How comes it then, that thou art call'd a king, To draw my answer from thy articles? K. Phil. From that fupernal judge, that stirs good thoughts In any breast of ftrong authority, To look into the blots and stains of right. That judge hath made me guardian to this boy: K John. Alack, thou doft ufurp authority. It cannot be, an if thou wert his mother. Eli. There's a good mother, boy, that blots thy father. Conft. There's a good grandam, boy, that would blot thee. Auft. Peace! Faulc, Hear the crier, Auft. What the devil art thou? Pope have a juft claim to. Faulc. Faulc. One that will play the devil, fir, with you, Blanch. O, well did he become that lion's robe, That did difrobe the lion of that robe! Faulc. It lies as fightly on the back of him, As great Alcides' fhoes upon an ass :But, afs, I'll take that burden from your back; Or lay on that, shall make your fhoulders crack. Auft. What cracker is this fame, that deafs our ears With this abundance of fuperfluous breath? K. Phil. Lewis, determine what we fhall do ftrait. Lewis. Women, and fools, break off your conference.→ King John, this is the very fum of all, England, and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, Wilt thou refign them, and lay down thy arms? K. John. My life as foon:-I do defy thee, France. And, out of my dear love, I'll give thee more Eli. Come to thy grandam, child. Conft. 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. Arth. Good my mother, peace! 9 upon an ass:]-upon the hoofs of an afshetos upon an afs—As the robes of Hercules would fhewalluding to the fable of the Afs in the Lion's fkin. I would, I would, that I were low laid in my grave; I am not worth this 'coil, that's made for me. Eli. His mother fhames him fo, poor boy, he weeps. Conft. Now fhame upon you, whe'r fhe does, or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's fhames, Draw thofe heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven fhall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these cryftal beads heaven shall be brib'd Eli. Thou monftrous flanderer of heaven and earth! Of this oppreffed boy: This is thy eldest fon's fon, Thy fins are vifited in this poor child, t Conft. I have but this to fay, That he's not only plagued for her fin, But God hath made her fin and her the plague On this removed iffue, plagu'd for her, That be's not only plagu'd for her fin,]-The obfcurity of this speech arifes from the ambiguous ufe of the term Sin, which stands, fometimes, for crime, and, at other, for offspring, Conftance obferves, that be (king John) is not only plagued (with the prefent war) for his mother's fin, but God bath made her fin and her, the plague also on this removed ifjue (Arthur) plagu'd for ber, and with. ber plagu'd; on her account, and by means of her finful offspring-ber fin, bis injury; } whofe injury (the ufurpation of Arthur's rights) may be confidered as the injury of her fin-conceiving womb;-her injury, the beadle to her fin; her injuftice may alfo be confidered as the officer of correction employed by her crimes, to inflict all these punishments, both on herfelf and us; centring indeed in the troubles of Arthur, but extending in their confequence to all parties. And And with her plagu'd; her fin, his injury ; Eli. Thou unadvised scold, I can produce Conft. Ay, who doubts that? a will! a wicked will ? A woman's will; a cankred grandam's will! K. Phil. Peace, lady; paufe, or be more temperate › It ill befeems this prefence, " to cry aim To these ill-tuned repetitions. Some trumpet fummon hither to the walls These men of Angiers; let us hear them speak, [Trumpets found. Enter Citizens upon the walls. 1 Cit. Who is it, that hath warn'd us to the walls? K. Phil. 'Tis France, for England. K. John. England, for itself: You men of Angiers, and my loving subjects,— K. Phil. You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's fubjects, Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle. K. John. For our advantage-Therefore, hear us First, These flags of France, that are advanced here to cry aim]-to give a fanction. MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Vol. I. p. 213. Ford. ▾ For our advantage ;]—(as I trust.) All All preparation for a bloody fiege, W And merciless proceeding by thefe French, Crave harbourage within your city walls. K. Pbil. When I have said, make answer to us both. In warlike march thefe greens before your town; winking gates;]-that fear, or are averfe to opening; in the ftate of an eye, that dreads annoyance. * a countercbeck]-preventive, obftruction. ! Fore-weary'd]-over-fatigued, quite spent. Than |