That he is not only plagued for her fin,
But God hath made her fin and her the plague
On this removed iffue, plagu'd for her,
And with her plague her fin; his injury,
Her injury, the beadle to her fin,
All punish'd in the perfon of this child,
And all for her, a plague upon her!

Eli. Thou unadvis'a fcold, I can produce

A will, that bars the title of thy fon.

Const. Ay, who doubts that? a will!-a wicked wilf; A woman's will, a cankred grandam's will.

K. Phil. Peace, Lady; paufe, or be more temperatex It ill befeems this prefence to cry aim

To thefe ill-tuned repetitions.

Some trumpet fummon hither to the walls

Thefe men of Angiers; let us hear them speak.
Whofe title they admit, Arthur's or John's.

[Trumpet founds.

Enter a Citizen upon the Walls.

Cit. Who is it, that hath warn'd us to the walls? K. Philip. "Tis France, for England.

K. John. England for itself;

You men of Angiers and my loving fubjects

K. Philip. You loving men of Angiers, Arthur's subjects, Our trumpet call'd you to this gentle parle

K. John. For our advantage; therefore hear us firft:
Thefe flags of France, that are advanced here
Before the eye and prospect of your town,
Have hither march'd to your endamagement.
The cannons have their bowels full of wrath
And ready mounted are they to fpit forth
Their iron indignation 'gainst your walls :
All preparations for a bloody fiege

And, merciless proceeding, by thefe French,
Confront your city's eyes, your winking gates;
And but for our approach, thofe fleeping stones,
That as a wafte do girdle you about,
By the compulfion of their ordinance
By this time from their fixed beds of lime
VOL. III.

Had

Had been difhabited, and wide havock made
For bloody power to rush upon your peace.
But on the fight of us your lawful King,
(Who painfully with much expedient march
Have brought a counter-check before your gates,
To fave unfcratch'd your city's threatned cheeks)
Behold, the French, amaz'd, vouchfafe a parle;
And now, instead of bullets wrap'd in fire,
To make a fhaking fever in your walls,
They fhoot but calm words folded up in fmoak,
To make a faithlefs error in your ears;
Which truft accordingly, kind citizens;
And let in us, your King, whofe labour'd fpirits,
Fore-weary'd in this action of fwift fpeed,
Crave harbourage within your city-walls.

K. Philip. When I have faid, make answer to us bothe
Lo! in this right hand, whofe protection
Is most divinely vow'd upon the right
Of him it holds, ftands young Plantagenet;
Son to the elder brother of this man,
And King o'er him, and all that he enjoys.
For this down-trodden equity, we tread

In warlike march thefe greens before your town:
Being no further enemy to you,

Than the conftraint of hofpitable zeal,
In the relief of this opprefled child,
Religiously provokes. Be pleafed then
To pay that duty, which you truly owe
To him that owns it ; namely, this young Prince.
And then our arms, like to a muzzled bear,
Save in afpect, hath all offence feal'd up:
Our cannons malice vainly shall be spent
Against th' invulnerable clouds of heav'n;
And with a bleffed, and unvext retire,

With unhack'd fwords, and helmets all unbruis'd,
We will bear home that lufty blood again,
Which here we came to fpout against your town ;
And leave your children, wives, and you in peace.
But if you fondly país your proffer'd offer,
"Tis not the rounder of your old-fac'd walls

Can

Can hide you from our meffengers of war
Tho' all thefe English, and their difcipline,
Were harbour'd in their rude circumference.
Then tell us, shall your city call us Lord,
In that behalf which we have challeng'd it?
Or fhall we give the fignal to our rage,
And talk in blood to our poffeffion?

Cit. In brief, we are the King of England's fubjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town.

K. John. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. Cit. That can we not; but he that proves the King, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world.

K.John. Doth not the crown of England prove the King? And if not that, I bring you witneffes,

Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed ———
Faulc. (Baftards, and elfe.)

K. John. To verify our title with their lives.
K.Philip. As many, and as well-born bloods as thofe
Faulc. (Some baftards too.)

