Histories

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KING HENRY IV. (Second Part)

KING HENRY V.

KING HENRY VI.

KING HENRY VI. (Second Part)

KING HENRY VI. (Third Part)

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF

KING JOHN.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

KING JOHN.

LEWIS, the Dauphin. PRINCE HENRY, son to the king. LYMOGES, Duke of AUSTRIA. ARTHUR, Duke of Bretagne, CARDINAL PANDULPH, the Pope's nephew to the king.

legate. The Earl of PEMBROKE.

MELUN, a French Lord. The Earl of Essex.

CHATILLON, ambassador from The Earl of SALISBURY.

France to King John.
The Lord BIGOT,
HUBERT DE BURGH.

QUEEN ELINOR, mother to King
ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, son to John.
Robert Faulconbridge.

CONSTANCE, mother to Arthur. PHILIP the BASTARD, his half- BLANCH of Spain, niece to King brother.

John.
JAMES GURNEY, servant to Lady LADY FAULCONBRIDGE.

Faulconbridge.
PETER of Pomfret, a prophet.

Lords, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff,

Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, MesPHILIP, King of France.

sengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE: Partly in England, and partly in France.

ACT I.

SCENE I. KING John's palace. Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX,

SALISBURY, and others, with CHATILLON. K. John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with

us?
Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France
In my behaviour to the majesty,
The borrow'd majesty, of England here.

Eli. A strange beginning: "borrow'd majesty!"
K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.

Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim

To this fair island and the territories,

10 To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, Desiring thee to lay aside the sword Which sways usurpingly these several titles, And put the same into young Arthur's hand, Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.

XX. John. What follows if we disallow of this?

Chat. The proud control of fierce and bloody war, To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.

K. John. Here have we war for war and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment: so answer France. 20

Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,
The farthest limit of my embassy.

K. John. Bear mine to him, and so 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 shall be heard:
So hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath
And sullen presage of your own decay.
An honourable conduct let him have:
Pembroke, look to't. Farewell, Chatillon,

30
[Exeunt Chatillon and Pembroke.
Eli. What now, my son! have I not ever said
How that ambitious Constance would not cease
Till she had kindled France and all the world,
Upon the right and party of ler son?
This might have been prevented and made whole
With very easy arguments of love,
Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.

K. John. Our strong possession and our right for us.

Eli. Your strong possession much more than your right, Or else it must go wrong with you and me:

41 So much my conscience whispers in your ear, Which none but heaven and you and I shall hear.

Enter a Sheriff.
Essex. My liege, here is the strangest controversy
Come from the country to be judged by you
That e'er I heard: shall I produce the men?

K. John. Let them approach.
Our abbeys and our priories shall pay
This expedition's charge.
Enter ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP his bastard

brother.
What men are you?

Knihy