The life and death of King Iohn.And by disioyning hands hell lose a soule.Aust.King
Philip, listen to the Cardinall.
Bast.And hang a Calues‑skin on his recreant limbs.Aust.
[1085]
Well ruffian, I must pocket vp these wrongs,Because,Bast.Your breeches best may carry them.Iohn.Philip, what saist thou to the Cardinall?
Con.What should he say, but as the Cardinall?Dolph.
[1090]
Bethinke you father, for the differenceIs purchase of a heauy curse from
Rome,
Or the light losse of
England, for a friend:
Forgoe the easier.Bla.That s the curse of
Rome.
Con.
[1095]
O
Lewis, stand fast, the deuill tempts thee heere
In likenesse of a new vntrimmed Bride.Bla.The Lady
Constance speakes not from her faith,
But from her need.Con.Oh, if thou grant my need,
[1100]
Which onely liues but by the death of faith,That need, must needs inferre this principle,That faith would liue againe by death of need:O then tread downe my need, and faith mounts vp,Keepe my need vp, and faith is trodden downe.Iohn.
[1105]
The king is moud, and answers not to this.Con.O be remou'd from him, and answere well.Aust.Doe so king
Philip, hang no more in doubt.
Bast.Hang nothing but a Calues skin most sweet lout.Fra.I am perplext, and know not what to say.Pan.
[1110]
What canst thou say, but wil perplex thee more?If thou stand excommunicate, and curst?Fra.Good reuerend father, make my person yours,And tell me how you would bestow your selfe
?This royall hand and mine are newly knit,
[1115]
And the coniunction of our inward soulesMarried in league, coupled, and link'd togetherWith all religious strength of sacred vowes,The latest breath that gaue the sound of wordsWas deepe‑sworne faith, peace, amity, true loue
[1120]
Betweene our kingdomes and our royall selues,And euen before this truce, but new before,No longer then we well could wash our hands,To clap this royall bargaine vp of peace,Heauen knowes they were besmear'd and ouer‑staind
[1125]
With slaughters pencill; where reuenge did paintThe fearefull difference of incensed kings:And shall these hands so lately purg'd of bloud?So newly ioyn'd in loue? so strong in both,Vnyoke this seysure, and this kinde regreete?
[1130]
Play fast and loose with faith? so iest with heauen,Make such vnconstant children of o
ur selues
As now againe to snatch our palme from palme:Vn‑sweare faith sworne, and on the marriage bedOf smiling peace to march a bloody hoast,
[1135]
And make a ryot on the gentle browOf true sincerity? O holy SirMy reuerend father, let it not be so;Out of your grace, deuise, ordaine, imposeSome gentle order, and then we shall be blest
[1140]
To doe your pleasure, and continue friends.Pand.All forme is formelesse, Order orderlesse,Saue what is opposite to
Englands loue.
Therefore to Armes, be Champion of our Church,Or let the Church our mother breathe her curse,
[1145]
A mothers curse, on her reuolting sonne:France, thou maist hold a serpent by the tongue,
A cased Lion by the mortall paw,
A fasting Tyger safer by the tooth,Then keepe in peace that hand which thou dost hold.Fra.
