And fend him word by me which way you go. K. John. Tell him, tow'rd Swinflead, to the Abbey there.

Mef. Be of good Comfort: for the great fupply,
That was expected by the Dauphin here,

Are wreck'd three nights age on Godwin-fands.
This news was brought to Richard but ev'n now;
The French fight coldly, and retire themselves.
K. John. Ah me! this tyrant feaver burns me up,
And will not let me welcome this good news.
Set on tow❜rd Swinftead; to my Litter ftrait;
Weakness poffeffeth me, and I am faint.

Sal.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the French Camp.
Enter Salisbury, Pembroke and Bigot.

I

Did not think the King fo ftor'd with friends.
Pemb. Up once again; put fpirit in the French:

If they mifcarry, we mifcarry too.

Sal. That mil-begotten devil, Faulconbridge.

In fpight of fpight, alone upholds the day.

Pemb. They fay, King John, fore fick, hath left the field.
Enter Melun, wounded.

Melun. Lead me to the Revolts of England here.
Sal. When we were happy, we had other names.
Pemb. It is the Count Melun.

Sal. Wounded to death.

Melun. Fly, noble English, you are bought and fold ; Untread the rude way of Rebellion, (21) And welcome home again difcarded faith. Seek out King John, and fall before his feet: For if the French be lords of this loud day, He means to recompence the pains you take,

(21) Unthread the rude Eye of Rebellion.] Tho' all the Copies concur in this Reading, how poor is the Metaphor of unthreading the Eye of a Needle? And, befides, as there is no Mention made of a Needle, how remote and obfcure is the Allufion without it? The Text, as I have reftor'd it, is easy and natural; and it is the mode of Expreffion, which our Author is every where fond of, to tread and untread, the Way, Path, Steps, &c,

By

By cutting off your heads; thus hath he fworn,
And I with him, and many more with me,
Upon the altar at St. Edmondsbury;
Ev'n on that altar, where we fwore to you
Dear amity and everlasting love.

Sal. May this be poffible! may this be true!
Melun. Have I not hideous death within my
Retaining but a quantity of life,

view ?

Which bleeds away, ev'n as a form of wax
Refolveth from its figure 'gainft the fire?
What in the world fhould make me now deceive,
Since I must lose the use of all deceit ?
Why should I then be falfe, fince it is true,
That I muft die here, and live hence by truth?,
I fay again, if Lewis do win the day,
He is forfworn, if e'er those eyes of yours
Behold another day break in the east.

But ev'n this night, whofe black contagious breath
Already fmoaks about the burning creft

Of the old, feeble, and day-wearied fun,
Ev'n this ill night, your breathing fhall expire;
Paying the fine of rated treachery,

Ev'n with a treacherous fine of all your lives,
If Lewis by your affiftance win the day.
Commend me to one Hubert, with your King;
The love of him, and this refpect befides,
(For that my grandfire was an Englishman,)
Awakes my confcience to confefs all this.
In lieu whereof, I pray you, bear me hence
From forth the noife and rumour of the field;
Where I may think the remnant of my thoughts
In peace;
and part this body and my foul
With contemplation, and devout defires.

Sal. We do believe thee, and befhrew my foul
But I do love the favour and the form

Of this most fair occafion, by the which
We will untread the fteps of damned flight;
And, like a bated and retired flood,

Leaving our rankness and irregular course,

Stoop low within those bounds, we have o'er-look'd;

And calmly run on in obedience

Ev'n to our ocean, to our great King John.
My arm fhall give thee help to bear thee hence,
For I do fee the cruel pangs of death

Right in thine eye. Away, my friends; new flight;
And happy newnefs, that intends old right!

[Exeunt, leading off Melun.

SCENE changes to a different part of the French

Leavis.

T

Camp.

Enter Lewis, and his Train.

HE fun of heav'n, methought, was loth to

fet,

But ftaid, and made the western welkin blush;

When th' English measur'd backward their own ground
In faint retire: oh, bravely came we off,
When with a volley of our needless shot,
After fuch bloody toil, we bid good night;
And wound our tatter'd colours clearly up,
Laft in the field, and almoft lords of it!-

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. Where is my prince, the Dauphin?
Lewis. Here; what news?

