THE

LIFE and DE ATH

O F

KING JOHN.

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 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
to King John.

Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard, and Robert
Faulconbridge.

Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Meffengers,
Soldiers, and other Attendants.

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.
Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffry's Son,

Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful Claim
To this fair Ifland, and the territories:
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine :
Defiring thee to lay afide the fword,
Which fways ufurpingly these several Titles;
And put the fame into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew, and right-royal Soveraign.

K. John. What follows, if we difallow of this?
Chat. The proud controul of fierce and bloody war,
T'inforce these Rights fo forcibly with-held.

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,
How that ambitious Conftance would not cease,
Till fhe had kindled France and all the world,
Upon the Right and Party of her fon?

This might have been prevented, and made whole
With very eafie arguments of love;

Which now the Manage of two Kingdoms must
With fearful, bloody iffue arbitrate.

K. John. Our strong Poffeffion, and our Right for us.
Eli. Your strong Poffeffion much more than yourRight,

Or else it must go wrong with you and me;
So much my confcience whispers in your ear,

Which none but heav'n, and you, and I shall hear.

Effex. My Liege, here is the ftrangest controverfie,
Come from the country to be judg'd by you,
That e'er I heard: fhall I produce the men?
K. John. Let them approach.

Our Abbies and our Priories fhall pay
This Expedition's charge-What men are you?

Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip, his Brother.
Phil. Your faithful fubject, I, a gentleman
Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest Son,
As I fuppofe, to Robert Faulconbridge,
A foldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.
K. John. What art thou?

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,
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 men's children may.

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;
But, once, he flander'd me with bastardy:
But whether I be as true begot or no,
That fill I lay upon my mother's head;
But that I am as well begot, my Liege,

(Fair fall the bones, that took the pains for me!)
Compare our Faces, and be judge your felf,