Enter a Messenger. K. John. They burn in indignation; I repent. [Afide. A fearful eye thou haft; where is that blood, [To the Mif That I have feen inhabit in those cheeks? So foul a sky clears not without a storm; Pour down thy weather: how goes all in France? Mef. From France to England never such a power, For any foreign preparation, Was levy'd in the body of a land. The copy of your speed is learn'd by them: K. John. O, where hath our intelligence been drunk? Mef. My Liege, her ear Is ftopt with duft: the first of April, dy'd Three days before: but this from rumour's tongue K. John. With-hold thy fpeed, dreadful occafion! Enter Faulconbridge, and Peter of Pomfret, With thefe ill tidings. Now, what fays the world Faul. But if you be afraid to hear the worst, K. Joba. K. John. Bear with me, Coufin; for I was amaz'd Under the tide; but now I breath again Aloft the flood, and can give audience, To any tongue, speak it of what it will. Faulc. How I have fped among the clergymen, The fums I have collected fhall exprefs. But as I travell'd hither thro' the land, I find the people ftrangely fantafied; Poffeft with rumours, full of idle dreams; Not knowing what they fear, but full of fear, And here's a Prophet that I brought with me From forth the ftreets of Pomfret, whom I found With many hundreds treading on his heels: To whom he fung in rude harsh-founding rhimes, That, ere the next Afcenfion-day at noon, Your Highness should deliver up your crown. K. John. Thou idle dreamer, wherefore did'ft thou fo? Peter. Fore-knowing, that the truth will fall out fo. K. John. Hubert, away with him, imprison him, And on that day at noon, whereon he says I fhall yield up my crown, let him be hang'd. For I must use thee. O my gentle coufin, [Exit Hubert, with Peter. Hear'ft thou the news abroad, who are arriv'd ?⠀ Faulc. The French, my Lord; men's mouths are full of it: Befides, I met lord Bigot and lord Salisbury, With eyes as red as new-enkindled fire, K. John. Gentle kinfman, go And thrust thyself into their company: Faulc. I will feek them out. K. John. Nay, but make haste: the better foot before. O, let me have no fubject enemies, When adverse foreigners affright my towns With dreadful pomp of ftout invafion. Be Mercury, fet feathers to thy heels ; And fly, like thought, from them to me again. [Exit. K. John. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman. Go after him; for he, perhaps, fhall need Some meffenger betwixt me and the Peers; Mef. With all my heart, my Liege. K. John. My mother dead! Enter Hubert. [Exit. Hub. My lord, they fay, five moons were seen to night: Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about The other four, in wond'rous motion. K. John. Five moons? Hub. Old men and beldams, in the streets, Do prophefie upon it dangeroufly: Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths; And he, that speaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrift, Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. K. John. Why feek'ft thou to poflefs me with these fears? Why urgeft thou fo oft young Arthur's death? To with him dead, but thou had'ft none to kill him. Hub. Hub. Had none, my Lord? why, did you not provoke me? K. John. It is the curfe of Kings, to be attended To understand a law, to know the meaning Hub. Here is your hand and feal, for what I did. Is to be made, then fhall this hand and feal How oft the fight of means, to do ill deeds, K. John. Hadft thou but shook thy head, or made a When I fpake darkly what I purposed: Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face, Deep fhame had ftruck me dumb, made me break off, And didft in figns again parley with fin; The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name. Ev'n at my gates, with ranks of foreign pow'rs; This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath, Between my confcience, and my coufin's death. The dreadful motion of a murd'rous thought, Is yet the cover of a fairer mind, Than to be butcher of an innocent child. K. John. Doth Arthur live? O, hafte thee to the Peers, Prefented thee more hideous than thou art. [Exeunt SCENE, a Street before a Prison. Arth. T HE wall is high, and yet will I leap down. If I get down, and do not break my limbs, [Leaps down. Enter |