your king?

:

In this hot trial, more than we of France ; Smacks it not something of the policy
Rather, lost more : and by this hand I swear, K. John. Now, by the sky that hangs above
That sways the earth this climate overlooks,

our heads, Before we will lay down our just-borne arms, I like it well.-France, shall we knit our powers, We'll put thee down, 'gainst whom these arms And lay this Angiers even with the ground ; we bear,

Then, after, fight who shall be king of it? Or add a royal number to the dead,

Bast. An if thou hast the metal of a king,Gracing the scroll, that tells of this war's loss, Being wrong'd, as we are, by this peevish With slaughter coupled to the name of kings. Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery, (town, Bast. Ha, majesty! how high thy glory As we will ours, against these saucy walls ; towers.

And when that we have dash'd them to the When the rich blood of kings is set on fire !

ground, O, now doth death line his dead chaps with Why, then defy each other, and, pell-mell, steel ;

Make work upon ourselves, for heaven or hell. The swords of soldiers are his teeth, his fangs; K. Phi. Let it be so.-Say, where will you And now he feasts, mousing the flesh of men, assault? In undetermin'd differences of kings.

K. John. We from the west will send deWhy stand these royal fronts amazed thus? Into this city's bosom.

[struction Cry, havoc, kings ! back to the stained field, Aust. I from the north, You equal potents, fiery-kindled spirits !

K. Phi, Our thunder from the south, Then let confusion of one part confirm

Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. The other's peace ; till then, blows, blood, and Bast. [Aside.] O, prudent discipline! From death!

(admit? north to south, K. John. Whose party do the townsinen yet Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth : K. Phi. Speak, citizens, for England ; who's I'll stir them to it.-Come, away, away!

i Cit. Hear us, great kings : vouchsafe a i Cit. The king of England, when we know

while to stay,

[leagne ; the king:

[his right. And I shall show you peace, and fair-fac'd K. Phi. Know him in us, that here hold up Win you this city without stroke, or wound ; K. John. In us, that are our own great de- Rescue those breathing lives to die in beds, puty,

That here come sacrifices for the field : And bear possession of our person here ; Persever not, but hear me, mighty kings. Lord of our presence, Angiers, and of you. K. John. Speak on, with favour; we are i Cit. A greater power than we denies all bent to hear.

(Blanch, And, till it be undoubted, we do lock

(this ; i Cit. That daughter there of Spain, the lady Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates ; Is near to England : look upon the years King'd of our fears ; until our fears, resolvd, Of Lewis the Dauphin, and that lovely maid. Be by some certain king purg'd and depos'd. If lusty love should go in quest of beauty, Bast. By heaven, these scroyles of Angiers Where should he find it fairer than in Blanch ? flout you, kings,

If zealous love should go in search of virtue, And stand securely on their battlements, Where should he find it purer than in Blanch? As in a theatre, whence they gape and point If love ambitious sought a match of birth, At your industrious scenes and acts of death. Whose veins bound richer blood than lady Your royal presences be ruld by me :

Blanch? Do like the mutines of Jerusalem,

Such as she is, in beauty, virtue, birth, Be friends awhile, and both conjointly bend Is the young Dauphin every way complete ; Your sharpest deeds of malice on this town. If not complete of, say, he is not she : By east and west let France and England And she again wants nothing, to name want, mount

(mouths, If want it be not, that she is not he: Their battering cannon, charged to the He is the half part of a blessèd man, Till their soul-fearing clamours have brawl'd Left to be finished by such a she ; down

And she a fair divided excellence,
The flinty ribs of this contemptuous city : Whose fulness of perfection lies in him.
I'd play incessantly upon these jades,

O, two such silver currents, when they join, Even till unfenced desolation

Do glorify the banks that bound them in ; Leave them as naked as the vulgar air. And two such shores to two such streams made That done, dissever your united strengths,

one,

[kings, And part your mingled colours once again ; Two such controlling bounds shall you be, Turn face to face, and bloody point to point; To these two princes, if you marry them. Then, in a moment, fortune shall cull forth This union shall do more than battery can Out of one side her happy minion,

To our fast-closed gates ; for, at this match, To whom in favour she shall give the day, With swifter spleen than powder can enforce, And kiss him with a glorious victory:

The mouth of passage shall we fling wide ope, How like you this wild counsel, mighty states?l And give you entrance : but without this match,

The sea enragéd is not half so deaf,

Himself love's traitor :--this is pity now, Lions more confident, mountains and rocks That hang'd and drawn and quarter'd, there More free from motion; no, not death himself should be, In mortal fury half so peremptory,

In such a love, so vile a lout as he. (mine. As we to keep this city.

