Is it sir Robert's son that you seek so?

Lady F. Sir Robert's son! Ay, thou unreverend boy, Sir Robert's son: why scorn'st thou at sir Robert ? He is sir Robert's son, and so art thou.

229

Bast. James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave awhile? Gur. Good leave, good Philip.

Bast.

235

Philip! sparrow: James, There's toys abroad: anon I'll tell thee more. [Exit Gurney. Madam, I was not old sir Robert's son: Sir Robert might have eat his part in me Upon Good-Friday and ne'er broke his fast: Sir Robert could do well: marry, to confess, Could he get me? Sir Robert could not do it: We know his handiwork: therefore, good mother, To whom am I beholding for these limbs? Sir Robert never holp to make this leg.

Lady F. Hast thou conspired with thy brother too, That for thine own gain shouldst defend mine honour? What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave? Bast. Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco-like.

228 son:] son, F3F4. sonne? F1F2. scorn'st] scornest F4.

230 Gurney] F4. Gournie F. Gourney F,F3

231 Philip! sparrow:] Capell. Philip, sparrow, Ff. Philip,-spare me, Theobald (Warburton). Philip? Sparrow! Upton conj. Philipspare oh! Grey conj. Philip Sparrow! Green conj. (N. and Q., 1885). 232 toys] noise Gould conj.

[Exit Gurney.] Exit Iames. Ff. 236, 237 well: marry...get me?] well (marry, to confess) Could he get me. Vaughan conj.

236 to confess] confess Pope. to confess the truth Keightley.

240

237 Could he get me? Sir] Pope. Could
get me sir Ff. Could not get me ;
Sir Dyce (Collier MS.).

239 beholding] beholden Pope.
240 holp] help'd Pope.
241 conspired] conspir'd Rowe.
244 Knight, knight, good mother, Basi-
lisco-like.] F3F4. Knight, knight
good mother, Basilisco-like: FF2.
Omitted by Rowe (ed. 2). Knight
-Knight, good mother, Basilisco
like Pope. Knight, knight, good
mother-Basilisco like. Theobald.
Knight, knight,-good mother, Basi-
lisco like. Id. conj. Knight-knight
-good mother-Basilisco;-'slight!
Id. conj. (withdrawn).

What! I am dubb'd! I have it on my shoulder.
But, mother, I am not sir Robert's son;

I have disclaim'd sir Robert and my land;
Legitimation, name and all is gone:

Then, good my mother, let me know my father;
Some proper man, I hope: who was it, mother?

245

250

Lady F. Hast thou denied thyself a Faulconbridge? Bast. As faithfully as I deny the devil.

255

260

Lady F. King Richard Coeur-de-lion was thy father: By long and vehement suit I was seduced To make room for him in my husband's bed : Heaven lay not my transgression to my charge! Thou art the issue of my dear offence, Which was so strongly urged past my defence. Bast. Now, by this light, were I to get again, Madam, I would not wish a better father. Some sins do bear their privilege on earth, And so doth yours; your fault was not your folly: Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose, Subjected tribute to commanding love, Against whose fury and unmatched force The aweless lion could not wage the fight, Nor keep his princely heart from Richard's hand. He that perforce robs lions of their hearts May easily win a woman's. Ay, my mother, With all my heart I thank thee for my father! Who lives and dares but say thou didst not well When I was got, I'll send his soul to hell.

245 What!] Theobald. What, Ff. Why
Pope. Why, Hanmer.
247, 248 sir Robert...land; Legitimation]
sir Robert; and my land, Legiti-
mation Fleay (S. Walker conj.).
256, 257 my charge! Thou] thy charge
That Staunton conj.

265

270

256 my charge!] my charge, Ff. thy
charge, Long MS.

257 Thou] F. That FFF3.
262 your folly] you folly F2.
267 hand] hands F4.
269 Ay,] aye Ff.

Come, lady, I will show thee to my kin;

And they shall say, when Richard me begot, If thou hadst said him nay, it had been sin : Who says it was, he lies; I say 'twas not.

275

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. France. Before Angiers.

Enter AUSTRIA and forces, drums, etc. on one side on the other KING PHILIP of France and his power; LEWIS, ARTHUR, CONSTANCE

and attendants.

Lew. Before Angiers well met, brave Austria.
Arthur, that great forerunner of thy blood,
Richard, that robb'd the lion of his heart
And fought the holy wars in Palestine,

By this brave duke came early to his grave:
And for amends to his posterity,

At our importance hither is he come,

To spread his colours, boy, in thy behalf,
And to rebuke the usurpation

Of thy unnatural uncle, English John:

Embrace him, love him, give him welcome hither.
Arth. God shall forgive you Coeur-de-lion's death

5

10

Angiers, Philip King of France,
Lewis, Daulphin, Austria, Constance,
Arthur. Ff.

1, 18 Lew.] King Philip. Dyce, ed. 2
(Theobald conj.).
7, 11 hither] hether F1.

The rather that you give his offspring life,
Shadowing their right under your wings of war:
I give you welcome with a powerless hand,
But with a heart full of unstained love:
Welcome before the gates of Angiers, duke.

Lew. A noble boy! Who would not do thee right ?
Aust. Upon thy cheek lay I this zealous kiss,
As seal to this indenture of my love,

That to my home I will no more return,
Till Angiers and the right thou hast in France,
Together with that pale, that white-faced shore,
Whose foot spurns back the ocean's roaring tides
And coops from other lands her islanders,
Even till that England, hedged in with the main,
That water-walled bulwark, still secure
And confident from foreign purposes,

Even till that utmost corner of the west

15

20

25

Salute thee for her king: till then, fair boy,
Will I not think of home, but follow arms.

30

Const. O, take his mother's thanks, a widow's thanks, Till your strong hand shall help to give him strength To make a more requital to your love!

Aust. The peace of heaven is theirs that lift their swords

In such a just and charitable war.

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:

14 their] his Collier MS.

16 unstained] unstrained Collier, ed. 2

(Collier MS.).

18 A] Ah Fleay conj.

29 utmost] outmost F4.

35 that] who F.

37 work: our] work, our F4.
FF2 work our F3.

cannon] engines Pope.

38 brows] tow'rs Gould conj.

35

40

worke our

We'll lay before this town our royal bones,
Wade to the market-place in Frenchmen's blood,
But we will make it subject to this boy.

Const. Stay for an answer to your embassy,
Lest unadvised you stain your swords with blood:
My Lord Chatillon may from England bring
That right in peace which here we urge in war,
And then we shall repent each drop of blood
That hot rash haste so indirectly shed.

Enter CHATILLON.

K. Phi. A wonder, lady! lo, upon thy wish,
Our messenger Chatillon is arrived!
What England says, say briefly, gentle lord;
We coldly pause for thee; Chatillon, speak.

45

50

Chat. Then turn your forces from this paltry siege And stir them up against a mightier task. England, impatient of your just demands,

55

Hath put himself in arms: the adverse winds,

Whose leisure I have stay'd, have given him time
To land his legions all as soon as I;

His marches are expedient to this town,
His forces strong, his soldiers confident.
With him along is come the mother-queen,
An Ate, stirring him to blood and strife;

With her her niece, the Lady Blanch of Spain;
With them a bastard of the king's deceased;
And all the unsettled humours of the land,
Rash, inconsiderate, fiery voluntaries,
With ladies' faces and fierce dragons' spleens,

49 indirectly] indiscreetly Singer, ed. 2

(Collier MS.).

63 An Ate] Rowe. An Ace Ff. As Ate

VOL. IV.

Collier MS.

60

65

65 king's] kings F1. king F2F3F4. See note (XI).

2