Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child
Pray, that their burthens may not fall this day,
Leit that their hopes prodigiously be croft 1:
But on this day, let feamen fear no wreck;
No bargains break, that are not this day made :
This day, all things begun come to ill end;
Yea, faith itfelf to hollow falfhood change!

K. Phil. By heaven, lady, you fhail have no caufe
To curie the fair proceedings of this day:
Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty?

Cont. You have beguil'd me with a counterfeit, Refembling majefty; which, being touch'd, and try'd,

Proves valueless: You are forfworn, forfworn;
You came in arms to fpill mine enemies' blood,
But now in arms you ftrengthen it with yours:
The grappling vigour and rough frown of war,
1s cold in amity and painted peace,

And our oppreffion hath made up this league :-
Arm, arm, you heavens, again't these perjur'd kings!
A widow cries; be husband to me, heavens!
Let not the hours of this ungodly day
Wear out the day in peace; but, ere fun-fet,
Set armed difcord 'twixt thefe perjur'd kings!
Hear me, oh, hear me !

Aut. Lady Conftance, peace.

Conf. War! war! no peace! peace is to me a war.
O Lymoges! O Auftria! thou dost shame
That bloody spoil: Thou flave, thou wretch, thou
coward;

Thou little valiant, great in villainy!
Thou ever ftrong upon the ftronger fide!
Thou fortune's champion, that doit never fight
But when her bumourous ladyship is by
To teach the fafety! thou art prjur'd too,
And footh'ft up greatnefs. What a fool art thou,
A ramping fool; to brag, and flamp, and fwear,
Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded flave,
Hait thou not spoke like thunder on my fide?
Been fworn my foldier? bidding me depend
Upon thy ftars, thy fortune, and thy ftrength?
And doft thou now fall over to my foes?
Thou wear a lion's hide! doti it 3 for thame,
And hang a calf's-fkin on thofe recreant limbs 4.
Aut. O, that a man would fpeak thofe words to me!
Faule. And hang a calf's-ikin on thofe recreant
limbs.

Aft. Thou dar it not fay fo, villain, for thy life. Faule. And hang a calf's-ikin on thofe recreant | limbs.

K. John. Welike not this; thou doft forget thyself.

Enter Pandulph.

K. Phil. Here comes the holy legate of the pope.
Pand. Hail, you anointed deputies of heaven !—

To thee, king John, my holy errand is.
I Pandulph, of fair Milan cardinal,

And from pope Innocent the legate here,
Do, in his name, religiously demand,

Why thou against the church, our holy mother,
So wilfully doft ipurn; and, force perforce,

Keep Stephen Langton, chofen archbishop
Of Canterbury, from that holy fee?
This, in our forefaid holy father's name,
Pope Innocent, I do demand of thee.

K. Job. What earthly name to interrogatories
Can talk the free breath of a facred king?
Thou cantt not, cardinal, devife a name
So flight, unworthy, and ridiculous,
To charge me to an answer, as the pope.
Tell him this tale; and, from the mouth of England,
Add thus much more,―That no Italian prieft
Shall tithe or toll in our dominions;
But as we under heaven are fupreme head,
So, under him, that great fupremacy,
Where we do reign, we will alone uphold,
Without the affiftance of a mortal hand :
So tell the pope; all reverence set apart,
To him, and his ufurp'd authority.

K. Phil. Brother of England, you blafpheme in this.
K. Joba. Though you, and all the kings of
Chriftendom,

Are led fo grofsly by this meddling prieft,
Dreading the curfe that money may buy out;
And, by the merit of vile gold, drofs, duft,
Purchafe corrupted pardon of a man,
Who, in that file, fells pardon from himself:
Though you, and all the reft, fo grofsly led,
This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish,
Yet I, alone, alone do me oppofe

Against the pope, and count his friends my foes.

Pand. Then, by the lawful power that I have,
Thou shalt ftand curft, and excommunicate:
And bletled fhall he be, that doth revolt
From his allegiance to an heretic;
And meritorious fhall that hand be call'd,
Canonized, and worship'd as a faint,
That takes away by any fecret courfe
Thy hateful life.

Confi. O, lawful let it be,

That I have room with Rome to curfe a while!
Good father cardinal, cry thou, Amen,
To my keen curfes; for, without my wrong,
There is no tongue hath power to curfe him right.

