Lest men should say, "Look, where three-farthings goes!" 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 chance: Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither. Faul. Philip, my liege, so is my name begun,— Philip, good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest son. K. John. From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bearest: 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, your's gave land.— Eli. The very spirit of Plantagenet! I am thy grandam, Richard; call me so. Faul. Madam, by chance, but not by truth. K. John. Go, Faulconbridge: now hast thou thy desire; [Exeunt all except FAULCONBRIDGE. A foot of honor better than I was; But many a foot of land the worse. Well, now can I make any Joan a lady : "Good den, Sir Richard:"- "God-a-mercy, fellow; ". And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter; For new-made honor doth forget men's names,→ 'Tis too respective, and too sociable, For your conversion. Yet, to avoid deceit, I mean to learn; For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising. [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I.-France. Before the Walls of Angiers. Enter, on 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 fore-runner of thy blood, Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart, At our importance hither is he come, Of thy unnatural uncle, English John: Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither. Arth. Heaven shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death, The rather, that you give his offspring life, Lew. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right? 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, Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs that lift their swords 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: We'll lay before this town our royal bones, Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy, Enter CHATILLON. K. Phi. A wonder, lady!-lo, upon thy wish Our messenger, Chatillon, is arriv'd.— 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, His marches are expedient to this town, To do offence and scath in Christendom. [Drums heard within. The interruption of their churlish drums Cuts off more circumstance: they are at hand, To parley, or to fight; therefore, prepare. K. Phi. How much unlook'd for is this expedition! Aust. By how much unexpected, by so much We must awake endeavor for defence; For courage mounteth with occasion: Let them be welcome then; we are prepar'd. Enter KING JOHN, ELINOR, BLANCH, FAULCONBRIDGE, Lords, and forces. K. John. Peace be to France, if France in peace permit Our just and lineal entrance to our own! [Leading ARTHUR to JOHN. That Geffrey was thy elder brother born, K. John. From whom hast thou this great commission, France, To draw my answer from thy articles? K. Phi. From that supernal Judge, that stirs good thoughts In any breast of strong authority, To look into the blots and stains of right. That Judge hath made me guardian to this boy : K. John. Alack, thou dost usurp authority. Faul. Aust. Hear the crier. with you, What art thou? Blanch. O, well did he become that lion's robe, Faul. It lies as sightly on the back of him, As great Alcides' shoes upon an ass: But, ass, I'll take that burden from your back, Or lay on that shall make your shoulders crack. Aust. What cracker is this same, that deafs our ears With this abundance of superfluous breath? K. Phi. Lewis, determine what we shall do straight. Lew. King John, this is the very sum of all,England and Ireland, Anjou, Touraine, Maine, In right of Arthur do I claim of thee: Wilt thou resign them, and lay down thy arms? K. John. My life as soon:-I do defy thee, France.- Than e'er the coward hand of France can win: Eli. Come to thy grandam, child. Const. Do, child, go to it' grandam, child: Give grandam kingdom, and it' grandam will Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig: There's a good grandam. Arth. Eli. His mother shames him so, poor boy, he weeps. Const. Now shame upon you, whe'r she does, or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames, Draw those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be brib'd Eli. Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth! Const. Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth! Call not me slanderer; thou and thine usurp The dominions, royalties, and rights, Of this oppressed boy. Eli. I can produce A will, that bars the title of thy son. Const. Ay, who doubts that? a will! a wicked will; A woman's will; a canker'd grandam's will! K. Phi. Peace, lady! pause, or be more temperate: Some trumpet summon hither to the walls These men of Angiers: let us hear them speak, Trumpet sounds. Enter Citizens upon the walls. 1 Cit. Who is it that hath warn'd us to the walls? K. Phi. 'Tis France for England. K. John. England for itself:You men of Angiers, and my loving subjects,- K. Phi. You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's subjects, Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle. K. John. For our advantage; therefore hear us first. These flags of France that are advanc'd here Before the eye and prospect of your town, Have hither march'd to your endamagement: All preparation for a bloody siege, |