th K. John. Nay, but make haste; the better foot be fore, O, let me have no subject enemies, When adverse foreigners affright my towns Be Mercury, set feathers to thy heels; 320 And fly, like thought, from them to me again. [Exit. K. John. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman. Go after him; for he, perhaps, shall need Some messenger betwixt me and the peers; Mes. With all my heart, my liege. K. John. My mother dead! Re-enter HUBERT. [Exit. 330 Hub. My lord, they say, five moons were seen tonight : Four fixed; and the fifth did whirl about The other four, in wondrous motion. K. John. Five moons! Hub. Old men, and beldams, in the streets Do prophesy upon it dangerously : Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths: And he, that speaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrist; 3 341 I saw I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus, Told of a many thousand warlike French, Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. 350 K. John. Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears? Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death? K. John. It is the curse of kings, to be attended By slaves, that take their humours for a warrant To break within the bloody house of life : And, on the winking of authority, To understand a law; to know the meaning 360 Of dangerous majesty, when, perchance, it frowns Hub. Here is your hand and seal for what I did. and earth Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds, Makes Makes deeds ill done? Hadst not thou been by, 370 A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd, mind: This murder had not come into my Apt, liable, to be employ'd in danger, I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death; Madst it no conscience to destroy a prince. 380 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; Or bid me tell my tale in express words; Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off, And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me : But thou didst understand me by my signs, And didst in signs again parley with sin; Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent, 390 The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name. Out of my sight, and never see me more! My nobles leave me; and my state is brav'd, This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Between my conscience, and my cousin's death. The dreadful motion of a murd'rous thought, Is yet the cover of a fairer mind Than to be butcher of an innocent child. 400 K. John. Doth Arthur live? O, haste thee to the peers, Throw this report on their incensed rage, SCENE III. 410 [Exeunt. A Street before a Prison. Enter ARTHUR on the Walls. Arth. The wall is high; and yet will I leap down :Good ground, be pitiful, and hurt me not! 2 421 There's There's few, or none, do know me; if they did, If I get down, and do not break my limbs, As good to die, and go, as die, and stay. [Leaps down. Oh me! my uncle's spirit is in these stones :Heaven 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 This gentle offer of the perilous time. 431 Pemb. Who brought that letter from the cardinal ?^ Sal. The count Melun, a noble lord of France; Whose private with me, of the Dauphin's love, Is much more general than these lines import. Bigot. To-morrow morning let us meet him then. Sal. Or, rather, then set forward: for 'twill be Two long days journey, lords, or e'er we meet. Enter FAULCONBRIDGE. Faulc. Once more to-day well met, distemper'd The king, by me, requests your presence straight. With |