Enter a Meffenger. K. John. They burn in indignation; I repent. There is no fure foundation fet on blood; No certain life atchiev'd by others' death [Afide. A fearful eye thou haft; where is that blood, [To the Mef. That I have feen inhabit in those cheeks? So foul a sky clears not without a storm ; Pour down thy weather: how goes all in France? Was levy'd in the body of a land. The copy of your fpeed is learn'd by them: The tidings come, that they are all arriv'd. K. John. O, where hath our intelligence been drunk? Where hath it flept? where is my mother's care? That fuch an army fhould be drawn in France, And the not hear of it? Mef. My Liege, her ear Is ftopt with daft: the first of April, dy'd Three days before: but this from rumour's tongue K. John. With-hold thy speed, dreadful occafion! Enter Faulconbridge, and Peter of Pomfret. With these ill tidings. Now, what says the world Faule. But if you be afraid to hear the worst, K. John. K. John. Bear with me, Coufin; for I was amaz'd Under the tide; but now I breathe again Aloft the flood, and can give audience To any tongue, fpeak it of what it will. Faule. How I have fped among the clergymen, The fums I have collected fhall express. But as I travell'd hither thro' the land, I find the people ftrangely fantafied; Poffeft with rumours, full of idle dreams; Not knowing what they fear, but full of fear, And here's a Prophet that I brought with me From forth the streets of Pomfret, whom I found With many hundreds treading on his heels: To whom he fung in rude harsh-founding rhimes, That, ere the next Afcenfion-day at noon, Your Highness fhould deliver up your crown. K. John. Thou idle dreamer, wherefore did'st thou so? Peter. Fore-knowing, that the truth will fall out fo. K. John. Hubert, away with him, imprison him, And on that day at noon, whereon he says I fhall yield up my crown, let him be hang'd. For I must use thee. O my gentle coufin, [Exit Hubert, with Peter. Hear'ft thou the news abroad, who are arriv'd? Faulc. The French, my ford; men's mouths are full of it: Befides, I met lord Bigot and lord Salisbury, With eyes as red as new-enkindled fire, K. John. Gentle kinfman, go And thrust thyself into their company: Faulc. I will feek them out. K. John. Nay, but make hafte: the better foot before. O, let me have no fubject enemies, When adverfe foreigners affright my towns With dreadful pomp of ftout invafion. Be Mercury, fet feathers to thy heels; And fly, like thought, from them to me again. Faule. The fpirit of the time fhall teach me speed. [Exit. K. John. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman. Go after him; for he, perhaps, shall need Some meffenger betwixt me and the Peers; Mef. With all my heart, my Liege. K. John. My mother dead! Enter Hubert. [Exit. Hub. My lord, they fay, five moons were seen to night: Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about The other four, in wond'rous motion. K. John. Five moons? Hub. Old men and beldams, in the ftreets, Do prophefie upon it dangerously: Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths; And he, that speaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrift, Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. K. John. Why feek'st thou to poffefs me with these Why urgeft thou so oft young Arthur's death? To wish him dead, but thou had'ft none to kill him. Hub. Hub. Had none, my Lord? why, did you not pro voke me? K. John. It is the curfe of Kings, to be attended To understand a law, to know the meaning Hub. Here is your hand and seal, for what I did. Is to be made, then fhall this hand and feal Witness against us to damnation. How oft the fight of means, to do ill deeds, K. John. Hadft thou but shook thy head, or made a pause, When I fpake darkly what I purposed: Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face, Or bid me tell my tale in exprefs words; Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off, And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me. But thou didst understand me by my figns, And didst in figns again parley with fin; Yea, without stop, did't let thy heart confent, And confequently thy rude hand to act The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name.Out of my fight, and never fee me more! My Nobles leave me, and my ftate is brav'd, Ev'n at my gates, with ranks of foreign pow'rs: This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Between my confcience, and my cousin's death. The dreadful motion of a murd'rous thought, Is yet the cover of a fairer mind, Than to be butcher of an innocent child. K. John. Doth Arthur live? O, hafte thee to the Peers, Presented thee more hideous than thou art. Arth. [Exeunt, SCENE, a Street before a Prifon. TH HE wall is high, and yet will I leap down, If I get down, and do not break my limbs, [Leaps down. Heav'n take my foul, and England keep my bones! [Din. Enter |