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IV.

H'

ACT

SCENE changes to England.

A prifon.

Enter Hubert and Executioner.

HUBERT.

EAT me thefe irons hot, and, look, thou ftand Within the arras; when I ftrike my foot Upon the bofom of the ground, rush forth; And bind the boy, which you shall find with me, Fast to the chair: be heedful; hence, and watch. Exe. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. Hub. Uncleanly fcruples! fear not you; look to't.— Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you.

Enter Arthur.

Arth. Good morrow, Hubert.

Hub. Good morrow, little Prince.

Arth. As little Prince (having fo great a title

To be more Prince) as may be.

You are fad.

Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.
Arth. Mercy on me!

Methinks, nobody fhould be fad but I;
Yet I remember when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as fad as night,
Only for wantonnefs. By my Christendom,
So were I out of prison, and kept fheep,
I fhould be merry as the day is long.
And fo I would be here, but that, I doubt,
My uncle practifes more harm to me.
He is afraid of me, and I of him,
R 6

Is

Is it my fault, that I was Geffrey's fon?
Indeed, it is not; and I would to heav'n,
I were your fon, fo you would love me, Hubert.
Hub. If I talk to him, with his innocent prate.
He will awake my mercy, which lies dead;
Therefore I will be fudden, and dispatch.

[Afide.
Arth. Are you fick, Hubert? you look pale to-day;
In footh, I wou'd, you were a little fick ;
That I might fit all night and watch with you.
Alas, I love you more than you do me.
Hub. His words do take poffeffion of
Read here, young Arthur-
How now, foolish rheum,
Turning dif-piteous torture out of door!
I must be brief, left refòlution drop
Out at mine eyes in tender womanifh tears.-
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?

my bofom. [Shewing a paper.

Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for fo foul effect. Muft you with irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must.

Arth. And will you?

Hub. And I will.

[Afide.

Arth. Have you the heart? when your head did butake,

I knit my handkerchief about your brows

(The beft I had, a Princefs wrought it me)

And I did never afk it you again;

And with my hand at midnight held your head ;
And, like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon chear'd up the heavy time,

Saying, what lack you? and where lies your grief?
Or what good love may I perform for you?
Many a poor man's fon would have lain ftill,
And ne'er have fpoke a loving word to you;
But you at your fick fervice had a Prince.
Nay, you may think, my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning. Do, an if you will:
If heav'n be pleas'd that you muft ufe me ill,
Why then, you muft-Will you put out mine eyes?
Thefe eyes, that never did, nor never fhall,

So

So much as frown on you.

Hub. I've fworn to do it ;

And with hot irons must I burn them out.

Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it. The iron of itself, tho' heat red hot,

Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears,
And quench its fiery indignation,

Even in the matter of mine innocence:
Nay, after that, confume away in ruft,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more ftubborn, hard, than hammer'd iron ?
Oh! if an angel fhould have come to me,
And told me, Hubert fhould put out mine eyes,

I would not have believ'd him: no tongue, but Hubert's.
Hub. Come forth; do, as I bid you do.

[Stamps, and the men enter. Arth. O fave me, Hubert! fave me! my eyes are out, Ev'n with the fierce looks of thefe bloody men.

Hub. Give me the iron, I fay, and bind him here.
Arth. Alas, what need you be fo boift'rous-rough?

I will not fruggle, I will ftand ftone-ftill.
For heav'n fake, Hubert, let me not be bound.
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will fit as quiet as a lamb.

I will not ftir, nor wince, nor fpeak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily:

Thruft but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.

. Hub. Go, ftand within; let me alone with him.
Exe. I am beit pleas'd to be from fuch a deed. [Exeunt.
Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend;

He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart;

Let him come back, that his compaffion may

Give life to yours.

Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.

Arth. Is there no remedy?

Hub. None, but to lose your eyes.

Arth. O heav'n! that there were but a moth in

A grain, a duft, a gnat, a wand'ring hair,

yours,

Any annoyance in that precious fense:

Then, feeling what fmall things are boift'rous there, Your vile intent muft needs feem horrible.

Hub. Is this your promife? go to, hold your tongue.Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Muft needs want pleading for a pair of eyes: Let me not hold my tongue: let me not, Hubert ; Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, So I may keep mine eyes. O fpare mine eyes! Though to no afe, but ftill to look on you. Lo, by my troth, the inftrument is cold, And would not harm me.

Hub. I can heat it, boy.

Arth. No, in good footh, the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us'd

In undeferv'd extreams; fee else yourself,
There is no malice in this burning coal;
The breath of heav'n hath blown its spirit out,
And strew'd repentant ashes on its head.

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it bluff,
And glow with fhame of your proceedings, Hubert:
Nay, it, perchance, will sparkle in your eyes:
And like a dog, that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his mafter that doth tarre him on.
All things, that you should use to do me wrong,
Deny their office; only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.

Hub. Well, fee to live; I will not touch thine eye, For all the treasure that thine uncle owns:

Yet am I fworn; and I did purpofe, boy,

With this fame very iron to burn them out.

Arth. O, now you look like Hubert. All this while You were difguifed.

Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu,

Your uncle must not know but you are dead.
I'll fill thefe dogged fpies with falfe reports:
And, pretty child, fleep doubtless, and fecure,

That

That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heav'n! I thank you, Hubert.

Hub. Silence, no more; go clofely in with me. Much danger do I undergo for thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Court of England.

Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lords.

K. John.

And look'd upon, I hope, with chearful eyes.
ERE once again we fit, once again crown'd,

Pemb. This once again, but that your Highnefs pleas'd,
Was once fuperflous; you were crown'd before,
And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off:
The faiths of men, ne'er ftained with revolt;
Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long'd-for change, or better flate.

Sal. Therefore to be poffefs'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before;

To gild refined gold, to paint the lilly,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To feek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish,
Is wafteful and ridiculous excels.

Pemb. But that your royal pleasure must be done,
This act is as an ancient tale new-told,

And in the last repeating troublesome ;

Being urged at a time unfeasonable.

Sal. In this the antique and well-noted face
Of plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a fhifted wind unto a fail

It makes the courfe of thoughts to fetch about;
Startles and frights confideration;

Makes found opinion fick, and truth suspected,
For putting on fo new a fashion'd robe.

Pemb. When workmen ftrive to do better than well,

They