King John & Henry VIII Page 5

  BLANCHE O, well did he become143 that lion’s robe

  That did disrobe the lion of that robe.

  BASTARD It lies as sightly145 on the back of him

  As great Alcides’146 shoes upon an ass:

  But, ass, I’ll take that burden from your back,

  Or lay on that148 shall make your shoulders crack.

  AUSTRIA What cracker is this same that deafs149 our ears

  With this abundance of superfluous breath?

  KING PHILIP Lewis, determine what we shall do straight151.

  LEWIS Women and fools, break off your conference.

  King John, this is the very sum153 of all:

  England and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,

  In right of Arthur do I claim of thee:

  Wilt thou resign them and lay down thy arms?

  KING JOHN My life as soon: I do defy thee, France.

  Arthur of Bretagne158, yield thee to my hand,

  And out of my dear love I’ll give thee more

  Than e’er the coward hand of France can win.

  Submit thee, boy.

  QUEEN ELINOR Come to thy grandam, child.

  CONSTANCE Do, child, go to it163 grandam, child:

  Give grandam kingdom, and it grandam will

  Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig165:

  There’s a good grandam.

  ARTHUR Good my mother, peace.

  I would that I were low laid in my grave:

  I am not worth this coil169 that’s made for me.

  QUEEN ELINOR His mother shames170 him so, poor boy, he weeps.

  CONSTANCE Now shame upon you, whe’er she does or no:

  His grandam’s wrongs, and not his mother’s shames,

  Draws those heaven-moving pearls173 from his poor eyes,

  Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee174:

  Ay, with these crystal beads175 heaven shall be bribed

  To do him justice and revenge on you.

  QUEEN ELINOR Thou monstrous177 slanderer of heaven and earth!

  CONSTANCE Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth,

  Call not me slanderer: thou and thine usurp

  The dominations, royalties180, and rights

  Of this oppressed boy: this is thy eldest son’s son181,

  Infortunate182 in nothing but in thee:

  Thy sins are visited183 in this poor child:

  The canon of the law184 is laid on him,

  Being but185 the second generation

  Removèd186 from thy sin-conceiving womb.

  KING JOHN Bedlam187, have done.

  CONSTANCE I have but this to say:

  That he is not only plaguèd for her sin,

  But God hath made her sin190 and her the plague

  On this removèd issue, plagued for191 her,

  And with her plague her sin: his injury192

  Her injury the beadle193 to her sin,

  All punished in the person of this child,

  And all for195 her: a plague upon her!

  QUEEN ELINOR Thou unadvisèd196 scold, I can produce

  A will that bars the title197 of thy son.

  CONSTANCE Ay, who doubts that? A will: a wicked will,

  A woman’s will, a cankered199 grandam’s will!

  KING PHILIP Peace, lady: pause, or be more temperate200:

  It ill beseems this presence to cry aim201

  To these ill-tunèd repetitions202.

  Some trumpet203 summon hither to the walls

  These men of Angiers: let us hear them speak

  Whose title they admit205, Arthur’s or John’s.

  Trumpet sounds. Enter a Citizen upon the walls [with others]

  CITIZEN Who is it that hath warned206 us to the walls?

  KING PHILIP ’Tis France, for England207.

  KING JOHN England for itself:

  You men of Angiers, and my loving subjects—

  KING PHILIP You loving men of Angiers, Arthur’s subjects,

  Our trumpet called you to this gentle parle211—

  KING JOHN For our advantage; therefore hear us first:

  These flags of France that are advancèd213 here

  Before the eye and prospect214 of your town,

  Have hither marched to your endamagement215.

  The cannons have their bowels216 full of wrath,

  And ready mounted are they to spit forth

  Their iron indignation gainst your walls:

  All preparation for a bloody siege

  And merciless proceeding by these French

  Confronts your city’s eyes, your winking gates:

  And but for our approach, those sleeping stones222,

  That as a waist223 doth girdle you about,

  By the compulsion of their ordinance224

  By this time from their fixèd beds of lime225

  Had been dishabited226, and wide havoc made

  For bloody power227 to rush upon your peace.

  But on the sight of us your lawful king,

  Who painfully with much expedient229 march

  Have brought a countercheck230 before your gates,

  To save unscratched your city’s threatened cheeks,

  Behold, the French, amazed, vouchsafe232 a parle:

  And now instead of bullets233 wrapped in fire

  To make a shaking fever in your walls,

  They shoot but calm words, folded up in smoke235,

  To make a faithless error236 in your ears,

  Which trust accordingly237, kind citizens,

  And let us in. Your king, whose laboured238 spirits,

  Forwearied239 in this action of swift speed,

  Craves harbourage240 within your city walls.