Pand. There's law and warrant, lady, for my curse.
Conft. And for mine too; when law can do no right,
Let it be lawful, that law bar no wrong:
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here;
For he, that holds his kingdom, holds the law :
Therefore, fince law itself is perfect wrong,
How can the law forbid my tongue to curfe?
Pand. Philip of France, on peril of a curfe,
Let
go the hand of that arch-heretic ;
And raife the power of France upon his head,
Unless he do fubmit himfelf to Rome.

Eli. Look'ft thou pale, France do not let go
thy hand.

Conft. Look to that, devil! left that France repent,
And, by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul.

Auft. King Philip, liften to the cardinal.
Faule. And hang a calf's-fkin on his recreant
limbs.

Ii.e. be disappointed by the production of a prodigy, or monster. 2 But here fignifies except. 3 i. e. put it off. 4 When fools were kep: for amufement in great families, they were diftinguithed by a calf-fkin coat, which had the buttons down the back. This circumftance will explain the farcafm of Conftance and Faulconbridge, who mean to call Austria a fool. si. c. cowardly.

Auft.

Auft. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, France, thou may'st hold a serpent by the tongue, Becaufe

Faule. Your breeches beft may carry them.
K. John. Philip, what fay'ft thou to the cardinal?
Conft. What should he fay, but as the cardinal?
Lewis. Bethink you, father; for the difference
Is, purchase of a heavy curse from Rome,
Or the light lofs of England for a friend :
Forego the easier.

[here

Blanch. That's the curfe of Rome.
Conft. O Lewis, ftand faft; the devil tempts thee
In likeness of a new untrimmed bride. [faith,
Blanch. The lady Constance speaks not from her
But from her need.

A cafed 3 lion by the mortal paw, A fafting tyger fafer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold. K. Phil. I may disjoin my hand, but not my faith. Pand. So mak'ft thou faith an enemy to faith; And, like a civil war, fet'ft oath to oath, Thy tongue against thy tongue. O, let thy vow First made to heaven, first be to heaven perform'd; That is, to be the champion of our church! What fince thou fwor'ft, is fworn against thyfelf, And may not be performed by thyfelf : For that, which thou haft sworn to do amifs, Is't not amifs, when it is truly done? Conft. Oh, if thou grant my need, And being not done, where doing tends to ill, Which only lives but by the death of faith, The truth is then moft done not doing it : That need muft needs infer this principle,The better act of purposes mistook That faith will live again by death of need: Is, to mistake again; though indirect, O, then, tread down my need, and faith mounts up; Yet indirection thereby grows direct, Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down. [this. And falfhood falfhood cures; as fire cools fire, K. John. The king is mov'd, and anfwers not to Within the fcorched veins of one new burn'd. Conft. O, be remov'd from him, and anfwer well. It is religion, that doth make vows kept ; Auft. Do fo, King Philip; hang no more in doubt. But thou haft fworn againft religion: [fwear'st; Faule. Hang nothing but a calf's-fkin, moft fweet By which thou fwear'ft against the thing thou lout. [fay. And mak'it an oath the furety for thy truth

thee more,

K. Phil. I am perplex'd, and know not what to Against an oath: The truth thou art unfure
Pand. What can't thou fay, but will perplex To fwear, fwear only not to be forfworn;
Elfe, what a mockery thould it be to swear?
But thou doft fwear only to be forfworn ;
And moit forfworn to keep what thou doft swear.
Therefore, thy latter vows, against thy first,
Is in thyfelf rebellion to thyfelf:

If thou ftand excommunicate, and curft? [yours,
K. Phil. Good reverend father, make my perfon
And tell me, how you would bestow yourself.
This royal hand and mine are newly knit ;
And the conjunction of our inward fouls
Marry'd in league, coupled and link'd together
With all religious ftrength of facred vows;
The lateft breath, that gave the found of words,
Was deep-fworn faith, peace, amity, true love,
Between our kingdoms, and our royal selves;
And even before this truce, but new before,-
No longer than we well could wash our hands,
To clap this royal bargain up of peace,
Heaven knows, they were befmear'd and over-ftain'd
With flaughter's pencil; where revenge did paint
The fearful difference of incenfed kings:
And fhall thefe hands, fo lately purg'd of blood,
So newly join'd in love, fo ftrong in both,
Unyoke this feizure, and this kind regreet 2 ?
Play faft and loose with faith? fo jest with heaven,
Make fuch unconftant children of ourselves,
As now again to inatch our palm from palm;
Unfwear faith fworn; and on the marriage bed
Of fmiling peace to march a bloody hoft,
And make a riot on the gentle brow
Of true fincerity? O holy fir,
My reverend father, let it not be so:
Out of your grace, devife, ordain, impofe
Some gentle order; and then we fhall be bleft
To do your pleafure, and continue friends.

