Whose sons lie scatter'd on the bleeding ground : Enter English Herald, with Trumpets. E. Her. Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells; King John, your king and England's, doth approach, Commander of this hot malicious day! 321 Their armours, that march'd hence so silver-bright, That is removed by a staff of France; Our colours do return in those same hands That did display them when we first march'd forth; 330 Cit. Heralds, from off our towers we might behold, From first to last, the onset and retire By our best eyes cannot be censured: Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows; Strength Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power: Both are alike; and both alike we like. One must prove greatest: while they weigh so even, We hold our town for neither; yet for both. 340 Enter the two Kings with their Powers, at several Doors. K. John. France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away? Say, shall the current of our right run on? Whose passage vext with thy impediment, A peaceful progress to the ocean. K. Phil. England, thou hast not sav'd one drop of blood, 350 In this hot trial, more than we of France; bear, Or add a royal number to the dead ; Gracing the scroll, that tells of this war's loss, And now he feasts, mouthing the flesh of men, Then let confusion of one part confirm The other's peace; 'till then, blows, blood, and death! K. John. Whose party do the townsmen yet admit ? K. Phil. Speak, citizens, for England; who's your king? Cit. The king of England, when we know the king. K. Phil. Know him in us, that here hold up his right. K. John. In us, that are our own great deputy, 371 Cit. A greater power, than ye, denies all this; And, 'till it be undoubted, we do lock Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates: King'd of our fears; until our fears, resolv'd, Be by some certain king purg'd and depos'd. Faulc. By heaven, these scroyles of Angiers flout you, kings; And stand securely on their battlements, As in a theatre, whence they gape and point Be friends a while, and both conjointly bend 380 Your Your sharpest deeds of malice on this town: Leave them as naked as the vulgar air. And part your mingled colours once again; Turn face to face, and bloody point to point : 391 To whom in favour she shall give the day, How like you this wild counsel, mighty states? 400 K. John. Now, by the sky that hangs above our I like it well :-France, shall we knit our powers, Then, after, fight who shall be king of it? Faulc. An if thou hast the mettle of a kingBeing wrong'd, as we are, by this peevish townTurn thou the mouth of thy artillery, As we will ours, against these saucy walls: 410 And when that we have dash'd them to the ground, K. John. We from the west will send destruction Into this city's bosom. Aust. I from the north. K. Phil. Our thunder from the south, Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. 420 Faulc. O prudent discipline! From north to south; Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth: I'll stir them to it: Come, away, away! [Aside. Cit. Hear us, great kings: vouchsafe a while to : stay, And I shall shew you peace, and fair-fac'd league; K. John. Speak on, with favour; we are bent to hear.. 430 Cit. That daughter there of Spain, the lady Blanch, Is near to England; Look upon the years Of Lewis the dauphin, and that lovely maid: If lusty love should go in quest of beauty, Where should he find it fairer than in Blanch? If zealous love should go in search of virtue, Where should he find it purer than in Blanch? If love ambitious sought a match of birth, Whose veins bound richer blood than lady Blanch? Is the young dauphin every way complete: 440 And |