And he will look as hollow as a ghost; Const. He talks to me that never had a son. K. Phi. You are as fond of grief, as of your child. Const. Grief fills the room of my absent child, Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me; [Erit. K. Phi. I fear some outrage, and I'll follow [Exit. Lew. There's nothing in the world can make me joy : her. Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale, And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste, That it yields naught, but shame and bitter ness. Pand. Before the curing of a strong disease, Even in the instant of repair and health, The fit is strongest; evils, that take leave, On their departure most of all show evil: What have you lost by losing of this day? Lew. All days of glory, joy, and happiness. Pand. If you have won it, certainly, you had. No, no when fortune means to men most good, She looks upon them with a threatening eye. 'Tis strange, to think how much King John hath lost In this which he accounts so clearly won: Are not you griev'd, that Authur is his prisoner? Lew. As heartily, as he is glad he hath him. Pand. Your mind is all as youthful as your blood. Now hear me speak, with a prophetic spirit: mark. John hath seiz'd Arthur; and it cannot be, This act, so evilly born, shall cool the hearts No scape of nature, no distemper'd day, Lew. May be, he will not touch young Arthur's life, But hold himself safe in his prisonment. proach, If that young Arthur be not gone already, Lew. Strong reasons make strong actions: ACT IV. [Exeunt Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch. 1 Attend. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed. Hub. Uncleanly scruples! Fear not you look to't. [Exeunt ATTENDANTS. That, whiles warm life plays in that infant's Young lad, come forth; I have to say with veins, To be more prince,) as may be.-You are sad. Methinks no body should be sad but I: • Tapestry. No, indeed, is't not; And I would to heaven, I were your sou, so you would love me, Hubert. Hub. If I talk to him, with his innocent prate He will awake my mercy, which lies dead: Therefore I will be sudden, and despatch. [Aside. Arth. Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-day: In sooth, I would you were a little sick; som. Read here, young Arthur. [Showing a paper.] Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must. Arth. And will you? Hub. And I will. Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ake, I knit my bandkerchief about your brows, And with my hand at midnight held your head; Or, What good love may I perform for you? These eyes, that never did, nor never shall, Hub. I have sworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. Arth. Ah! none, but in this iron age, would do it! The iron of itself, though heat red-hot, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. 1 Attend. I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed. [Exeunt ATTENDANTS. Arth. Alas! I then have chid away my friend; He bath a stern look, but a gentle heart :Let him come back, that his compassion may Give life to yours. Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself. Hub. None, but to lose your eyes. Arth. O heaven!-that there were but a mote in your's, A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wand'ring hair, Any annoyance in that precious sense! Then, feeling what small things are boist'rous there, Your vile intent must needs seem horrible. Hub. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue. Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes: Let me not hold my tongue; let me not, Hubert! Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, Hub. I can heat it, boy. Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief (Being create for comfort) to be us'd Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. blush, And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert: Nay, it, perchance will sparkle in your eyes; That mercy, which fierce fire, and iron, extends, Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eyes Approaching near these eyes, would drink my For all the treasure that thine uncle owes : Re-enter ATTENDANTS, with Cord, Irons, &c. Do as I bid you do. Arth. O save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out, Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy, Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. SCENE II.-The same.-A Room of State in Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. the Palace. Arth. Alas, what need you be so boist'rous- Enter King John, crowned; PEMBOKE, SALIS- I will not struggle, I will stand stone still. bound! BURY, and other Lords. his State. K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crown'd, And look'd upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes. Pem. This once again, but that your highness pleas'd, Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before, And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off : To guard a title that was rich before, To smooth the ice, or add another hue Pem. This is the man should do the bloody He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine: What we so fear'd he had a charge to do. Sol. The colour of the king doth come and go, Between his purpose and his conscience, To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles set: Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. Pem. But that your royal pleasure must be This act is as an ancient tale new told; Sal. In this, the antique and well-noted face His passion is so ripe, it needs must break. The foul corruption of a sweet child's death. Good lords, although my will to give is living, It makes the course of thoughts to fetch He tells us, Arthur is deceas'd to night. about: Startles and frights consideration; Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected, For putting on so new a fashion'd robe. Pem. When workmen strive to do better than They do confound their skill in covetousness: Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse; Sul. To this effect, before you were new- We breath'd our counsel: but it pleas'd your well, And well shall you perceive, bow willingly To sound the purposes of all their hearts,) Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent The steps of wrong,) should move you to mew Your tender kinsman, and to choke bis days K. John. Let it be so; I do commit his Enter HUBERT. A fearful eye thou hast; Where is that blood, Mess. From France to England.