] thee + + Const. O faire returne of banish'd Maiestie + + Elea. O foule reuolt of French inconstancy + + Eng. France, y shalt rue this houre within this houre + + Bast. Old Time the clocke setter, y bald sexton Time: +Is it as he will? well then, France shall rue + + Bla. The Sun's orecast with bloud: faire day adieu, +Which is the side that I must goe withall? +I am with both, each Army hath a hand, +And in their rage, I hauing hold of both, +They whurle a-sunder, and dismember mee. +Husband, I cannot pray that thou maist winne: +Vncle, I needs must pray that thou maist lose: +Father, I may not wish the fortune thine: +Grandam, I will not wish thy wishes thriue: +Who-euer wins, on that side shall I lose: +Assured losse, before the match be plaid + + Dolph. Lady, with me, with me thy fortune lies + + Bla. There where my fortune liues, there my life dies + + Iohn. Cosen, goe draw our puisance together, +France, I am burn'd vp with inflaming wrath, +A rage, whose heat hath this condition; +That nothing can allay, nothing but blood, +The blood and deerest valued bloud of France + + Fra. Thy rage shall burne thee vp, & thou shalt turne +To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire: +Looke to thy selfe, thou art in ieopardie + + Iohn. No more then he that threats. To Arms let's hie. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Secunda. + +Allarums, Excursions: Enter Bastard with Austria's head. + + Bast. Now by my life, this day grows wondrous hot, +Some ayery Deuill houers in the skie, +And pour's downe mischiefe. Austrias head lye there, +Enter Iohn, Arthur, Hubert. + +While Philip breathes + + Iohn. Hubert, keepe this boy: Philip make vp, +My Mother is assayled in our Tent, +And tane I feare + + Bast. My Lord I rescued her, +Her Highnesse is in safety, feare you not: +But on my Liege, for very little paines +Will bring this labor to an happy end. +Enter. + +Alarums, excursions, Retreat. Enter Iohn, Eleanor, Arthur Bastard, +Hubert, +Lords. + + Iohn. So shall it be: your Grace shall stay behinde +So strongly guarded: Cosen, looke not sad, +Thy Grandame loues thee, and thy Vnkle will +As deere be to thee, as thy father was + + Arth. O this will make my mother die with griefe + + Iohn. Cosen away for England, haste before, +And ere our comming see thou shake the bags +Of hoording Abbots, imprisoned angells +Set at libertie: the fat ribs of peace +Must by the hungry now be fed vpon: +Vse our Commission in his vtmost force + + Bast. Bell, Booke, & Candle, shall not driue me back, +When gold and siluer becks me to come on. +I leaue your highnesse: Grandame, I will pray +(If euer I remember to be holy) +For your faire safety: so I kisse your hand + + Ele. Farewell gentle Cosen + + Iohn. Coz, farewell + + Ele. Come hether little kinsman, harke, a worde + + Iohn. Come hether Hubert. O my gentle Hubert, +We owe thee much: within this wall of flesh +There is a soule counts thee her Creditor, +And with aduantage meanes to pay thy loue: +And my good friend, thy voluntary oath +Liues in this bosome, deerely cherished. +Giue me thy hand, I had a thing to say, +But I will fit it with some better tune. +By heauen Hubert, I am almost asham'd +To say what good respect I haue of thee + + Hub. I am much bounden to your Maiesty + + Iohn. Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet, +But thou shalt haue: and creepe time nere so slow, +Yet it shall come, for me to doe thee good. +I had a thing to say, but let it goe: +The Sunne is in the heauen, and the proud day, +Attended with the pleasures of the world, +Is all too wanton, and too full of gawdes +To giue me audience: If the mid-night bell +Did with his yron tongue, and brazen mouth +Sound on into the drowzie race of night: +If this same were a Church-yard where we stand, +And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs: +Or if that surly spirit melancholy +Had bak'd thy bloud, and made it heauy, thicke, +Which else runnes tickling vp and downe the veines, +Making that idiot laughter keepe mens eyes, +And straine their cheekes to idle merriment, +A passion hatefull to my purposes: +Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes, +Heare me without thine eares, and make reply +Without a tongue, vsing conceit alone, +Without eyes, eares, and harmefull sound of words: +Then, in despight of brooded watchfull day, +I would into thy bosome poure my thoughts: +But (ah) I will not, yet I loue thee well, +And by my troth I thinke thou lou'st me well + + Hub. So well, that what you bid me vndertake, +Though that my death were adiunct to my Act, +By heauen I would doe it + + Iohn. Doe not I know thou wouldst? +Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert throw thine eye +On yon young boy: Ile tell thee what my friend, +He is a very serpent in my way, +And wheresoere this foot of mine doth tread, +He lies before me: dost thou vnderstand me? +Thou art his keeper + + Hub. And Ile keepe him so, +That he shall not offend your Maiesty + + Iohn. Death + + Hub. My Lord + + Iohn. A Graue + + Hub. He shall not liue + + Iohn. Enough. +I could be merry now, Hubert, I loue thee. +Well, Ile not say what I intend for thee: +Remember: Madam, Fare you well, +Ile send those powers o're to your Maiesty + + Ele. My blessing goe with thee + + Iohn. For England Cosen, goe. +Hubert shall be your man, attend on you +With al true duetie: On toward Callice, hoa. + +Exeunt. + + +Scaena Tertia. + +Enter France, Dolphin, Pandulpho, Attendants. + + Fra. So by a roaring Tempest on the flood, +A whole Armado of conuicted saile +Is scattered and dis-ioyn'd from fellowship + + Pand. Courage and comfort, all shall yet goe well + + Fra. What can goe well, when we haue runne so ill? +Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers lost? +Arthur tane prisoner? diuers deere friends slaine? +And bloudy England into England gone, +Ore-bearing interruption spight of France? + Dol. What he hath won, that hath he fortified: +So hot a speed, with such aduice dispos'd, +Such temperate order in so fierce a cause, +Doth want example: who hath read, or heard +Of any kindred-action like to this? + Fra. Well could I beare that England had this praise, +So we could finde some patterne of our shame: +Enter Constance. + +Looke who comes heere? a graue vnto a soule, +Holding th' eternall spirit against her will, +In the vilde prison of afflicted breath: +I prethee Lady goe away with me + + Con. Lo; now: now see the issue of your peace + + Fra. Patience good Lady, comfort gentle Constance + + Con. No, I defie all Counsell, all redresse, +But that which ends all counsell, true Redresse: +Death, death, O amiable, louely death, +Thou odoriferous stench: sound rottennesse, +Arise forth from the couch of lasting night, +Thou hate and terror to prosperitie, +And I will kisse thy detestable bones, +And put my eye-balls in thy vaultie browes, +And ring these fingers with thy houshold wormes, +And stop this gap of breath with fulsome dust, +And be a Carrion Monster like thy selfe; +Come, grin on me, and I will thinke thou smil'st, +And busse thee as thy wife: Miseries Loue, +O come to me + + Fra. O faire affliction, peace + + Con. No, no, I will not, hauing breath to cry: +O that my tongue were in the thunders mouth, +Then with a passion would I shake the world, +And rowze from sleepe that fell Anatomy +Which cannot heare a Ladies feeble voyce, +Which scornes a moderne Inuocation + + Pand. Lady, you vtter madnesse, and not sorrow + + Con. Thou art holy to belye me so, +I am not mad: this haire I teare is mine, +My name is Constance, I was Geffreyes wife, +Yong Arthur is my sonne, and he is lost: +I am not mad, I would to heauen I were, +For then 'tis like I should forget my selfe: +O, if I could, what griefe should I forget? +Preach some Philosophy to make me mad, +And thou shalt be Canoniz'd (Cardinall.) +For, being not mad, but sensible of greefe, +My reasonable part produces reason +How I may be deliuer'd of these woes. +And teaches mee to kill or hang my selfe: +If I were mad, I should forget my sonne, +Or madly thinke a babe of clowts were he; +I am