K. John. Nay, but make hafte; the better foot before. And fly, like thought, from them to me again. Faulc. The spirit of the time shall teach me speed. [Exit. K. John. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman. Go after him; for he, perhaps, fhall need Some meffenger betwixt me and the peers; Mef. With all my heart, my liege. K. John. My mother dead! Re-enter Hubert. h {Exit. Hub. My lord, they fay, five moons were feen to night: Four fixed; and the fifth did whirl about The other four, in wond'rous motion. K. John. Five moons? Hub. Old men, and beldams, in the streets Do prophefy upon it dangerously: Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths: And he, that speaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrist; five moons]-Fabyan's Chronicle, Part VII. fol. xii. Standing Standing' on flippers (which his nimble haste Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. K. John. Why feek'st thou to poffefs me with these fears? Why urgest thou fo oft young Arthur's death? Thy hand hath murder'd him: I had a mighty cause To with him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him. Hub. Had none, my lord! why, did not you provoke me? K. John. It is the curfe of kings, to be attended By flaves, that take their humours for a warrant To break within the bloody house of life: And, on the winking of authority, To understand a law; to know the meaning Hub. Here is your hand and feal for what I did. K. John. O, when the laft account 'twixt heaven and earth Is to be made, then fhall this hand and feal Witness against us to damnation ! How oft the fight of means to do ill deeds, i on flippers]-shaped exactly to each foot, the extremities fpreading more to the outfide than to the infide. * Quoted,]-Pointed out diftinctly. "He's quoted for a moft perfidious flave." ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL, Vol. II. p. 465. Ber. Finding Finding thee fit for bloody villainy, Apt, liable, to be employ'd in danger, I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death; Mad'ft it no confcience to destroy a prince. K. John. Hadit thou but shook thy head, or made a pause, When I spake darkly what I purposed; Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face; Or bid me tell my tale in exprefs words; Deep shame had ftruck me dumb, made me break off, And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me: But thou didst understand me by my figns, And didst in signs again parley with sin; Yea, without stop, didft let thy heart confent, The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name. Out of my fight, and never fee me more! My nobles leave me; and my state is brav'd, This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Between my confcience, and my coufin's death. ↑ the body of this fiefbly land,]—this my natural body. The dreadful motion of a murd'rous thought,]-Even the horrid idea, or premeditation of murder. And And you have flander'd nature in my form; Than to be butcher of an innocent child. K. John. Doth Arthur live? O, hafte thee to the peers, Throw this report on their incensed rage, And make them tame to their obedience! Forgive the comment that my paffion made Upon thy feature; for my rage was blind, And foul imaginary eyes of blood Presented thee more hideous than thou art. Oh, answer not; but to my clofet bring The angry lords, with all expedient hafte: I conjure thee but flowly; run more fast. [Exeunt. Arth. The wall is high; and yet will I leap down :Good ground, be pitiful, and hurt me not!-There's few, or none, do know me; if they did, This ship-boy's femblance hath disguis'd me quite. I am afraid; and yet I'll venture it. If I get down, and do not break my limbs, I'll find a thousand shifts to get away: As good to die, and go, as die, and stay. [Leaps down. Enter Pembroke, Salisbury, and Bigot. [Dies. Sal. Lords, I will meet him at faint Edmund's-bury; It is our fafety, and we must embrace This gentle offer of the perilous time. Pemb. Pemb. Who brought that letter from the cardinal? Enter Faulconbridge. Faulc. Once more to-day well met, diftemper'd lords! With our pure honours, nor attend the foot Faulc. What e'er you think, good words, I think, were beft. Sal. Our griefs, and not our manners, reafon now. Faulc. But there is little reafon in your grief; Therefore, 'twere reafon, you had manners now. Pemb. Sir, fir, impatience hath its privilege. Faulc. 'Tis true; to hurt his mafter, no man else. Sal. This is the prifon: What is he lies here? [Seeing Arthur. Pemb. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. Sal. Murder, as hating what himself hath done, Doth lay it open to urge on revenge. Whofe private with me,]-Whofe private account of the Dauphin's affection to our caufe, is much more ample than this letter. reafon now.]—are now expreffed. |