I'll stir them to it:-Come, away, away! 1 Cit. Hear us, great kings: vouchsafe a while And I shall show you peace, and fair-faced league; K. John. Speak on, with fayour; we are bent to 1 Cit. That daughter there of Spain, the lady Is near to England; Look upon the years Where should he find it fairer than in Blanch? O, 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, To these two princes, if you marry them. the lady Blanch,] The lady Blanch was daughter to Alphonso the Ninth, King of Castile, and was niece to King John by his sister Elianor. This union shall do more than battery can, Lions more confident, mountains and rocks As we to keep this city. Bast. Here's a stay,1 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! 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: Zounds! I was never so bethump'd with words, Eli. Son, list to this conjunction, make this match; Give with our niece a dowry large enough: at this match, With swifter spleen, &c.] Our author uses spleen for any violent hurry, or tumultuous speed. 1 1 Here's a stay,] Some of the Commentators think that stay means a hinderer, and others, a supporter, or partizan. VOL. V. I see a yielding in the looks of France; Lest zeal, now melted, by the windy breath 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, 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.2 [Whispers with Blanch. 2 Drawn in the flattering table of her eye.] Table is picture, or, rather, the board or canvas on which any object is painted. Tableau, Fr. 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. 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, 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, Poictiers, and Anjou, these five provinces, 3 Volquessen,] This is the ancient name for the country now called the Vexin; in Latin, Pagus Velocassinus. That part of it called the Norman Verin, was in dispute between Philip and John. Command thy son and daughter to join hands. 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.— 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, I am well assur'd, That I did so, when I was first assur'd.] Assur'd is here used both in its common sense, and in an uncommon one, where it signifies affianced, contracted. She is sad and passionate-] Passionate, in this instance, does not signify disposed to anger, but a prey to mournful sensations. |