  KING PHILIP When I have said241, make answer to us both.

  He takes Arthur’s hand

  Lo242, in this right hand, whose protection

  Is most divinely vowed upon the right243

  Of him it holds, stands young Plantagenet,

  Son to the elder brother of this man,

  And king o’er him and all that he enjoys246:

  For this downtrodden equity, we tread247

  In warlike march these greens248 before your town,

  Being no further enemy to you

  Than the constraint250 of hospitable zeal

  In the relief of this oppressèd child

  Religiously provokes. Be pleasèd then

  To pay that duty which you truly owe

  To him that owes254 it, namely this young prince:

  And then our arms, like to a muzzled bear,

  Save in aspect, hath all offence sealed up256:

  Our cannons’ malice vainly shall be spent257

  Against th’invulnerable clouds of heaven,

  And with a blessèd and unvexed retire259,

  With unhacked260 swords and helmets all unbruised,

  We will bear home that lusty261 blood again

  Which here we came to spout against your town,

  And leave your children, wives, and you in peace.

  But if you fondly pass264 our proffered offer,

  ’Tis not the roundure265 of your old-faced walls

  Can hide you from our messengers of war266,

  Though all these English and their discipline267

  Were harboured in their rude268 circumference:

  Then tell us, shall your city call us lord,

  In that behalf which270 we have challenged it?

  Or shall we give the signal to our rage,

  And stalk in blood to our possession?

  CITIZEN In brief, we are the King of England’s subjects:

  For him, and in his right, we hold this town.

  KING JOHN Acknowledge then the king, and let me in.

  CITIZEN That can we not: but he that proves276 the king,

  To him will we prove loyal: till that time

  Have we rammed up our gates against the world.

  KING JOHN Doth not the crown of England prove the king?

  And if no
t that, I bring you witnesses:

  Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England’s breed—

  Aside

  BASTARD Bastards, and else282.

  KING JOHN To verify our title with their lives.

  KING PHILIP As many and as well-born bloods284 as those—

  Aside

  BASTARD Some bastards too.

  KING PHILIP Stand in his face286 to contradict his claim.

  CITIZEN Till you compound287 whose right is worthiest,

  We for the worthiest hold288 the right from both.

  KING JOHN Then God forgive the sin of all those souls

  That to their everlasting residence290,

  Before the dew of evening fall, shall fleet291

  In dreadful trial292 of our kingdom’s king.

  KING PHILIP Amen, amen. Mount, chevaliers293: to arms!

  BASTARD Saint George, that swinged294 the dragon, and e’er since

  Sits on’s horseback at mine hostess295’ door,

  To Austria

  Teach us some fence296!— Sirrah, were I at home

  At your den, sirrah, with your lioness297,

  I would set an ox-head to your lion’s hide298,

  And make a monster299 of you.

  AUSTRIA Peace, no more.

  BASTARD O tremble, for you hear the lion roar.

  KING JOHN Up higher to the plain, where we’ll set forth

  In best appointment303 all our regiments.

  BASTARD Speed then, to take advantage304 of the field.

  KING PHILIP It shall be so, and at the other hill

  Command the rest to stand. God and our right306!

  Citizens remain on the walls

  Exeunt [French and English forces]

  Here after excursions, enter [at one door] the Herald of France with Trumpets to the gates

  FRENCH HERALD You men of Angiers, open wide your gates,

  And let young Arthur Duke of Bretagne in,

  Who by the hand of France309 this day hath made

  Much work for tears in many an English mother,

  Whose sons lie scattered on the bleeding ground:

  Many a widow’s husband grovelling312 lies,

  Coldly embracing the discoloured earth:

  And victory with little loss doth play

  Upon the dancing banners of the French,

  Who are at hand, triumphantly displayed316,

  To enter conquerors, and to proclaim

  Arthur of Bretagne England’s king and yours.

  Enter [at another door the] English Herald, with Trumpets

  ENGLISH HERALD Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells:

  King John, your king and England’s, doth approach,

  Commander of this hot malicious321 day:

  Their armours that marched hence322 so silver-bright

  Hither return all gilt323 with Frenchmen’s blood:

  There stuck no plume in any English crest324

  That is removèd by a staff325 of France:

  Our colours326 do return in those same hands

  That did display them when we first marched forth:

  And like a jolly troop of huntsmen328 come

  Our lusty English, all with purpled hands,

  Dyed in the dying slaughter of their foes:

  Open your gates and give the victors way.

  This Citizen may be Hubert

  CITIZEN Heralds, from off our towers we might behold

  From first to last, the onset and retire333

  Of both your armies, whose equality

  By our best eyes cannot be censurèd335:

  Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answered blows:

  Strength matched with strength, and power confronted power:

  Both are alike, and both alike we like338.