Pand. All form is formless, order orderless,
Sive what is oppofite to England's love.
Therefore, to arms! be champion of our church!
Or let the church, our mother, breathe her curfe,
A mother's curfe, on her revolting fon.

And better conqueit never canft thou make,
Than arm thy conftant and thy nobler parts
Agamit thefe giddy loofe fuggeftions :
Upon which better part our prayers come in,
If thou vouchfafe them: but, if not, then know,
The peril of our curfes light on thee;

So heavy, as thou shalt not shake them off,
But, in defpair, die under their black weight.
4. Rebellion, flat rebellion !
Fade. Will't not be?

Will not a calf's-ikin ftop that mouth of thine?
Lewis. Father, to arn.s!

Blanch. Upon thy wedding-day?
Against the blood that thou haft married?
What, fhall our feaft be kept with flaughter'd men?
Shall braying trumpets, and loud churlish drums,—
Clamours of hol!,--be meafures to our pomp?
O hufband, hear me !-aye, alack, how new
Is hufband in my mouth!-even for that name,
Which 'till this time my tongue did-ne'er pronounce,
Upon my knce I beg, go not to arms
Againit mine uncle.

Conf. Oh, upon my knee,

Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee,
Thou virtuous Dauphin, alter not the doom
Fore-thought by heaven.

[may

Blanch. Now thall I fee thy love; what motive Be ftronger with thee than the name of wire ? Cont. That which upholdeth him that thee upholds, [nour!

His honour: Oh, thine honour, Lewis, thine ho

1 i. c. undrefed. 2 A reg eet is an exchange of falutation. 3 Some editions read chafed.

Lewis. I mufe, your majefty doth seem fo cold, When fuch profound refpects do pull you on. Pand. I will denounce a curfe upon his head. K. Phil. Thou shalt not need :-England, I'll fall from thee.

this hour.

Conft. O fair return of banish'd majesty!
Eli. O foul revolt of French inconítancy!
K. Joba. France, thou shalt rue this hour within
[ton time,
Faulc. Old time the clock-fetter, that bald fex-
Is it as he will? well then, France fhall rue.
Blanch. The fun's o'ercaft with blood: Fair day,
Which is the fide that I must go withal? [adieu!
I am with both: each army hath a hand;
And, in their rage, I having hold of both,
They whirl afunder, and difmember me.
Hufband, I cannot pray that thou may'ft win;
Uncle, I needs must pray that thou may'st lofe;
Father, I may not with the fortune thine;
Grandam, I will not with thy wishes thrive:
Whoever wins, on that fide shall I lofe;
Affured lofs, before the match be play'd.
Lewis. Lady, with me; with me thy fortune lies.
Blanch. There where my fortune lives, there my
life dies.

ther.

K. John. Coufin, go draw our puiflance toge-
[Exit Faulconbridge.
France, I am burned up with inflaming wrath;
A rage whofe heat hath this condition,
That nothing can allay, nothing but blood,
The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood, of France.
K. Phil. Thy rage fhall burn thee up, and thou
fhalt turn

To afhes, ere our blood fhall quench that fire:
Look to thyfelf, thou art in jeopardy.

K. John. No more than he that threats.-To
arms, let's hie!
[Exeunt.
SCE N E
A field of battle.

11.

Alarums, excurfions: enter Faulconbridge, with Auf

tria's head.

Faule. Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous
Some airy devil hovers in the fky,
[hot:
And pours down mifchief. Auftria's head lie there;
While Philip breathes.

Enter King John, Arthur, and Hubert.
K. John. Hubert, keep this boy :-Philip', make
My mother is affailed in our tent,
And ta'en, I fear.

Faule. My lord, I refcu'd her;

Her highness is in fafety, fear you not :
But on, my liege; for very little pains
Will bring this labour to an happy end.
S с E NE 111.

[grief.

As dear be to thee as thy father was.
Arth. O, this will make my mother die with
K. John. Coufin, away for England; hafte be-
fore:
[To Faulconbridges

[back,

And, ere our coming, fee thou shake the bags
Of hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels
Set at liberty: the fat ribs of peace
Muft by the hungry now be fed upon :
Ufe our commiflion in his utmost force.
Faule. Bell book and candle fhall not drive me
When gold and filver becks me to come on.
I leave your highnefs :-Grandam, I will pray
(If ever I remember to be holy)
For your fair fafety; fo I kifs your hand.
Eli. Farewel, gentle coufin.
K. John. Coz, farewel.