Blanch. My uncle's will in this respect is Bist.

Here's a stay, If he sees aught in you that makes him like, That shakes the rotten carcase of old death That anything he sees, which moves his liking, Out of his rags ! Here's a large mouth, indeed, I can with ease translate it to my will ; That spits forth death, and mountains, rocks, Or if you will, to speak more properly, Talks as familiarly of roaring lions, (and seas, I will enforce it easily to my love. As maids of thirteen do of puppy-dogs ! Further I will not flatter you, my lord, What cannoneer begot this lusty blood ? That all I see in you is worthy love, He speaks plain cannon,-fire and smoke and Than this,--that nothing do I see in you. bounce ;

(Though churlish thoughts themselves should He gives the bastinado with his tongue ;

be your judge,) Our ears are cudgell'd ; not a word of his, That i can find should merit any hate. But buffets better than a fist of France : K. John. What say these young ones? What Zounds! I was never so bethump'd with words, say you, my niece?

(do Since I first call'd my brother's father dad. Blanch. That she is bound in honour still to Eli. Son, list to this conjunction, make this What you in wisdom will vouchsafe to say. match ;

Ki forn. Speak then, prince Dauphin ; can Give with our niece a dowry large enough :

you love this lady? For by this knot thou shalt so surely tie Lew. Nay, ask me if I can refrain from love; Thy now unsur'd assurance to the crown, For I do love her most unfeignediy. That yond' green boy shall have no sun to ripe K. John. Then do I give Volquessen, TouThe bloom that promiseth a mighty fruit.

raine, Maine, I see a yielding in the looks of France ; Poictiers, and Anjou, these five provinces, Mark, how they whisper: urge them while With her to thee; and this addition more, Are capable of this ambition, (their souls Full thirty thousand marks of English coin.Lest zeal, now melted, by the windy breath Philip of France, if thou be pleas'd withal, Of soft petitions, pity, and remorse,

Command thy son and daughter to join hands, Cool and congeal again to what it was.

K. Phi. It' likes us well.-Young princes, i Cit. Why answer not the double majesties close your hands. This friendly treaty of our threaten'd town? Aust. And your lips too, for I am well asKi Phi. Speak England first, that hath been surd, forward first

That I did so, when I was first assur'd. To speak unto this city : what say you ?

K. Phi. Now, citizens of Angiers, ope your ki John. If that the Dauphin there, thy gates, princely son,

Let in that amity which you have made ; Can in this book of beauty read," I love," For at Saint Mary's chapel presently Her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen : The rites of marriage shall be solemniz'd.For Anjou, and fair Touraine, Maine, Poictiers, is not the lady Constance in this troop ?And all that we upon this side the sea

I know she is not ; for this match, made up, (Except this city now by us besieg'd)

Her presence would have interrupted much : Find liable to our crown and dignity,

Where is she and her son ? tell me, who knows. Shall gild her bridal bed ; and make her rich Lew. She is sad and passionate at your In titles, honours, and promotions,

highness' tent. As she in beauty, education, blood,

K. Phi. And, by my faith, this league, that Holds hand with any princess of the world.

we have made, Ki Phi. What say'st thou, boy? look in the Will give her sadness very little cure. lady's face,

Brother of England, how may we content Lew. I do, my lord ; and in her eye I find This widow lady? In her right we came ; A wonder, or a wondrous miracle,

Which we, God knows, have turn'd another The shadow of myself form'd in her eye ; To our own vantage.

way, Which, being but the shadow of your son, K. John.

We will heal up all; Becomes a sun, and makes your son a shadow : For we'll create young Arthur duke of Bretagne I do protest, I never lov'd myself,

And earl of Richmond ; and this rich fair town Till now infixed I beheld myself

Wemake him lord of.-Call the lady Constance ; Drawn in the flattering table of her eye. Some speedy messenger bid her repair

(Whispers with Blanch. To our solemnity-I trust we shall, Bast. Drawn in the flattering table of her If not fill up the measure of her will, eye !