—Never such For any foreign preparation, K. John. Oh! where hath our intelligence been drunk? Where hath it slept? Where is my mother's That such an army could be drawn in France, Mess. My liege, her ear Is stopp'd with dust; the first of April, died Three days before: but this from rumour's I idly heard; if true or false, I know not. To your direction.-Hubert, what news with Oh! make a league with me, till I have you? pleas'd My discontented peers!--What! mother, dead? Under whose conduct came those powers of France, That thou for truth giv'st out, are landed here? Enter the BASTARD, and PETER of Pomfret. Bast. But if you be afeard to hear the worst, I With many hundreds treading on his heels ; That, ere the next Ascension-day at noon, Peter. Foreknowing that the truth will fall out so. K. John. Hubert, away with him; imprison him : And on that day at noon, whereon he says Besides, I met lord Bigot and lord Salisbury, K. John. Gentle kinsmen, go, Bring them before me. Bast. I will seek them out. Whilst he that hears, makes fearful action, I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus, Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. cause Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death? Thy hand hath murder'd him: I had mighty [him. To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill Hub. Had none, my lord ! why, did you not provoke me? tended K. John. It is the curse of kings, to be at[raut By slaves, that take their humours for a warTo break within the bloody house of life, And, on the winking of authority, To understand a law; to know the meaning Of dangerous majesty when, perchance, it frowns More upon humour than advis'd respect. Hub. Here is your hand and seal for what I did. K. John. O when the last account 'twist heaven and earth Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death; K. John. Hadst thou but shook thy head, or made a pause, When I spake darkly what I purposed; Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face, break off, K. John. Nay, but make haste; the better And those thy fears might have wrought fears foot before.- O let me have no subject enemies, When adverse foreigners affright my towns Exit. K. John. Spoke like a spriteful noble gen tleman. But thou didst understand me by my sigus, Out of my sight, and never see me more! [death. cousin's This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Hub. Old men, and beldams, in the streets Do prophecy upon it dangerously: [mouths: Young Arthur's death is common in their And when they talk of him, they shake their And whisper one another in the ear; (heads, And he, that speaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrist; K. John. Doth Arthur live? O haste thee | Of murder's arms: this is the bloodiest shame, to the peers, Throw this report on their incensed rage, Presented thee more hideous than thou art. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The sume.-Before the Castle. Enter ARTHUR, on the Walls. Arth. The wall is high; and yet will I leap down:- Good ground, be pitiful, and hurt me not !— [Leaps down. O me! my uncle's spirit is in these stonesHeaven take my soul, and England keep my bones! [Dies. Enter PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and BIGOT. Sal. Lords, I will meet him at Saint Edmund's-Bury; It is our safety and we must embrace Whose private with me, of the Dauphin's love, Sal. Or, rather then set forward; for 'twill be Two long days' journey, lords, or e'er we meet. Enter the BASTARD. Bast. Once more to-day well met, distemper'd + lords! [straight. The king, by me, requests your presence Sal. The king hath dispossess'd himself of us; We will not line his thin bestained cloak With our pure honours, nor attend the foot That leaves the print of blood where-e'er it walks: Return and tell him so; we know the worst. Bast. Whate'er you think, good words, think, were best. [now. Sal. Our griefs, and not our manners, reason Bast. But there is little reason in your grief; Therefore, 'twere reason you had manners now. Pem. Sir, Sir, impatience hath his privilege. Bast. 'Tis true; to hurt his master, no inan else. Sal. This is the prison: What is he lies here? [Seeing ARTHUR. Pam. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. Found it too precious-princely for a grave. Or have you read, or heard? or could you think? Form such another? This is the very top, The wildest savaga'ry, the vilest stroke, To the yet-unbegotten sin of time; Bast. It is a damned and a bloody work; Sal. If that it be the work of any hand ?- Enter HUBERT. Hub. Lords, I am hot with haste in seeking you: Arthur doth live; the king hath sent for you. Sal. Oh! he is bold, and blushes not at death : Avaunt thou hateful villain, get thee gone! [Drawing his sword. Bast. Your sword is bright, Sir: put it up again. Sal. Not till I sheath it in a murderer's skin. Hub. Stand back, lord Salisbury, stand back, I say; [your's: By heaven, I think my sword's as sharp as I would not have you, lord, forget yourself, Nor tempt the danger of my true defence; Lest I, by marking of your rage, forget Your worth, your greatness, and nobility. Big. Out, dunghill! dar'st thou brave a nobleman ? Hub. Not for my life: but yet I dare defend My innocent life against an emperor. Sul. Thou art a murderer. Hub. Do not prove me so; [false, Yet, I am none: Whose tongue soe'er speaks Not truly speaks; who speaks not truly, lies. Pem. Cut him to pieces. Bast. Keep the peace, I say. Sal. Stand by, or I shall gall you, Faulconbridge. Bast. Thou wert better gall the devil, Salisbury: If thou but frown on me, or stir thy foot, Or I'll so maul you and your toasting-iron, Second a villain, and a murderer ? Hub. 'Tis not an hour since I left him well: eyes, For villany is not without such rheum ; And he long traded in it, makes it seem Pity. Hand should be head; a glory is the circle of rays which surrounds the heads of saints in pictures. By compelling me to kill you. |