Mef. The count Melun is flain; the English lords
By his perfwafion are again fall n off;

And your fupply, which you have wish'd so long,

Are caft away, and funk on Godwin fands.

Lewis Ah foul, fhrewd, news! Beshrew thy very heart,

I did not think to be fad to night,

As this hath made me. Who was he, that faid,

King John did fly, an hour or two before

The ftumbling night did part our weary powers?
Mef. Who ever fpoke it, it is true, my lord.

Lewis. Well; keep good quarter, and good care to

night;

The day fhall not be up fo foon as I,
To try the fair adventure' of to morrow.

[Exeunt.

SCENE,

SCENE, an open Place in the Neighbourhood of Swinftead Abbey.

Eater Faulconbridge, and Hubert, feverally. 7HO's there? fpeak, ho! speak quickly, er

Hub. WHO's

I shoot.

Faulc. A friend. What art thou?

Hub. Of the part of England.
Faulc. And whither doft thou go?
Hub. What's that to thee?

Why may not I demand of thine affairs,
As well as thou of mine?

Faulc. Hubert, I think.

Hub. Thou haft a perfect thought:

I will upon all hazards well believe

Thou art my friend, that know'ft my tongue fo well: Who art thou?

Faulc. Who thou wilt; and, if thou please, Thou may'ft be-friend me fo much, as to think, I come one way of the Plantagenets.

Hub. Unkind remembrance! thou and eyelefs night (22) Have done me shame; brave foldier, pardon me, That any accent, breaking from thy tongue, Should 'fcape the true acquaintance of mine ear. Faulc. Come,come; fans compliment, what news abroad? Hub. Why here walk I, in the black brow of night, To find you out.

Faulc. Brief then and what's the news?

Hub. O my fweet Sir, news fitting to the night; Black, fearful, comfortless, and horrible.

Faulc. Shew me the very wound of this ill news, I am no woman, I'll not fwoon at it.

(22) Unkind Remembrance; thou and endless Night

Have done me foame: - Why, endless Night? Hubert means no more, than that the Dulnefs of his Recollection, and the Darkness of the Night, had disgraced him in his not knowing Faulconbridge by the Tone of his Voice. Our Author certainly wrote, eye-lefs. Mr. Warburton likewife concurr'd in ftarting this Emendation.

Hub.

Hub. The King, I fear, is poison'd by a Monk :
I left him almost speechless, and broke out
T'acquaint you with this evil; that you might
The better arm you to the fudden time,

Than if you had at leisure known of this.

Faulc. How did he take it? who did tafte to him? Hub. A monk, I tell you; a refolved villain, Whofe bowels fuddenly burft out; the King, Yet fpeaks; and, peradventure, may recover. Faulc. Who didft thou leave to tend his Majefty? Hub. Why, know you not? the lords are all come back,

And brought Prince Henry in their company;

At whofe request the King hath pardon'd them,
And they are all about his Majefty.

Faulc. With-hold thine indignation, mighty heav'n!
And tempt us not to bear above our power.
I'll tell thee, Hubert, half my pow'rs this night,
Paffing thefe flats, are taken by the tide;

These Lincoln-washes have devoured them ;
Myfelf, well mounted, hardly have escaped.
Away, before conduct me to the King;
I doubt, he will be dead, or e'er I come.

:

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Orchard in Swinftead Abbey.

Enter Prince Henry, Salisbury and Bigot.

Henry. IT is too late; the life of all his blood

Is touch'd corruptibly; and his pure brain, (Which, fome fuppofe, the foul's frail dwelling house,) Doth, by the idle comments that it makes,

Foretel the ending of mortality.

Enter Pembroke.

Pemb. His highnefs yet doth speak, and holds belief,

That, being brought into the open air,

It would allay the burning quality

Of that fell poifon, which affaileth him.

Henry. Let him be brought into the orchard here; Doth he ftill rage?

Pemb.