[1150]
I may dis‑ioyne my hand, but not my faith.Pand.So mak'st thou faith an enemy to faith,And like a ciuill warre setst oath to oath,Thy tongue against thy tongue. O let thy vowFirst made to heauen, first be to heauen perform'd,
[1155]
That is, to be the Champion of our Church,What since thou sworst, is sworne against thy selfe,And may not be performed by thy selfe,For that which thou hast sworne to doe amisse,Is not amisse when it is truly done:
[1160]
And being not done, where doing tends to ill,The truth is then most done not doing it:The better Act of purposes mistooke,Is to mistake again, though indirect,Yet indirection thereby growes direct,
[1165]
And falshood, falshood cures, as fire cooles fireWithin the scorched veines of one new burn'd:It is religion that doth make vowes kept,But thou hast sworne against religion:By what thou swear'st against the thing thou swear'st,
[1170]
And mak'st an oath the suretie for thy truth,Against an oath the truth, thou art vnsureTo sweare, sweares onely not to be forsworne,Else what a mockerie should it be to sweare?But thou dost sweare, onely to be forsworne,
[1175]
And most forsworne, to keepe what thou dost sweare,Therefore thy later vowes, against thy first,Is in thy selfe rebellion to thy selfe:And better conquest neuer canst thou make,Then arme thy constant and thy nobler parts
[1180]
Against these giddy loose suggestions:Vpon which better part, our prayrs come in,If thou vouchsafe them. But if not, then knowThe perill of our curses light on theeSo heauy, as thou shalt not shake them off
[1185]
But in despaire, dye vnder their blacke weight.Aust.Rebellion, flat rebellion.Bast.Wil't not be?Will not a Calues‑skin stop that mouth of thine?Daul.Father, to Armes.Blanch.
[1190]
Vpon thy wedding day
?Against the blood that thou hast married?What, shall our feast be kept with slaughtered men?Shall braying trumpets, and loud churlish drumsClamors of hell, be measures to our pomp?
[1195]
O husband heare me: aye, alacke, how newIs husband in my mouth? euen for that nameWhich till this time my tongue did nere pronounce;Vpon my knee I beg, goe not to ArmesAgainst mine Vncle.Const.
[1200]
O, vpon my knee made hard with kneeling,I doe pray to thee, thou vertuous
Daulphin,
Alter not the doome fore‑thought by heauen.Blan.Now shall I see thy loue, what motiue mayBe stronger with thee, then the name of wife?Con.
[1205]
That which vpholdeth him, that thee vpholds,His Honor, Oh thine Honor,
Lewis thine Honor.
Dolph.I muse your Maiesty doth seeme so cold,When such profound respects doe pull you on?Pand.I will denounce a curse vpon his head.Fra.
[1210]
Thou shalt not need.
England, I will fall
frō
from thee.
Const.O faire returne of banish'd Maiestie.Elen.O foule reuolt of French inconstancy.Eng.France, y
u shalt rue this houre within this houre.
Bast.
Actus Secundus
[Act 3, Scene 1]
Enter Constance, Arthur, and Salisbury.Con.Gone to be married? Gone to sweare a peace?False blood to false blood ioyn'd. Gone to be freinds?
[885]
Shall
Lewis haue
Blaunch, and
Blaunch those Prouinces?
It is not so; thou hast mispoke, misheard,Be well aduis'd, tell ore thy tale againe.It cannot be, thou do'st but say 'tis so.I trust I may not trust thee, for thy word
[890]
Is but the vaine breath of a common man:Beleeue me, I doe not beleeue thee man,I haue a Kings oath to the contrarie.Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,For I am sicke, and capeable of feares,
[895]
Opprest with wrongs, and therefore full of feares,A widdow, husbandles, subiect to feares,A woman naturally borne to feares;And though thou now confesse thou didst but iestWith my vext spirits, I cannot take a Truce,
[900]
But they will quake and tremble all this day.What dost thou meane by shaking of thy head
?Why dost thou looke so sadly on my sonne?What meanes that hand vpon that breast of thine?Why holdes thine eie that lamentable rhewme,
[905]
Like a proud riuer peering ore his bounds?Be these sad signes confirmers of thy words?Then speake againe, not all thy former tale,But this one word, whether thy tale be true.Sal.As true as I beleeue you thinke them false,
[910]
That giue you cause to proue my saying true.Con.Oh if thou teach me to beleeue this sorrow,Teach thou this sorrow, how to make me dye,And let beleefe, and life encounter so,As doth the furie of two desperate men,
[915]
Which in the very meeting fall, and dye.Lewes marry
Blaunch? O boy, then where art thou?
