To solemnize this day, the glorious sun Const. A wicked day, and not a holyday! [Rising. K. Phi. By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause Const. You have beguil❜d me with a counterfeit, And our oppression hath made up this league: Let not the hours of this ungodly day 6 ·high tides,] i. e. solemn seasons. 7-prodigiously be cross'd:] i. e. be disappointed by the production of a prodigy, a monster. • But on this day,] That is, except on this day. Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset, Aust. Lady Constance, peace. Const. War! war! no peace! peace is to me a war. O Lymoges! O Austria9! thou dost shame That bloody spoil: Thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward; Thou little valiant, great in villainy! Thou ever strong upon the stronger side! 9 O Lymoges! O Austria !] The propriety or impropriety of these titles, which every editor has suffered to pass unnoted, deserves a little consideration. Shakspeare has, on this occasion, followed the old play, which at once furnished him with the character of Faulconbridge, and ascribed the death of Richard I. to the duke of Austria. In the person of Austria he has conjoined the two well-known enemies of Coeur-de-lion. Leopold, duke of Austria, threw him into prison, in a former expedition; [in 1193] but the castle of Chaluz, before which he fell [in 1199] belonged to Vidomar, viscount of Limoges; and the archer who pierced his shoulder with an arrow (of which wound he died) was Bertrand de Gourdon. The editors seem hitherto to have understood Lymoges as being an appendage to the title of Austria, and therefore enquired no further about it. STEEVENS. Bast. And hang a calf's skin on those recreant limbs. K. John. We like not this; thou dost forget thyself. Enter PANDULPH. K. Phi. Here comes the holy legate of the pope. I Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinal, Why thou against the church, our holy mother,' K. John. What earthly name to interrogatories, Can task the free breath of a sacred king? To charge me to an answer, as the pope. Tell him this tale; and from the mouth of England, Shall tithe or toll in our dominions; But as we under heaven are supreme head, K. Phi. Brother of England, you blaspheme in this. dom, Are led so grossly by this meddling priest, 1 What earthly name to interrogatories, Can task the free breath, &c.] i. e. What earthly name subjoined to interrogatories, can force a king to speak and answer them? Dreading the curse that money may buy out; Who, in that sale, sells pardon from himself; Against the pope, and count his friends my foes. 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. Const. Look to that, devil! lest that France repent, And, by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul. Aust. King Philip, listen to the cardinal. Bast. And hang a calf-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? Const. What should he say, but as the cardinal? Lew. Bethink you, father; for the difference Is, purchase of a heavy curse from Rome, Or the light loss of England for a friend : Forgo the easier. Blanch. That's the curse of Rome. Const. O Lewis, stand fast; the devil tempts thee here, In likeness of a new untrimmed bride.2 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, That need must needs infer this principle, That faith would live again by death of need; O, then, tread down my need, and faith mounts up; Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down. 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 sweet lout. K. Phi. I am perplex'd, and know not what to say. Pand. What canst thou say, but will perplex thee more, If thou stand excommunicate and curs'd? K. Phi. Good reverend father, make my person yours, And tell me, how you would bestow yourself. This royal hand and mine are newly knit: 2 a new untrimmed bride.] i. e. undressed. |