not mad: too well, too well I feele +The different plague of each calamitie + + Fra. Binde vp those tresses: O what loue I note +In the faire multitude of those her haires; +Where but by chance a siluer drop hath falne, +Euen to that drop ten thousand wiery fiends +Doe glew themselues in sociable griefe, +Like true, inseparable, faithfull loues, +Sticking together in calamitie + + Con. To England, if you will + + Fra. Binde vp your haires + + Con. Yes that I will: and wherefore will I do it? +I tore them from their bonds, and cride aloud, +O, that these hands could so redeeme my sonne, +As they haue giuen these hayres their libertie: +But now I enuie at their libertie, +And will againe commit them to their bonds, +Because my poore childe is a prisoner. +And Father Cardinall, I haue heard you say +That we shall see and know our friends in heauen: +If that be true, I shall see my boy againe; +For since the birth of Caine, the first male-childe +To him that did but yesterday suspire, +There was not such a gracious creature borne: +But now will Canker-sorrow eat my bud, +And chase the natiue beauty from his cheeke, +And he will looke as hollow as a Ghost, +As dim and meager as an Agues fitte, +And so hee'll dye: and rising so againe, +When I shall meet him in the Court of heauen +I shall not know him: therefore neuer, neuer +Must I behold my pretty Arthur more + + Pand. You hold too heynous a respect of greefe + + Const. He talkes to me, that neuer had a sonne + + Fra. You are as fond of greefe, as of your childe + + Con. Greefe fils the roome vp of my absent childe: +Lies in his bed, walkes vp and downe with me, +Puts on his pretty lookes, repeats his words, +Remembers me of all his gracious parts, +Stuffes out his vacant garments with his forme; +Then, haue I reason to be fond of griefe? +Fareyouwell: had you such a losse as I, +I could giue better comfort then you doe. +I will not keepe this forme vpon my head, +When there is such disorder in my witte: +O Lord, my boy, my Arthur, my faire sonne, +My life, my ioy, my food, my all the world: +My widow-comfort, and my sorrowes cure. +Enter. + + Fra. I feare some out-rage, and Ile follow her. +Enter + + Dol. There's nothing in this world can make me ioy, +Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, +Vexing the dull eare of a drowsie man; +And bitter shame hath spoyl'd the sweet words taste, +That it yeelds nought but shame and bitternesse + + Pand. Before the curing of a strong disease, +Euen in the instant of repaire and health, +The fit is strongest: Euils that take leaue +On their departure, most of all shew euill: +What haue you lost by losing of this day? + Dol. All daies of glory, ioy, and happinesse + + Pan. If you had won it, certainely you had. +No, no: when Fortune meanes to men most good, +Shee lookes vpon them with a threatning eye: +'Tis strange to thinke how much King Iohn hath lost +In this which he accounts so clearely wonne: +Are not you grieu'd that Arthur is his prisoner? + Dol. As heartily as he is glad he hath him + + Pan. Your minde is all as youthfull as your blood. +Now heare me speake with a propheticke spirit: +For euen the breath of what I meane to speake, +Shall blow each dust, each straw, each little rub +Out of the path which shall directly lead +Thy foote to Englands Throne. And therefore marke: +Iohn hath seiz'd Arthur, and it cannot be, +That whiles warme life playes in that infants veines, +The mis-plac'dIohn should entertaine an houre, +One minute, nay one quiet breath of rest. +A Scepter snatch'd with an vnruly hand, +Must be as boysterously maintain'd as gain'd. +And he that stands vpon a slipp'ry place, +Makes nice of no vilde hold to stay him vp: +That Iohn may stand, then Arthur needs must fall, +So be it, for it cannot be but so + + Dol. But what shall I gaine by yong Arthurs fall? + Pan. You, in the right of Lady Blanch your wife, +May then make all the claime that Arthur did + + Dol. And loose it, life and all, as Arthur did + + Pan. How green you are, and fresh in this old world? +Iohn layes you plots: the times conspire with you, +For he that steepes his safetie in true blood, +Shall finde but bloodie safety, and vntrue. +This Act so euilly borne shall coole the hearts +Of all his people, and freeze vp their zeale, +That none so small aduantage shall step forth +To checke his reigne, but they will cherish it. +No naturall exhalation in the skie, +No scope of Nature, no distemper'd day, +No common winde, no customed euent, +But they will plucke away his naturall cause, +And call them Meteors, prodigies, and signes, +Abbortiues, presages, and tongues of heauen, +Plainly denouncing vengeance vpon Iohn + + Dol. May be he will not touch yong Arthurs life, +But hold himselfe safe in his prisonment + + Pan. O Sir, when he shall heare of your approach, +If that yong Arthur be not gone alreadie, +Euen at that newes he dies: and then the hearts +Of all his people shall reuolt from him, +And kisse the lippes of vnacquainted change, +And picke strong matter of reuolt, and wrath +Out of the bloody fingers ends of Iohn. +Me thinkes I see this hurley all on foot; +And O, what better matter breeds for you, +Then I haue nam'd. The Bastard Falconbridge +Is now in England ransacking the Church, +Offending Charity: If but a dozen French +Were there in Armes, they would be as a Call +To traine ten thousand English to their side; +Or, as a little snow, tumbled about, +Anon becomes a Mountaine. O noble Dolphine, +Go with me to the King, 'tis wonderfull, +What may be wrought out of their discontent, +Now that their soules are topfull of offence, +For England go; I will whet on the King + + Dol. Strong reasons makes strange actions: let vs go, +If you say I, the King will not say no. + +Exeunt. + + +Actus Quartus, Scaena prima. + +Enter Hubert and Executioners. + + Hub. Heate me these Irons hot, and looke thou stand +Within the Arras: when I strike my foot +Vpon the bosome of the ground, rush forth +And binde the boy, which you shall finde with me +Fast to the chaire: be heedfull: hence, and watch + + Exec. I hope your warrant will beare out the deed + + Hub. Vncleanly scruples feare not you: looke too't. +Yong Lad come forth; I haue to say with you. +Enter Arthur. + + Ar. Good morrow Hubert + + Hub. Good morrow, little Prince + + Ar. As little Prince, hauing so great a Title +To be more Prince, as may be: you are sad + + Hub. Indeed I haue beene merrier + + Art. 'Mercie on me: +Me thinkes no body should be sad but I: +Yet I remember, when I was in France, +Yong Gentlemen would be as sad as night +Onely for wantonnesse: by my Christendome, +So I were out of prison, and kept Sheepe +I should be as merry as the day is long: +And so I would be heere, but that I doubt +My Vnckle practises more harme to me: +He is affraid of me, and I of him: +Is it my fault, that I was Geffreyes sonne? +No in deede is't not: and I would to heauen +I were your sonne, so you would loue me, Hubert: + Hub. If I talke to him, with his innocent prate +He will awake my mercie, which lies dead: +Therefore I will be sodaine, and dispatch + + Ar. Are you sicke Hubert? you looke pale to day, +Insooth I would you were a little sicke, +That I might sit all night, and watch with you. +I warrant I loue you more then you do me + + Hub. His words do take possession of my bosome. +Reade heere yong Arthur. How now foolish rheume? +Turning dispitious torture out of doore? +I must be breefe, least resolution drop +Out at mine eyes, in tender womanish teares. +Can you not reade it? Is it not faire writ? + Ar. Too fairely Hubert, for so foule effect, +Must you with hot Irons, burne out both mine eyes? + Hub. Yong Boy, I must + + Art. And will you? + Hub. And I will + + Art. Haue you the heart? When your head did but +ake, +I knit my hand-kercher about your browes +(The best I had, a Princesse wrought it me) +And I did neuer aske it you againe: +And with my hand, at midnight held your head; +And like the watchfull minutes, to the houre, +Still and anon cheer'd vp the heauy time; +Saying, what lacke you? and where lies your greefe? +Or what good