Pem. Sir, sir, impatience hath his privilege. Bast. 'Tis true; to hurt his master, no man else. Sal. This is the prison: What is he lies here? [Seeing Arthur. Pem. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. Sal. Sir Richard, what think you? Have you beheld, Or have you read, or heard? or could you think? Pem. All murders past do stand excus'd in this: Bast. It is a damned and a bloody work; Sal. If that it be the work of any hand?--- (1) Pity. The incense of a vow, a holy vow; Pem. Big. Our souls religiously confirm thy words. Enter Hubert. Hub. Lords, I am hot with haste in seeking you: Arthur doth live; the king hath sent for you. Sal. O, he is bold, and blushes not at death :--Avaunt, thou hateful villain, get thee gone! Hub. I am no villain. Must I rob the law? [Drawing his sword. Bast. Your sword is bright, sir; put it up again. Sal. Not till I sheath it in a murderer's skin. Hub. Stand back, lord Salisbury, stand back, I say; By heaven, I think, my sword's as sharp as yours: Big. Out, dunghill! dar'st thou brave a noble man? Hub. Not for my life: but yet I dare defend My innocent life against an emperor. Hub. Do not prove me so; Yet, I am none: Whose tongue soe'er speaks false, (1) Hand should be head: a glory is the circle of rays which surrounds the heads of saints in pic tures. (2) Honest. (3) By compelling me to kill you. Bast. Keep the peace, I say. Sal. Stand by, or I shall gall you, Faulconbridge. Bast. Thou wert better gall the devil, Salisbury: If thou but frown on me, or stir thy foot, Or teach thy hasty spleen to do me shame, I'll strike thee dead. Put up thy sword betime; Or I'll so maul you and your toasting-iron, That you shall think the devil is come from hell. Big. What wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge? Second a villain, and a murderer? Hub. Lord Bigot, I am none. Who kill'd this prince? Big. Sal. Trust not those cunning waters of his eyes, Big. Away, toward Bury, to the Dauphin there! Pem. There, tell the king, he may inquire us [Exeunt Lords. out. Bast. Here's a good world!-Knew you of this fair work? Beyond the infinite and boundless reach Art thou damn'd, Hubert. Hub. Do but hear me, sir. Bast. Ha! I'll tell thee what; Thou art damn'd as black-nay, nothing is so black; Thou art more deep damn'd than prince Lucifer: There is not yet so ugly a fiend of hell As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this child. Hub. Upon my soul, Bast. If thou didst but consent To this most cruel act, do but despair, And, if thou want'st a cord, the smallest thread That ever spider twisted from her womb A beam to hang thee on; or would'st thou drown thyself, Put but a little water in a spoon, Hub. If I in act, consent, or sin of thought, Bast. Go, bear him in thine arms. I am amaz'd,1 methinks; and lose my way [Exeunt. (1) Confounded. (2) Unowned. (3) Girdle. ACT V. SCENE I.-The same. A room in the palace. Enter King John, Pandulph with the crown, and attendants. K. John. Thus have I yielded up into your hand The circle of my glory. Pand. Take again [Giving John the crown. From this my hand, as holding of the pope, Your sovereign greatness and authority. K. John. Now keep your holy word: go meet the French; And from his holiness use all your power To stop their marches, 'fore we are inflam'd.. Pand. It was my breath that blew this tem pest up, On this Ascension-day, remember well, Go I to make the French lay down their arms. [Exit. K. John. Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet (1) Convert. |