KING JOHN. KING JOHN. PERSONS REPRESENTED. PRINCE HENRY, his Son; after- GEFFREY FITZ-PETER, Earl of ROBERT BIGOT, Earl of Norfolk. ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Son JAMES GURNEY, Servant to Lady PETER of Pomfret, a Prophet. PHILIP, King of France. LEWIS, the Dauphin. MELUN, a French Lord. CONSTANCE, Mother to Arthur. LADY FAULCONBRIDGE, Mother LORDS, LADIES, CITIZENS of Angiers, SHERIFF, HERALDS, OffiCERS, SOLDIERS, MESSENGERS, and other ATTENDANTS. SCENE.-Sometimes in England, and sometimes in France. АСТ І. SCENE I-Northampton. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter KING JOHN QUEEN ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBRUY, and others, with CHATILLON. K. John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the king of France, In my behaviour,* to the majesty, The borrow'd majesty of England here. Eli. A strange beginning;-borrow'd majesty! K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy. *I. e. person and manner. Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine: Which sways usurpingly these several titles; K. John. What follows, if we disallow of this? To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld. K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment: so answer France. Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth, K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace : [Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE This might have been prevented, and made whole, Which now the manage* of two kingdoms must With fearful bloody issue arbitrate. K. John. Our strong possession, and our right, for us. Or else it must go wrong with you, and me: So much my conscience whispers in your ear; Which none but heaven, and you, and I, shall hear. Enter the SHERIFF of Northamptonshire, who whispers ESSEX. Essex. My liege, here is the strangest controversy, Come from the country to be judged by you, That ere I heard: Shall I produce the men ? K. John. Let them approach.— Our abbeys, and our priories, shall pay [Exit SHERIFF, Re-enter Sheriff, with ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP, his bastard Brother. This expedition's charge. What men are you? Bast. Your faithful subject I, a gentleman, Born in Northamptonshire; and eldest son, * Conduct. As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge; Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. Bast. Most certain of one mother, mighty king, Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. Bast. I, Madam? no, I have no reason for it; Heaven guard my mother's honour, and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow :-Why, being younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? Bast. I know not why, except to get the land But whe'r I be as true-begot, or no, And were our father, and this son like him;- I give heaven thanks, I was not like to thee. K. John. Why, what a mad-cap hath heaven lent us here! The accent of his tongue affecteth him : K. John. Mine eye hath well examined his parts, Bast. Well, Sir, by this you cannot get my land; But truth is truth; large lengths of seas and shores K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate; To dispossess that child which is not his ? Bast. Of no more force to dispossess me, Sir, Than was his will to get me, as I think. Eli. Whether hadst thou rather, be a Faulconbridge, And like thy brother, to enjoy thy land; Or the reputed son of Coeur-de-lion, Lord of thy presence,† and no land beside? Bast. Madam, an if my brother had my shape, And I had his, Sir Robert his, like him; And if my legs were two such riding-rods, My arms such eel-skins stuff'd; my face so thin, That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose, Lest men should say, Look, where three-farthingst goes! And, to his shape, were heir to all this land, 'Would I might never stir from off this place, I'd give it every foot to have this face; I would not be Sir Nob§ in any case. Eli. I like thee well; Wilt thou forsake thy fortune, Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me? I am a soldier, and now bound to France. Bast. Brother, take you my land, I'll take my chance: Your face hath got five hundred pound a year; Yet sell your face for fivepence, and 'tis dear. Madam, I'll follow you unto the death. *Was convinced. + Appearance. § Robert. In allusion to the money-pieces so called. Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither. Bast. Philip, my liege; so is my name begun; Philip, good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest son. K. John. From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st: Kneel thou down Philip, but arise more great: Arise Sir Richard and Plantagenet. land: Bast. Brother, by the mother's side, give me your hand; Eli. The very spirit of Plantagenet!- Bast. Madam, by chance, but not by truth: What though? Something about, a little from the right,* In at the window, or else o'er the hatch: Who dares not stir by day, must walk by night; And I am I, howe'er I was begot. K. John. Go, Faulconbridge; now hast thou thy desire, [Exeunt all but the BASTARD. A foot of honour better than I was; Well, now can I make any Joan a lady : Good den, Sir Richard, God-a-mercy, fellow;— For your conversion. Now your traveller,- And talking of the Alps, and Apennines, * I. e. not quite regularly. Changed condition. + Good evening. + Respectful. My travelled fop. |