Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart, Of thy unnatural uncle, English John: Arth. God shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death K. Phi.(14) A noble boy! Who would not do thee right? As seal to this indenture of my love ;- Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks, Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs that lift their swords In such a just and charitable war. K. Phi. Well, then, to work: our cannon shall be bent Against the brows of this resisting town. Call for our chiefest men of discipline, To cull the plots of best advantages: Wade to the market-place in Frenchmen's blood, But we will make it subject to this boy. Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy, K. Phi. A wonder, lady,―lo, upon thy wish, Enter CHATILLON. What England says, say briefly, gentle lord; Chat. Then turn your forces from this paltry siege, England, impatient of your just demands, Hath put himself in arms: the adverse winds, Whose leisure I have stay'd, have given him time With ladies' faces and fierce dragons' spleens,- To do offence and scathe in Christendom. To parley or to fight; therefore prepare. [Drums within. K. Phi. How much unlook'd for is this expedition! We must awake endeavour for defence; For courage mounteth with occasion: Let them be welcome, then; we are prepar'd. Enter King JOHN, ELINOR, BLANCH, the Bastard, Lords, and Forces. K. John. Peace be to France, if France in peace permit Our just and lineal entrance to our own! If not, bleed France, and peace ascend to heaven! Their proud contempt that beat his peace to heaven. K. Phi. Peace be to England, if that war return Out-faced infant state, and done a rape Look here upon thy brother Geffrey's face ;- K. John. From whom hast thou this great commission, To draw my answer from(18) thy articles? K. Phi. From that supernal judge, that stirs good thoughts In any breast(19) of strong authority, To look into the blots and stains of right. That judge hath made me guardian to this boy: Under whose warrant I impeach thy wrong; And by whose help I mean to chastise it. K. John. Alack, thou dost usurp authority. Than thou and John in manners,-being as like My boy a bastard! By my soul, I think It cannot be, an if thou wert his mother. Eli. There's a good mother, boy, that blots thy father. Bast. Aust. Hear the crier. What the devil art thou? Bast. One that will play the devil, sir, with you, And 'a may catch your hide and you alone: You are the hare of whom the proverb goes, Blanch. O, well did he become that lion's robe Bast. It lies as sightly on the back of him Aust. What cracker is this same that deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath?— King Philip, determine what we shall do straight. K. Phi. Women and fools, break off your conference.—(21) King John, this is the very sum of all,— England and Ireland, Anjou,(22) Touraine, Maine, Wilt thou resign them, and lay down thy arms? K. John. My life as soon:-I do defy thee, France.Arthur of Bretagne, yield thee to my hand; And, out of my dear love, I'll give thee more Than e'er the coward hand of France can win: Submit thee, boy. Eli. Come to thy grandam, child. Const. Do, child, go to it' grandam, child;(23) Give grandam kingdom, and it' grandam will Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig: There's a good grandam. Arth. Good my mother, peace! I would that I were low laid in my grave: Eli. His mother shames him so, poor boy, he weeps. Const. Now shame upon you, whêr she does or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames, Draw those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be brib'd Eli. Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth! Const. Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth! Call not me slanderer; thou and thine usurp The dominations, royalties, and rights Of this oppressed boy: this is(24) thy eld'st son's son, Thy sins are visited in this poor child; The canon of the law is laid on him, I have but this to say, That he's(25) not only plagued for her sin, On this removed issue, plagu'd for her, And with her plagu'd ;(26) her sin his injury, Her injury the beadle to her sin; All punish'd in the person of this child, And all for her; a plague upon her!(27) |