loue may I performe for you? +Many a poore mans sonne would haue lyen still, +And nere haue spoke a louing word to you: +But you, at your sicke seruice had a Prince: +Nay, you may thinke my loue was craftie loue, +And call it cunning. Do, and if you will, +If heauen be pleas'd that you must vse me ill, +Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes? +These eyes, that neuer did, nor neuer shall +So much as frowne on you + + Hub. I haue sworne to do it: +And with hot Irons must I burne them out + + Ar. Ah, none but in this Iron Age, would do it: +The Iron of it selfe, though heate red hot, +Approaching neere these eyes, would drinke my teares, +And quench this fierie indignation, +Euen in the matter of mine innocence: +Nay, after that, consume away in rust, +But for containing fire to harme mine eye: +Are you more stubborne hard, then hammer'd Iron? +And if an Angell should haue come to me, +And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes, +I would not haue beleeu'd him: no tongue but Huberts + + Hub. Come forth: Do as I bid you do + + Art. O saue me Hubert, saue me: my eyes are out +Euen with the fierce lookes of these bloody men + + Hub. Giue me the Iron I say, and binde him heere + + Art. Alas, what neede you be so boistrous rough? +I will not struggle, I will stand stone still: +For heauen sake Hubert let me not be bound: +Nay heare me Hubert, driue these men away, +And I will sit as quiet as a Lambe. +I will not stirre, nor winch, nor speake a word, +Nor looke vpon the Iron angerly: +Thrust but these men away, and Ile forgiue you, +What euer torment you do put me too + + Hub. Go stand within: let me alone with him + + Exec. I am best pleas'd to be from such a deede + + Art. Alas, I then haue chid away my friend, +He hath a sterne looke, but a gentle heart: +Let him come backe, that his compassion may +Giue life to yours + + Hub. Come (Boy) prepare your selfe + + Art. Is there no remedie? + Hub. None, but to lose your eyes + + Art. O heauen: that there were but a moth in yours, +A graine, a dust, a gnat, a wandering haire, +Any annoyance in that precious sense: +Then feeling what small things are boysterous there, +Your vilde intent must needs seeme horrible + + Hub. Is this your promise? Go too, hold your toong + + Art. Hubert, the vtterance of a brace of tongues, +Must needes want pleading for a paire of eyes: +Let me not hold my tongue: let me not Hubert, +Or Hubert, if you will cut out my tongue, +So I may keepe mine eyes. O spare mine eyes, +Though to no vse, but still to looke on you. +Loe, by my troth, the Instrument is cold, +And would not harme me + + Hub. I can heate it, Boy + + Art. No, in good sooth: the fire is dead with griefe, +Being create for comfort, to be vs'd +In vndeserued extreames: See else your selfe, +There is no malice in this burning cole, +The breath of heauen, hath blowne his spirit out, +And strew'd repentant ashes on his head + + Hub. But with my breath I can reuiue it Boy + + Art. And if you do, you will but make it blush, +And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert: +Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes: +And, like a dogge that is compell'd to fight, +Snatch at his Master that doth tarre him on. +All things that you should vse to do me wrong +Deny their office: onely you do lacke +That mercie, which fierce fire, and Iron extends, +Creatures of note for mercy, lacking vses + + Hub. Well, see to liue: I will not touch thine eye, +For all the Treasure that thine Vnckle owes, +Yet am I sworne, and I did purpose, Boy, +With this same very Iron, to burne them out + + Art. O now you looke like Hubert. All this while +You were disguis'd + + Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu, +Your Vnckle must not know but you are dead. +Ile fill these dogged Spies with false reports: +And, pretty childe, sleepe doubtlesse, and secure, +That Hubert for the wealth of all the world, +Will not offend thee + + Art. O heauen! I thanke you Hubert + + Hub. Silence, no more; go closely in with mee, +Much danger do I vndergo for thee. + +Exeunt. + +Scena Secunda. + +Enter Iohn, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lordes. + + Iohn. Heere once againe we sit: once against crown'd +And look'd vpon, I hope, with chearefull eyes + + Pem. This once again (but that your Highnes pleas'd) +Was once superfluous: you were Crown'd before, +And that high Royalty was nere pluck'd off: +The faiths of men, nere stained with reuolt: +Fresh expectation troubled not the Land +With any long'd-for-change, or better State + + Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pompe, +To guard a Title, that was rich before; +To gilde refined Gold, to paint the Lilly; +To throw a perfume on the Violet, +To smooth the yce, or adde another hew +Vnto the Raine-bow; or with Taper-light +To seeke the beauteous eye of heauen to garnish, +Is wastefull, and ridiculous excesse + + Pem. But that your Royall pleasure must be done, +This acte, is as an ancient tale new told, +And, in the last repeating, troublesome, +Being vrged at a time vnseasonable + + Sal. In this the Anticke, and well noted face +Of plaine old forme, is much disfigured, +And like a shifted winde vnto a saile, +It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about, +Startles, and frights consideration: +Makes sound opinion sicke, and truth suspected, +For putting on so new a fashion'd robe + + Pem. When Workemen striue to do better then wel, +They do confound their skill in couetousnesse, +And oftentimes excusing of a fault, +Doth make the fault the worse by th' excuse: +As patches set vpon a little breach, +Discredite more in hiding of the fault, +Then did the fault before it was so patch'd + + Sal. To this effect, before you were new crown'd +We breath'd our Councell: but it pleas'd your Highnes +To ouer-beare it, and we are all well pleas'd, +Since all, and euery part of what we would +Doth make a stand, at what your Highnesse will + + Ioh. Some reasons of this double Corronation +I haue possest you with, and thinke them strong. +And more, more strong, then lesser is my feare +I shall indue you with: Meane time, but aske +What you would haue reform'd, that is not well, +And well shall you perceiue, how willingly +I will both heare, and grant you your requests + + Pem. Then I, as one that am the tongue of these +To sound the purposes of all their hearts, +Both for my selfe, and them: but chiefe of all +Your safety: for the which, my selfe and them +Bend their best studies, heartily request +Th' infranchisement of Arthur, whose restraint +Doth moue the murmuring lips of discontent +To breake into this dangerous argument. +If what in rest you haue, in right you hold, +Why then your feares, which (as they say) attend +The steppes of wrong, should moue you to mew vp +Your tender kinsman, and to choake his dayes +With barbarous ignorance, and deny his youth +The rich aduantage of good exercise, +That the times enemies may not haue this +To grace occasions: let it be our suite, +That you haue bid vs aske his libertie, +Which for our goods, we do no further aske, +Then, whereupon our weale on you depending, +Counts it your weale: he haue his liberty. +Enter Hubert. + + Iohn. Let it be so: I do commit his youth +To your direction: Hubert, what newes with you? + Pem. This is the man should do the bloody deed: +He shew'd his warrant to a friend of mine, +The image of a wicked heynous fault +Liues in his eye: that close aspect of his, +Do shew the mood of a much troubled brest, +And I do fearefully beleeue 'tis done, +What we so fear'd he had a charge to do + + Sal. The colour of the King doth come, and go +Betweene his purpose and his conscience, +Like Heralds 'twixt two dreadfull battailes set: +His passion is so ripe, it needs must breake + + Pem. And when it breakes, I feare will issue thence +The foule corruption of a sweet childes death + + Iohn. We cannot hold mortalities strong hand. +Good Lords, although my will to giue, is liuing, +The suite which you demand is gone, and dead. +He tels vs Arthur is deceas'd to night + + Sal. Indeed we fear'd