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Paul.

Which lets go by some sixteen years and makes
her
As she liv'd now.
Leon.

As now she might have done, 32
So much to my good comfort, as it is
Now piercing to my soul. O! thus she stood,
Even with such life of majesty,-warm life,
As now it coldly stands,-when first I woo'd
her.

I am asham'd: does not the stone rebuke me 37
For being more stone than it? O, royal
piece!

40

There's magic in thy majesty, which has
My evils conjur'd to remembrance, and
From thy admiring daughter took the spirits,
Standing like stone with thee.
Per.
And give me leave,

What, sovereign sir, I did not well, I meant well. All my services You have paid home; but that you have vouch-And do not say 'tis superstition, that saf'd, 4 I kneel and then implore her blessing. Lady, 44 Dear queen, that ended when I but began, Give me that hand of yours to kiss. Paul. O, patience! The statue is but newly fix'd, the colour's Not dry.

With your crown'd brother and these your contracted

Heirs of your kingdoms, my poor house to
visit,

It is a surplus of your grace, which never
My life may last to answer.

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Paul.
As she liv'd peerless,
So her dead likeness, I do well believe,
Excels whatever yet you look'd upon

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48 Cam. My lord, your sorrow was too sore laid on,

Which sixteen winters cannot blow away,
So many summers dry: scarce any joy
Did ever so long live; no sorrow
But kill'd itself much sooner.

Pol.

52

Dear my brother,

Let him that was the cause of this have
power

To take off so much grief from you as he
Will piece up in himself.
Paul.

Indeed, my lord, 56 Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it If I had thought the sight of my poor image Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare Would thus have wrought you,—for the stone To see the life as lively mock'd as ever is mine,Still sleep mock'd death: behold! and say 'tis I'd not have show'd it. well.

20

[PAULINA draws back a curtain, and dis-
covers HERMIONE as a statue.

I like your silence: it the more shows off
Your wonder; but yet speak: first you, my
liege.

Comes it not something near?
Leon.
Her natural posture!
Chide me, dear stone, that I may say, indeed 24
Thou art Hermione; or rather, thou art she
In thy not chiding, for she was as tender
As infancy and grace. But yet, Paulina,
Hermione was not so much wrinkled; nothing
So aged as this seems.

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Leon.
Do not draw the curtain.
Paul. No longer shall you gaze on't, lest
your fancy

May think anon it moves.

Leon.

60

Let be, let be!

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The very life seems warm upon her lip.
Leon. The fixure of her eye has motion

in't,

As we are mock'd with art.

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She embraces him.
Cam. She hangs about his neck:
If she pertain to life let her speak too.
Pol. Ay; and make't manifest where she has
liv'd,

Paul.

As any cordial comfort. Still, methinks,
There is an air comes from her: what fine Or how stol'n from the dead.
chisel
That she is living,
Could ever yet cut breath? Let no man mock Were it but told you, should be hooted at
Like an old tale; but it appears she lives,
Though yet she speak not. Mark a little

me,

For I will kiss her.
Paul.
Good my lord, forbear. 80
The ruddiness upon her lip is wet :
You'll mar it if you kiss it; stain your own
With oily painting. Shall I draw the cur-
tain?

Leon. No, not these twenty years.
Per.

Stand by, a looker-on.

Paul.

So long could I 84

Either forbear,

88

Quit presently the chapel, or resolve you
For more amazement. If you can behold it,
I'll make the statue move indeed, descend,
And take you by the hand; but then you'll
think,-

Which I protest against,-I am assisted
By wicked powers.

Leon.

while.

116

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Thy father's court? for thou shalt hear that I,
Knowing by Paulina that the oracle
Gave hope thou wast in being, have preserv'd

What you can make her do, Myself to see the issue.

I am content to look on: what to speak,
I am content to hear; for 'tis as easy

To make her speak as move.

