THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING JOHN. ACT I. SCENE I. KING JOHN'S palace. Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, and others, with CHATILLON. K. John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France In my behaviour to the majesty, The borrowed majesty, of England here. Eli. A strange beginning: 'borrowed majesty!' K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy. Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son, To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, 5 10 Which sways usurpingly these several titles, K. John. What follows if we disallow of this? Chat. The proud control of fierce and bloody war, To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld. K. John. Here have we war for war and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment: so answer France. Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth, The farthest limit of my embassy. K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace: Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France; For ere thou canst report I will be there, The thunder of my cannon shall be heard: Eli. [Excunt Chatillon and Pembroke. 15 20 25 30 This might have been prevented and made whole 35 Which now the manage of two kingdoms must With fearful bloody issue arbitrate. K. John. Our strong possession and our right for us. Eli. Your strong possession much more than your right, Or else it must go wrong with you and me: 20. Controlment...controlment] F4. port, I...there: Ff. (there; F3F4). Controlement... controlement F、F2F3. 25. For ere] Or, ere Seymour conj. report I...there,] Capell. re 28. sullen] sudden Becket conj. 37. manage] mannage Ff. 40 So much my conscience whispers in your ear, Which none but heaven and you and I shall hear. Enter a Sheriff. Essex. My liege, here is the strangest controversy Come from the country to be judged by you, That e'er I heard: shall I produce the men? K. John. Let them approach. Our abbeys and our priories shall pay This expedition's charge. Enter ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP his bastard brother. What men are you? Bast. Your faithful subject I, a gentleman Born in Northamptonshire and eldest son, Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. 45 50 55 Bast. Most certain of one mother, mighty king; That is well known; and, as I think, one father: 60 I put you o'er to heaven and to my mother: Of that I doubt, as all men's children may. Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy 65 And wound her honour with this diffidence. Bast. I, madam? no, I have no reason for it; 43. Enter a Sheriff.] Enter the Sheriff of Northamptonshire and whispers Essex. Capell. See note (IV). 49. expedition's] expeditious F.. Enter...] Enter R. F. and Philip. Ff. Exit Sheriff; and Reenters with R. F. and P., his bastard brother. Capell (after line 47). 50. Bast.] Philip. Ff. (and to line 52. Robert] om. F2F3F4. 55. What] And what Capell. That is my brother's plea and none of mine; The which if he can prove, a' pops me out At least from fair five hundred pound a year: Heaven guard my mother's honour and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow. Why, being younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? Bast. I know not why, except to get the land. But once he slander'd me with bastardy: But whether I be as true begot or no, 70 75 That still I lay upon my mother's head; But that I am as well begot, my liege, Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me!- If old Sir Robert did beget us both And were our father and this son like him, 80 O old Sir Robert, father, on my knee I give heaven thanks I was not like to thee! K. John. Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here! Eli. He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face; The accent of his tongue affecteth him. K. John. Mine eye hath well examined his parts And finds them perfect Richard. Sirrah, speak, What doth move you to claim your brother's land? 85 Bast. Because he hath a half-face, like my father. 68. a'] a Ff. he Pope. 75. whether] F4. where F,F2F3. See note (v). as true] true Pope. 79. yourself.] Rowe. FF2 your self F3F4. 81. him,] him: Ff. your selfe 84. lent] sent Heath conj. 85. trick] See note (VI). 92, 93, 94. father. With...land: ...year!] father? With...land,...year? FF2 father, With ... land,... year? F3F4 93. half that face] that half-face Theobald. half the face Anon. conj. 90 95 Bast. Well, sir, by this you cannot get my land: Your tale must be how he employ'd my mother. Rob. And once dispatch'd him in an embassy To Germany, there with the emperor To treat of high affairs touching that time. But truth is truth: large lengths of seas and shores As I have heard my father speak himself, K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate; Who, as you say, took pains to get this son, In sooth, good friend, your father might have kept Rob. Shall then my father's will be of no force 130 To dispossess that child which is not his? Bast. Of no more force to dispossess me, sir, 105. lengths] length Capell conj. 110. death] oath Anon. conj. 112. And if] An if Hanmer. 119. hazards] hazard Pope. |