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. Philip, King of France. Lewis, the Dauphin. Arch-Duke of Austria. Card. Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate. Melun, a French Lord. Chatilion, Ambassador from France to King John. Elinor, Queen-Mother of England. Conftance, Mother to Arthur. Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Neice Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard, and Robert Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Meffengers, The SCENE, fometimes in England; and, fometimes, in France. (1) The LIFE and DEATH of KING JOHN ACTI. SCENE, the Court of ENGLAND. Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Essex, and Salisbury, with Chatilion. N King JOHN. OW fay, Chatilion, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after Greeting, speaks the King of France, In my behaviour, to the Majefty, The borrow'd Majefty of England here. Eli. A ftrange Beginning; borrow'd Majefty! (1) The LIFE and DEATH-] Tho' this Play have this Title, yet the Action of it begins at the 34th Year of his Life; and takes in only fome Tranfactions of his Reign to the Time of his Demife, being an Interval of about 17 Years. Of all the English Princes, (as Mr. Warburton obferv'd to me,) that Shakespeare has taken into Tragedy, King John was the fittest to have made a Hero for a Tragedy on the antient Plan. Henry IV, V, and VIII, had Qualities great enough for it, but were generally fortunate. Richard II, and Henry VI, (fit Verbo Venia) were, at times, little better than Poltrons: And Richard III. was fo black a Villain, that the Antients would have thought him fitter for a Gibbet than a Stage. But John had that Turb ilence and Grandeur of the Paffions, that Inconftancy of Temper, that equal Mixture of Good and Ill, and that Series of Misfortunes confequent thereto, as might make him very fit for a Hero in a just Compofition. K. John. Silence, good Mother; hear the Embaffle. Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful Claim K. John. What follows, if we difallow of this? K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controulment for controulment; so answer France. Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The fartheft limit of my Embaffie. K. John. Bear mine to him, and fo depart in peace. Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France, For ere thou canst report, I will be there, The thunder of my cannon fhall be heard. So, hence! be thou the trumpet of our wrath, And fullen prefage of your own decay. An honourable conduct let him have, Pembroke, look to't; farewel, Chatilion. [Ex. Chat. and Pem. Eli. What now, my fon, have I not ever faid, 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. Or else it must go wrong with you and me; Which none but heav'n, and you, and I shall hear. Effex. My Liege, here is the ftrangest controverfie, Our Abbies and our Priories fhall pay Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip, his Brother. 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 seems? Phil. Moft certain of one mother, mighty King, Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou doft fhame 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 least 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; (Fair fall the bones, that took the pains for me!) |