That done, dissever your united strengths, To whom in favour she shall give the day, How like you this wild counsel, mighty States? K.John. Now,by the sky that hangs above our heads, I like it well.-France, shall we knit our powers, And lay this Angiers even with the ground; Then, after, fight who shall be king of it? Bast. An if thou hast the mettle of a king -Being wrong'd, as we are, by this peevish town— Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery, As we will ours, against these saucy walls: And when that we have dash'd them to the ground, K. Phi. Let it be so. Say, where will you assault? K. John. We from the west will send destruction Into this city's bosom. Aust. I from the north. K. Phi. Our thunders from the south, Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. Bast.-Oh, prudent discipline! From north to south, Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth. I'll stir them to it.-Come, away, away! [Aside. Cit. Hear us, great Kings! vouchsafe a while to stay, And I shall shew you peace, and fair-fac'd league; Win you this city without stroke or wound; Rescue those breathing lives to die in beds, That here come sacrifices for the field. Persever not, but hear me, mighty Kings. K. John. Speak on, with favour; we are bent to hear, 1 Cit. That daughter there of Spain, the Lady Blanch. Is niece to England; look upon the years Is the young Dolphin every way complete; And she again wants nothing to name want, Oh! two such silver currents, when they join, Do glorify the banks that bound them in; And two such shores to two such streams made one, Two such controlling bounds shall you be, Kings, Lions more confident, mountains and rocks As we to keep this city. Bast. Here's a stay, That shakes the rotten carcase of old Death Out of his rags! Here's a large mouth, indeed, Talks as familiarly of roaring lions As maids of thirteen do of puppy-dogs! What cannoneer begot this lusty blood? He speaks plain cannon, fire, and smoke, and bounce; Our ears are cudgel'd; not a word of his, Eli. Son, list to this conjunction, make this match; Mark, how they whisper. Urge them, while their souls Lest zeal, now melted, by the windy breath Cool and congeal again to what it was. Cit. Why answer not the double Majesties This friendly treaty of our threaten'd town? K. Phi. Speak England first, that hath been forward first To speak unto this city. What say you? K. John. If that the Dolphin there, thy princely son, Can in this book of beauty read, ‘I love,' Her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen's. -Except this city now by us besieg'd- Shall gild her bridal bed; and make her rich As she in beauty, education, blood, Holds hand with any princess of the world. K. Phi. What say'st thou, boy? Look in the lady's face. Lew. I do, my lord, and in her A wonder, or a wondrous miracle, eye I find The shadow of myself form'd in her eye; Till now infixed I beheld myself, Drawn in the flattering table of her eye. [Whispers with BLANCH. Bast.-Drawn in the flattering table of her eye, Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow, And quarter'd in her heart, he doth espy Himself Love's traitor. This is pity now, That hang'd,and drawn,and quarter'd, there should be, In such a love, so vile a lout as he. [Aside. Blanch. My uncle's will, in this respect, is mine. If he see aught in you, that makes him like, That anything he sees, which moves his liking, Or, if you will-to speak more properly- That I can find should merit any hate. K. John. What say these young ones? what say you, my niece? Blanch. That she is bound in honour still to do What you in wisdom shall11 vouchsafe to say. K. John. Speak then, Prince Dolphin; can you love this lady? Lew. Nay, ask me if I can refrain from love; For I do love her most unfeignedly. K. John. Then I do give Volquessen, Toraine, Poictiers, and Anjowe, these five provinces, Command thy son and daughter to join hands. Aust. And your lips too; for, I am well assur'd That I did so, when I was first assur❜d. K. Phi. Now, citizens of Angiers, ope your gates, Let in that amity which you have made; For, at St. Mary's chapel, presently, The rites of marriage shall be solemniz'd. Is not the Lady Constance in this troop? I know, she is not; for this match made up Her presence would have interrupted much. Where is she and her son? tell me, who knows. Lew. She sad and passionate at your Highness' tent. K. Phi. And, by my faith, this league, that we have made, Will give her sadness very little cure. Brother of England, how may we content Which we, God knows, have turn'd another way, We will heal up all; K. John. For we'll create young Arthur Duke of Britaine, And Earl of Richmond; and this rich fair town We make him lord of.-Call the Lady Constance; Some speedy messenger bid her repair To our solemnity.-I trust we shall, If not fill up the measure of her will, Yet in some measure satisfy her so, That we shall stop her exclamation. Go we, as well as haste will suffer us, To this unlook'd for, unprepared pomp. [Exeunt all but the Bastard.-The Citizens retire from the Walls. Bast. Mad world! mad kings! mad composition!— John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole, Hath willingly departed with a part; And France-whose armour Conscience buckled on, |