K. Philip. Stand in his face to contradict his claim. Cit. Till you compound, whofe right is worthieft, We for the worthieft hold the right from both.

K. John. Then God forgive the fin of all thofe fouls, That to their everlafting 'refidence,

Before the dew of evening fall, shall fleet,

In dreadful trial of our kingdom's King!

K. Philip. Amen, amen.—Mount, chevaliers, to arms!
Faule. Saint George, that fwing'd the dragon, and e'er

Sits on his horfeback at mine hoftefs' door,
-Teach us fome fence. Sirrah, were I at home
At your den, firrah, with your lionnefs,

I'd fet an ox-head to your lion's hide,

And make a menfter of you.

Auft. Peace, no more.

[fince

[To Auftria,

Faulc. O, tremble; for you hear the lion roar. K.John. Up higher to the plain, where we'll set forth

In beft appointment all our regiments.

Faule. Speed then to take th' advantage of the field.

K. Philip. It fhall be fo; and at the other hill Command the reft to ftand. God, and our right!

[Exeunt.

A long charge founded: then, after excurficns, enter the Herald of France with Trumpets to the gates.

F. Her. You men of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur Duke of Bretagne in; Who by the hand of France this day hath made Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whofe fons lie fcatter'd on the bleeding ground: And many a widow's hufband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the difcolour'd earth; While victory with little lofs doth play Upon the dancing banners of the French; Who are at hand triumphantly difplay'd, To eater conquerors; and to proclaim Arthur of Bretagne, England's King, and yours.

Enter English Herald with Trumpets.

E. Her. Rejoice, you men of Angiers; ring your bells; King John, your King and England's, doth approach, Commander of this hot malicious day.

Their amours, that march'd hence fo filver-bright,
Hither return all gilt in Frenchinens blood.
There ftuck no plume in any English crest,
That is removed by a staff of France.

Our colours do return in thofe fame hands,
That did display them when we first march'd forth;
And, like a jolly troop of huntsmen, come
Our lufty English, all with purpled hands;
Dy'd in the dying flaughter of their foes.
Open your gates, and give the victors way.

Cit. Heralds, from off our tow'rs we might behold,
From first to laft, the onfet and retire
Of both your armies, whofe equality
By our beft eyes cannot be cenfured;

Blood hath bought blood, and blows have anfwer'd blows; Strength mitch'd with ftrength, and power confronted Both are alike, and both alike we like;

[power.

One

One must prove greateft. While they weigh fo even, We hold our town for neither; yet for both.

Enter the two Kings with their Powers, at feveral doors.

K John. France, haft thou yet more blood to caft away? Say, thall the current of our right run on ? Whofe paffage, vext with thy impediment, Shall leave his native channel, and o'er-fwell With courfe difturb'd ev'n thy confining fhores; Unless thou let his filver water keep

A peaceful progrefs to the ocean.

K. Philip. England, thou hast not fav'd one drop of blood
In this hot trial, more than we of France ;
Rather loft more. And by this hand I swear,
That fways the earth this climate overlooks,
Before we will lay by our juft-borne arms,
We'll put thee down, 'gainst whom thefe arms we bear;
Or add a royal number to the dead ;

Gracing the feroul, that tells of this war's lofs,
With flaughter coupled to the name of Kings.

Faule. Ha! Majefty, how high thy glory towers When the rich blood of Kings is iet on fire!

Oh, now doth death line his dead chaps with fteel;, The fwords of foldiers are his teeth, his phangs; And now he fealls, mouthing the flesh of men

In undetermin'd diff'rences of Kings.

Why ftand thefe royal fronts amazed thus ?
Cry havock, Kings; back to the ftained field,
You equal Potents, fiery-kindled fpirits!
Then let confufion of one part confirm

The other's peace; till then, blows, blood, and death.
K, John. Whole party do the townfmen yet admit ?
K.Phil. Speak, citizens, for England, who's your King
Cit. The King of England, when we know the King.
K.Philip. Know him in us, that here hold up his right..
K. John. In us, that are our own great deputy,
And bear poffeffion of our perfon here;
Lord of our prefence, Angiers, and of you.