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Which till this time my tongue did ne'er pronounce,
Upon my knee I beg, go not to arms
Against mine uncle.

Const.
O! upon my knee,
Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee,
Thou virtuous Dauphin, alter not the doom
Fore-thought by heaven.

1

So strongly guarded.-Cousin, look not sad:

[To ARTHUR.

[Kneeling.1
Thy grandam loves thee, and thy uncle will
[Kneeling. 2
[Kneeling. As dear be to thee as thy father was.
Arth. O! this will make my mother die with grief.
K. John. Cousin, [To the Bastard.] away for Eng-
land: haste before;

Blanch. Now shall I see thy love. What motive may
Be stronger with thee than the name of wife?
Const. That which upholdeth him that thee upholds,
His honour. O! thine honour, Lewis, thine honour.
Lew. I muse, your majesty doth seem so cold,
When such profound respects do pull you on.

Pand. I will denounce a curse upon his head.
K. Phi. Thou shalt not need.-England, I'll fall
Const. O, fair return of banish'd majesty! [from thee.
Eli. O, foul revolt of French inconstancy!

K. John. France, thou shalt rue this hour within this hour.

Bast. Old Time the clock-setter, that bald sexton Time, Is it as he will? well then, France shall rue.

[adieu!

Blanch. The sun's o'ercast with blood: fair day, Which is the side that I must go withal? I am with both: each army hath a hand, And in their rage, I having hold of both, They whirl asunder, and dismember me. Husband, I cannot pray that thou may'st win; Uncle, I needs must pray that thou may'st lose ; Father, I may not wish the fortune thine; Grandam, I will not wish thy wishes thrive; Whoever wins, on that side shall I lose; Assured loss, before the match be play'd.

Lew. Lady, with me; with me thy fortune lies. Blanch. There where my fortune lives, there my life dies.

K. John. Cousin, go draw our puissance together.
[Exit Bastard.

France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath ;
A rage, whose heat hath this condition,
That nothing can allay, nothing but blood,
The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood of France.
K. Phi. Thy rage shall burn thee up, and thou shalt
To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire.
Look to thyself: thou art in jeopardy.

[turn

K. John. No more than he that threats.-To arms
let's hie!
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Same. Plains near Angiers.
Alarums, Excursions. Enter the Bastard with
AUSTRIA'S Head.

Bast. Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous hot; Some fiery3 devil hovers in the sky,

And pours down mischief. Austria's head, lie there, While Philip breathes.

Enter King JOHN, ARTHUR, and HUBERT. K. John. Hubert, keep this boy.-Philip, make up: My mother is assailed in our tent, And ta'en, I fear. Bast. My lord, I rescued her; Her highness is in safety, fear you not: But on, my liege; for very little pains Will bring this labour to an happy end.

SCENE III.-The Same.

[Exeunt.

Alarums; Excursions; Retreat. Enter King JOHN, ELINOR, ARTHUR, the Bastard, HUBERT, and Lords.

And ere our coming, see thou shake the bags
Of hoarding abbots; their imprison'd angels
Set at liberty: the fat ribs of peace
Must by the hungry now be fed upon:

Use our commission in his utmost force.

Bast. Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back, When gold and silver becks me to come on.

I leave your highness.-Grandam, I will pray
(If ever I remember to be holy,)

For your fair safety: so I kiss your hand.
Eli. Farewell, gentle cousin.
K. John.

Coz, farewell. [Exit Bastard.
Eli. Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word.
[She talks apart with ARTHUR."
K. John. Come hither, Hubert. O! my gentle Hubert,
We owe thee much: within this wall of flesh
There is a soul counts thee her creditor,
And with advantage means to pay thy love:
And, my good friend, thy voluntary oath
Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished.
Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,-
But I will fit it with some better time.
By heaven, Hubert, I am almost asham'd
To say what good respect I have of thee.

Hub. I am much bounden to your majesty. [yet;
K. John. Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so
But thou shalt have: and creep time ne'er so slow,
Yet it shall come, for me to do thee good.
I had a thing to say, but let it go.
The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day,
Attended with the pleasures of the world,
Is all too wanton, and too full of gawds,
To give me audience:-if the midnight bell
Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
Sound on into the drowsy ear of night:
If this same were a churchyard where we stand,
And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs;
Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,

Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, thick,
(Which, else, runs tingling' up and down the veins,
Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes,
And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,
A passion hateful to my purposes,)
Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,
Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
Without a tongue, using conceit alone,
Without eyes, ears, and harmful sound of words,
Then, in despite of the broad' watchful day,
I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts.
But ah! I will not-yet I love thee well;
And, by my troth, I think, thou lov'st me well.
Hub. So well, that what you bid me undertake,
Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
By heaven, I would do it.

