THE

LIFE and DEATH

O F

KING FOHN

Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Neice to King John.
Lady Faulconbridge, Mother to the Baftard and Robert Faulconbridge.

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

The SCENE fometimes in England, and fometimes

in France.

THE

+ The LIFE and DEATH of

King

FO H N.

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Court of ENGLAND.

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

King JOHN.

OW fay, Chatilion, what would France with us? Chat. Thus, after greeting, fpeaks the King of France,

In my behaviour to the Majefty,

The borrow'd Majefty of England here.

Eli. A ftrange beginning; borrow'd Majesty!

K. John. Silence, good mother, hear the embaffie.
Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's Son,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays lawful claim

To this fair Island, and the territories:

†The troublefom reign of K. John was written in two parts by W. Shakespear and W. Rowley, and printed 1611. But the prefent Play is entirely different, and infinitely Superior to it.

Το

To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine:
Defiring thee to lay afide the fword
Which fways ufurpingly these several titles,
And put the fame into young Arthur's hand,
Thy nephew, and right royal Soveraign.

K. John. What follows, if we difallow 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; fo answer France.

Chat. Then take my King's defiance from my mouth, The fartheft limit of my embaffie.

K. John. Bear mine to him, and fo 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 fhall be heard.
So hence! be thou the trumpet of our wrath,
And fullen presage of your own decay.
An honourable conduct let him have,
Pembroke look to't; farewel Chatilion.

[Ex. Chat. and Pem.

Eli. What now, my fon, have I not ever said
How that ambitious Conftance would not cease
'Till she 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 eafie arguments of love;

Which now the manage of two kingdoms must

With fearful, bloody iffue, 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 confcience whispers in your ear,

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

Effex. My Liege, here is the ftrangest controversie Come from the country to be judg'd by you

That e'er I heard: fhall I produce the men?

K. John. Let them approach.

Our abbies and our priories fhall pay

This expedition's charge-- What men are you?

Enter Robert Faulconbridge and the Baftard.

Baft. Your faithful subject, I, a gentleman
Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son,
As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge,
A soldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.
K. John. What art thou?

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 seems?

Baft. Most 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 men's children may.

Eli. Out on thee, rude man, thou doft shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence.

Baft. 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?