France friend with
England, what becomes of me
?Fellow be gone: I cannot brooke thy sight,This newes hath made thee a most vgly man.Sal.
[920]
What other harme haue I good Lady done,But spoke the harme, that is by others done?Con.Which harme within it selfe so heynous is,As it makes harmefull all that speake of it.Ar.I do beseech you Madam be content.Con.
[925]
If thou that bidst me be content, wert grimVgly, and slandrous to thy Mothers wombe,Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines,Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,Patch'd with foule Moles, and eye‑offending markes,
[930]
I would not care, I then would be content,For then I should not loue thee: no, nor thouBecome thy great birth, nor deserue a Crowne.But thou art faire, and at thy birth (deere boy)Nature and Fortune ioyn'd to make thee great.
[935]
Of Natures guifts, thou mayst with Lillies boast,And with the halfe‑blowne Rose. But Fortune, oh,She is corrupted, chang'd, and wonne from thee,Sh'adulterates hourely with thine Vnckle
Iohn,
And with her golden hand hath pluckt on France
[940]
To tread downe faire respect of Soueraigntie,And made his Maiestie the bawd to theirs.France is a Bawd to Fortune, and king
Iohn,
That strumpet Fortune, that vsurping
Iohn:
Tell me thou fellow, is no France forsworne?
[945]
E
nvenom him with words, or get thee gone,
And leaue those woes alone, which I aloneAm bound to vnder‑beare.Sal.Pardon me Madam,I may not goe without you to the kings.Con.
[950]
Thou maist, thou shalt, I will not go with thee,I will instruct my sorrowes to bee proud,For greefe is proud, and makes his owner stoope,To me and to the state of my great greefe,Let kings assemble: for my greefe's so great,
[955]
That no supporter but the huge firme earthCan hold it vp: here I and sorrowes sit,Heere is my Throne, bid kings come bow to it.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<div type="scene" n="1" rend="notPresent">
<head rend="italic center">Actus Secundus</head>
<head type="supplied">[Act 3, Scene 1]</head>
<stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Constance, Arthur, and Salisbury.</stage>
<sp who="#F-jn-con">
<speaker rend="italic">Con.</speaker>
<l n="883">Gone to be married? Gone to sweare a peace?</l>
<l n="884">False blood to false blood ioyn'd. Gone to be freinds?</l>
<l n="885">Shall<hi rend="italic">Lewis</hi>haue<hi rend="italic">Blaunch</hi>, and<hi rend="italic">Blaunch</hi>those Prouinces?</l>
<l n="886">It is not so; thou hast mispoke, misheard,</l>
<l n="887">Be well aduis'd, tell ore thy tale againe.</l>
<l n="888">It cannot be, thou do'st but say 'tis so.</l>
<l n="889">I trust I may not trust thee, for thy word</l>
<l n="890">Is but the vaine breath of a common man:</l>
<l n="891">Beleeue me, I doe not beleeue thee man,</l>
<l n="892">I haue a Kings oath to the contrarie.</l>
<l n="893">Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,</l>
<l n="894">For I am sicke, and capeable of feares,</l>
<cb n="2"/>
<l n="895">Opprest with wrongs, and therefore full of feares,</l>
<l n="896">A widdow, husbandles, subiect to feares,</l>
<l n="897">A woman naturally borne to feares;</l>
<l n="898">And though thou now confesse thou didst but iest</l>
<l n="899">With my vext spirits, I cannot take a Truce,</l>
<l n="900">But they will quake and tremble all this day.</l>
<l n="901">What dost thou meane by shaking of thy head<c rend="italic">?</c>
</l>
<l n="902">Why dost thou looke so sadly on my sonne?</l>
<l n="903">What meanes that hand vpon that breast of thine?</l>
<l n="904">Why holdes thine eie that lamentable rhewme,</l>
<l n="905">Like a proud riuer peering ore his bounds?</l>
<l n="906">Be these sad signes confirmers of thy words?</l>
<l n="907">Then speake againe, not all thy former tale,</l>