[brow ! - Yet in some measure satisfy her so, Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her That we shall stop her exclamation. And quarter'd in her heart !--he dotb espy Go we, as well as haste will suffer us,

Scene I.
KING 70HN.

To this unlook'd-for unprepared pomp. For I am sick, and capable of fears ;
[Exeunt all except the Bastard. The Citizens Oppress'd with wrongs, and therefore full of
retire from the walls.

fears ;
Bast. Mad world! mad kings ! mad com- A widow, husbandless, subject to fears ;
position !

A woman, naturally born to fears ; (jest, John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole, And though thou now confess thou didst but Hath willingly departed with a part ;

With my vex'd spirits I cannot take a truce, And France, (whose armour conscience buck- But they will quake and tremble all this day. led on,

What dost thou mean by shaking of thy head ?
Whom zeal and charity brought to the field Why dost thou look so sadly on my son ?
As God's own soldier,) rounded in the ear What means that hand upon that breast of
With that same purpose-changer, that sly devil; thine ?
That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith ; Why holds thine eye that lamentable rheum,
That daily break-vow; he that wins of all, Like a proud river peering o'er his bounds?
Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, Be these sad signs confirmers of thy words ?
maids,

Then speak again; not all thy former tale,
Who having no external thing to lose [that ; But this one word, whether thy tale be true.
But the word maid, cheats the poor maid of Sal. As true, as I believe you think them
That smootb-fac'd gentleman, tickling com-

false, Commodity, the bias of the world ; (modity,—That give you cause to prove my saving true. The world, who of itself is peized well,

Const. O, if thou teach me to believe this Made to run even upon even ground,

sorrow, Till this advantage, this vile drawing bias,

Teach thou this sorrow how to make me die ; This sway of motion, this commodity,

And let belief and life encounter so, Makes it take head from all indifferency,

As doth the fury of two desperate men, From all direction, purpose, course, intent: Which in the very meeting, fall and die ! And this same bias, this commodity,

Lewis marry Blanch? O boy, then where art This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word, thou?

(me? Ciapp'd on the outward eye of fickle France, France friend with England ! what becomes of Hath drawn him from his own determin'd aid, Fellow, be gone : I cannot brook thy sight; From a resolv'd and honourable war,

This news hath made thee a most ugly man. To a most base and vile-concluded peace.

Sal. What other harm have I, good lady, And why rail I on this commodity ?

done, But for because he hath not woo'd me yet : But spoke the harm that is by others done? Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,

Const. Which harm within itself so heinous is, When his fair angels would salute my palm ;

As it makes harmful all that speak of it. But for my hand, as unattempted yet,

Arth. I do beseech you, madam, be content. Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.

Const. If thou, that bidd'st me be content, Well, whiles I am a beggar, I will rail,

wert grim, And say,—There is no sin, but to be rich ; Ugly, and slanderous to thy mother's womb, And being rich, my virtue then shall be, Full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains, To say, --- There is no vice, but beggary:

Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious, Since kings break faith upon commodity,

Patch'd with foul moles and eye-offending Gain, be my lord ; for I will worship thee !

marks,
(Exit.

I would not care, I then would be content ;
For then I should not love thee ; no, nor thou

Become thy great birth, nor deserve a crown.
ACT III.

But thou art fair ; and at thy birth, dear boy, SCENE I.-France. The French King's Tent. of Nature's gifts thou may'st with lilies boast,

Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great : Enter Constance, Arthur, and Salisbury. And with the half-blown rose : but Fortune, O! Const. Gone to be married ! gone to swear a She is corrupted, chang'd, and won from thee ;

[friends! She adulterates hourly with thine uncle John; False blood to false blood join'd. , Gone to be And with her golden hand hath pluck'd on Shall Lewis have Blanch, and Blanch those France provinces ?

To tread down fair respect of sovereignty,
It is not so ; thou hast misspoke, misheard ; And made his majesty the bawd to theirs.
Pe well advis'd, tell o'er thy tale again : France is a bawd to Fortune, and king John, -
It cannot be ; thou dost but say 'tis so : That strumpet Fortune, that usurping John !
I trust, I may not trust thee ; for thy word Tell me, thou fellow, is not France forsworn ?
Is but the vain breath of a common man : Envenom him with words; or get thee gone,
Believe me, I do not believe thee, man ; And leave those woes alone, which I alone
I have a king's oath to the contrary,

Aon bound to under-bear.
Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,

Sal.