his sicknesse was past cure + + Pem. Indeed we heard how neere his death he was, +Before the childe himselfe felt he was sicke: +This must be answer'd either heere, or hence + + Ioh. Why do you bend such solemne browes on me? +Thinke you I beare the Sheeres of destiny? +Haue I commandement on the pulse of life? + Sal. It is apparant foule-play, and 'tis shame +That Greatnesse should so grossely offer it; +So thriue it in your game, and so farewell + + Pem. Stay yet (Lord Salisbury) Ile go with thee, +And finde th' inheritance of this poore childe, +His little kingdome of a forced graue. +That blood which ow'd the bredth of all this Ile, +Three foot of it doth hold; bad world the while: +This must not be thus borne, this will breake out +To all our sorrowes, and ere long I doubt. + +Exeunt. + + Io. They burn in indignation: I repent: +Enter Mes. + +There is no sure foundation set on blood: +No certaine life atchieu'd by others death: +A fearefull eye thou hast. Where is that blood, +That I haue seene inhabite in those cheekes? +So foule a skie, cleeres not without a storme, +Poure downe thy weather: how goes all in France? + Mes. From France to England, neuer such a powre +For any forraigne preparation, +Was leuied in the body of a land. +The Copie of your speede is learn'd by them: +For when you should be told they do prepare, +The tydings comes, that they are all arriu'd + + Ioh. Oh where hath our Intelligence bin drunke? +Where hath it slept? Where is my Mothers care? +That such an Army could be drawne in France, +And she not heare of it? + Mes. My Liege, her eare +Is stopt with dust: the first of Aprill di'de +Your noble mother; and as I heare, my Lord, +The Lady Constance in a frenzie di'de +Three dayes before: but this from Rumors tongue +I idely heard: if true, or false I know not + + Iohn. With-hold thy speed, dreadfull Occasion: +O make a league with me, 'till I haue pleas'd +My discontented Peeres. What? Mother dead? +How wildely then walkes my Estate in France? +Vnder whose conduct came those powres of France, +That thou for truth giu'st out are landed heere? + Mes. Vnder the Dolphin. +Enter Bastard and Peter of Pomfret. + + Ioh. Thou hast made me giddy +With these ill tydings: Now? What sayes the world +To your proceedings? Do not seeke to stuffe +My head with more ill newes: for it is full + + Bast. But if you be a-feard to heare the worst, +Then let the worst vn-heard, fall on your head + + Iohn. Beare with me Cosen, for I was amaz'd +Vnder the tide; but now I breath againe +Aloft the flood, and can giue audience +To any tongue, speake it of what it will + + Bast. How I haue sped among the Clergy men, +The summes I haue collected shall expresse: +But as I trauail'd hither through the land, +I finde the people strangely fantasied, +Possest with rumors, full of idle dreames, +Not knowing what they feare, but full of feare. +And here's a Prophet that I brought with me +From forth the streets of Pomfret, whom I found +With many hundreds treading on his heeles: +To whom he sung in rude harsh sounding rimes, +That ere the next Ascension day at noone, +Your Highnes should deliuer vp your Crowne + + Iohn. Thou idle Dreamer, wherefore didst thou so? + Pet. Fore-knowing that the truth will fall out so + + Iohn. Hubert, away with him: imprison him, +And on that day at noone, whereon he sayes +I shall yeeld vp my Crowne, let him be hang'd +Deliuer him to safety, and returne, +For I must vse thee. O my gentle Cosen, +Hear'st thou the newes abroad, who are arriu'd? + Bast. The French (my Lord) mens mouths are ful of it: +Besides I met Lord Bigot, and Lord Salisburie +With eyes as red as new enkindled fire, +And others more, going to seeke the graue +Of Arthur, whom they say is kill'd to night, on your suggestion + + Iohn. Gentle kinsman, go +And thrust thy selfe into their Companies, +I haue a way to winne their loues againe: +Bring them before me + + Bast. I will seeke them out + + Iohn. Nay, but make haste: the better foote before. +O, let me haue no subiect enemies, +When aduerse Forreyners affright my Townes +With dreadfull pompe of stout inuasion. +Be Mercurie, set feathers to thy heeles, +And flye (like thought) from them, to me againe + + Bast. The spirit of the time shall teach me speed. + +Exit + + Iohn. Spoke like a sprightfull Noble Gentleman. +Go after him: for he perhaps shall neede +Some Messenger betwixt me, and the Peeres, +And be thou hee + + Mes. With all my heart, my Liege + + Iohn. My mother dead? +Enter Hubert. + + Hub. My Lord, they say fiue Moones were seene to night: +Foure fixed, and the fift did whirle about +The other foure, in wondrous motion + + Ioh. Fiue Moones? + Hub. Old men, and Beldames, in the streets +Do prophesie vpon it dangerously: +Yong Arthurs death is common in their mouths, +And when they talke of him, they shake their heads, +And whisper one another in the eare. +And he that speakes, doth gripe the hearers wrist, +Whilst he that heares, makes fearefull action +With wrinkled browes, with nods, with rolling eyes. +I saw a Smith stand with his hammer (thus) +The whilst his Iron did on the Anuile coole, +With open mouth swallowing a Taylors newes, +Who with his Sheeres, and Measure in his hand, +Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste +Had falsely thrust vpon contrary feete, +Told of a many thousand warlike French, +That were embattailed, and rank'd in Kent. +Another leane, vnwash'd Artificer, +Cuts off his tale, and talkes of Arthurs death + + Io. Why seek'st thou to possesse me with these feares? +Why vrgest thou so oft yong Arthurs death? +Thy hand hath murdred him: I had a mighty cause +To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him + + H. No had (my Lord?) why, did you not prouoke me? + Iohn. It is the curse of Kings, to be attended +By slaues, that take their humors for a warrant, +To breake within the bloody house of life, +And on the winking of Authoritie +To vnderstand a Law; to know the meaning +Of dangerous Maiesty, when perchance it frownes +More vpon humor, then aduis'd respect + + Hub. Heere is your hand and Seale for what I did + + Ioh. Oh, when the last accompt twixt heauen & earth +Is to be made, then shall this hand and Seale +Witnesse against vs to damnation. +How oft the sight of meanes to do ill deeds, +Make deeds ill done? Had'st not thou beene by, +A fellow by the hand of Nature mark'd, +Quoted, and sign'd to do a deede of shame, +This murther had not come into my minde. +But taking note of thy abhorr'd Aspect, +Finding thee fit for bloody villanie: +Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger, +I faintly broke with thee of Arthurs death: +And thou, to be endeered to a King, +Made it no conscience to destroy a Prince + + Hub. My Lord + + Ioh. Had'st thou but shooke thy head, or made a pause +When I spake darkely, what I purposed: +Or turn'd an eye of doubt vpon my face; +As bid me tell my tale in expresse words: +Deepe shame had struck me dumbe, made me break off, +And those thy feares, might haue wrought feares in me. +But, thou didst vnderstand me by my signes, +And didst in signes againe parley with sinne, +Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent, +And consequently, thy rude hand to acte +The deed, which both our tongues held vilde to name. +Out of my sight, and neuer see me more: +My Nobles leaue me, and my State is braued, +Euen at my gates, with rankes of forraigne powres; +Nay, in the body of this fleshly Land, +This kingdome, this Confine of blood, and breathe +Hostilitie, and ciuill tumult reignes +Betweene my conscience, and my Cosins death + + Hub. Arme you against your other enemies: +Ile make a peace betweene your soule, and you. +Yong Arthur is aliue: This hand of mine +Is yet a maiden, and an innocent hand. +Not painted with the Crimson spots of blood, +Within this bosome, neuer entred yet +The dreadfull motion of a murderous thought, +And you haue slander'd Nature in my forme, +Which howsoeuer rude exteriorly, +Is yet the couer of a fayrer minde, +Then to be butcher of an innocent childe + + Iohn. Doth Arthur liue? O hast thee to the Peeres, +Throw this report on their incensed rage, +And make them tame to their obedience. +Forgiue the Comment that my passion made +Vpon thy feature, for my rage was blinde, +And foule immaginarie eyes of blood +Presented thee more hideous then thou art. +Oh, answer not; but to my Closset bring +The angry Lords, with all expedient hast, +I coniure thee but slowly: run more fast. