ACT II Sc. I Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power: Both are alike; and both alike we like. One must prove greatest: while they weigh so even, Re-enter the two KINGS, with their Powers, at 330 K. JOHN. France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away? With course disturb'd even thy confining shores, A peaceful progress to the Ocean. K. PHI. England, thou hast not sav'd one drop of blood Rather, lost more: and by this hand I swear, That sways the earth this climate1 overlooks, 340 We'll put thee down, 'gainst whom these arms we bear, Gracing the scroll that tells of this war's loss Why stand these royal fronts amazed thus? Then let confusion of one part confirm 350 361 The other's peace; till then, blows, blood, and death! King. K. PHI. Know him in us, that here hold up his right. 1 i.e. the sky of France. 2 i.e. a king or kings. 3 mous'ling, i.e. lipping and tonguing. 5 side. K. JOHN. In us, that are our own great deputy, Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates ; Be by some certain King purg'd and depos'd. 370 BAST. By Heaven, these scroyles' of Angiers flout you, And stand securely on their battlements, As in a theatre, whence they gape and point At your industrious scenes and acts of death. Your royal Presences be rul'd by me: Do like the mutiners of Jerusalem, 3 Be friends awhile, and both conjointly bend By East and West let France and England mount Leave them as naked as the vulgar Air. 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, 1 scrofulous scabs (Fr. écrouelles='scroyles'=King's evil). 380 390 400 2 practical and earnest. i.e. John of Giscala and Simon ben Gioras, who, being fierce opposites, yet drew together ACT II Sc. I ACT II Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery, As we will our's, against these saucy walls; And, when that we have dash'd them to the ground, Make work upon ourselves for Heaven or Hell. K. PHI. Let it be so. Say, where will you assault? AUST. I from the North. K. PHI. 410 Our thunders from the South Shall rain their drift of bullets on this Town. BAST. [aside.] O prudent Discipline! From North to South, Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth: I'll stir them to it. Come, away, away! FIRST CIT. Hear us, great Kings: vouchsafe awhile to And I shall shew you peace and fair-fac'd league: Rescue those breathing lives to die in beds, K. JOHN. Speak on, with favour; we are bent to hear. Blanch, Is niece to England: look upon the years Is the young Dolphin every way complete: Or, if not complete, say he is not she; And she, again, wants nothing, to name want, If want it be, but that she is not he: 420 430 And she a fair divided excellence, Whose fulness of perfection lies in him. O, two such silver currents, when they join, Do glorify the banks that bound them in; ACT II 440 Sc. I And two such shores to two such streams made one, Two such controlling bounds shall you be, Kings, To these two Princes, if you marry them. Lions more confident, mountains and rocks More free from motion; no, not Death himself In mortal fury half so peremptory, As we to keep this City. That shakes the rotten carcass of old Death Out of his rags! Here's a large mouth, indeed, That spits forth death and mountains, rocks and seas, As maids of thirteen do of puppy-dogs! What cannoneer begot this lusty blood? He speaks plain cannon, fire and smoke and bounce;3 He gives the bastinado with his tongue : Our ears are cudgell'd; not a word of his But buffets better than a fist of France: Zounds! I was never so bethump'd with words ELI. Son, list to this conjunction, make this match; For by this knot thou shalt so surely tie Thy now unsure assurance to the crown 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 Lest zeal, now melted by the windy breath 450 460 470 ACT II Of soft petitions, pity, and remorse, Sc. I Cool and congeal again to what it was. FIRST CIT. Why answer not the double Majesties This friendly treaty of our threaten'd Town? 480 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: For Anjou, and fair Touraine, Maine, Poictiers, Shall gild her bridal bed; and make her rich 490 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. 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 : I do protest I never lov'd myself, Till now infixed I beheld myself Drawn in the flattering table of her eye. 500 [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 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, I will enforce it easily to my love. 510 |