Can you not read it? is it nct fair writ?

Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? Hub. Young boy, I must.

Arth.

Hub.

And will you?

And I will. 40

Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,

I knit my handkercher about your brows,
The best I had, a princess wrought it me,
And I did never ask it you again;

And with my hand at midnight held your head,
And like the watchful minutes to the hour,

Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,

Saying, 'What lack you?' and 'Where lies your grief?'

་

Or What good love may I perform for you?'
Many a poor man's son would have lien still
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your sick service had a prince.
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love
And call it cunning: do, an if you will:

50

If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill, Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes? These eyes that never did nor never shall

So much as frown on you.

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,

60

Approaching near these eyes, would drink my

tears

And quench his fiery indignation

Even in the matter of mine innocence;

Nay, after that, consume away in rust,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?
An if an angel should have come to me

And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believed him,-

Hubert's.

Hub. Come forth.

-no tongue but

Re-enter Executioners, with a cord, irons, &c. Do as I bid you do.

Arth. O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out

Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.

Arth. Alas, what need you be so boisterousrough?

I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;

I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angerly:

80

Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Whatever torment you do put me to.

Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. First Exec. I am best pleased to be from such a deed. [Exeunt Executioners. Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend! He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart: Let him come back, that his compassion may Give life to yours.

Hub.

Come, boy, prepare yourself. 90 Arth. Is there no remedy?

Hub.

None, but to lose your eyes.

Arth. O heaven, that there were but a mote

in yours,

A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,

Any annoyance in that precious sense!

Then feeling what small things are boisterous 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

ΙΟΙ

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,
So I may keep mine eyes: O, spare mine eyes,
Though to no use but still to look on you!
Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold

And would not harm me.

Hub.

I can heat it, boy.

Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief,

Being create for comfort, to be used

In undeserved extremes: see else yourself;
There is no malice in this burning coal;

The breath of heaven has blown his spirit out 110
And strew'd repentant ashes on his head.

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.

Arth. An if you do, you will but make it blush And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert:

Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes;
And like a dog that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his master that doth tarre* him on. *Urge.
All things that you should use to do me wrong
Deny their office: only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends, 120
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.

Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine

eye

*Owns.

For all the treasure that thine uncle owes:*
Yet am I sworn and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out.
Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this

while

You were disguised.

Peace; no more.

Adieu.

Hub. Your uncle must not know but you are dead; I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports: And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure, 130 That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world, Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heaven! I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence; no more: go closely in with me: Much danger do I undergo for thee.

SCENE II. KING JOHN'S palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter KING JOHN, PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and other Lords.

K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crown'd,

And looked upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes.

Pem. This once again,' but that your highness pleased,

Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before,
And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off,
The faiths of men ne'er stained with revolt;
Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long'd-for change or better state.
Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double
pomp,

To guard a title that was rich before,

To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

ΙΟ

Pem. But that your royal pleasure must be done,

This act is as an ancient tale new told,
And in the last repeating troublesome,
Being urged at a time unseasonable.

Sal. In this the antique and well noted face
Of plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,

It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about, Startles and frights consideration,

Makes sound opinion sick and truth suspected, For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.

20

Pem. When workmen strive to do better than well,

They do confound their skill in covetousness;
And oftentimes excusing of a fault

30

Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,
As patches set upon a little breach

Discredit more in hiding of the fault
Than did the fault before it was so patch'd.

Sal. To this effect, before you were new
crown'd,

We breathed our counsel: but it pleased your highness

To overbear it, and we are all well pleased,

Since all and every part of what we would
Doth make a stand at what your highness will.
K. John. Some reasons of this double coro-
nation

40

I have possess'd you with and think them strong;
And more, more strong, then lesser is my fear,
I shall indue you with: meantime but ask
What you would have reform'd that is not well,
And well shall you perceive how willingly
I will both hear and grant you your requests.
Pem. Then I, as one that am the tongue
of these

To sound the purposes of all their hearts,
Both for myself and them, but, chief of all,
Your safety, for the which myself and them
Bend their best studies, heartily request

50

The enfranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint
Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent
To break into this dangerous argument,-
If what in rest you have in right you hold,
Why then your fears, which, as they say, attend
The steps of wrong, should move you to mew up
Your tender kinsman and to choke his days
With barbarous ignorance and deny his youth
The rich advantage of good exercise?

That the time's enemies may not have this
To grace occasions, let it be our suit
That you have bid us ask his liberty;
Which for our goods we do no further ask
Than whereupon our weal, on you depending,
Counts it your weal he have his liberty.

Enter HUBERT.

60

K. John. Let it be so: I do commit his youth Το your direction. Hubert, what news with you? [Taking him apart. Pem. This is the man should do the bloody deed;

He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine: 70 The image of a wicked heinous fault

Lives in his eye; that close aspect of his

Does show the mood of a much troubled breast;