[Exit Fauls
Eli. Come hither, little kinfman; hark, a word.
[Taking him to one fide of the flage.
K. John. Come hither, Hubert, O my gentle Hu-
We owe thee much; within this wall of flesh [bert,
There is a foul, counts thee her creditor,
And with advantage means to pay thy love:
And, my good friend, thy voluntary oath
Lives in this bofom, dearly cherished.
Give me thy hand. I had a thing to fay,--
But I will fit it with fome better time.
By heaven, Hubert, I am almost afham'd
To fay what good respect I have of thee.

Hub. I am much bounden to your majefty. [foyet:
K. John. Good friend, thou haft no cause to say
But thou fhalt have; and creep time ne'er fo flow,
Yet it fhall come for me to do thee good.
I had a thing to fay,-But let it go:
The fun is in the heaven; and the proud day,
Attended with the pleafures of the world,
Is all too wanton, and too full of gawds 2,
To give me audience :--If the midnight bell
Did with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
Sound on 3 unto the drowfy race of night;
If this fame were a church-yard where we stand,
And thou poffeffed with a thousand wrongs;
Or if that furly fpirit, melancholy,

Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, thick;
(Which, elfe, runs tickling up and down the veins,
Making that ideot, laughter, keep men's eyes,
And ftrain their cheeks to idle merriment,
A paffion hateful to my purpotes)
Lup; Or if that thou could'it fee me without eyes,
Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
Without a tongue, ufing conceit alone,
Without eyes, ears, and harmful found of words;
Then, in defpight of broad-ey'd watchful day,
I would into thy bofom pour my thoughts:
But, ah, I will not:-Yet I love thee well;
And, by my troth, I think thou lov'ft me well.

[Exeunt.

Alarums, excurfions, retreat. Re-enter King John,
Elinor, thur, Faulconbridge, Hubert, and Lords.
K. John. So fhall it be; your grace fhall ftay
behind,
[To Elinor.
Softrongly guarded.-Coufin, look not fad :
[To Arthur.

Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will

I

Hab. So well, that what you bid me undertake,
Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
By heaven, I would do it.

K. John. Do not I know thou would'st?
Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye
On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,

1 Here the king, who had knighted him by the name of Sir Richard, calls him by his former name. 2 Gawds are any fhowy ornaments. 3 Warburton thinks we thould read, "found one ;” and Mr. Malone obferves, that on and one are perpctually confounded in the old copies of Shakspeare.

Conft. Yes, that I will: And wherefore will I I tore them from their bonds; and cry'd aloud,

K. Phil. Well could I bear that England had" Oh that thefe hands could fo redeem my fon,

1 Fierce here means, fudden, kay. 2 i. e. I refufe. fore remarked in other plays, trite, common. 61. e. graceful.

3 Modern here implies, as has been be4 The old copy reads wiry hends. 5 i. c. breathe.

So be it, for it cannot be but fo.
Lewis. But what thall I gain by young Arthur's
fall?

Pand. You, in the right of lady Blanch your wife,
May then m ke all the claim that Arthur did.

Letvis. And lofe it, life and all, as Arthur did.
Pand. How green you are, and fresh in this old

John lays you plots; the times confpire with you:
For he, that fteeps his fafety in true blood 1,
Shall find but bloody fafety, and untrue.
This act, fo evilly born, thall cool the hearts
Of all his people, and freeze up their zeal ;
That none fo fmall advantage shall step forth,
To check his reign, but they will cherish it:
[Fixit. No natural exhalation in the sky,

Lewis. There's nothing in this world can make | No fcape of nature 2, no diftemper'd day,
No common wind, no cuftomed event,
But they will pluck away his natural caufe,
And call them meteors, prodigies, and figus,
Abortives, prefages, and tongues of heaten,
Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John.
Lewis. May be, he will not touch young Ar-
thur's life,

Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale,
Vexing the dull ear of a drowfy man ;
And bitter fhame hath spoil'd the fweet world's tafte,
That it yields nought, but fhame, and bitterness.

EAT me thefe irons hot; and, look
thou itand

Within the arras: when I ftrike my foot

* Meaning, the blood of him that has the just claim. birth, an escape of nature; as if it were produced while she was bufy ellowhere, or intent on other thing.

D d