The same. SCENE IV. Another Part of the same. Enter SALISBURY, PEMBROKE, BIGOT, and Others. Sal. I did not think the king so stor❜d with friends. Pem. Up once again; put spirit in the French; If they miscarry, we miscarry too. Sal. That misbegotten devil, Faulconbridge, In spite of spite, alone upholds the day. Pem. They say, king John, sore sick, hath left the field. Enter MELUN wounded, and led by Soldiers. Mel. Lead me to the revolts of England here. Sal. When we were happy, we had other names. Pem. It is the count Melun. Sal. Wounded to death. Mel. Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold;* Unthread the rude eye of rebellion, And welcome home again discarded faith. Seek out king John, and fall before his feet; 2 A proverb intimating treachery. VOL. IV. Сс 3 Lewis. Sal. May this be possible? may this be true? Mel. Have I not hideous death within my view, Retaining but a quantity of life; Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax Resolved from his figure 'gainst the fire ?4 Since I must lose the use of all deceit ? Why should I then be false; since it is true He is forsworn, if e'er those eyes of yours Behold another day break in the east: But even this night,—whose black contagious breath Of the old, feeble, and day-wearied sun,— Even with a treacherous fine of all your lives, Sal. We do believe thee,-And beshrew 5 4 In allusion to the images made by witches. ❝ Ill betide. my soul 5 Place. Of this most fair occasion, by the which Leaving our rankness and irregular course, Even to our ocean, to our great king John. My arm shall give thee help to bear thee hence; Right' in thine eye.-Away, my friends! New flight; And happy newness,7 that intends old right. [Exeunt, leading off MELUN. SCENE V.. The same. The French Camp. Enter LEWIS and his Train. Lew. The sun of heaven, methought, was loath to set; But stay'd, and made the western welkin blush, When the English measur'd backward their own ground, In faint retire: O, bravely came we off, • Immediate. 7 Innovation. • Sky. Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where is my prince, the Dauphin? Lew. Here: What news ? Mess. The count Melun is slain; the English lords, By his persuasion, are again fallen off: And your supply, which you have wish'd so long, Lew. Ah, foul shrewd news!-Beshrew thy very heart! I did not think to be so sad to-night, As this hath made me.—Who was he, that said, Lew. Well; keep good quarter, and good care to night; The day shall not be up so soon as I, To try the fair adventure of to-morrow. SCENE VI. [Exeunt. An open Place in the Neighbourhood of Swinstead Abbey. Enter the Bastard and HUBERT, meeting. Hub. Who's there? speak, ho! speak quickly, or Hub. What's that to thee? Why may not I demand Of thine affairs, as well as thou of mine? Bast. Hubert,' I think. Hub. Thou hast a perfect thought: I will upon all hazards, well believe Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well: Who art thou? Bast. Who thou wilt: an if thou please, Thou may'st befriend me so much, as to think I come one way of the Plantagenets. Hub. Unkind remembrance! thou, and eyeless Have done me shame:-Brave soldier, pardon me, Hub. Why, here walk I, in the black brow of night, To find you out. Bast. Brief, then; and what's the news? Hub. O, my sweet sir, news fitting to the night, Black, fearful, comfortless, and horrible. Bast. Show me the very wound of this ill news; I am no woman, I'll not swoon at it. Hub. The king, I fear, is poison'd by a monk I Without. |