1

THE

LIFE AND DEATH

O F

KING JOHN.

P 4

Dramatis Perfonæ.

KING John.

Prince Henry, Son to the King.

Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King.

Pembroke,

Bigot,

Faulconbridge, Baftard-Son to Richard the First. Robert Faulconbridge, Suppos'd Brother to the Baftard. James Gurney, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge. Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet.

Philip, King of France.

Lewis, the Dauphin.

Arch-Duke of Auftria.

Cardinal Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate.

Melun, a French Lord.

Chatilion, Ambassador from France to King John.

Elinor, Queen-Mother of England.

Conftance, Mother to Arthur.

Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Niece to King John.

Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard, and Robert Faulconbridge.

Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Messengers, Soldiers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE, fometimes in England; and, fometimes, in France.

The

(1) The LIFE and DEATH of

KING JOHN.

A C T I.

SCENE, the Court of England.

Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Effexs and Salisbury, with Chatilion.

King JOHN.

WOW fay, Chatilion, what would France with us?
Chat. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the King of
In my behaviour, to the Majefty, [France,

The borrow'd Majefty of England here.

(1) The LIFE and DEATH-] Tho' this Play have this title, yet the action of it begins at the thirty-fourth year of his life; and takes in only fome tranfactions of his reign to the time of his demife, being an interval of about feventeen years. Of all the English Princes, (as Mr. Warburton obferv'd to me,) that Shakespeare has taken into tragedy, King John was the fitteft to have made a hero for a tragedy on the ancient plan. Henry IV, V, and VIII, had qualities great enough for it, but were generally fortunate. Richard II, and Henry VI, (fit Verbo Venia) were, at times, little better than poltrons: And Richard III. was so black a villain, that the ancients would have thought him fitter for a gibbet than a stage. But John had that turbulence and grandeur of the paffions, that inconftancy of temper, that equal mixture of good and ill, and that series of misfortunes confequent thereto, as might make him very fit for a hero in a just compofition. PS

Eli.

Eli. A ftrange beginning; borrow'd Majefty!
K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embaffy.
Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceafed brother Geffry's fon,

Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawiul claim
To this fair iiland, and the territories:
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine:
Defiring thee to lay afide the fword,

Which ways ufurpingly thefe feveral titles;
And put the fame into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew, and right-royal Sovereign.

K. John. What follows, if we difallow of this?
Chat. The proud controul of fierce and bloody war,
T'inforce thefe rights fo forcibly with-held.

K.John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controulment for controulment; so answer France.

Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The farthest limit of my embaffy.

K. John. Bear mine to him, and fo depart in peace. Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France, For ere thou can't report, I will be there, The thunder of my cannon fhall be heard. So, hence! be thou the trumpet of our wrath, And fullen prefage of your own decay. An honourable conduct let him have, Pembroke, look to't; farewel, Chatilion.

[Exit Chatilion and Pembroke,
Eli. What now, my fon, have I not ever faid,
How that ambitious Conftance would not cease,
Till she had kindled France and all the world,
Upon the right and party of her fon?

This might have been prevented, and made whole
With very eafy arguments of love;

Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful, bloody iffue arbitrate.

K. John. Our ftrong poffeffion, and our right for us.-
Eli. Your ftrong poffeffion much more than your right,

Or else it must go wrong with you and me;
So much my confcience whispers in your ear,

Which none but heav'n, and you, and I fhall hear.