  One must prove greatest. While they weigh so even,

  We hold our town for neither, yet for both.

  Enter the two Kings with their powers, at several doors [King John accompanied by the Bastard, Queen Elinor, Blanche; King Philip by Lewis the Dauphin and Austria]

  KING JOHN France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away?

  Say, shall the current of our right run on,

  Whose passage343, vexed with thy impediment,

  Shall leave his native channel and o’erswell344

  With course disturbed even thy confining shores,

  Unless thou let his silver water keep

  A peaceful progress347 to the ocean.

  KING PHILIP England, thou hast not saved one drop of blood

  In this hot trial more than we of France;

  Rather, lost more. And by this hand I swear,

  That sways the earth this climate351 overlooks,

  Before we will lay down our just-borne352 arms,

  We’ll put thee down353, gainst whom these arms we bear,

  Or add a royal number354 to the dead,

  Gracing the scroll that tells of355 this war’s loss

  With slaughter coupled to the name of kings.

  BASTARD Ha, majesty! How high thy glory towers357,

  When the rich blood of kings is set on fire:

  O, now doth Death line his dead chaps359 with steel:

  The swords of soldiers are his teeth, his fangs:

  And now he feasts, mousing361 the flesh of men

  In undetermined differences362 of kings.

  Why stand these royal fronts363 amazèd thus?

  Cry havoc364, kings: back to the stainèd field

  You equal potents365, fiery kindled spirits!

  Then let confusion of one part366 confirm

  The other’s peace367: till then, blows, blood and death.

  KING JOHN Whose party do the townsmen yet admit368?

  KING PHILIP Speak, citizens, for England. Who’s your king?

  CITIZEN The King of England, when we know the king.

  KING PHILIP Know him in us, that here hold up371 his right.

  KING JOHN In us, that are our own great deputy372

  And bear possession of our person here,

  Lord of our presence374, Angiers, and of you.

  CITIZEN A greater power than we denies all this,

  And till it be undoubted, we do lock

  Our former scruple in our strong-barred gates:

  Kings of378 our fear, until our fears resolved

  Be by some certain king, purged and deposed379.

  BASTARD By heaven, these scroyles of Angiers flout380 you, kings,

  And stand securely on their battlements,

  As in a theatre, whence they gape and point

  At your industrious scenes and acts383 of death.

  Your royal presences be ruled by me:

  Do like the mutines of Jerusalem385,

  Be friends awhile, and both conjointly bend386

  Your sharpest deeds of malice on this town.

  By east and west let France and England mount388

  Their battering cannon chargèd389 to the mouths,

  Till their soul-fearing clamours have brawled down390

  The flinty ribs of this contemptuous city:

  I’d play incessantly upon these jades392,

  Even till unfencèd desolation393

  Leave them as naked as the vulgar394 air:

  That done, dissever your united strengths,

  And part your mingled colours once again:

  Turn face to face, and bloody point397 to point:

  Then in a moment Fortune shall cull forth398

  Out of one side her happy minion399,

  To whom in favour she shall give the day400,

  And kiss him with a glorious victory:

  How like you this wild counsel, mighty states402?

  Smacks it not something of the policy403?

  KING JOHN Now, by the sky that hangs above our heads,

  I like it well.— France, shall we knit405 our powers,

  And lay406 this Angiers even with the ground,

  Then after fight who407 shall be king of it?<
br />
  BASTARD An if thou hast the mettle408 of a king,

  Being wronged as we are by this peevish409 town,

  Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery,

  As we will ours, against these saucy411 walls,

  And when that412 we have dashed them to the ground,

  Why then defy each other, and pell-mell413,

  Make work upon ourselves, for heaven or hell414.

  KING PHILIP Let it be so: say, where will you assault?

  KING JOHN We from the west will send destruction

  Into this city’s bosom.

  AUSTRIA I from the north.

  KING PHILIP Our thunder419 from the south

  Shall rain their drift420 of bullets on this town.

  BASTARD O prudent discipline421! From north to south:

  Austria and France shoot in each other’s mouth:

  I’ll stir them to it.— Come, away, away!

  CITIZEN Hear us, great kings: vouchsafe424 awhile to stay,

  And I shall show you peace and fair-faced league425:

  Win you this city without stroke or wound:

  Rescue those breathing lives427 to die in beds,

  That here come sacrifices for the field.

  Persever429 not, but hear me, mighty kings.

  KING JOHN Speak on with favour: we are bent430 to hear.

  CITIZEN That daughter there of Spain, the lady Blanche,

  Is niece to England: look upon the years432

  Of Lewis the dauphin and that lovely maid.

  If lusty434 love should go in quest of beauty,

  Where should he find it fairer than in Blanche?