Of soft petitions, pity, and remorse, Cool and congeal again to what it was. 1 Cit. Why answer not the double majesties This friendly treaty of our threatened town? K. Phi. Speak England first, that hath been forward first To speak unto this city. What say you? K. John. If that the dauphin there, thy princely son, Can in this book of beauty read, I love, Her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen; For Anjou, and fair Touraine, Maine, Poictiers, Shall gild her bridal bed, and make her rich As she in beauty, education, blood, Holds hand with any princess of the world. K. Phi. What say'st thou, boy? Look in the lady's face. Lew. I do, my lord, and in her eye I find A wonder, or a wondrous miracle, The shadow of myself formed in her eye; Till now infixed I beheld myself Drawn in the flattering table1 of her eye. [Whispers with BLANCH. · Bast. Drawn in the flattering table of her eye!— Hanged in the frowning wrinkle of her brow! And quartered in her heart!-He doth espy Himself love's traitor. This is pity now, That hanged, and drawn, and quartered, there should be, In such a love, so vile a lout as he. 1 The table is the plain surface on which any thing is depicted or written (tablette, Fr.). Blanch. My uncle's will, in this respect, is mine. If he see aught in you, that makes him like, That any thing he sees, which moves his liking, Or, if you will, (to speak more properly,) (Though churlish thoughts themselves should be your judge,) That I can find should merit any hate. K. John. What say these young ones? What say you, my niece? Blanch. That she is bound in honor still to do What you in wisdom shall vouchsafe to say. K. John. Speak, then, prince Dauphin; can you love this lady? Lew. Nay, ask me if I can refrain from love; For I do love her most unfeignedly. K. John. Then do I give Volquessen,1 Touraine, Poictiers, and Anjou, these five provinces, K. Phi. It likes us well.-Young princes, close your hands. Aust. And your lips, too; for I am well assured That I did so, when I was first assured.2 K. Phi. Now, citizens of Angiers, ope your gates; Let in that amity which you have made; For, at Saint Mary's chapel, presently, The rites of marriage shall be solemnized. 1 This is the ancient name for the country now called the Vexin, in Latin, Pagus Velocassinus. That part of it called the Norman Vexin was in dispute between Philip and John. This and the subsequent line (except the words "do I give ") are taken from the old play. cept 2 Affianced, contracted. Is not the lady Constance in this troop? I know she is not; for this match, made up, tent. K. Phi. And, by my faith, this league, that we have made, Will give her sadness very little cure.— Which we, God knows, have turned another way, We will heal up all; K. John. To this unlooked-for, unprepared pomp. [Exeunt all but the Bastard.-The Citizens retire from the walls. Bast. Mad world! mad kings! mad composition! John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole, Hath willingly departed 2 with a part; And France, (whose armor conscience buckled on ; 3 As God's own soldier,) rounded 3 in the ear 1 Passionate here means agitated, perturbed, a prey to mournful sensations, not moved or disposed to anger. Thus in the old play, entitled, The true Tragedie of Richard, Duke of York, 1600 :— Tell me, good madam, Why is your grace so passionate of late?" 2 To part and depart were formerly synonymous. 3 To round or rown in the ear is to whisper; from the Saxon runian, susurrare. The word and its etymology is fully illustrated by Casaubon, in his Treatise de Ling. Saxonica, and in a Letter by Sir H. Spelman, published in Wormius, Literatura Runica. Hafniæ, 1651, p. 4. With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil; Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids,Who having no external thing to lose ; But the word maid,-cheats the poor maid of that The world, who of itself is peised well, This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word, 2 But for because he hath not wooed me yet. [Exit. 1 Commodity is interest, advantage. So Baret :-"What fruite or commoditie had he by this his friendship?" 2 Coin. 3 i. e. but cause. 4 In the old copy, the Second Act extends to the end of the speech of lady Constance, in the next scene, at the conclusion of which, she throws herself on the ground. The present division, which was made by Theobald, is certainly right. ACT III. SCENE I. The same. The French King's Tent. Enter CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and Salisbury. Const. Gone to be married! gone to swear a peace! False blood to false blood joined! gone to be friends! Shall Lewis have Blanch? and Blanch those prov inces? It is not so; thou hast misspoke, misheard; 1 Oppressed with wrongs, and therefore full of fears; A woman, naturally born to fears; And though thou now confess, thou didst but jest, What means that hand upon that breast of thine ? Sal. As true, as, I believe, you think them false, |