Keep Stephen Langton, chosen archbishop K. John. What earthly name to interrogatories,' To charge me to an answer, as the pope. Tell him this tale; and from the mouth of England, K. Phi. Brother of England, you blaspheme in this. K. John. Though you, and all the kings of Christendom, Are led so grossly by this meddling priest, Dreading the curse that money may buy out; Who, in that sale, sells pardon from himself; Against the pope, and count his friends my foes. 1 What earthly name subjoined to interrogatories, can force a king to speak and answer them? The old copy reads earthy. The emendation was Pope's. It has also tash instead of task in the next line, which was substituted by Theobald. That takes away by any secret course Const. O, lawful let it be, That I have room with Rome to curse a while! To my keen curses; for, without my wrong, Let it be lawful, that law bar no wrong. And raise the power of France upon his head, Eli. Look'st thou pale, France? Do not let go thy hand. Const. Look to that, devil! lest that France repent, And, by disjoining hands, hell lose a soul. Aust. King Philip, listen to the cardinal. Bast. And hang a calf's-skin on his recreant limbs. Aust. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, Because Bast. Your breeches best may carry them. K. John. Philip, what say'st thou to the cardinal? Const. What should he say, but as the cardinal? Lew. Bethink you, father; for the difference Is, purchase of a heavy curse from Rome, Or the light loss of England for a friend. Forego the easier. Blanch. That's the curse of Rome. Const. O Lewis, stand fast; the devil tempts thee here, In likeness of a new, untrimmed' bride. 1 Trim is dress. Blanch. The lady Constance speaks not from her faith, But from her need. Const. O, if thou grant my need, Which only lives but by the death of faith, That need must needs infer this principle, That faith would live again by death of need. O, then, tread down my need, and faith mounts up; Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down. K. John. The king is moved, and answers not to this. Const. O, be removed from him, and answer well. Aust. Do so, king Philip; hang no more in doubt. Bast. Hang nothing but a calf's-skin, most sweet lout. K. Phi. I am perplexed, and know not what to say. Pand. What canst thou say, but will perplex thee more, If thou stand excommunicate, and cursed? K. Phi. Good, reverend father, make my person yours, And tell me how you would bestow yourself. Heaven knows, they were besmeared and overstained 1 i. e. so strong both in hatred and love; in deeds of amity or deeds of blood. Unyoke this seizure, and this kind regreet ?1 Play fast and loose with faith? so jest with Heaven, As now again to snatch our palm from palm, My reverend father, let it not be so. Some gentle order; and then we shall be blessed Pand. All form is formless, order orderless, France, thou mayst hold a serpent by the tongue, A fasting tiger safer by the tooth, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold. What since thou swor'st, is sworn against thyself, For that which thou hast sworn to do amiss, Is not amiss when it is truly done; 3 And being not done, where doing tends to ill, 1 A regreet is an exchange of salutation. 2 A cased lion is a lion irritated by confinement. 3 "Where doing tends to ill," where an intended act is criminal, the truth is most done by not doing the act. The criminal act, therefore, which thou hast sworn to do, is not amiss, will not be imputed to you as a crime, if it be done truly, in the sense I have now affixed to truth; that is, if you do not do it. Is, to mistake again; though indirect, And falsehood falsehood cures; as fire cools fire, It is religion, that doth make vows kept; By what thou swear'st,' against the thing thou swear'st; And better conquest never canst thou make, So heavy, as thou shalt not shake them off, Bast. Will't not be? Will not a calf-skin stop that mouth of thine? Upon thy wedding day? Against the blood that thou hast married? What, shall our feast be kept with slaughtered men? O, husband, hear me !—Ah, alack! how new Against mine uncle. 1 By what thou swear'st, &c. "In swearing by religion against religion, thou hast sworn by what thou swear'st; i. e. in that which thou hast sworn, against the thing thou swearest by; i. e. religion." |