92

Paul.
It is requir'd
You do awake your faith. Then, all stand
still;

Or those that think it is unlawful business
I am about, let them depart.
Leon.

No foot shall stir.

Proceed :

96

Paul. Music, awake her: strike! [Music. 'Tis time; descend; be stone no more: approach;

Strike all that look upon with marvel. Come;
I'll fill your grave up: stir; nay, come away; 101
Bequeath to death your numbness, for from
him

Dear life redeems you. You perceive she stirs:
[HERMIONE comes down.
Start not; her actions shall be holy as 104
You hear my spell is lawful: do not shun
her

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And take her by the hand; whose worth and honesty 144

Is richly noted, and here justified

By us, a pair of kings. Let's from this place.

What! look upon my brother: both your pardons,

That e'er I put between your holy looks

148

My ill suspicion. This' your son-in-law, And son unto the king,-whom heavens directing,

Is troth-plight to your daughter. Good Paulina, Lead us from hence, where we may leisurely 152 Each one demand and answer to his part Perform'd in this wide gap of time since first We were dissever'd: hastily lead away. [Exeunt.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF KING JOHN

KING JOHN.

PRINCE HENRY, Son to the King.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

PHILIP, King of France. LEWIS, the Dauphin.

ARTHUR, Duke of Britaine, Nephew to the LYMOGES, Duke of Austria.

King.

CARDINAL PANDULPH, the Pope's Legate. MELUN, a French Lord.

THE EARL OF PEMBROKE.

THE EARL OF ESSEX.

THE EARL OF SALISBURY.

THE LORD BIGOT.

CHATILLON, Ambassador from France.

QUEEN ELINOR, Mother to King John. CONSTANCE, Mother to Arthur.

HUBERT DE BURGH.

ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, Son to Sir Robert BLANCH OF SPAIN, Niece to King John.

Faulconbridge.

PHILIP THE BASTARD, his half-brother.

JAMES GURNEY, Servant to Lady Faulcon

bridge.

PETER OF POMFRET, a Prophet.

LADY FAULCONBRIDGE.

Lords, Ladies, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE.-Sometimes in England, and sometimes in France.

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Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. 56 K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother then, it seems. Bast. Most certain of one mother, mighty king,

That is well known: and, as I think, one father:
But for the certain knowledge of that truth 61
I put you o'er to heaven and to my mother:
Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.

Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother 64

68

And wound her honour with this diffidence.
Bast. I, madam? no, I have no reason for it;
That is my brother's plea and none of mine;
The which if he can prove, a' pops me out
At least from fair five hundred pound a year:
Heaven guard my mother's honour and my land!
K. John. A good blunt fellow. Why, being
younger born,

Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance?

72

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Between my father and my mother lay,—
As I have heard my father speak himself, —
When this same lusty gentleman was got. 108
Upon his death-bed he by will bequeath'd
His lands to me, and took it on his death
That this my mother's son was none of his;
An if he were, he came into the world
Full fourteen weeks before the course of time.
Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine,
My father's land, as was my father's will.

112

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This calf bred from his cow from all the world; 76 In sooth he might: then, if he were my brother's, My brother might not claim him; nor your father,

Bast. I know not why, except to get the land. But once he slander'd me with bastardy: But whe'r I be as true-begot or no, That still I lay upon my mother's head; But that I am as well-begot, my liege,Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me!Compare our faces and be judge yourself. If old Sir Robert did beget us both, And were our father, and this son like him; O old Sir Robert, father, on my knee

80

give heaven thanks I was not like to thee! K. John. Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here!

84

Eli. He hath a trick of Coeur-de-Lion's face; The accent of his tongue affecteth him.

Being none of his, refuse him: this concludes; My mother's son did get your father's heir; 128 Your father's heir must have your father's land.

Rob. Shall then my father's will be of no force To dispossess that child which is not his?

Bast. Of no more force to dispossess me, sir, Than was his will to get me, as I think. 133 Eli. Whe'r hadst thou rather be a Faulconbridge

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