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Tertia. + +Enter Arthur on the walles. + + Ar. The Wall is high, and yet will I leape downe. +Good ground be pittifull, and hurt me not: +There's few or none do know me, if they did, +This Ship-boyes semblance hath disguis'd me quite. +I am afraide, and yet Ile venture it. +If I get downe, and do not breake my limbes, +Ile finde a thousand shifts to get away; +As good to dye, and go; as dye, and stay. +Oh me, my Vnckles spirit is in these stones, +Heauen take my soule, and England keep my bones. + +Dies + +Enter Pembroke, Salisbury, & Bigot. + + Sal. Lords, I will meet him at S[aint]. Edmondsbury, +It is our safetie, and we must embrace +This gentle offer of the perillous time + + Pem. Who brought that Letter from the Cardinall? + Sal. The Count Meloone, a Noble Lord of France, +Whose priuate with me of the Dolphines loue, +Is much more generall, then these lines import + + Big. To morrow morning let vs meete him then + + Sal. Or rather then set forward, for 'twill be +Two long dayes iourney (Lords) or ere we meete. +Enter Bastard. + + Bast. Once more to day well met, distemper'd Lords, +The King by me requests your presence straight + + Sal. The king hath dispossest himselfe of vs, +We will not lyne his thin-bestained cloake +With our pure Honors: nor attend the foote +That leaues the print of blood where ere it walkes. +Returne, and tell him so: we know the worst + + Bast. What ere you thinke, good words I thinke +were best + + Sal. Our greefes, and not our manners reason now + + Bast. But there is little reason in your greefe. +Therefore 'twere reason you had manners now + + Pem. Sir, sir, impatience hath his priuiledge + + Bast. 'Tis true, to hurt his master, no mans else + + Sal. This is the prison: What is he lyes heere? + P. Oh death, made proud with pure & princely beuty, +The earth had not a hole to hide this deede + + Sal. Murther, as hating what himselfe hath done, +Doth lay it open to vrge on reuenge + + Big. Or when he doom'd this Beautie to a graue, +Found it too precious Princely, for a graue + + Sal. Sir Richard, what thinke you? you haue beheld, +Or haue you read, or heard, or could you thinke? +Or do you almost thinke, although you see, +That you do see? Could thought, without this obiect +Forme such another? This is the very top, +The heighth, the Crest: or Crest vnto the Crest +Of murthers Armes: This is the bloodiest shame, +The wildest Sauagery, the vildest stroke +That euer wall-ey'd wrath, or staring rage +Presented to the teares of soft remorse + + Pem. All murthers past, do stand excus'd in this: +And this so sole, and so vnmatcheable, +Shall giue a holinesse, a puritie, +To the yet vnbegotten sinne of times; +And proue a deadly bloodshed, but a iest, +Exampled by this heynous spectacle + + Bast. It is a damned, and a bloody worke, +The gracelesse action of a heauy hand, +If that it be the worke of any hand + + Sal. If that it be the worke of any hand? +We had a kinde of light, what would ensue: +It is the shamefull worke of Huberts hand, +The practice, and the purpose of the king: +From whose obedience I forbid my soule, +Kneeling before this ruine of sweete life, +And breathing to his breathlesse Excellence +The Incense of a Vow, a holy Vow: +Neuer to taste the pleasures of the world, +Neuer to be infected with delight, +Nor conuersant with Ease, and Idlenesse, +Till I haue set a glory to this hand, +By giuing it the worship of Reuenge + + Pem. Big. Our soules religiously confirme thy words. +Enter Hubert. + + Hub. Lords, I am hot with haste, in seeking you, +Arthur doth liue, the king hath sent for you + + Sal. Oh he is bold, and blushes not at death, +Auant thou hatefull villain, get thee gone + + Hu. I am no villaine + + Sal. Must I rob the Law? + Bast. Your sword is bright sir, put it vp againe + + Sal. Not till I sheath it in a murtherers skin + + Hub. Stand backe Lord Salsbury, stand backe I say +By heauen, I thinke my sword's as sharpe as yours. +I would not haue you (Lord) forget your selfe, +Nor tempt the danger of my true defence; +Least I, by marking of your rage, forget +Your Worth, your Greatnesse, and Nobility + + Big. Out dunghill: dar'st thou braue a Nobleman? + Hub. Not for my life: But yet I dare defend +My innocent life against an Emperor + + Sal. Thou art a Murtherer + + Hub. Do not proue me so: +Yet I am none. Whose tongue so ere speakes false, +Not truely speakes: who speakes not truly, Lies + + Pem. Cut him to peeces + + Bast. Keepe the peace, I say + + Sal. Stand by, or I shall gaul you Faulconbridge + + Bast. Thou wer't better gaul the diuell Salsbury. +If thou but frowne on me, or stirre thy foote, +Or teach thy hastie spleene to do me shame, +Ile strike thee dead. Put vp thy sword betime, +Or Ile so maule you, and your tosting-Iron, +That you shall thinke the diuell is come from hell + + Big. What wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge? +Second a Villaine, and a Murtherer? + Hub. Lord Bigot, I am none + + Big. Who kill'd this Prince? + Hub. 'Tis not an houre since I left him well: +I honour'd him, I lou'd him, and will weepe +My date of life out, for his sweete liues losse + + Sal. Trust not those cunning waters of his eyes, +For villanie is not without such rheume, +And he, long traded in it, makes it seeme +Like Riuers of remorse and innocencie. +Away with me, all you whose soules abhorre +Th' vncleanly sauours of a Slaughter-house, +For I am stifled with this smell of sinne + + Big. Away, toward Burie, to the Dolphin there + + P. There tel the king, he may inquire vs out. + +Ex. Lords. + + Ba. Here's a good world: knew you of this faire work? +Beyond the infinite and boundlesse reach of mercie, +(If thou didst this deed of death) art y damn'd Hubert + + Hub. Do but heare me sir + + Bast. Ha? Ile tell thee what. +Thou'rt damn'd as blacke, nay nothing is so blacke, +Thou art more deepe damn'd then Prince Lucifer: +There is not yet so vgly a fiend of hell +As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this childe + + Hub. Vpon my soule + + Bast. If thou didst but consent +To this most cruell Act: do but dispaire, +And if thou want'st a Cord, the smallest thred +That euer Spider twisted from her wombe +Will serue to strangle thee: A rush will be a beame +To hang thee on. Or wouldst thou drowne thy selfe, +Put but a little water in a spoone, +And it shall be as all the Ocean, +Enough to stifle such a villaine vp. +I do suspect thee very greeuously + + Hub. If I in act, consent, or sinne of thought, +Be guiltie of the stealing that sweete breath +Which was embounded in this beauteous clay, +Let hell want paines enough to torture me: +I left him well + + Bast. Go, beare him in thine armes: +I am amaz'd me thinkes, and loose my way +Among the thornes, and dangers of this world. +How easie dost thou take all England vp, +From forth this morcell of dead Royaltie? +The life, the right, and truth of all this Realme +Is fled to heauen: and England now is left +To tug and scamble, and to part by th' teeth +The vn-owed interest of proud swelling State: +Now for the bare-pickt bone of Maiesty, +Doth dogged warre bristle his angry crest, +And snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace: +Now Powers from home, and discontents at home +Meet in one line: and vast confusion waites +As doth a Rauen on a sicke-falne beast, +The iminent decay of wrested pompe. +Now happy he, whose cloake and center can +Hold out this tempest. Beare away that childe, +And follow me with speed: Ile to the King: +A thousand businesses are briefe in hand, +And heauen it selfe doth frowne vpon the Land. +Enter. + + +Actus Quartus, Scaena prima. + +Enter King Iohn and Pandolph, attendants. + + K.Iohn. Thus