So much my confcience whispers in your ear, Which none but heav'n, and you, and I fhall hear. Our abbies and our priories fhall pay "This expedition's charge.What men are you? SCENE II. Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip his brother, the baftard. Phil. Your faithful fubject, I, a gentleman Robert. The fon and heir to that fame Faulconbridge. K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother, then, it feems. Phil. Moft certain of one mother, mighty King, Of that I doubt, as all mens' children may. Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou doft fhame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. Phil. 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, he pops me out At leaft from fair five hundred pound a-year. Heav'n 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? Phil., I know not why, except to get the land; But once he flander'd me with baftardy: But whether I be true begot or no, That fill I lay upon my mother's head But that I am as well begot, my Liege, And were our father, and this fon like him; I give heav'n thanks I was not like to thee. K. John. Why, what a mad-cap hath heav'n lent us here? Eli. He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face, The accent of his tongue affecteth him: Do you not read fome tokens of my fon K. John. Mine eye hath well examined his parts, Phil. Well, Sir, by this you cannot get my land. K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate ;. And if she did play falfe, the fault was her's; Had of Phil. Of no more force to difpoffefs me, Sir, Eli. Whether hadit thou rather be a Faulconbridge, And, like thy brother, to enjoy thy land; Or the reputed fon of Coeur-de-lion, Lord of the prefence *, and no land befide? Phil. Madam, and if my brother had my shape, 66 Left men fhould fay, Look, where three farthings goes! "And to his shape were heir to all this land;" 'Would I might never ftir from off this place, I'd give it ev'ry foot to have this face. i. e. Prince of the blood. The flicking rofes about them, was then all the court-fashion. We must obferve, to explain this allufion, that Q. Elifabeth was the first, and indeed the only prince, who coined in England threehalf-pence and three-farthing pieces. She at one and the fame time coined fhillings, fix-pences, groats, three-pences, two-pences, threehalfpence, pence, three-farthings, and halfpence. And thefe pieces all had her head, and were alternately with the rose behind, and without the rofe. The fhilling, groat, two-pence, penny, and half-penny, had it not. The other intermediate coins, viz. the fixpence, three-pence, three-halfpence, and three-farthings, had the rofe, Mr Theobald. I would not be Sir Nobbe * in any case. Eli. I like thee well; wilt thou forfake thy fortune, Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me? I am a foldier, and now bound to France. Phil. Brother, take you my land, I'll take my chance; Your face hath got five hundred pound a-year, Yet fell your face for five pence, and 'tis dear. Madam, I'll follow you unto the death. Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither. Phil. Our country-manners give our betters way. K. John. What is thy name? Phil. Philip, my Liege, fo is my name begun : Philip, good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest fon. K. John. From henceforth bear his name, whofe form thou bear'ft. Kneel thou down Philip, but rise up more great; Phil. Brother by th' mother's fide, give me your hand; My father gave me honour, your's gave land. Phil. Madam, by chance, but not by truth; what though? Something about, a little from the right, In at the window, or else o'er the hatch. Near or far off, well won is ftill well shot; K. John. Go, Faulconbridge, now haft thou thy defire; A landless knight makes thee a landed 'fquire. [Exeunt all but Philip. * A nick-name, in contempt, of Sir Robert. A foot of honour better than I was, "Good-den, Sir Richard,—Godamercy, fellow; "And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter; "For new-made honour doth forget mens names. "Tis too refpective and unfociable "For your converfing. Now your traveller, 66 -My dear Sir, (Thus leaning on mine elbow, I begin),.. "Ì fhall befeech you, that is queftion now; "And then comes anfwer like an ABC-book. "O Sir, fays anfwer, at your best command, "At your employment, at your fervice, Sir. "No Sir, fays queftion, I, fweet Sir, at your's."And fo ere answer knows what question would, "Serving in dialogue of compliment; "And talking of the Alps and Apennines, "The Pyrenean and the river Po; "It draws towards fupper in conclufion, fo. "But this is worshipful fociety, And fits the mounting fpirit like myself: For he is but a baftard to the time, But from the inward motion to deliver Sweet, fweet, fweet poifon for the age's tooth ; i e. formally bearded. † A nonfenfical line of the players. |