By this brave duke came early to his grave: At our importance' hither is he come, Of thy unnatural uncle, English John: Lew. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right? That to my home I will no more return, Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks, Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength, To make a more requital to your love. Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs, that lift their In such a just and charitable war. [swords K. Phi. Well then, to work; our cannon shall be Against the brows of this resisting town.- [bent more, for greater. 3 stations, or posts. We'll lay before this town our royal bones, Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy, Enter CHATILLON. K. Phi. A wonder, lady!-lo, upon thy wish, What England says, say briefly, gentle lord, Chat. Then turn your forces from this paltry siege, And stir them up against a mightier task. England, impatient of your just demands, Hath put himself in arms; the adverse winds, Whose leisure I have staid, have given him time To land his legions all as soon as I: His marches are expedient' to this town, His forces strong, his soldiers confident. With him along is come the mother-queen, An Até, stirring him to blood and strife; With her her niece, the lady Blanch of Spain; With them a bastard of the king deceas'd: And all th' unsettled humours of the land,--Rash, inconsiderate, fiery voluntaries, With ladies' faces, and fierce dragons' spleens,Have sold their fortunes at their native homes, Bearing their birthrights proudly on their backs, To make a hazard of new fortunes here. In brief, a braver choice of dauntless spirits, Than now the English bottoms have waft2 o'er, Did never float upon the swelling tide, To do offence and scath3 in Christendom. directly. • waft, for wafted. 3 destruction, waste. The interruption of their churlish drums [Drums beat. K. Phi. How much unlook'd for is this expedition! For courage mounteth with occasion: Enter King JoHN, ELINOR, BLANCH, PHILIP, K. John. Peace be to France; if France in peace K. Phi. Peace be to England; if that war return From France to England, there to live in peace! England we love: and, for that England's sake, With burden of our armour here we sweat: This toil of ours should be a work of thine; But thou from loving England art so far, That thou hast under-wrought' his lawful king, Cut off the sequence of posterity, Outfaced infant state, and done a rape Upon the maiden virtue of the crown. underworked, undermined. 2 draft, outline. K. John. From whom hast thou this great commisTo draw my answer from thy articles? [sion, France, K. Phi. From that supernal judge, that stirs good In any breast of strong authority, [thoughts To look into the blots and stains of right. K. John. Alack, thou dost usurp authority. Than thou and John in manners. Aust. Peace! Phil. Aust. Hear the crier. What the devil art thou? 2 Phil. One that will play the devil, sir, with you, An 'a may catch your hide' and you alone. You are the hare of whom the proverb goes, Whose valour plucks dead lions by the beard; I'll smoke your skin-coat, an I catch you right; Sirrah, look to't; i'faith, I will, i'faith. Blanch. O, well did he become that lion's robe, That did disrobe the lion of that robe! back: Phil. It lies as sightly on the back of him, As great Alcides' shoes upon an ass :-But, ass, I'll take that burden from your Or lay on that, shall make your shoulders crack. Aust. What cracker is this same, that deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath? The lion's hide, the spoil of Richard Coeur de Lion, which Austria wore. 2 The proverb alluded to is," Mortuo leoni et lepores insultant. Erasmi Adag.-MALONE. K. Phi. Lewis, determine what we shall do straight. Lew. Women and fools, break off your conference.King John, this is the very sum of all, England, and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, Wilt thou resign them, and lay down thy arms? Eli. Come to thy grandam, child. Const. Do, child, go to it' grandam, child; Give grandam kingdom, and it' grandam will Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig: There's a good grandam. weeps. Arth. Good my mother, peace! I would, that I were low laid in my grave; I am not worth this coil that's made for me. Eli. His mother shames him so, poor boy, he Const. Now shame upon you, whe'r she does, or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames, Draw those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be brib'd To do him justice, and revenge on you. Eli. Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth! Const. Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth! Call not me slanderer; thou, and thine, usurp The dominations, royalties, and rights, Of this oppressed boy: This is thy eldest son's son, Infortunate in nothing but in thee; Thy sins are visited in this poor child. K. John. Beldam, have done. Eli. Thou unadvised scold, I can produce A will, that bars the title of thy son. Const. Ay, who doubts that? a will! a wicked will; A woman's will; a canker'd grandam's will! K. Phi. Peace, lady: pause, or be more temperate : |