haue I yeelded vp into your hand +The Circle of my glory + + Pan. Take againe +From this my hand, as holding of the Pope +Your Soueraigne greatnesse and authoritie + + Iohn. Now keep your holy word, go meet the French, +And from his holinesse vse all your power +To stop their marches 'fore we are enflam'd: +Our discontented Counties doe reuolt: +Our people quarrell with obedience, +Swearing Allegiance, and the loue of soule +To stranger-bloud, to forren Royalty; +This inundation of mistempred humor, +Rests by you onely to be qualified. +Then pause not: for the present time's so sicke, +That present medcine must be ministred, +Or ouerthrow incureable ensues + + Pand. It was my breath that blew this Tempest vp, +Vpon your stubborne vsage of the Pope: +But since you are a gentle conuertite, +My tongue shall hush againe this storme of warre, +And make faire weather in your blustring land: +On this Ascention day, remember well, +Vpon your oath of seruice to the Pope, +Goe I to make the French lay downe their Armes. +Enter. + + Iohn. Is this Ascension day? did not the Prophet +Say, that before Ascension day at noone, +My Crowne I should giue off? euen so I haue: +I did suppose it should be on constraint, +But (heau'n be thank'd) it is but voluntary. +Enter Bastard. + + Bast. All Kent hath yeelded: nothing there holds out +But Douer Castle: London hath receiu'd +Like a kinde Host, the Dolphin and his powers. +Your Nobles will not heare you, but are gone +To offer seruice to your enemy: +And wilde amazement hurries vp and downe +The little number of your doubtfull friends + + Iohn. Would not my Lords returne to me againe +After they heard yong Arthur was aliue? + Bast. They found him dead, and cast into the streets, +An empty Casket, where the Iewell of life +By some damn'd hand was rob'd, and tane away + + Iohn. That villaine Hubert told me he did liue + + Bast. So on my soule he did, for ought he knew: +But wherefore doe you droope? why looke you sad? +Be great in act, as you haue beene in thought: +Let not the world see feare and sad distrust +Gouerne the motion of a kinglye eye: +Be stirring as the time, be fire with fire, +Threaten the threatner, and out-face the brow +Of bragging horror: So shall inferior eyes +That borrow their behauiours from the great, +Grow great by your example, and put on +The dauntlesse spirit of resolution. +Away, and glister like the god of warre +When he intendeth to become the field: +Shew boldnesse and aspiring confidence: +What, shall they seeke the Lion in his denne, +And fright him there? and make him tremble there? +Oh let it not be said: forrage, and runne +To meet displeasure farther from the dores, +And grapple with him ere he come so nye + + Iohn. The Legat of the Pope hath beene with mee, +And I haue made a happy peace with him, +And he hath promis'd to dismisse the Powers +Led by the Dolphin + + Bast. Oh inglorious league: +Shall we vpon the footing of our land, +Send fayre-play-orders, and make comprimise, +Insinuation, parley, and base truce +To Armes Inuasiue? Shall a beardlesse boy, +A cockred-silken wanton braue our fields, +And flesh his spirit in a warre-like soyle, +Mocking the ayre with colours idlely spred, +And finde no checke? Let vs my Liege to Armes: +Perchance the Cardinall cannot make your peace; +Or if he doe, let it at least be said +They saw we had a purpose of defence + + Iohn. Haue thou the ordering of this present time + + Bast. Away then with good courage: yet I know +Our Partie may well meet a prowder foe. + +Exeunt. + + +Scoena Secunda. + +Enter (in Armes) Dolphin, Salisbury, Meloone, Pembroke, Bigot, +Souldiers. + + + Dol. My Lord Melloone, let this be coppied out, +And keepe it safe for our remembrance: +Returne the president to these Lords againe, +That hauing our faire order written downe, +Both they and we, perusing ore these notes +May know wherefore we tooke the Sacrament, +And keepe our faithes firme and inuiolable + + Sal. Vpon our sides it neuer shall be broken. +And Noble Dolphin, albeit we sweare +A voluntary zeale, and an vn-urg'd Faith +To your proceedings: yet beleeue me Prince, +I am not glad that such a sore of Time +Should seeke a plaster by contemn'd reuolt, +And heale the inueterate Canker of one wound, +By making many: Oh it grieues my soule, +That I must draw this mettle from my side +To be a widdow-maker: oh, and there +Where honourable rescue, and defence +Cries out vpon the name of Salisbury. +But such is the infection of the time, +That for the health and Physicke of our right, +We cannot deale but with the very hand +Of sterne Iniustice, and confused wrong: +And is't not pitty, (oh my grieued friends) +That we, the sonnes and children of this Isle, +Was borne to see so sad an houre as this, +Wherein we step after a stranger, march +Vpon her gentle bosom, and fill vp +Her Enemies rankes? I must withdraw, and weepe +Vpon the spot of this inforced cause, +To grace the Gentry of a Land remote, +And follow vnacquainted colours heere: +What heere? O Nation that thou couldst remoue, +That Neptunes Armes who clippeth thee about, +Would beare thee from the knowledge of thy selfe, +And cripple thee vnto a Pagan shore, +Where these two Christian Armies might combine +The bloud of malice, in a vaine of league, +And not to spend it so vn-neighbourly + + Dolph. A noble temper dost thou shew in this, +And great affections wrastling in thy bosome +Doth make an earth-quake of Nobility: +Oh, what a noble combat hast fought +Between compulsion, and a braue respect: +Let me wipe off this honourable dewe, +That siluerly doth progresse on thy cheekes: +My heart hath melted at a Ladies teares, +Being an ordinary Inundation: +But this effusion of such manly drops, +This showre, blowne vp by tempest of the soule, +Startles mine eyes, and makes me more amaz'd +Then had I seene the vaultie top of heauen +Figur'd quite ore with burning Meteors. +Lift vp thy brow (renowned Salisburie) +And with a great heart heaue away this storme: +Commend these waters to those baby-eyes +That neuer saw the giant-world enrag'd, +Nor met with Fortune, other then at feasts, +Full warm of blood, of mirth, of gossipping: +Come, come; for thou shalt thrust thy hand as deepe +Into the purse of rich prosperity +As Lewis himselfe: so (Nobles) shall you all, +That knit your sinewes to the strength of mine. +Enter Pandulpho. + +And euen there, methinkes an Angell spake, +Looke where the holy Legate comes apace, +To giue vs warrant from the hand of heauen, +And on our actions set the name of right +With holy breath + + Pand. Haile noble Prince of France: +The next is this: King Iohn hath reconcil'd +Himselfe to Rome, his spirit is come in, +That so stood out against the holy Church, +The great Metropolis and Sea of Rome: +Therefore thy threatning Colours now winde vp, +And tame the sauage spirit of wilde warre, +That like a Lion fostered vp at hand, +It may lie gently at the foot of peace, +And be no further harmefull then in shewe + + Dol. Your Grace shall pardon me, I will not backe: +I am too high-borne to be proportied +To be a secondary at controll, +Or vsefull seruing-man, and Instrument +To any Soueraigne State throughout the world. +Your breath first kindled the dead coale of warres, +Betweene this chastiz'd kingdome and my selfe, +And brought in matter that should feed this fire; +And now 'tis farre too huge to be blowne out +With that same weake winde, which enkindled it: +You taught me how to know the face of right, +Acquainted me with interest to this Land, +Yea, thrust this enterprize into my heart, +And come ye now to tell me Iohn hath made +His peace with Rome? what is that peace to me? +I (by the honour of my marriage bed) +After yong Arthur, claime this Land for mine, +And now it is halfe conquer'd, must I backe, +Because that Iohn hath made his peace with Rome? +Am I Romes slaue? What penny hath Rome borne? +What men prouided? What munition sent +To vnder-prop this Action? Is't not I +That vnder-goe this charge? Who else but I, +And such as to my claime are liable, +Sweat in this businesse, and maintaine this warre? +Haue