THE

LIFE and DEATH

O F

KING JOHN.

KING John.

Prince Henry, Son to the King.

Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King.

Pembroke,

Bigot,

Faulconbridge, Baftard-Son to Richard the Firft. Robert Faulconbridge, fuppos'd Brother to the Baflard. James Gurney, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge. Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet.

Philip, King of France.

Lewis, the Dauphin.

Arch-Duke of Auftria.

Card. Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate.

Melun, a French Lord.

Chatillon, Ambaffador from France to King John.

Elinor, Queen-Mother of England.
Conftance, Mother to Arthur.

Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and
Niece to King John.

Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard, and Robert Faulconbridge.

Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Meffengers, Soldiers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE, fometimes in England; and fometimes

in France.

Of this Play there are three editions in Quarto preceding the firft folio.

I. 1

1591, for Sampson Clarke.

II. 1611, Valentine Simmer for John Helme.

III. 1622, Aug. Mathews for Thimas Dewe.

THE

KING 70H N

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Court of England.

Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Effex, and Salisbury, with Chatillon.

King JOHN.

OW, fay, Chatillon, what would France with us?
Chat. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the King of
France,

In my behaviour, (2) to the Majefty,

The borrow'd Majefty of England here.

(1) The trouble fome Reign of King Job was written in two parts, by W. Shakespeare and W. Rowly, and printed 1611 But the prefent Play is intirely different, and infinitely fuperior to it. POPE.

The edition of 1611 has no mention of Rowley, nor, in the account of Rowley's works is any mention made of his conjunction with Shakespeare in any play. King John was reprinted in two parts in 1622. The first edition that I have found of this play, in its prefent form, is that of 1623 in fol. The edition of 1591

have not feen.

The Life and Deacb.] Though this play have this Title, yet the Action of it begins at the thirty-fourth Year of his Life; and takes in only fome tranfactions of his reign to the time of his Demife, being an Interval of about feventeen Years. THEOBALD. (2) In my behaviour,] The word behaviour feems here to have a fignification that I have never found in any other authour. The King of France, fays the Envoy, thus fpeaks in my behaviour, to the Majefty of England: That is, the king of France fpeaks in the cha racter which I here affume. I once thought that these two lines, in my behaviour,&c. had been uttered by the ambaffador as part of his mafter's meffage, and that bebaviour had meant the conduct of the king of France towards the king of England; but the ambassador's fpeech, as continued after the interruption, will not admit this meaning.

Eli. A ftrange beginning. Borrow'd Majesty!
K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embaffy.
Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's fon,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful claim
To this fair ifland, and the territories,
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine;
Defiring thee to lay afide the fword,

Which fways ufurpingly these several titles;
And put the fame into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew, and right-royal Sovereign.

K. John. What follows, if we difallow of this?
Chat. The proud (3) controul of fierce and bloody war,
T' inforce thefe rights fo forcibly with-held.

K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood,

Controulment for controulment; fo anfwer France.

Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The fartheft limit of my embaffy.

K. Jobn. Bear mine to him, and fo depart in peace. (4) Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France. For ere thou can'ft report, I will be there, The thunder of my cannon fhall be heard. So, hence! be thou the trumpet of our wrath, And (5) fullen prefage of your own decay. An honourable condu&t let him have, Pembroke, look to't; farewel, Chatillon.

[Exeunt Chat and Pem.

Eli. What now, my fon? Have I not ever said,.
How that ambitious Conftance would not ceafe,
'Till fhe had kindled France and all the world,
Upon the right and party of her fon?

This might have been prevented, and made whole
With very eafy arguments of love;

(3) Controul Oppofition, from controller.

(4) Be thou as lightning-] The fimile does not fuit well: the lightning ind ed appears before the thunder is heard, but the lightning is deftructive, and the thunder innocent.

(5) Sullen prefage-] By the epithet fullen, which cannot be applied to a trumpet, it is plain, that our authour's imagination had now fuggested a new idea. It is, as if he had faid, be a trumpet to alarm with our invafion; be a bird of ill omen to croak out the prognoftick of your own ruin.

Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful, bloody iffue, arbitrate.

K. John. Our strong poffeffion, and our right for

us

Eli. Your ftrong poffeffion much more than your right, Or else it must go wrong with you and me; So much my confcience whispers in your ear, Which none but heav'n, and you, and I fhall hear. Enter Effex.

Effex. My Liege, here is the strangest controverfie, Come from the country to be judg'd by you, That e'er I heard. Shall I produce the men? [Exit Effex. K. John. Let them approach.

Our abbies and our priories fhall pay

This expedition's charge

Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip, his Brother.

What men are you?

Phil. Your faithful fubject, I, a gentleman

Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest fon,
As I fuppofe, to Robert Faulconbridge,
A foldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.
K. John. What art thou ?

Robert. The fon and heir to that fame Faulconbridge. K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother then, it seems?

Phil. Moft certain of one mother, mighty King,
That is well known; and, as I think, one father;
But for the certain knowledge of that truth,
I put you o'er to heav'n, and to my mother
Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.

;

Eli. Out on thee, rude man! Thou doft shame thy mother,

And wound her honour with this diffidence.

;

Phil. I, Madam? No, I have no reason for it; That is my brother's plea, and none of mine The which if he can prove, he pops me out At leaft from fair five hundred pound a year: Heav'n guard my mother's honour, and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow; why, being younger

born,

Doth