What may be wrought out of their discontent,

Now that their souls are topfull of offence: 180 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.

Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son?
No, indeed, is 't not; and I would to heaven
I were your son, so you would love me, Hu-
bert.

Hub. [Aside] If I talk to him, with his innocent prate

He will awake my mercy which lies dead:
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:

30

I warrant I love you more than you do me. Hub. [Aside] His words do take possession of my bosom.

Read here, young Arthur. [Showing a paper.
[Aside] How now, foolish rheum !8
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: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?

Hub. Young boy, I must.

Arth.

Mercy on me!

Hub.

To be more prince, as may be.-You are sad.
Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.
Arth.
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 5
My uncle practises more harm to me:
He is afraid of me and I of him:

20

And will you?

And I will. 40

Saying, "What lack you?" and "Where lies your grief?"

Or "What good love1 may I perform for you?"
Many a poor man's son would have lien still, 50
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 must 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,

60

Hub.

None, but to lose your eyes.

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.
Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead
with grief,

[Being create for comfort, to be us'd3
In undeserv'd extremes: see else yourself;
There is no malice in this burning coal; ]
The breath of heaven has blown his spirit
out

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And strew'd repentant ashes on his head. Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.

2 Boisterous, troublesome, violently disturbing.

3 To be us'd, i.e. that it should be used.

Was once superfluous:1 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

10

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.

20

We breath'd our counsel: but it pleas'd your

highness

To overbear it; [and we are all well pleas'd, { Since all and every part of what we would Doth make a stand at what your highness will.]

K. John. Some reasons of this double coronation

40

I have possess'd you with, and think them strong;

And more, more strong than less-so is my fear

I shall indue you with: meantime but ask What you would have reform'd that is not well;

And well shall you perceive how willingly
I will both hear and grant you your requests.
Pem. Then I-as one that am the tongue

of these,

The rich advantage of good exercise?10
That the time's enemies may not have this
To grace occasions, ] let it be our suit,
That you have bid us ask, his liberty;
[Which for our goods 11 we do no further ask
Than whereupon our weal, on you depending,
Counts it your weal he have his liberty.]

K. John. Let it be so: I do commit his youth

To your direction.

7 Indue, supply.

8 To sound, to give utterance to.

9 In rest, in peace.

10 Exercise, study.

11 For our goods, i.e. for our own good.

>

Enter HUBERT. KING JOHN takes him aside.

Hubert, what news with you?

Pem. This is the man should do the bloody deed;

He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine: 70
The image of a wicked heinous fault
Lives in his eye; that close1 aspéct of his
Does show the mood of a much troubled breast;
And I do fearfully believe 'tis done,
What we so fear'd he had a charge to do.

Sal. The colour of the king doth come and go Between his purpose and his conscience, Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles set:2 [His passion is so ripe, it needs must break. Pem. And when it breaks, I fear will issue thence

80

102

To all our sorrows, and ere long I doubt.

[Exeunt Lords.
K. John. They burn in indignation. I repent:
There is no sure foundation set on blood,
No certain life achiev'd by others' death.—
Enter a Messenger.

A fearful eye thou hast: where is that blood
That I have seen inhabit in those cheeks?
So foul a sky clears not without a storm:
Pour down thy weather:-how goes all in
France?

Mess. From France to England. — Never such a power

For any foreign preparation

Was levied in the body of a land.

110