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 lies dead;
Therefore I will be fudden, and dispatch.

[Afide. rth. 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→→→

How now, foolish rheum,

[Shewing a paper.

Turning dif-piteous torture out of door!
I must be brief, left refolution drop

Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.—
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?

Arth Too fairly, Hubert, for fo foul effect.
Muft you with irons burn out both mine eyes?
Hub. Young boy, I mu

Arth. And will you?

Hub. And I will.

[Afide

Arth Have you the heart? when your head did but ake, Fknit my handkerchief about your brows;

The best I had, a Princefs wrought it me)

And I did never afk it you, again;

And with my hand at midnight held your head;
And, like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon chear'd up the heavy time,
Saying, what lack you? and where lies your grief?
Or what good love, may, I perform for you?
Many a poor man's fon would have lain ftili,
And ne'er have fpoke a loving word to you;
But you at your fick fervice had a Prince.
Nay, you may think, my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning. Do, an if you will:
If heav'n be pleas'd that you must use, me ill,
Why then, you must-Will you put out mine eyes ? .
Thefe eyes, that never did, nor never thall,

So

So much as frown on you.

Hub. I've fworn to do it;

And with hot irons muft I burn them out.

Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it. The iron of itself, tho' heat red hot,

Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears,
And quench its fiery indignation,

Even in the matter of mine innocence:
Nay, after that, confume away in ruft,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye..

Are you more ftubborn, hard, than hammer'd iron ?.
Oh! if an angel fhould have come to me,

And told me, Hubert fhould put out mine eyes,

Iwould not have believ'd him : no tongue, but Hubert's... Hub. Come forth; do, as I bid you do.

[Stamps, and the men enter. Arth. O fave me, Hubert! fave me! my eyes are out, Ev'n with the fierce looks of thefe bloody men.

Hub. Give me the iron, I fay, and bind him here.
Arth. Alas, what need you be fo boift'rous-rough?
I will not ftruggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heav'n fake, Hubert, let me not be bound..
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will fit as quiet as a lamb..

I will not ftir, nor wince, nor fpeak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily:

Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to,

Hub. Go, ftand within; let me alone with him.
Exe. I am beft pleas'd to be from fuch a deed. [Exeunt.
Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend d;.

He hath aftern look, but a gentle heart;

Let him come back, that his compaffion may

Give, life to yours.

Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.

Arth. Is there no remedy?

Hub. None, but to lose your eyes.

Arth. O heav'n! that there were but a moth in yours,

A grain, a duft, a gnat, a wand'ring hair,

Any

Any annoyance in that precious fenfe:

Then, feeling what fmall things are boift'rous there, Your vile intent must needs feem horrible.

Hub. Is this your promife? go to,hold your tongue.Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Muft needs want pleading for a pair of eyes: Let me not hold my tongue: let me not, Hubert ;: Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, So I may keep mine eyes. O fpare mine eyes! Though to no use, but still to look on you.. Lo, by my troth, the inftrument is cold, And would not harm me.

Hub. I can heat it, boy.

Arth. No, in good footh, the fire is dead with grief,. Being create for comfort, to be us'd

In undefervid extreams; fee elfe yourself,
There is no malice in this burning coal;
The breath of heav'n hath blown its spirit out,
And ftrew'd repentant afhes on its head.

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush,.
And glow with fhame of your proceedings, Hubert:
Nay, it, perchance, will sparkle in your eyes:
And like a dog, that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his mafter that doth tarre him on.
All things, that you should ufe to do me wrong,
Deny their office; only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking ufes.

Hub. Well, fee to live; I will not touch thine eye,

For all the treafure that thine uncle owns:

Yet am I fworn; and I did purpose, boy,

With this fame very iron to burn them out.

Arth. O, now you look like Hubert, All this while You were disguised..

Hub. Peace: no more.

Adieu,..

Your uncle must not know but you are dead.
F'll fill thefe dogged fpies with falfe reports:
And, pretty child, fleep doubtlefs, and fecure,

Tha

1

That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,.
Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heav'n! I thank you, Hubert.

Hub. Silence, no more; go clofely in with me.
Much danger do I undergo for thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Court of England. Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lords.

K.John. Hand look'd upon, I hope, with chearful eyes,

ERE once again we fit,once again crown'd,

Pemb. This once again, but that your Highness pleas'd,
Was once fuperfluous; you were crown'd before,
And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off:
The faiths of men, ne'er stained with revolt;
Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long'd-for change, or better state..

Sal. Therefore to be poffefs'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before

To gild refined gold, to paint the lilly,
To throw a perfume on the violet,.
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To feek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish,
Is wafteful and ridiculous excefs.

Pemb. But that your royal pleasure must be done,
This act is as an ancient tale new-told,

And in the last repeating troublesome ;

Being urged at a time unfeasonable.

Sal. In this the antique and well-noted face-
Of plain old form is much disfigured;

And, like a shifted wind, unto a fail

It makes the courfe of thoughts to fetch about;
Startles and frights confideration;

Makes found opinion fick, and truth fufpected,
For putting on fo new a fashion'd robe.

Pemb. When workmen ftrive to do better than well,

They.

They do confound their skill in covetousness; (21);
And oftentimes excufing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worse by the excufe:
As patches, fet upon a little breach,
Difcredit more in hiding of the fault,
Than did the fault before it was fo patch'd.

Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd,
We breath'd our counfel; but it pleas'd your Highness
To over-bear it; and we're all well pleas'd;
Since all and every part of what we would,
Muf make a stand at what your Highness will..
K. John. Some reasons of this double coronation
I have poffeft you with, and think them ftrong.
And more, more strong (the leffer is my fear)
I shall endue you with: mean time, but ask
What you would have reform'd, that is not well,.
And well fhall you perceive how willingly
I will both hear and grant you your requests.
Pemb. Then L, as one that am the tongue of these,
To found the purposes of all their hearts,
(Both for myself and them; but chief of all,
Your fafety; for the which, myfelf and they
Bend their best ftudies ;) heartily requeft
Th' infranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint
Doth move the murm'ring lips of discontent
To break into this dang'rous argument;
If what in reft you have, in right you hold,.
Why fhou'd your fears, (which, as they fay, attend-
The fteps of wrong) then move you to mew up
Your tender kinfman, and to choke his days
With barb'rous ignorance, and deny his youth
The rich advantage of good exercife?
That the time's enemies may not have this
To grace occafions, let it be our suit,

(21) They do confound their skill in covetoufnefs.].e. Not by their avarice, but in an eager emulation, an intenfe defire of excelling; as in Henry V.

But if it be a fin to corust bonour,
Lam the moft offending foul alive.

That