Two such controlling bounds shall you be, kings, Lions more confident, mountains and rocks As we to keep this city. Bast. Here's a stay, That shakes the rotten carcase of old death seas; And talks familiarly of roaring lions, He speaks plain cannon, fire, and smoke, and bounce; He gives the bastinado with his tongue; Eli. Son, list to this conjunction, make this Give with our niece a dowry large enough: Mark, how they whisper: urge them, while their souls Are capable of this ambition: Lest zeal, now melted, by the windy breath Of soft petitions, pity and remorse, 1 Cit. Why answer not the double majesties This friendly treaty of our threaten'd town? K. Phi. Speak England first, that hath been forward first To speak unto this city: What say you? K.John. If that the dauphin there, thy princely son, Can in this book of beauty read, I love, As she in beauty, education, blood, K. Phi. What say'st thou, boy? look in the lady's face. Lew. I do, my lord, and in her eye I find A wonder, or a wondrous miracle, The shadow of myself form'd in her eye; Which, being but the shadow of your son, Becomes a sun, and makes your son a shadow : Till now infixed I beheld myself, Drawn in the flattering table of her eye. [Whispers with BLANCH. Bast. Drawn in the flattering table of her eye! Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow!he doth espy And quarter'd in her heart! Himself love's traitor: This is pity now, That hang'd, and drawn, and quarter'd, there should be, In such a love, so vile a lout as he. Blanch. My uncle's will, in this respect, is mine: If he see aught in you, that makes him like, That any thing he sees, which moves his liking, That I can find should merit any hate. K. John. What say these young ones? What say you, my niece? Blanch. That she is bound in honour still to do What you in wisdom shall vouchsafe to say. K. John. Speak then, prince Dauphin; can you love this lady? Lew. Nay, ask me, if I can refrain from love; For I do love her most unfeignedly. K. John. Then do I give Volquessen, Touraine, Poictiers, and Anjou, these five provinces, Aust. And your lips too; for, I am well assur'd, That I did so, when I was first assur'd.9 K. Phi. Now, citizens of Angiers, ope your gates, Let in that amity which you have made; For at saint Mary's chapel, presently, The rites of marriage shall be solemniz'd.— Is not the lady Constance in this troop?I know, she is not; for this match, made up, Her presence would have interrupted much : · Where is she and her son? tell me, who knows. Affianced. Lew. She is sad and passionate at your high ness' tent. K. Phi. And, by my faith, this league, that we have made, Will give her sadness very little cure.— way, K. John. We will heal up all; For we'll create young Arthur duke of Bretagne, And earl of Richmond; and this rich fair town We make him lord of. - Call the lady Constance; Some speedy messenger bid her repair To our solemnity:-I trust we shall, If not fill up the measure of her will, Yet in some measure satisfy her so, That we shall stop her exclamation. Go we, as well as haste will suffer us, To this unlook'd for unprepared pomp. Exeunt all but the Bastard. The Citizens retire from the walls. Bast. Mad world! mad kings! mad composition! And France, (whose armour conscience buckled on; The world, who of itself is peised3 well, 1 Mournful. - 2 Conspired. 3 Poised, balanced. Makes it take head from all indifferency, Clapp'd on the outward eye of fickle France, peace. But for because he hath not woo'd me yet: To say, Since kings break faith upon commodity, Gain, be my lord! for I will worship thee! [Exit. ACT THE THIRD. SCENE I. The French King's Tent. Enter CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and SALISBURY. Con. Gone to be married! gone to swear a peace! False blood to false blood join'd! Gone to be friends! |