I not heard these Islanders shout out +Viue le Roy, as I haue bank'd their Townes? +Haue I not heere the best Cards for the game +To winne this easie match, plaid for a Crowne? +And shall I now giue ore the yeelded Set? +No, no, on my soule it neuer shall be said + + Pand. You looke but on the out-side of this worke + + Dol. Out-side or in-side, I will not returne +Till my attempt so much be glorified, +As to my ample hope was promised, +Before I drew this gallant head of warre, +And cull'd these fiery spirits from the world +To out-looke Conquest, and to winne renowne +Euen in the iawes of danger, and of death: +What lusty Trumpet thus doth summon vs? +Enter Bastard. + + Bast. According to the faire-play of the world, +Let me haue audience: I am sent to speake: +My holy Lord of Millane, from the King +I come to learne how you haue dealt for him: +And, as you answer, I doe know the scope +And warrant limited vnto my tongue + + Pand. The Dolphin is too wilfull opposite +And will not temporize with my intreaties: +He flatly saies, hee'll not lay downe his Armes + + Bast. By all the bloud that euer fury breath'd, +The youth saies well. Now heare our English King, +For thus his Royaltie doth speake in me: +He is prepar'd, and reason to he should, +This apish and vnmannerly approach, +This harness'd Maske, and vnaduised Reuell, +This vn-heard sawcinesse and boyish Troopes, +The King doth smile at, and is well prepar'd +To whip this dwarfish warre, this Pigmy Armes +From out the circle of his Territories. +That hand which had the strength, euen at your dore, +To cudgell you, and make you take the hatch, +To diue like Buckets in concealed Welles, +To crowch in litter of your stable plankes, +To lye like pawnes, lock'd vp in chests and truncks, +To hug with swine, to seeke sweet safety out +In vaults and prisons, and to thrill and shake, +Euen at the crying of your Nations crow, +Thinking this voyce an armed Englishman. +Shall that victorious hand be feebled heere, +That in your Chambers gaue you chasticement? +No: know the gallant Monarch is in Armes, +And like an Eagle, o're his ayerie towres, +To sowsse annoyance that comes neere his Nest; +And you degenerate, you ingrate Reuolts, +You bloudy Nero's, ripping vp the wombe +Of your deere Mother-England: blush for shame: +For your owne Ladies, and pale-visag'd Maides, +Like Amazons, come tripping after drummes: +Their thimbles into armed Gantlets change, +Their Needl's to Lances, and their gentle hearts +To fierce and bloody inclination + + Dol. There end thy braue, and turn thy face in peace, +We grant thou canst out-scold vs: Far thee well, +We hold our time too precious to be spent +with such a brabler + + Pan. Giue me leaue to speake + + Bast. No, I will speake + + Dol. We will attend to neyther: +Strike vp the drummes, and let the tongue of warre +Pleade for our interest, and our being heere + + Bast. Indeede your drums being beaten, wil cry out; +And so shall you, being beaten: Do but start +An eccho with the clamor of thy drumme, +And euen at hand, a drumme is readie brac'd, +That shall reuerberate all, as lowd as thine. +Sound but another, and another shall +(As lowd as thine) rattle the Welkins eare, +And mocke the deepe mouth'd Thunder: for at hand +(Not trusting to this halting Legate heere, +Whom he hath vs'd rather for sport, then neede) +Is warlike Iohn: and in his fore-head sits +A bare-rib'd death, whose office is this day +To feast vpon whole thousands of the French + + Dol. Strike vp our drummes, to finde this danger out + + Bast. And thou shalt finde it (Dolphin) do not doubt + +Exeunt. + + +Scaena Tertia. + +Alarums. Enter Iohn and Hubert. + + Iohn. How goes the day with vs? oh tell me Hubert + + Hub. Badly I feare; how fares your Maiesty? + Iohn. This Feauer that hath troubled me so long, +Lyes heauie on me: oh, my heart is sicke. +Enter a Messenger. + + Mes. My Lord: your valiant kinsman Falconbridge, +Desires your Maiestie to leaue the field, +And send him word by me, which way you go + + Iohn. Tell him toward Swinsted, to the Abbey there + + Mes. Be of good comfort: for the great supply +That was expected by the Dolphin heere, +Are wrack'd three nights ago on Goodwin sands. +This newes was brought to Richard but euen now, +The French fight coldly, and retyre themselues + + Iohn. Aye me, this tyrant Feauer burnes mee vp, +And will not let me welcome this good newes. +Set on toward Swinsted: to my Litter straight, +Weaknesse possesseth me, and I am faint. + +Exeunt. + + +Scena Quarta. + +Enter Salisbury, Pembroke, and Bigot. + + Sal. I did not thinke the King so stor'd with friends + + Pem. Vp once againe: put spirit in the French, +If they miscarry: we miscarry too + + Sal. That misbegotten diuell Falconbridge, +In spight of spight, alone vpholds the day + + Pem. They say King Iohn sore sick, hath left the field. +Enter Meloon wounded. + + Mel. Lead me to the Reuolts of England heere + + Sal. When we were happie, we had other names + + Pem. It is the Count Meloone + + Sal. Wounded to death + + Mel. Fly Noble English, you are bought and sold, +Vnthred the rude eye of Rebellion, +And welcome home againe discarded faith, +Seeke out King Iohn, and fall before his feete: +For if the French be Lords of this loud day, +He meanes to recompence the paines you take, +By cutting off your heads: Thus hath he sworne, +And I with him, and many moe with mee, +Vpon the Altar at S[aint]. Edmondsbury, +Euen on that Altar, where we swore to you +Deere Amity, and euerlasting loue + + Sal. May this be possible? May this be true? + Mel. Haue I not hideous death within my view, +Retaining but a quantity of life, +Which bleeds away, euen as a forme of waxe +Resolueth from his figure 'gainst the fire? +What in the world should make me now deceiue, +Since I must loose the vse of all deceite? +Why should I then be false, since it is true +That I must dye heere, and liue hence, by Truth? +I say againe, if Lewis do win the day, +He is forsworne, if ere those eyes of yours +Behold another day breake in the East: +But euen this night, whose blacke contagious breath +Already smoakes about the burning Crest +Of the old, feeble, and day-wearied Sunne, +Euen this ill night, your breathing shall expire, +Paying the fine of rated Treachery, +Euen with a treacherous fine of all your liues: +If Lewis, by your assistance win the day. +Commend me to one Hubert, with your King; +The loue of him, and this respect besides +(For that my Grandsire was an Englishman) +Awakes my Conscience to confesse all this. +In lieu whereof, I pray you beare me hence +From forth the noise and rumour of the Field; +Where I may thinke the remnant of my thoughts +In peace: and part this bodie and my soule +With contemplation, and deuout desires + + Sal. We do beleeue thee, and beshrew my soule, +But I do loue the fauour, and the forme +Of this most faire occasion, by the which +We will vntread the steps of damned flight, +And like a bated and retired Flood, +Leauing our ranknesse and irregular course, +Stoope lowe within those bounds we haue ore-look'd, +And calmely run on in obedience +Euen to our Ocean, to our great King Iohn. +My arme shall giue thee helpe to beare thee hence, +For I do see the cruell pangs of death +Right in thine eye. Away, my friends, new flight, +And happie newnesse, that intends old right. + +Exeunt. + +Scena Quinta. + +Enter Dolphin, and his Traine. + + Dol. The Sun of heauen (me thought) was loth to set; +But staid, and made the Westerne Welkin blush, +When English measure backward their owne ground +In faint Retire: Oh brauely came we off, +When with a volley of our needlesse shot, +After such bloody toile, we bid good night, +And woon'd our tott'ring colours clearly vp, +Last in the field, and almost Lords of it. +Enter a Messenger. + + Mes. Where is my Prince, the Dolphin? + Dol. Heere: what newes? + Mes. The Count Meloone is slaine: The English Lords +By his perswasion, are againe falne off, +And your supply, which you haue wish'd so long, +Are cast away, and sunke on Goodwin sands + + Dol. Ah fowle, shrew'd newes. Beshrew thy very hart: +I