Re-enter Sheriff, with ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP, his half Brother.

This expedition's charge. What men are you?
Faul. Your faithful subject I, a gentleman,
Born in Northamptonshire; and eldest son,
As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge;
A soldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.
K. John. What art thou?

Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge.
K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir?
You came not of one mother then, it seems.

Faul. Most certain of one mother, mighty king, That is well known; and, as I think, one father.

Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence.

Faul. 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, 'a pops me out
At least from fair five hundred pound a-year:
Heaven guard my mother's honour, and my land!
K. John, A good blunt fellow :-

born,

-Why, being younger

Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance?

Faul. I know not why, except to get the land.
But once he slandered me with bastardy.

Eli. He hath a trick1 of Cœur-de-lion's face;
The accent of his tongue affecteth him:
Do you not read some tokens of my son
In the large composition of this man?

K. John. Mine eye hath well examinèd his parts,
And finds them perfect Richard.- Sirrah, speak,
What doth move you to claim your brother's land?
Rob. My gracious liege, when that my father lived,
Your brother did employ my father much;
And once despatched him in an embassy
To Germany, there, with the emperor,
To treat of high affairs touching that time:
The advantage of his absence took the king,
And in the meantime sojourned at my father's;
Where how he did prevail, I shame to speak:

1 A peculiar look.

K

Sir Robert, on his death-bed, did bequeath

His lands to me, and took it, on his death,
That this, my mother's son, was none of his;
Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine,
My father's land, as was my father's will.

Eli. Whether hadst thou rather,―be a Faulconbridge,
And like thy brother, to enjoy the land;

Or the reputed son of Coeur-de-lion,

Lord of thy presence 1, and no land beside?

Faul. Madam, an if my brother had my shape,
And I had his, sir Robert his 2, like him;
And if my legs were two such riding-rods,
My arms such eel-skins stuffed;

And, to his shape, were heir to all this land,
'Would I might never stir from off this place,
I'd give it every foot to have this face;

I would not be sir Nob in any case.

Eli. I like thee well; Wilt thou forsake thy fortune, Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me?

I am a soldier, and now bound to France.

Faul. Brother, take you my land, I'll take my Madam, I'll follow you unto the death.

chance :

Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither.
Faul. Our country manners give our betters way.
K. John. What is thy name?

Faul. Philip, my liege; so is my name begun.

K. John. From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st;

Kneel thou down Philip, but arise more great;

Arise, sir Richard, and Plantagenet.

Faul. Brother, by the mother's side, give me your hand; My father gave me honour, yours gave land.

Eli. The very spirit of Plantagenet!

I am thy grandame, Richard; call me so.

K. John. Go, Faulconbridge; now hast thou thy desire, A landless knight makes thee a landed 'squire.— Come, madam, and come, Richard; we must speed, For France, for France; for it is more than need. Faul. Brother, adieu; Good fortune come to thee!

Personal appearance.

[Exeunt all but FAULCONBRIDGE.

2 "Sir Robert his," is for Sir Robert's (the possessive form).

In addition to, besides.

A foot of honour better than I was;

But many and many a foot of land the worse.
Well, now can I make any Joan a lady:

"Good den, Sir Richard,"—"God-a-mercy fellow"1;
And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter:
For new-made honour doth forget men's names;
'Tis too respective2, and too sociable,

For your conversion.3 Now your traveller,-
He and his tooth-pick at my worship's mess;
And when my knightly stomach is sufficed,
Why then I suck my teeth, and catechise
My picked man of5 countries :-

66

66

My dear sir,"
(Thus, leaning on my elbow, I begin,)
"I shall beseech you"-That is question now;
And then comes answer like an ABC-book 6;—
O, sir," says answer, at your best command;
"At your employment; at your service, sir: ".
"No, sir," says question, "I, sweet sir, at yours:
And so, ere answer knows what question would,
Saving in dialogue of compliment;

And talking of the Alps, and Apennines,
The Pyrenean, and the river Po,

It draws towards supper in conclusion so.
But this is worshipful society,

And fits the mounting spirit, like myself:
For he is but a bastard to the time,
That doth not smack of observation;
And not alone in habit and device,
Exterior form, outward accoutrement;
But from the inward motion to deliver
Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age's tooth:
Which, though I will not practise to deceive,
Yet, to avoid deceit, I mean to learn;
For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising.

