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. K. John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the king of France, In my behaviour, to the majesty, The borrow'd majesty of England here. Eli. A strange beginning;-borrow'd majesty! King John. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy. Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son, Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine; Which sways usurpingly these several titles, K. John. What follows, if we disallow of this? To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld. K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment: so answer France. Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth, The farthest limit of my embassy. K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace: Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France: For ere thou canst report I will be there, The thunder of my cannon shall be heard: [Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE. Eli. What now, my son! have I not ever said, This might have been prevented, and made whole, Which now the manage of two kingdoms must With fearful bloody issue arbitrate. K. John. Our strong possession, and our right for us. Or else it must go wrong with you, and me: So much my conscience whispers in your ear, Enter the Sheriff of Northamptonshire, who whispers Essex. K. John. Let them approach. Our abbeys, and our priories, shall pay [Exit Sheriff. Re-enter Sheriff, with ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP, his bastard Brother. What men are you? Bast. Your faithful subject I; a gentleman Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son, K. John. What art thou? Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. Bast. Most certain of one mother, mighty king,- Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. Bast. I, Madam? no, I have no reason for it,— The which if he can prove, 'a pops me out K. John. A good blunt fellow.-Why, being younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? Bast. I know not why, except to get the land. But whe'r I be as true begot, or no, And were our father, and this son like him,- I give heaven thanks, I was not like to thee. K. John. Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here! The accent of his tongue affecteth him : K. John. Mine eye hath well examined his parts, Bast. Well, Sir, by this you cannot get my land: (As I have heard my father speak himself,) When this same lusty gentleman was got. K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate,- Rob. Shall, then, my father's will be of no force Bast. Of no more force to dispossess me, Sir, Than was his will to get me, as I think. Eli. Whether hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge, And like thy brother, to enjoy thy land, Or the reputed son of Coeur-de-lion, Lord of thy presence, and no land beside? Bast. Madam, an if my brother had my shape, And I had his, Sir Robert his, like him; And if my legs were two such riding-rods, My arms such eel-skins stuff'd; my face so thin, That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose, Lest men should say, "Look, where three-farthings goes!" And, to his shape, were heir to all this land,--` 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. Bast. Brother, take you my land, I'll take my chance : Your face hath got five hundred pounds a-year; Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither. Bast. Philip, my liege,-so is my name begun,- K. John. From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bearest : Kneel thou down Philip, but arise more great, Arise Sir Richard, and Plantagenet. Bast. Brother, by the mother's side, give me your hand : My father gave me honour, yours gave land.— Now blessed be the hour, by night or day, When I was got, Sir Robert was away. Eli. The very spirit of Plantagenet! I am thy grandam, Richard; call me so. Bast. Madam, by chance, but not by truth: what though? Something about, a little from the right, In at the window, or else o'er the hatch; Who dares not stir by day, must walk by night; And have is have, however men do catch; Near or far off, well won is still well shot; And I am I, howe'er I was begot. K. John. Go, Faulconbridge: now hast thou thy desire; [Exeunt all except the Bastard. A foot of honour better than I was; Well, now can I make any Joan a lady:— "Good den, Sir Richard :"-" God-a-mercy, fellow;"— For your conversion. Now your traveller,- |