Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it! The iron of itself, though heat1 red-hot, Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears, Even in the matter of mine innocence; And told me, Hubert should put out mine eyes, I would not have believed him; no tongue, but Hu bert's. Hub. Come forth. [Stamps. Re-enter Attendants, with cords, 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. For Heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound! I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word; Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. 1 Atten. I am best pleased to be from such a deed. [Exeunt Attendants. Arth. Alas! I then have chid away my friend; He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart. 1 The participle heat, though now obsolete, was in use in Shakspeare's time. "He commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heat."-Daniel iii. 19. 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, Then, feeling what small things are boisterous there, Hub. Is this your promise? Go to, hold your tongue. Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues 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.1 See else yourself; The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out, Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. 1 "The fire being created, not to hurt, but to comfort, is dead with grief for finding itself used in acts of cruelty, which, being innocent, I have not deserved." That mercy, which fierce fire, and iron, extends, Hub. Well, see to live; I'will not touch thine eyes Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while You were disguised. Peace; no more. Hub. Arth. O Heaven!-I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence; no more. Go closely in with me; Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter KING JOHN, crowned; PEMBROKE, SALISbury, and other Lords. The king takes his state. K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crowned, And looked upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes. Pem. This once again, but that your highness pleased, Was once superfluous.3 You were crowned before, Sal. Therefore, to be possessed with double pomp, 1 Owns. 2 i. e. secretly. 3 i. e. this one time more, was one time more than enough. It should be remembered that king John was now crowned for the fourth time. To guard' a title that was rich before, To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Pem. But that your royal pleasure must be done, Being urged at a time unseasonable. Sal. In this, the antique and well-noted face It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about; Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected, For putting on so new a fashioned robe. Pem. When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness;2 And, oftentimes, excusing of a fault, 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 patched. Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crowned, 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 coronation I have possessed you with, and think them strong; And more, more strong (when lesser is my fear) I shall endue you with. Mean time, but ask What you would have reformed, that is not well; And well shall you perceive, how willingly I will both hear and grant you your requests. 1 To guard is to ornament. 2 i. e. not by their avarice, but in an eager desire of excelling. 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 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. K. John. Let it be so; I do commit his youth Enter HUBERT. To your direction.-Hubert, what news with you? The image of a wicked, heinous fault What we so feared he had a charge to do. Sal. The color of the king doth come and go, Between his purpose and his conscience,3 1 To declare, to publish the purposes of all, &c. 2 In the middle ages, the whole education of princes and noble youths consisted in martial exercises, &c. Mental improvement might have been had in a prison as well as any where else. 3 The purpose of the king, to which Salisbury alludes, is that of putting Arthur to death, which he considers as not yet accomplished, and therefore supposes that there might be still a conflict in the king's mind— "Between his purpose and his conscience." |