KING John.

Prince Henry, Son to the King.

Arthur, Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King.

Pembroke,

Effex,

Salisbury, English Lords.

Hubert,

Bigot,

Faulconbridge, Bastard-Son to Richard the First. Robert Faulconbridge, suppos'd Brother to the Baftard. James Gurney, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge.

Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet.

Philip, King of France.

Lewis, the Dauphin.

Arch-Duke of Austria.

Card. Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate.

Melun, a French Lord.

Chatilion, Ambassador from France to King John.

Elinor, Queen-Mother of England.
Conftance, Mother to Arthur.

Blanch, Daughter to Alphonso King of Caftile, and Neice

to King John.

Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Bastard, and Robert

Faulconbridge.

Citizens of Angiers, Heralds, Executioners, Messengers,
Soldiers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE, sometimes in England; and,
Sometimes, in France.

THE THE

(1) The LIFE and DEATH of

KING JOHN.

SCENE, The Court of England.

Enter King John, Queen Elinor, Pembroke, Effex, and Salisbury, with Chatilion.

N

King JOHN.

OW, fay, Chatilion, what would France

with us?

Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the
King of France,
In my behaviour, to the Majesty,
The borrow'd Majesty of England here.

Eli. A strange beginning; borrow'd Majesty!
K. John. Silence, good mother; hear the embaffie.

(1) The Life and Death] Tho' this Play have this Title, yet the Action of it begins at the thirty-fourth Year of his Life; and takes in only some Transactions of his Reign to the Time of his Demise, being an Interval of about seventeen Years.

Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's fon,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful claim
To this fair ifland, and the territories:
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine:
Defiring thee to lay aside the sword,
Which sways ufurpingly these several titles;
And put the fame into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew, and right-royal Sovereign.

K. John. What follows, if we disallow of this? Chat. The proud controul of fierce and bloody war, T' inforce these rights fo forcibly with-held.

K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood,

Controulment for controulment; so answer France. Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The farthest limit of my embassie.

K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace. Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France, For ere thou canst report, I will be there, The thunder of my cannon shall be heard. So, hence! be thou the trumpet of our wrath, And sullen presage of your own decay. An honourable conduct let him have, Pembroke, look to't; farewel, Chatilion.

[Exeunt Chat. and Pem.

Eli. What now, my son, have I not ever faid,
How that ambitious Constance would not cease,
Till the had kindled France and all the world,
Upon the right and party of her fon ?
This might have been prevented, and made whole
With very easy arguments of love;
Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful, bloody, issue arbitrate.

K. John. Our strong poffeffion, and our right for us.
Eli. Your strong poffeffion much more than your

right,

Or else it must go wrong with you and me ;
So much my conscience whispers in your ear,

Which none but heav'n, and you, and I shall hear.

Effex. My Liege, here is the strangest controverfie,

Come from the country to be judg'd by you,
That e'er I heard: shall I produce the men ?
K. John. Let them approach.
Our abbies and our priories shall pay
This expedition's charge What men are you ?

Enter Robert Faulconbridge, and Philip, his Brother.

Phil. Your faithful subject, I, a gentleman

Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son,
As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge,
A foldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Cœur-de-lion knighted in the field.
K. John. What art thou ?
Robert. The fon and heir to that same Faulconbridge.
K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir ?
You came not of one mother then, it seems ?

Phil. Moft certain of one mother, mighty King,
That is well known; and, as I think, one father :
But for the certain knowledge of that truth,
I put you o'er to heav'n, and to my mother;
Of that I doubt, as all mens' children may.

Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame 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 least 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 slander'd me with bastardy :
But whether I be true begot or no,

That still I lay upon my mother's head;

But that I am as well begot, my Liege,

(Fair fall the bones, that took the pains for me!)

Compare our faces, and be judge yourself.

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