THE

LIFE and DEATH

O F

KING JO II n.

U 2

King JOHN.

Prince Heary, Son to the King.

Arthur Duke of Bretagne, and Nephew to the King

Faulconbridge, Baftard-fon to Richard the First. Robert Faulconbridge, fuppofed Brother to the Bastard.. James Gurney, Servant to the Lady Faulconbridge. Peter of Pomfret, a Prophet.

Philip, King of France.
Lewis the Dauphin.

Arch-Duke of Auftria.

Cardinal Pandulpho, the Pope's Legate.

Melun, a French Lord.

Chatilion, Ambaffador from France to King John.

Elinor, Queen Mother of England.

Conftance, Mother to Arthur.

Blanch, Daughter to Alphonfo King of Caftile, and Niece 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.

KING JOHN(1).

A C T I.

SCENE, 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?

Now

Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of In my behaviour to the Majelty,

The borrowed Majefty of England here.

[France,

Eli. A ftrange beginning; borrowed Majefty! K. John. Silence, good mother; bear the embaffy.

(1) The Life and Death] Though this play have this title, yet the action of it begins at the thirty-fourth year of his life; and takes in only fome tranfactions of his reign to the time of his demife, being an interval of about feventeen years. Of all the English Princes, (as Mr Warburton obferved to me,) that Shakespeare has taken into tragedy, King John was the fittest to have made a hero for a tragedy on the ancient plan: Henry IV. V. and VIII. had qualities great enough for it, but were generally fortunate. Richara 11. and Henry VI. (fit verbo venia) were, at times, little better than poltrons: and Richard III. was fo black a villain, that the Ancients would have thought him fitter for a gibbet than a ftage. But John had that turbulence and grardeur of the paffions, that inconftancy of temper, that equal mixture of good and ill, and that feries of misfortunes confequent thereto, as might make him very fit for a hero in a jult compofition.

Chat. Philip of France, in right and true behalf. Of thy deceased brother Geffry's fon, Arthur Plantagenet, kays lawful claim To this fair ifland, and the territories, To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine;: Defiring thee to lay afide the fword, Which fways ufurpingly thefe feveral titles, And put the fame into young Arthur's hand, Thy nephew, and right royal fovereign.

K. John What follows, if we difallow of this? Chat.Theproud controul of fierce and bloody war, T" inforce thefe 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 The fartheft limit of my embaffy.

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

[Exit Chat, and Pem.

Eli. What now, my fon, have I not ever faid, How that ambitious Conftance would not cease Till fhe 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 eafy arguments of love;

Which now the manage of two kingdoms must
With fearful, bloody iffue arbitrate.

Eus.

K. John. Our strong poffeffion, and our right for Eli. Your ftrong 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 Heaven, and you, and i fhall hear
Efex. My Liege, here is the ftrangest controverfy
Come from the country to be judged by you,
That e'er I heard; fhrall I produce the men?
K. John. Let them approach.

Our abbeys and our priories fhall pay

This expedition's charge. What men are you?
Enter ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP his
Brother.

Phi. Your faithful fubject, I, a gentleman
Born in Northamptonfhire, and eldest fon,
As I fuppofe, to Robert Faulconbridge,
A foldier, 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 Faulcon-
bridge.

K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother then, it feems?

Phi. 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 Heaven, and to my mother; Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.

Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou doft fhame thy mother,

And wound her honour with this diffidence.

Phi. 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: Heaven guard my mother's honour, and my land!