Enter Pembroke, Salisbury and Bigot. Sal. Lords, I will meet him at St. Edmondsbury; Pem. Who brought that letter from the Cardinal Faulc. Once more to day well met, diftemper'd lords> Faulc. What e'er you think, good words, I think, were beft. Sal. Our griefs, and not our manners, reason now. Faulc. But there is little reafon in your grief, Therefore 'twere reafon, you had manners now. Pem. Sir, Sir, impatience hath its privilege. Faulc. 'Tis true, to hurt its mafter, no man elfe. Sal. This is the prison: what is he lyes here? [Seeing Arthur. Pem. O death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed. Sal. Murder, as hating what himself hath done, Doth lay it open to urge on revenge. Bigot. Or when he doom'd this beauty to the grave, Found it too precious princely for a grave. Sal. Sir Richard, what think you? have you beheld, Or have you read, or heard, or could you think, Or do you almost think, altho' you see, What What you do fee? could thought, without this object, The height, the creft, or creft unto the creft Pem. All murders past do ftand excus'd in this ; Shall give a holiness, a purity, To the yet-unbegotten fins of time; Faulc. It is a damned and a bloody work, Sal. If that it be the work of any hand? Pem. } Our fouls religiously confirm thy words. Hub. Lords, I am hot with hafte, in feeking you; Sal. Muft I rob the law? [Drawing his Sword. Fault. Your fword is bright, Sir, put it up again. Sal. Not till I fheath it in a murderer's skin. Hub. Hub. Stand back, Lord Salisbury; ftand back, I fay; By heav'n, I think, my fword's as sharp as yours. I would not have you, Lord, forget yourself, Nor tempt the danger of my true defence; Left I, by marking of your rage, forget Your worth, your greatnefs, and nobility. Bigot. Out, dunghill! dar'it thou brave a Nobleman ? Hub. Not for my life; but yet I dare defend My innocent life against an Emperor. Sal. Thou art a murd'rer. Hub. Do not prove me fo; Yet, I am none. Whofe tongue foe'er fpeaks false, Not truly speaks; who fpeaks not truly, lyes. Faulc. Keep the peace, I fay. Sal. Stand by, or I fhall gaul you, Faulconbridge. That you fhall think, the devil is come from hell. Hub. Lord Bigot, I am none. Hub. 'Tis not an hour fince I left him well: Bigot. Away tow'rd Bury, to the Dauphin there. Beyond Beyond the infinite and boundless reach Of mercy, (if thou didst this deed of death) Hub. Do but hear me, Sir. Faulc. Ha? I'll tell thee what, Thou'rt damn'd fo black nay, nothing is fo black; Thou art more deep damn'd than prince Lucifer. As thou shalt be, if thou didft kill this child. Faulc. If thou didst but confent To this moft cruel act, do but defpair, And if thou want'ft a cord, the fmalleft thread, And it fhall be as all the ocean, Hub. If I in act, confent, or fin of thought, Faulc. Go, bear him in thine arms. I am amaz'd, methinks, and lose my way (17) How eafie dost thou take all England up, From forth this Morfel of dead Royalty?] But how did Hubert take England up, from forth the dead Body of young Arthur? Moft fagacious Editors! The ftupid Pointing, which has prevail'd in all the Copies, makes stark Nonsense of the Paffage. My Pointing reftores it to its genuine Purity. Faul conbridge, feeing Hubert take up the Body of the dead Prince, makes two Reflections: -How eafily, fays he, dost thou take up all England in that Burthen! and then, That the Life, Right, and Truth of the Realm was fled to Heaven from out the breathless Coarfe of that flaughter'd Royalty, &c. From From forth this morfel of dead Royalty, And fnarleth in the gentle eyes of peace. And heav'n it felf doth frown upon the Land. Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE, the Court of ENGLAND. Enter King John, Pandulph, and Attendants. T K. JOHN. HUS I have yielded up into your hand From this my hand, as holding of the Pope, K. John. Now keep your holy word; go meet the And from his Holinefs ufe all your power To ftop their Marches, 'fore we are inflam'd. ; Our people quarrel with obedience |