<l n="908">But this one word, whether thy tale be true.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="909">As true as I beleeue you thinke them false,</l>
<l n="910">That giue you cause to proue my saying true.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-con">
<speaker rend="italic">Con.</speaker>
<l n="911">Oh if thou teach me to beleeue this sorrow,</l>
<l n="912">Teach thou this sorrow, how to make me dye,</l>
<l n="913">And let beleefe, and life encounter so,</l>
<l n="914">As doth the furie of two desperate men,</l>
<l n="915">Which in the very meeting fall, and dye.</l>
<l n="916">
<hi rend="italic">Lewes</hi>marry<hi rend="italic">Blaunch</hi>? O boy, then where art thou?</l>
<l n="917">
<hi rend="italic">France</hi>friend with<hi rend="italic">England</hi>, what becomes of me<c rend="italic">?</c>
</l>
<l n="918">Fellow be gone: I cannot brooke thy sight,</l>
<l n="919">This newes hath made thee a most vgly man.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="920">What other harme haue I good Lady done,</l>
<l n="921">But spoke the harme, that is by others done?</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-con">
<speaker rend="italic">Con.</speaker>
<l n="922">Which harme within it selfe so heynous is,</l>
<l n="923">As it makes harmefull all that speake of it.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-art">
<speaker rend="italic">Ar.</speaker>
<l n="924">I do beseech you Madam be content.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-con">
<speaker rend="italic">Con.</speaker>
<l n="925">If thou that bidst me be content, wert grim</l>
<l n="926">Vgly, and slandrous to thy Mothers wombe,</l>
<l n="927">Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines,</l>
<l n="928">Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,</l>
<l n="929">Patch'd with foule Moles, and eye‑offending markes,</l>
<l n="930">I would not care, I then would be content,</l>
<l n="931">For then I should not loue thee: no, nor thou</l>
<l n="932">Become thy great birth, nor deserue a Crowne.</l>
<l n="933">But thou art faire, and at thy birth (deere boy)</l>
<l n="934">Nature and Fortune ioyn'd to make thee great.</l>
<l n="935">Of Natures guifts, thou mayst with Lillies boast,</l>
<l n="936">And with the halfe‑blowne Rose. But Fortune, oh,</l>
<l n="937">She is corrupted, chang'd, and wonne from thee,</l>
<l n="938">Sh'adulterates hourely with thine Vnckle<hi rend="italic">Iohn</hi>,</l>
<l n="939">And with her golden hand hath pluckt on France</l>
<l n="940">To tread downe faire respect of Soueraigntie,</l>
<l n="941">And made his Maiestie the bawd to theirs.</l>
<l n="942">France is a Bawd to Fortune, and king<hi rend="italic">Iohn</hi>,</l>
<l n="943">That strumpet Fortune, that vsurping<hi rend="italic">Iohn</hi>:</l>
<l n="944">Tell me thou fellow, is no France forsworne?</l>
<l n="945">E<c rend="inverted">n</c>venom him with words, or get thee gone,</l>
<l n="946">And leaue those woes alone, which I alone</l>
<l n="947">Am bound to vnder‑beare.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-sal">
<speaker rend="italic">Sal.</speaker>
<l n="948">Pardon me Madam,</l>
<l n="949">I may not goe without you to the kings.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="#F-jn-con">
<speaker rend="italic">Con.</speaker>
<l n="950">Thou maist, thou shalt, I will not go with thee,</l>
<l n="951">I will instruct my sorrowes to bee proud,</l>
<l n="952">For greefe is proud, and makes his owner stoope,</l>
<l n="953">To me and to the state of my great greefe,</l>
<l n="954">Let kings assemble: for my greefe's so great,</l>
<l n="955">That no supporter but the huge firme earth</l>
<l n="956">Can hold it vp: here I and sorrowes sit,</l>
<l n="957">Heere is my Throne, bid kings come bow to it.</l>
</sp>
</div>