K. John.
Do not I know, thou wouldst ?
Good Hubert! Hubert-Hubert, throw thine eye
On yond' young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,
He is a very serpent in my way;

And wheresoe'er this foot of mine doth tread,

K. John. So shall it be; your grace shall stay He lies before me. Dost thou understand me? behind,

1 2 Not in f. e. 3 airy: in f. e.

[TO ELINOR. Thou art his keeper.

4 This word not in f. e. • She takes ARTHUR aside: in f. e. 6 race in f. e. 7 tickling in f. e. 8 This word is not in f. e. 9 brooded: in f. e.

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could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee; Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee: Remember.-Madam, fare you well:

I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.
Eli. My blessing go with thee!
K. John.

For England, cousin: go.
Hubert shall be your man, attend on you
With all true duty.—On towards Calais, ho! [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.—The Same. The French King's Tent.
Enter King PHILIP, Lewis, PanduLPH, and Attendants.
K. Phi. So, by a roaring tempest on the flood,
A whole armado of convented' sail

Is scatter'd, and disjoin'd from fellowship.

Pand. Courage and comfort! all shall yet go well.
K. Phi. What can go well, when we have run so ill?
Are we not beaten? Is not Angiers lost?
Arthur ta'en prisoner? divers dear friends slain?
And bloody England into England gone,
O'erbearing interruption, spite of France?

Lew. What he hath won, that hath he fortified :
So hot a speed with such advice dispos'd,
Such temperate order in so fierce a cause,
Doth want example. Who hath read, or heard,
Of any kindred action like to this?

K. Phi. Well could I bear that England had this praise,
So we could find some pattern of our shame.
Enter CONSTANCE.

Look, who comes here? a grave unto a soul
Holding th' eternal spirit, against her will,
In the vile prison of afflicted breath.-

I pr'ythee, lady, go away with me.

Const. Lo now; now see the issue of your peace!
K. Phi. Patience, good lady: comfort, gentle Con-

stance.

Const. No, I defy all counsel, all redress, But that which ends all counsel, true redress, Death, death.—O, amiable lovely death! Thou odoriferous stench! sound rottenness! Arise from forth the couch of lasting night, Thou hate and terror to prosperity, And I will kiss thy detestable bones; And put my eye-balls in thy vaulty brows; And ring these fingers with thy household worms; And stop this gap of breath with fulsome dust, And be a carrion monster like thyself: Come, grin on me; and I will think thou smil'st, And buss thee as thy wife! Misery's love, O, come to me! K. Phi.

O, fair affliction, peace!

Const. No, no, I will not, having breath to cry.O! that my tongue were in the thunder's mouth; Then with what' passion I would shake the world, And rouse from sleep that fell anatomy, Which cannot hear a lady's feeble voice, Which scorns a widow's invocation.

Pand. Lady, you utter madness, and not sorrow.
Const. Thou art not holy to belie me so.

I am not mad: this hair I tear, is mine;
My name is Constance; I was Geffrey's wife;
Young Arthur is my son, and he is lost!

I am not mad:-I would to heaven, I were;

1 convicted: in f. e. 2 a: in f. e. 3 modern in f. e. :

For then, 't is like I should forget myself:
O, if I could, what grief should I forget !—
Preach some philosophy to make me mad,
And thou shalt be canoniz'd, cardinal;
For, being not mad, but sensible of grief,
My reasonable part produces reason
How I may be deliver'd of these woes,
And teaches me to kill or hang myself:
If I were mad, I should forget my son,
Or madly think a babe of clouts were he.
I am not mad: too well, too well I feel
The different plague of each calamity.

K. Phi. Bind up those tresses. O! what love I note In the fair multitude of those her hairs! Where but by chance a silver drop hath fallen, Do glue themselves in sociable grief; Even to that drop ten thousand wiry friends Like true, inseparable, faithful lovers, Sticking together in calamity.

Bind up your hairs.