did not thinke to be so sad to night +As this hath made me. Who was he that said +King Iohn did flie an houre or two before +The stumbling night did part our wearie powres? + Mes. Who euer spoke it, it is true my Lord + + Dol. Well: keepe good quarter, & good care to night, +The day shall not be vp so soone as I, +To try the faire aduenture of to morrow. + +Exeunt. + +Scena Sexta. + +Enter Bastard and Hubert, seuerally. + + Hub. Whose there? Speake hoa, speake quickely, or +I shoote + + Bast. A Friend. What art thou? + Hub. Of the part of England + + Bast. Whether doest thou go? + Hub. What's that to thee? +Why may not I demand of thine affaires, +As well as thou of mine? + Bast. Hubert, I thinke + + Hub. Thou hast a perfect thought: +I will vpon all hazards well beleeue +Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well: +Who art thou? + Bast. Who thou wilt: and if thou please +Thou maist be-friend me so much, as to thinke +I come one way of the Plantagenets + + Hub. Vnkinde remembrance: thou, & endles night, +Haue done me shame: Braue Soldier, pardon me, +That any accent breaking from thy tongue, +Should scape the true acquaintance of mine eare + + Bast. Come, come: sans complement, What newes +abroad? + Hub. Why heere walke I in the black brow of night +To finde you out + + Bast. Breefe then: and what's the newes? + Hub. O my sweet sir, newes fitting to the night, +Blacke, fearefull, comfortlesse, and horrible + + Bast. Shew me the very wound of this ill newes, +I am no woman, Ile not swound at it + + Hub. The King I feare is poyson'd by a Monke, +I left him almost speechlesse, and broke out +To acquaint you with this euill, that you might +The better arme you to the sodaine time, +Then if you had at leisure knowne of this + + Bast. How did he take it? Who did taste to him? + Hub. A Monke I tell you, a resolued villaine +Whose Bowels sodainly burst out: The King +Yet speakes, and peraduenture may recouer + + Bast. Who didst thou leaue to tend his Maiesty? + Hub. Why know you not? The Lords are all come +backe, +And brought Prince Henry in their companie, +At whose request the king hath pardon'd them, +And they are all about his Maiestie + + Bast. With-hold thine indignation, mighty heauen, +And tempt vs not to beare aboue our power. +Ile tell thee Hubert, halfe my power this night +Passing these Flats, are taken by the Tide, +These Lincolne-Washes haue deuoured them, +My selfe, well mounted, hardly haue escap'd. +Away before: Conduct me to the king, +I doubt he will be dead, or ere I come. + +Exeunt. + +Scena Septima. + +Enter Prince Henry, Salisburie, and Bigot. + + Hen. It is too late, the life of all his blood +Is touch'd, corruptibly: and his pure braine +(Which some suppose the soules fraile dwelling house) +Doth by the idle Comments that it makes, +Fore-tell the ending of mortality. +Enter Pembroke. + + Pem. His Highnesse yet doth speak, & holds beleefe, +That being brought into the open ayre, +It would allay the burning qualitie +Of that fell poison which assayleth him + + Hen. Let him be brought into the Orchard heere: +Doth he still rage? + Pem. He is more patient +Then when you left him; euen now he sung + + Hen. Oh vanity of sicknesse: fierce extreames +In their continuance, will not feele themselues. +Death hauing praide vpon the outward parts +Leaues them inuisible, and his seige is now +Against the winde, the which he prickes and wounds +With many legions of strange fantasies, +Which in their throng, and presse to that last hold, +Counfound themselues. 'Tis strange y death shold sing: +I am the Symet to this pale faint Swan, +Who chaunts a dolefull hymne to his owne death, +And from the organ-pipe of frailety sings +His soule and body to their lasting rest + + Sal. Be of good comfort (Prince) for you are borne +To set a forme vpon that indigest +Which he hath left so shapelesse, and so rude. + +Iohn brought in. + + Iohn. I marrie, now my soule hath elbow roome, +It would not out at windowes, nor at doores, +There is so hot a summer in my bosome, +That all my bowels crumble vp to dust: +I am a scribled forme drawne with a pen +Vpon a Parchment, and against this fire +Do I shrinke vp + + Hen. How fares your Maiesty? + Ioh. Poyson'd, ill fare: dead, forsooke, cast off, +And none of you will bid the winter come +To thrust his ycie fingers in my maw; +Nor let my kingdomes Riuers take their course +Through my burn'd bosome: nor intreat the North +To make his bleake windes kisse my parched lips, +And comfort me with cold. I do not aske you much, +I begge cold comfort: and you are so straight +And so ingratefull, you deny me that + + Hen. Oh that there were some vertue in my teares, +That might releeue you + + Iohn. The salt in them is hot. +Within me is a hell, and there the poyson +Is, as a fiend, confin'd to tyrannize, +On vnrepreeuable condemned blood. +Enter Bastard. + + Bast. Oh, I am scalded with my violent motion +And spleene of speede, to see your Maiesty + + Iohn. Oh Cozen, thou art come to set mine eye: +The tackle of my heart, is crack'd and burnt, +And all the shrowds wherewith my life should saile, +Are turned to one thred, one little haire: +My heart hath one poore string to stay it by, +Which holds but till thy newes be vttered, +And then all this thou seest, is but a clod, +And module of confounded royalty + + Bast. The Dolphin is preparing hither-ward, +Where heauen he knowes how we shall answer him. +For in a night the best part of my powre, +As I vpon aduantage did remoue, +Were in the Washes all vnwarily, +Deuoured by the vnexpected flood + + Sal. You breath these dead newes in as dead an eare +My Liege, my Lord: but now a King, now thus + + Hen. Euen so must I run on, and euen so stop. +What surety of the world, what hope, what stay, +When this was now a King, and now is clay? + Bast. Art thou gone so? I do but stay behinde, +To do the office for thee, of reuenge, +And then my soule shall waite on thee to heauen, +As it on earth hath bene thy seruant still. +Now, now you Starres, that moue in your right spheres, +Where be your powres? Shew now your mended faiths, +And instantly returne with me againe. +To push destruction, and perpetuall shame +Out of the weake doore of our fainting Land: +Straight let vs seeke, or straight we shall be sought, +The Dolphine rages at our verie heeles + + Sal. It seemes you know not then so much as we, +The Cardinall Pandulph is within at rest, +Who halfe an houre since came from the Dolphin, +And brings from him such offers of our peace, +As we with honor and respect may take, +With purpose presently to leaue this warre + + Bast. He will the rather do it, when he sees +Our selues well sinew'd to our defence + + Sal. Nay, 'tis in a manner done already, +For many carriages hee hath dispatch'd +To the sea side, and put his cause and quarrell +To the disposing of the Cardinall, +With whom your selfe, my selfe, and other Lords, +If you thinke meete, this afternoone will poast +To consummate this businesse happily + + Bast. Let it be so, and you my noble Prince, +With other Princes that may best be spar'd, +Shall waite vpon your Fathers Funerall + + Hen. At Worster must his bodie be interr'd, +For so he will'd it + + Bast. Thither shall it then, +And happily may your sweet selfe put on +The lineall state, and glorie of the Land, +To whom with all submission on my knee, +I do bequeath my faithfull seruices +And true subiection euerlastingly + + Sal. And the like tender of our loue wee make +To rest without a spot for euermore + + Hen. I haue a kinde soule, that would giue thankes, +And knowes not how to do it, but with teares + + Bast. Oh let vs pay the time: but needfull woe, +Since it hath beene before hand with our greefes. +This England neuer did, nor neuer shall +Lye at the proud foote of a Conqueror, +But when it first did helpe to wound it selfe. +Now, these her Princes are come home againe, +Come the three corners of the world in Armes, +And we shall shocke them: Naught shall make vs rue, +If England to it selfe, do rest but true. + +Exeunt. + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 2249 *** |