Purchase corrupted pardon of a man, Who, in that sale, sells pardon from himself: Against the pope, and count his friends my foes. Const. O, lawful let it be, That I have room with Rome to curse a while! To my keen curses; for, without my wrong, There is no tongue hath power to curse him right. Eli. Look'st thou pale, France? do not let go thy hand. And, by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul. Aust. King Philip, listen to the cardinal. Bast. And hang a calf's-skin on his recreant limbs. Aust. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, Because Bast. Your breeches best may carry them. K. John. Philip, what say'st thou to the cardinal ? [5] This may allude to the bull published against Queen Elizabeth Or we may suppose, since we have no proof that this play appeared in its present state before the reign of King James, that it was exhibited soon after the popish plot. I have seen a Spanish bock in which Garnet, Faux and their accomplices, are registered as saints. JOHNS. Lew. Bethink you, father; for the difference Blanch. That's the curse of Rome. Const. O Lewis, stand fast; the devil tempts thee here, In likeness of a new untrimmed bride. Blanch. The lady Constance speaks not from her faith, But from her need. Const. O, if thou grant my need, Which only lives but by the death of faith, K. John. The king is mov'd, and answers not to this. Const. O, be remov'd from him, and answer well. Aust. Do so,king Philip; hang no more in doubt. Bast. Hang nothing but a calf's-skin, most sweetlout. K. Phil. I am perplex'd, and know not what to say. Pand.What can'st thou say, but will perplex thee more, If thou stand excommunicate, and curs’d? K.Phil. Good reverend father, make my person yours, And tell me, how you would bestow yourself. This royal hand and mine are newly knit ; And the conjunction of our inward souls Married in league, coupled and link'd together With all religious strength of sacred vows; The latest breath that gave the sound of words, Was deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love, Between our kingdoms, and our royal selves; And even before this truce, but new before,No longer than we well could wash our hands, To clap this royal bargain up of peace,Heaven knows, they were besmear'd and overstain'd With slaughter's pencil; where revenge did paint The fearful difference of incensed kings: And shall these hands, so lately purg'd of blood, So newly join'd in love, so strong in both, Unyoke this seizure, and this kind regreet? Play fast and loose with faith? so jest with heaven, [6] It is a political maxim, that kingdoms are never married. Lewis, upon the wedding is for making war upon his new relations. JOHNS. Make such unconstant children of ourselves, Of true sincerity? O holy sir, My reverend father, let it not be so : Some gentle order; and then we shall be bless'd Pand. All form is formless, order orderless, Therefore, to arms! be champion of our church! France, thou may'st hold a serpent by the tongue, A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold. K. Phil. I may disjoin my hand, but not my faith. Pand. So mak'st thou faith an enemy to faith; And, like a civil war, set'st oath to oath, Thy tongue against thy tongue. O, let thy vow What since thou swor'st, is sworn against thyself, For that, which thou hast sworn to do amiss, Is not amiss when it is truly done; And being not done, where doing tends to ill, The truth is then most done not doing it : The better act of purposes mistook Is, to mistake again; though indirect, Yet indirection thereby grows direct, And falsehood falsehood cures; as fire cools fire, It is religion, that doth make vows kept; By what thou swear'st, against the thing thou swear'st; And most forsworn, to keep what thou dost swear. And better conquest never canst thou make, So heavy, as thou shalt not shake them off, Bast. Will't not be? Will not a calf's-skin stop that mouth of thine? Blanch. Upon thy wedding day? Against the blood that thou hast married? What, shall our feast be kept with slaughter'd men Is husband in my mouth!-even for that name, Against mine uncle. Const. O, upon my knee, Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee, Fore-thought by heaven. ? Blanch. Now shall I see thy love; What motive may Be stronger with thee than the name of wife? Const. That which upholdeth him that thee upholds, When such profound respects do pull you on. Const. O fair return of banish'd majesty ! Eli. O foul revolt of French inconstancy ! K. John. France, thou shalt rue this hour within this hour. Bast. Old time the clock-setter, that bald sexton time, Is it as he will? well then, France shall rue. Blanch. The sun's o'ercast with blood: Fair day,adieu! Which is the side that I must go withal? I am with both: each army hath a hand; And, in their rage, I having hold of both, They whirl asunder, and dismember me. Husband, I cannot pray that thou may'st win; Uncle, I needs must pray that thou may'st lose ; Father, I may not wish the fortune thine ; Grandam, I will not wish thy wishes thrive : Whoever wins, on that side shall I lose ; Assured loss, before the match be play'd. Lew. Lady, with me; with me thy fortune lies. Blanch. There where my fortune lives, there my life dies. K. John. Cousin, go draw our puissance together.[Exit Bastard. France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath; A rage, whose heat hath this condition, That nothing can allay, nothing but blood, The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood, of France. K. Phil. Thy rage shall burn thee up, and thou shalt turn To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire: Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy. K. John. No more than he that threats.-To arms let's hie! [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Plains near Angiers. Alarums, Excursions. Enter the Bastard, with AUSTRIA's Head. Bast. Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous hot; Some airy devil hovers in the sky,7 And pours down mischief. Austria's head lie there; While Philip breathes. [7] Shakspeare here probably alludes to the distinctions and divisions of demonologists, so much regarded in his time. They distributed the devils into different tribes and classes, each of which had its peculiar qualities, attributes, &c. These are described at length in Burton's Anatomie of Melancholy, Part 1. sect. ii. p. 45, 1632: "Of these sublunary devils-Psellus makes six kinds; fiery, aeriall, terrestriall, watery,and subterranean devils, besides those faieries, satyres, nymphes," &c. "Fiery spirits or divells are such as commonly worke by blazing starres, fire-drakes, and counterfeit sunnes and moones, and sit on ships' masts," &c. &c. "Aeriall spirits or divells are such as keep quarter most part in the aire, cause many tempests, thunder and lightnings, teare oakes, fire steeples, houses, strike men and beasts, make it raine stones," &c. PERCY. |