Const. To England, if you will.
K. Phị.
Const. Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it?
I tore them from their bonds, and cried aloud,
"O, that these hands could so redeem my son,
As they have given these hairs their liberty!"
But now, I envy at their liberty,

And will again commit them to their bonds,
Because my poor child is a prisoner.-
And, father cardinal, I have heard you say,
That we shall see and know our friends in heaven:
If that be true, I shall see my boy again;
For, since the birth of Cain, the first male child,
To him that did but yesterday suspire,
There was not such a gracious creature born.
But now will canker sorrow eat my bud,
And chase the native beauty from his cheek,
And he will look as hollow as a ghost,
As dim and meagre as an ague's fit,
And so he 'll die; and, rising so again,
When I shall meet him in the court of heaven,
I shall not know him: therefore never, never

Must I behold my pretty Arthur more.

Pand. You hold too heinous a respect of grief. Const. He talks to me, that never had a son. K. Phi. You are as fond of grief, as of your child. Const. Grief fills the room up of my absent child, Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me ; Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words, Remembers me of all his gracious parts, Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form: Then, have I reason to be fond of grief. Fare you well: had you such a loss as I, I could give better comfort than you do.I will not keep this form upon my head,

[Tearing her hair.

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4 Not in f. e.

On their departure most of all show evil.
What have you lost by losing of this day?

Lew. All days of glory, joy, and happiness.
Pand. If you had won it, certainly, you had.
No, no when fortune means to men most good,
She looks upon them with a threatening eye.
'T is strange, to think how much king John hath lost
In this which he accounts so clearly won.
Are not you griev'd that Arthur is his prisoner?
Lew. As heartily, as he is glad he hath him.
Pand. Your mind is all as youthful as your blood.
Now hear me speak with a prophetic spirit;
For even the breath of what I mean to speak
Shall blow each dust, each straw, each little rub,
Out of the path which shall directly lead
Thy foot to England's throne; and therefore mark.
John hath seiz❜d Arthur; and it cannot be,
That whiles warm life plays in that infant's veins,
The misplac'd John should entertain one hour,
One minute, nay, one quiet breath of rest.
A sceptre, snatch'd with an unruly hand,
Must be as boisterously maintain’d as gain’d;
And he, that stands upon a slippery place,
Makes nice of no vile hold to stay him up:
That John may stand, then Arthur needs must fall;
So be it, for it cannot be but so.

Lew. But what shall I gain by young Arthur's fall?
Pand. You, in the right of lady Blanch your wife,
May then make all the claim that Arthur did.

Lew. And lose it, life and all, as Arthur did.
Pand. How green you are, and fresh in this old
world!

John lays you plots; the times conspire with you,
For he that steeps his safety in true blood
Shall find but bloody safety, and untrue.

This act, so evilly born, shall cool the hearts
Of all his people, and freeze up their zeal,
That none so small advantage shall step forth
To check his reign, but they will cherish it:
No natural exhalation in the sky,

No scape1 of nature, no distemper'd day,
No common wind, no customed event,
But they will pluck away his natural cause,
And call them meteors, prodigies, and signs,
Abortives, presages, and tongues of heaven,
Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John.

Lew. May be, he will not touch young Arthur's life,
But hold himself safe in his prisonment.

Pand. O! sir, when he shall hear of your approach,
If that young Arthur be not gone already,
Even at that news he dies; and then the hearts
Of all his people shall revolt from him,
And kiss the lips of unacquainted change;
And pick strong matter of revolt, and wrath,
Out of the bloody fingers' ends of John.
Methinks, I see this hurly all on foot:
And, O! what better matter breeds for you,
Than I have nam'd.-The bastard Faulconbridge
Is now in England ransacking the church,
Offending charity: if but a dozen French
Were there in arms, they would be as a call
To train ten thousand English to their side
Or as a little snow, tumbled about,
Anon becomes a mountain. O, noble Dauphin!
Go with me to the king. 'T is wonderful,
What may be wrought out of their discontent.
Now that their souls are topfull of offence,
For England go; I will whet on the king.
Lew. Strong reasons make strong actions. Let us go:
If you say, ay, the king will not say, no. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.—Northampton. A Room in the Castle. No, indeed, is 't not; and I would to heaven,

Enter HUBERT and two Attendants.

