Had I as many fons as I have hairs,

I would not wish them to a fairer death:
And fo his knell is knoll'd.

MAL. He's worth more forrow,

And that I'll spend for him.

SIW. He's worth no more;

They fay, he parted well, and paid his fcore :
So, God be with him!-Here comes newer comfort.
Re-enter MACDUFF, with MACBETH's head on a pole.
MACD. Hail, king! for fo thou art: Behold, where stands
The ufurper's curfed head: the time is free:
I fee thee compafs'd with thy kingdom's pearl,
That speak my falutation in their minds;
Whofe voices I defire aloud with mine,-
Hail, king of Scotland!

ALL. King of Scotland, hail!

[Flourish.

MAL. We shall not spend a large expence of time, Before we reckon with. your feveral loves,

And make us even with you. My thanes and kinsmen,
Henceforth be earls, the first that ever Scotland
In fuch an honour nam'd. What's more to do,
Which would be planted newly with the time,-
As calling home our exil'd friends abroad,
That fled the fnares of watchful tyranny;
Producing forth the cruel minifters

Of this dead butcher, and his fiend-like queen;
Who, as 'tis thought, by felf and violent hands
Took off her life;-This, and what needful elfe
That calls upon us, by the grace of Grace,
We will perform in measure, time, and place:
So thanks to all at once, and to each one,
Whom we invite to fee us crown'd at Scone.

[Flourish. Exeunt.

KING 70H N.

F

VOL. III.

King John:

Prince Henry, his fon; afterwards King Henry III. Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, son of Geffrey, late Duke of Bretagne, the elder brother of King John.

William Marefhall, Earl of Pembroke.

Geffrey Fitz-Peter, Earl of Effex, Chief Jufticiary of England. William Longfword, Earl of Salisbury..

Robert Bigot, Earl of Norfolk.

Hubert de Burgh, Chamberlain to the King.

Robert Faulconbridge, fon of Sir Robert Faulconbridge:
Philip Faulconbridge, his half-brother; baftard fon to King
Richard the First.

James Gurney, fervant to Lady Faulconbridge.
Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet.

Philip, King of France.

Lewis, the Dauphin.

Arch-duke of Auftria.

Cardinal Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate.

Melun, a French Lord.

Chatillon, Ambassador from France to King John.

Elinor, the widow of King Henry II. and mother of King John Conftance, mother to Arthur.

Blanch, daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and niece t King John.

Lady Faulconbridge, mother to the baftard, and Rober Faulconbridge.

Lords, Ladies, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers Soldiers, Meffengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, fometimes in England, and fometimes in France.

KING JOHN.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Northampton. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter King JOHN, Queen ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, and Others, with CHATILLON.

In

K. JOHN. Now, fay, Chatillon, what would France with us?

CHAT. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the king of France, my behaviour, to the majefty,

The borrow'd majefty 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 fon,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim
To this fair ifland, and the territories;
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine:
Defiring thee to lay afide the sword,

Which fways ufurpingly these several titles;
And

put the fame into young Arthur's hand, Thy nephew, and right royal fovereign.

K. JOHN. What follows, if we difallow of this?
CHAT. The proud control of fierce and bloody war,

To enforce these rights fo forcibly withheld.

K. JOHN. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood,

Controlment for controlment; fo answer France.

CHAT. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth, The furtheft limit of my embaffy.

K. JOHN. Bear mine to him, and fo depart in peace: Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France;

For ere thou canft report I will be there,
'The thunder of my cannon fhall be heard:
So, hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath,
And fullen prefage of your own decay.—
An honourable conduct let him have ;-
Pembroke, look to't: Farewell, Chatillon.

[Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMbroke,
ELI. What now, my fon? have I not ever faid,
How that ambitious Conftance would not cease,
Till fhe had kindled France, and all the world,
Upon the right and party of her fon?

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 poffeffion, and our right, for us. ELI. Your ftrong poffeffion, much more than your right; Or else it must go wrong with you, and me:

So much my confcience whispers in your ear;
Which none but heaven, and you, and I, fhall hear.
Enter the Sheriff of Northamptonshire, who whispers

ESSEX.

ESSEX. My leige, here is the strangest controversy, Come from the country to be judg'd by you, That e'er I heard: Shall I produce the men?