1 Cit. Hear us, great kings: vouchsafe a while to stay, And I shall show you peace, and fair-faced league; K. John. Speak on, with favour; we are bent to hear. Is the young Dauphin every way complete: Do glorify the banks, that bound them in: And two such shores to two such streams made one, To these two princes, if you marry them. To our fast-closed gates; for, at this match, With swifter spleen than powder can enforce, Lions more confident, mountains and rocks More free from motion; no, not death himself 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, That spits forth death, and mountains, rocks, and seas; 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; He gives the bastinado with his tongue; Our ears are cudgel'd; not a word of his, But buffets better than a fist of France: Eli. Son, list to this conjunction, make this match; That yon green boy shall have no sun to ripe The bloom, that promiseth a mighty fruit. I see a yielding in the looks of France; Mark, how they whisper: urge them, while their souls Are capable of this ambition: Lest zeal, now melted, by the windy breath Of soft petitions, pity, and remorse, Cool and congeal again to what it was. 1 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 Dauphin there, thy princely son, Can in this book of beauty read, I love, Her dowry shall weigh equal with a queen: For Anjou, and fair Touraine, Maine, Poitiers, And all that we upon this side the sea 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 eye I find A wonder, or a wondrous miracle, The shadow of myself form'd in her eye; Which, being but the shadow of your son, Becomes a sun, and makes your son a shadow: 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, Blanch. My uncle's will, in this respect, is mine: Or, if you will, (to speak more properly,) Than this, that nothing do I see in you, (Though churlish thoughts themselves should be your judge,) 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 shall vouchsafe to say. K. John. Speak then, prince Dauphin; 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 do I give Volquessen, Touraine, Maine, Poictiers, and Anjou, these five provinces, With her to thee; and this addition more, Full thirty thousand marks of English coin.― K. Phi. It likes us well;-Young princes, close your 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 saint 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 is 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, K. John. We will heal up all, For we'll create young Arthur duke of Bretagne, [Exeunt all but the Bastard.-The Citizens Bast. Mad world! mad kings! mad composition! |