Pardon me, madam.

peace!

I may not go without you to the kings. Thou Fortune's champion, that dost never Const. Thou mayst, thou shalt; I will not But when her humorous ladyship is by [fight go with thee :

To teach thee safety! thou art perjur'd too, I will instruct my sorrows to be proud ; And sooth'st up greatness. What a fool art For grief is proud, and makes his owner stoop. thou, To me, and to the state of my great grief, A ramping fool, to brag, and stamp, and swear, Let kings assemble ; for my griefs so great, Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave, That no supporter but the huge firm earth Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side ? Can hold it up : here I and Sorrow sit ; Been sworn my soldier ? bidding me depend Here is my throne, bid kings come bow to it. Upon thy stars, thy fortune, and thy strength ?

[She casts herself on the ground. And dost thou now fall over to my foes? Enter King John, King Philip, Lewis, Blanch, Thou wear a lion's hide! doff it for shame,

Elinor, Bastard, Austria, and Attendants. And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs. K. Phi. 'Tis true, fair daughter; and this Aust. O, that a man should speak those blessed day

words to me! Ever in France shall be kept festival :

Bast. And hang a calf's-skin on those reTo solemnize this day the glorious sun

creant limbs.

[thy life. Stays in his course, and plays the alchemist, Aust. Thou dar'st not say so, villain, for Turning, with splendour of his precious eye, Bast. And hang a calf s-skin on those reThe meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold:

creant limbs.

(get thyself. The yearly course, that brings this day about, K. John. We like not this ; thou dost forShall never see it but a holiday.

K. Phi. Here comes the holy legate of the Const. [Rising.] A wicked day, and not a

Enter Pandulpho. (pope. holy day!

[done, Pand. Hail, you anointed deputies of heaven! What hath this day deserv'd? what hath it To thee, king John, my holy errand is. That it in golden letters should be set, I Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinai, Among the high tides, in the calendar? And from Pope Innocent the legate here, Nay, rather turn this day out of the week, Do in his name religiously demand, This day of shame, oppression, perjury : Why thou against the church, our holy mother, Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child So wilfully dost spurn; and, force perforce, Pray that their burdens may not fall this day, Keep Stephen Langton, chosen archbishop Lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd : Of Canterbury, from that holy see? But on this day, let seamen fear no wreck ; This, in our 'foresaid holy father's name, No bargains break, that are not this day made : Pope Innocent, I do demand of thee. This day, all things begun come to ill end ; K. John. What earthly name to interroYea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change !

gatories K. Phi. By heaven, lady, you shall have no Can task the free breath of a sacred king?

Thou canst not, cardinal, devise a name To curse the fair proceedings of this day: So slight, unworthy, and ridiculous, Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty ?

To charge me to an answer, as the pope. Const. You have beguild me with a counter- Tell him this tale ; and from the mouth of feit,

(tried, England, Resembling majesty ; which, being touch'd and Add thus much more,—that no Italian priest Proves valueless : you are forsworn, forsworn; Shall tithe or toll in our dominions ; You came in arms to spill mine enemies' blood, But, as we under heaven are supreme head, But now in arms you strengthen it with yours : So, under Him, that great supremacy, The grappling vigour and rough frown of war Where we do reign, we will alone uphold, Is cold in amity and painted peace,

Without the assistance of a mortal hand : And our oppression hath made up this league.- So tell the pope ; all reverence set apart Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjurd To him, and his usurp d authority. kings!

K. Phi. Brother of England, you blaspheme A widow cries : be husband to me, heavens!

in this.

[of Christendom, Let not the hours of this ungodly day

K. John. Though you, and all the kings Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset, Are led so grossly by this meddling priest, Set armèd discord 'twixt these perjur'd kings ! Dreading the curse that money may buy out ; Hear me! O, hear me !

And, by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust, Aust.

Lady Constance, peace ! Purchase corrupted pardon of a man, Const. War! war! no peace! peace is to Who, in that sale, sells pardon from himself : me a war.

Though you and all the rest, so grossly led, 0. Lymoges ! O, Austria ! thou dost shame This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish; That bloody spoil : thou slave, thou wretch, Yet I, alone, alone do me oppose [foes. thou coward !

Against the pope, and count his friends my Thou little valiant, great in villainy!

Pand. Then, by the lawful power that I Thou ever strong upon the stronger side !

have,

cause

my

Scene 1.
KING JOHN.

