KING John. Prince Henry, Son to the King. Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King. Pembroke, Bigot, Faulconbridge, Baftard-Son to Richard the First. Robert Faulconbridge, fuppos'd Brother to the Baftard. James Gurney, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge. Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet. Philip, King of France. Lewis, the Dauphin. Arch-Duke of Auftria. Card. Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate. Chatillon, Ambaffador from France to King John. Elinor, Queen-Mother of England. Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Lady Faulcondridge, Mother to the Bastard, and Robert Faulconbridge. Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Meffengers, Soldiers, and other Attendants. The SCENE, fometimes in England; and fometimes in France, Of this Play there are three editions in Quarto preceding the first folio. I. 1591, for Sampson Clarke. II. 1611, Valentine Simmer for III. 1622, Aug. Mathews for THE KING JOHN. A C T I. SCENE I. The Court of England. Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Effex, and Salisbury, with Chatillon. King JOHN. OW, fay, Chatillon, what would France with us ? N° Chat. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the king of France, 4 The borrow'd Majesty of England here. Eli. A ftrange beginning. Borrow'd Majesty! Which fways ufurpingly these several titles; K. John. What follows, if we difallow of this? war, T'inforce these rights fo forcibly with-held. K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controulment for controulment; fo anfwer France. Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The fartheft limit of my embaffy. K. John. Bear mine to him, and fo depart in peace. For ere thou canft report, I will be there, have a fignification that I have never found in any other authour. The king of France, fays the Envoy, thus fpeaks in my behaviour to the Majefty of England: That is, the king of France fpeaks in the character which I here affume. I once thought that thefe two lines, in my behaviour, &c. had been uttered by the ambaffador as part of his matter's meffage, and that behaviour had meant the conduct of the king of France towards the king of England, but the am baffador's fpeech, as continued after the interruption, will not admit this meaning. 3 Controul.] Oppofition, from controller. 4 Be thou as lightning.] The fimile does not fuit well: the lightning indeed appears before the thunder is heard, but the Lightning is deftructive, and the thunder innocent. And And fullen prefage of your own decay. [Exeunt Chat. and Pem. This might have been prevented, and made whole Which now the manage of two kingdoms must K. John. Our strong poffeffion, and our right for us Eli. Your ftrong poffeffion much more than your right, Or else it must go wrong with you and me ; So much my confcience whispers in your ear, Effex. My Liege, here is the ftrangeft controverfie, Come from the country to be judg'd by you, That e'er I heard. Shall I produce the men? K. John. Let them approach. This expedition's charge SCENE II. [Exit Effex. Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip, his Brother What men are you? Phil. Your faithful fubject, I, a gentleman 5 Sullen prefage.] By the epithet fullen, which cannot be applied to a trumpet, it is plain, that our authour's imagination had now fuggefted a new idea. It is as if he had faid, be a trumpet to alarm with our invafion, be a bird of ill omen to croak out the prognoftick of your own ruin. Dd3 Born Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest fon, Robert. The fon and heir to that fame Faulconbridge. K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother then, it feems? Phil. Moft certain of one mother, mighty King, That is well known; and, as I think, one father; But for the certain knowledge of that truth, I put you o'er to heav'n, and to my mother; Of that I doubt, as all mens' children may. Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou doft shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. Phil. I, Madam? no, I have no reason for it ; That is my brother's plea, and none of mine; The which if he can prove, he pops me out At leaft from fair five hundred pound a year: Heav'n guard my mother's honour, and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow; why, being younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? Phil. I know not why, except to get the land; But, once, he flander'd me with baftardy; But whether I be true begot or no, That ftill I lay upon my mother's head ; (Fair fall the bones, that took the pains for me!) K. John. Why, what a mad-cap hath heav'n lent us here ? Eli. He hath a trick of Caur-de-lion's face, The |