K. Philip. Bind up your hairs.

Conft. Yes, that I will; and wherefore will I do it?
I tore them from their bonds, and cry'd aloud,
O, that these hands could fo redeem my son,
As they have giv'n these hairs their liberty!
But now I envy at their liberty,

And will again commit them to their bonds;
Because my poor child is a prifoner,

And, father Cardinal, I have heard you say,

That we shall see and know our friends in heav'n ;~
If that be, I fhall fee my boy again.

For fince the birth of Cain, the first male-child,
To him that did but yefterday fufpire,
There was not fuch a gracious creature born.
But now will canker forrow eat my bud,
And chafe the native beauty from his cheek;
And he will look as hollow as a ghoft;
As dim and meagre as an ague's fit;
And fo he'll die; and, rifing fo again,
When I fhall meet him in the court of heav'n
I fhall not know him; therefore never, never,
Muft I behold my pretty Arthur more, s
Pand. You hold too heinous a refpect of grief.:
Conft. He talks to me, that never had a fom
K. Philip. You are as fond of grief, as of your child.
Conft. Grief fills the room up of my abfent child;
Lyes in his bed, walks up and down with me; mas &
Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words,
Remembers me of all his gracious parts;
Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form;
Then have I reafon to be fond of griefs
Fare you well; had you fuck a lofs as Id
I could give better comfort than you do?
I will not keep this form upon my head,

[Tearing off her bead-cloaths. When there is fuch diforder in my wit. Olord, my boy, my Arthur, my fair fon!

My life, my joy, my food, my all the world!
My widow-comfort, and my forrow's cure! [Exit.
K. Philip. I fear fome outrage, and I'll follow her.
[Exit.

Lewis. There's nothing in this world can make me

joy;

Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale,

Vexing the dull ear of a drowfie man.'

A bitter fhame hath spoilt the fweet world's tafte,
That it yields nought but fhame and bitternefs.
Pand. Before the curing of a ftrong disease,
Ev'n in the inftant of repair and health,
The fit is ftrongeft: evils that take leave,
On their departure, moft of all fhew evil.
What have you loft by lofing of this day?
Lewis. All days of glory, joy, and happiness.
Pand. If you had won it, certainly, you had.
No, no when fortune means to men moft good,
She looks upon them with a threat'ning eye.
'Tis ftrange to think how much King John hath loft
In this, which he accounts fo clearly won.

Are not you griev'd, that Arthur is his prifoner?
Lewis. As heartily, as he is glad he hath him.
Pand. Your mind is all as youthful as your blood.
Now hear me fpeak with a prophetick fpirit;
For ev❜n the breath of what I mean to speak
Shall blow each duft, each straw, each little rub,
Out of the path which fhall directly lead
Thy foot to England's throne: and therefore mark.
John hath feiz'd Arthur, and it cannot be
That whilft warm life plays in that infant's veins,
The mifplac'd John fhould entertain an hour,
A minute, nay, one quiet breath, of rest,
A fcepter, fnatch'd with an unruly hand,
Must be as boift'roufly maintain'd, as gain'd.

" And

"And he, that stands upon a flippr'y place,
"Makes nice of no vile hold to ftay him up."
That John may ftand, then Arthur needs muft fall;
So be it, for it cannot be but fo.

Lewis. But what fhall I gain by young Arthur's
fall?

Pand. You, in the right of lady Blanch your wife,
May then make all the claim that Arthur, did.
Lewis. And lofe it, life and all, as Arthur did.
Pand. How green you are, and fresh in this old
world?

John lays you plots; the times confpire with you;
For he, that steeps his fafety in true blood,
Shall find but bloody fafety and untrue.

"This act, fo evilly born, fhall cool the hearts
"Of all his people, and freeze up their zeal;
"That no fo fmall advantage fhall step forth
"To check his reign, but they will cherish it.
"No nat'ral exhalation in the sky,

"No 'fcape of nature, no diftemper'd day, "No common wind, no customed event, "But they will pluck away its nat'ral caufe, "And call them meteors, prodigies, and figns, "Abortives, and prefages, tongues of heav'n "Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John." Lewis. May be, he will not touch young Arthur's life;

But hold himself fafe in his prifonment.

Pand. O Sir, when he fhall hear of your approach, If that young Arthur be not gone already. Ev'n at this news he dies: and then the hearts Of all his people fhall revolt from him,

1 No 'fcape of nature,-] The author very finely calls a monftrous birth, an efcape of nature. As if it were produced while fhe was bufy elsewhere, or intent on fome other thing. But the Oxford Editor will have it, that Shakespear wrote,

No fhape of nature.

Ff 4

And

And kils the lips of unacquainted change;
And pick ftrong matter of revolt and wrath,"
Out of the bloody fingers' ends of John.
Methinks, I fee this hurly all on foot;
And O, what better matter breeds for you
Than I have nam'd! The baftard Faulconbridge
Is now in England, ranfacking the church,
Offending charity. If but twelve French
Were there in arms, they would be as a call
To train ten thousand English to their fide;
Or, as a little fnow, tumbled about,
Anon becomes a mountain. Noble Dauphin;
Go with me to the King: 'tis wonderful Y
What may be wrought out of their discontent.
Now that their fouls are top-full of offence,pra
For England go will whet on the King.
Lewis. Strong reafon makes strong actions: let us go;
If you fay ay, the King will not fay no.

ACTIV.

2

[Exeant.

IVOS CENEI

વ

A

HUBERT WAY TOO LA

HEAT me thefe irons hot, and, look, thou stand

Within the arras; when I ftrike my foot Upon the bofom of the ground, rush forth; And bind the boy, which you fhall find with me, Faft to the chair: be heedful; hence, and watch Exchope your warrant will bear out the deed.

Hub

Hub. Uncleanly féruples! fear not you, look to t Young lad, come forth; I have to fay with you.

Enter Arthur.

Arth. Good morrow, Hubert.

Hub Good morrow, little prince.

Arth. As little prince (having fo great a title To be more prince) as may be. You are fad. Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.

Arth. Mercy on melk

་ ་ ་ ན

Methinks, no body should be fad but I
Yet I remember when I was in France, and
Young gentlemen would be as fad as night,
Only for wantonnefs. By my chriftendom!/
So were I out of prifon, and kept fheep, as wel
I fhould be merry as the day is long. tin x
And fo I would be here, but that, I doubt,con
My uncle practifes more harm to me. yil may h
He is afraid of me, and I of him.

1

Is it my fault, that I was Geffrey's fon?
Indeed, it is not; and I would to heav'n,
I were your fon, fo you would love me, Hubert.
Hub. If I talk to him, with his innocent prate
He will awake my mercy, which lyes dead;
Therefore I will be fudden, and dispatch.

[Afide. Arth. Are you fick, Hubert? you look pale to day;

In footh, I wou'd, you were a little fick;
That I might fit all night and watch with you.
Alas, I love you more than you do me.

Hub. His words do take poffeffion of my bofom. Read here, young Arthur [Shewing a paper. TA [Afide.

How now, foolish rheum, od Sal
Turning dif-piteous (a) nature out of door!^
I must be brief, left refolution drop
Qut at miné eyes in tender womanish tears.-
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?

[(a) nature Oxford Editor Vulg. torture.]

Arth.