Thou shalt stand curs'd and excommunicate: Pand. What canst thou say, but will perplex
And blessed shall he be that doth revolt

thee more, From his allegiance to a heretic;

If thou stand excommunicate and curs'd ?
And meritorious shall that hand be call'd, K. Phi, Good reverend father, make my
Canonized, and worshipp'd as a saint,

person yours,
That takes away by any secret course And teli me how you would bestow yourself.
Thy hateful life.

This royal hand and mine are newly knit,
Const.
O, lawful let it be

And the conjunction of our inward souls
That I have room with Rome to curse awhile ! Married in league, coupled and link'd together
Good father cardinal, cry thou amen

With all religious strength of sacred vows :
To keen curses ; for, without my wrong, The latest breath that gave the sound of words,
There is no tongue hath power to curse him Was deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love,
right.

(my curse. Between our kingdoms and our royal selves ; Pand. There's law and warrant, lady, for And even before this truce, but new before, Const. And for mine too: when law can do No longer than we well could wash our hands, no right,

To clap this royal bargain up of peace, -
Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong : Heaven knows, they were besmear'd and over-
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here ;

stain'd

[paint
For he that holds his kingdom holds the law : With slaughter's pencil, where revenge did
Therefore, since law itself is perfect wrong, The fearful difference of incensèd kings :
How can the law forbid my tongue to curse? And shall these hands, so lately purg'd of blood,

Pand, Philip of France, on peril of a curse, So newly join'd in love, so strong in both,
Let go the hand of that arch-heretic;

Unyoke this seizure and this kind regreet ?
And raise the power of France upon his head, Play fast and loose with faith? so jest with
Unless he do submit himself to Rome.

heaven,
Eli. Look'st thou pale, France ? do not let Make such unconstant children of ourselves,
go thy hand.

[repent, As now again to snatch our palm from palm ; Const. Look to that, devil ! lest that France Unswear faith sworn ; and on the marriage bed And by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul. Of smiling peace to march a bloody host,

Aust. King Philip, listen to the cardinal. And make a riot on the gentle brow Bast. And hang a calf s-skin on his recreant Of true sincerity? O, holy sir, limbs.

(wrongs, My reverend father, let it not be so ! Aust. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these Out of your grace, devise, ordain, impose Because

Some gentle order; and then we shall be bless'd Bast. Your breeches best may carry them. To do your pleasure, and continue friends. K. John. Philip, what say'st thou to the Pand. All form is formless, order orderless, cardinal?

[dinal ? Save what is opposite to England's love. Const. What should he say, but as the car- Therefore to arms! be champion of our church !

Lew. Bethink you, father ; for the difference Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curse, Is, purchase of a heavy curse from Rome, A mother's curse, on her revolting son. Or the light loss of England for a friend : France, thou may'st hold a serpent by the Forego the easier.

A chafed lion by the mortal paw, (tongue, Blanch.

That's the curse of Rome. A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, (hold. Const. O Lewis, stand fast ! the devil tempts Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost thee here,

K. Phi. I may disjoin my hand, but not my In likeness of a new untrimmed bride.

faith.

(faith ; Blanch. The lady Constance speaks not Pand. So mak'st thou faith an enemy to from her faith,

And, like a civil war, sett'st oath to oath, But from her need.

Thy tongue against thy tongue. O, let thy vow Const.

O, if thou grant my need. First made to heaven, first be to heaven perWhich only lives but by the death of faith,

form'd ; That need must needs infer this principle, — That is, to be the champion of our church ! That faith would live again by death of need! What since thou swor'st is sworn against thyO, then, tread down my need, and faith mounts And may not be performed by thyself: [self, up;

For that which thou hast sworn to do amiss,
Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down. Is not amiss when it is truly done ;
K. John. The king is mov'd, and answers And being not done, where doing tends to ill,
not to this.

(well! The truth is then most done not doing it :
Const. O, be remov'd from him, and answer The better act of purposes mistook
Aust. Do so, king Philip; hang no more in Is to mistake again, though indirect,
doubt.

(sweet lout. Yet indirection thereby grows direct, (fire Bast. Hang nothing but a calf s-skin, most And falsehood falsehood cures; as fire cools K. Phi. I am perplex'd, and know not what Within the scorchèd veins of one new burn'd. to say

It is religion that doth make vows kept ;