I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert.
Hub. [Aside.] If I talk to him, with his innocent prate

Hub. Heat me these irons hot; and, look thou stand He will awake my mercy, which lies dead:
Within the arras: when I strike my foot
Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth,
And bind the boy, which you shall find with me,
Fast to the chair: be heedful. Hence, and watch.
1 Attend. I hope, your warrant will bear out the deed.
Hub. Uncleanly scruples: fear not you: look to 't.
[Exeunt Attendants.
Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you.
Enter ARTHUR.

Therefore I will be sudden, and dispatch.

Arth. Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-day.
In sooth, I would you were a little sick;
That I might sit all night, and watch with you:
I warrant, I love you more than you do me.
Hub. [Aside.] His words do take possession of my

Arth. Good morrow, Hubert.
Hub.
Good morrow, little prince.
Arth. As little prince (having so great a title
To be more prince,) as may be.-You are sad.
Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.
Arth.

bosom.

Read here, young Arthur. [Showing a paper.] [Aside.] How now, foolish rheum! Turning dispiteous torture out of door?

I must be brief; lest resolution drop
Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.-
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?
Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect.
Mercy on me! Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?
Hub. Young boy, I must.

Methinks, no body should be sad but I:
Yet, I remember, when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,
Only for wantonness. By my christendom,
So I were out of prison, and kept sheep,
I should be merry as the day is long;
And so I would be here, but that I doubt
My uncle practises more harm to me:
He is afraid of me, and I of him.

Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son?

Arth.

Hub.

And will you?
And I will.

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In undeserv'd extremes: see else yourself;

Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,
Saying, What lack you? and, Where lies your grief? There is no malice in this burning coal;

Or, What good love may I perform for you?
Many a poor man's son would have lain still,
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your sick service had a prince.
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning: do, an if you will.

If heaven be pleas'd that you will use me ill,
Why, then you must -Will you put out mine eyes?
These eyes, that never did, nor never shall
So much as frown on you?
Hub.
I have sworn 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, though heat red-hot,
Approaching near these eyes would drink my tears,
And quench this' fiery indignation,
Even in the matter of mine innocence :
Nay, after that, consume away in rust,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron ?
An if an angel should have come to me,
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believ'd him; no tongue but Hubert's.
Hub. Come forth.
[Stamps.

Re-enter Attendants, with Cord, Irons, &c.

Do as I bid you do.

Arth. O! save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out, Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. [Taking it.2

Arth. Alas! what need you be so boisterous-rough?
I will not struggle; I will stand stone-still.
For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound.
Nay, hear me, Hubert: drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;

I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angerly.

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

Hub. Go, stand within: let me alone with him. 1 Attend. I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed. [Exeunt Attendants. Arth. Alas! I then have chid away my friend; He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart,Let him come back, that his compassion may Give life to yours.

Hub.

Come, boy, prepare yourself.
Arth. Is there no remedy?
Hub.

None, but to lose your eyes. Arth, O heaven!-that there were but a mote in yours,

A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,
Any annoyance in that precious sense!

Then, feeling what small things are boisterous there,
Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.

Hub. Is this your promise? go to; hold your tongue.
Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues
Must 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! spare mine eyes;
Though to no use, but still to look on you.
Lo! by my troth, the instrument is cold,
And would not harm me.

Hub.

I can heat it, boy.

The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out,
And strew'd repentant ashes on his head.

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush,
And glow with shame 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 master that doth tarre3 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, see to live; I will not touch thine eyes
For all the treasures that thine uncle owes :
Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out.
Arth. O! now you look like Hubert: all this while
You were disguised.
Peace! no more. Adieu.
Your uncle must not know but you are dead :
I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports;
And, pretty child, sleep doubtless, and secure,
That Hubert for the wealth of all the world
Will not offend thee.

Hub.

Arth. O heaven!—I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence! no more. Go closely in with me; Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.The Same. A Room of State in the Palace.

Enter King JOHN, crowned; PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and other Lords. The King takes his State. K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crown'd, And look'd upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes.

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

Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,

Is wasteful, and ridiculous excess.

Pem. 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 unseasonable.

Sal. In this, the antique and well-noted face
Of plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,
It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about,
Startles and frights consideration,
Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected,
For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.

Pem. When workmen strive to do better than well,
They do confound their skill in covetousness;
And, oftentimes, excusing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse :
As patches, set upon a little breach,
Discredit more in hiding of the fault,

Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief, Than did the fault before it was so patch'd. Being create for comfort, to be us'd

Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd,

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