Bast. If thou didst but consent To this most cruel act, do but despair, 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, methinks; and lose my way Among the thorns and dangers of this world.How easy dost thou take all England up! From forth this morsel of dead royalty, The life, the right, and truth of all this realm Is fled to heaven; and England now is left To tug and scamble, and to part by the teeth The unowed2 interest of proud-swelling state. Now, for the bare-pick'd bone of majesty, Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest, And snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace: Now powers from home, and discontents at home, Meet in one line; and vast confusion waits (As doth a raven on a sick-fallen beast,) The imminent decay of wrested pomp. Now happy he, whose cloak and cincture3 can Hold out this tempest. Bear away that child, And follow me with speed; I'll to the king: A thousand businesses are brief in hand, And heaven itself doth frown upon the land. [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 From this my hand, as holding of the pope, [Giving John the crown. Your sovereign greatness and authority. K. John. Now keep your holy word: go meet the French; And from his holiness use all your power Then pause not; for the present time's so sick, Pand. It was my breath that blew this tem pest up, Go I to make the French lay down their arms. [Exit. K. John. Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet (1) Convert. Say, that, before Ascension-day at noon, Enter the Bastard. Bast. All Kent hath yielded; nothing there holds out, But Dover castle: London hath receiv'd, K. John. Would not my lords return to me again, After they heard young Arthur was alive? Bast. They found him dead, and cast into the streets; An empty casket, where the jewel of life live. Bast. So, on my soul, he did, for aught he knew. But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad? Be great in act, as you have been in thought; Let not the world see fear, and sad distrust, Govern the motion of a kingly eye: Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire; Threaten the threat'ner, and outface the brow Of bragging horror: so shall inferior eyes, That borrow their behaviours from the great, Grow great by your example, and put on The dauntless spirit of resolution. Away; and glister like the god of war, When he intendeth to become the field: Show boldness, and aspiring confidence. What, shall they seek the lion in his den, And fright him there? and make him tremble there? O, let it not be said!-Forage, and run To meet displeasure further from the doors; K. John. The legate of the pope hath been with me, And I have made a happy peace with him; Led by the dauphin. Bast. O, inglorious league! Shall we, upon the footing of our land, K. John. Have you the ordering of this present time. Bast. Away then, with good courage; yet, I know, Our party may well meet a prouder foe. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A plain, near St. Edmund's-Bury. Enter, in arms, Lewis, Salisbury, Melun, Pembroke, Bigot, and soldiers. Lew. My lord Melun, let this be copied out, And keep it safe for our remembrance: Sal. Upon our sides it never shall be broken. To your proceedings; yet, believe me, prince, Lew. A noble temper dost thou show in this; (1) Embraceth. (2) Love of country. |