1 Faulconbridge holds an imaginary conversation between himself (now a knight) and his vassal. "Good den," (good e'en, good evening), says the vassal. "God-amercy fellow," is Faulconbridge's haughty reply.

2 Particular.

3 Change of rank.

4 Select, neat, trim.
5 Concerning.

6 An A, B, C, book, a catechism; pronounce it as if written absey.

EXAMINATION ON ACT I.

1. In what century is the action of this drama laid?

2. What is the leading idea in this play?

3. Had Prince Arthur a better title to the English crown than his uncle?

If so, show how.

4. Explain the terms, "haviour," "trick," and "good den."

5. Point out a line in this act which involves an anachronism.

6. Describe the character of Faulconbridge.

7. Are there any particular beauties to be pointed out in this act?

8. What was Philip's policy in supporting the claims of Arthur?

9. What was the leading spirit of the age in which this drama is placed?

10. From which character in the play can we gather the most of this spirit?

ACT II.

SCENE I.-France. Before the Walls of Angiers.

Enter, on the one side, the Archduke of Austria, and Forces; on the other, PHILIP, King of France, and Forces; LEWIS, CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and Attendants.

Lew. Before Angiers well met, brave Austria. —
Arthur, that great forerunner of thy blood,
Richard, that robbed the lion of his heart,
And fought the holy wars in Palestine,
By this brave duke came early to his grave:
And, for amends to his posterity,

At our importance1 hither is he come,
To spread his colours, boy, in thy behalf;
And to rebuke the usurpation

Of thy unnatural uncle, English John;

Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither.

Arth. God shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death,
The rather, that you give his offspring life,
Shadowing their right under your wings of war:
I give you welcome with a powerless hand,
But with a heart full of unstainèd love:
Welcome before the gates of Angiers, duke.

Lew. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right?
Aust. Upon thy cheek lay I this zealous kiss,

As seal to this indenture of my love;

That to my home I will no more return,

1 Importunity.

Till Angiers, and the right thou hast in France,
Together with that pale, that white-faced shore,
Whose foot spurns back the ocean's roaring tides,
And coops from other lands her islanders,
Even till that England, hedged in with the main,
That water-walled bulwark, still secure
And confident from foreign purposes,
Even till that utmost corner of the west
Salute thee for her king: till then, fair boy,
Will I not think of home, but follow arms.

Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks,
Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength,
To make a more1 requital to your love.

Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs, that lift their swords In such a just and charitable war.

K. Phi. Well then, to work; our cannon shall be bent Against the brows of this resisting town.

Call for our chiefest men of discipline,
To cull the plots of best advantages 2:-
:-
We'll lay before this town our royal bones,
Wade to the market place in Frenchmen's blood,
But we will make it subject to this boy.

Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy,
Lest unadvised you stain your swords with blood:
My lord Chatillon may from England bring
That right in peace which here we urge in war.

Enter CHATILLON.

K. Phi. A wonder, lady!-lo, upon thy wish, Our messenger Chatillon is arrived.

What England says, say briefly, gentle lord,

We coldly pause for thee; Chatillon, speak.

Chat. Then turn your forces from this paltry siege, And stir them up against a mightier task.

England, impatient of your just demands,

Hath put himself in arms; the adverse winds,
Whose leisure I have staid, have given him time
To land his legions all as soon as I:

His marches are expedient3 to this town,
His forces strong, his soldiers confident.

1 Larger.

3 Direct, straight-forward, without

2 To choose from the most advan- allowing any obstruction. tageous plans of attack.