1757Ioh. Some reasons of this double Corronation

1758I haue possest you with, and thinke them strong.

1759And more, more strong, then lesser is my feare

1760I shall indue you with: Meane time, but aske

1761What you would haue reform'd. that is not well,

1762And well shall you perceiue, how willingly

1763I will both heare, and grant you your requests.

1764Pem. Then I, as one that am the tongue of these

1765To sound the purposes of all their hearts,

1766Both for my selfe, and them: but chiefe of all

1767Your safety: for the which, my selfe and them

1768Bend their best studies, heartily request

1769Th'infranchisement of Arthur, whose restraint

1770Doth moue the murmuring lips of discontent

1771To breake into this dangerous argument.

1772If what in rest you haue, in right you hold,

1773Why then your feares, which (as they say) attend

1774The steppes of wrong, should moue you to mew vp

1775Your tender kinsman, and to choake his dayes

1776With barbarous ignorance, and deny his youth

1777The rich aduantage of good exercise,

1778That the times enemies may not haue this

1779To grace occasions: let it be our suite,

1780That you haue bid vs aske his libertie,

1781Which for our goods, we do no further aske,

1782Then, whereupon our weale on you depending,

1783Counts it your weale: he haue his liberty.

1785Iohn, Let it be so: I do commit his youth

1786To your direction: Hubert, what newes with you?

1787Pem. This is the man should do the bloody deed:

1788He shew'd his warrant to a friend of mine,

1789The image of a wicked heynous fault

1790Liues in his eye: that close aspect of his,

1791Do shew the mood of a much troubled brest,

1792And I do fearefully beleeue 'tis done,

1793What we so fear'd he had a charge to do.

1794Sal. The colour of the King doth come, and go

1795Betweene his purpose and his conscience,

1796Like Heralds 'twixt two dreadfull battailes set:

1797His passion is so ripe, it needs must breake.

1798Pem. And when it breakes, I feare will issue thence

1799The foule corruption of a sweet childes death.

1800Iohn. We cannot hold mortalities strong hand.

1801Good Lords, although my will to giue, is liuing,

1802The suite which you demand is gone, and dead.

1803He tels vs Arthur is deceas'd to night.

1804Sal. Indeed we fear'd his sicknesse was past cure.

1805Pem. Indeed we heard how neere his death he was,

1806Before the childe himselfe felt he was sicke:

1807This must be answer'd either heere, or hence.

1808Ioh. Why do you bend such solemne browes on me?

1809Thinke you I beare the Sheeres of destiny?

1810Haue I commandement on the pulse of life?

1811Sal. It is apparant foule-play, and 'tis shame

1812That Greatnesse should so grossely offer it;

1813So thriue it in your game, and so farewell.

1814Pem. Stay yet (Lord Salisbury) Ile go with thee,

1815And finde th'inheritance of this poore childe,

1816His little kingdome of a forced graue.

1817That blood which ow'd the bredth of all this Ile,

1818Three foot of it doth hold; bad world the while:

1819This must not be thus borne, this will breake out

1820To all our sorrowes, and ere long I doubt. Exeunt

1821Io. They burn in indignation: I repent: Enter Mes.

1822There is no sure foundation set on blood:

1823No certaine life atchieu'd by others death:

1824A fearefull eye thou hast. Where is that blood,

1825That I haue seene inhabite in those cheekes?

1826So foule a skie, cleeres not without a storme,

1827Poure downe thy weather: how goes all in France?

1828Mes. From France to England, neuer such a powre

1829For any forraigne preparation,

1830Was leuied in the body of a land.

1831The Copie of your speede is learn'd by them:

1832For when you should be told they do prepare,

1833The tydings comes, that they are all arriu'd.

1834Ioh. Oh where hath our Intelligence bin drunke?

1835Where hath it slept? Where is my Mothers care?

1836That such an Army could be drawne in France,

1837And she not heare of it?

1838Mes. My Liege, her eare

1839Is stopt with dust: the first of Aprill di'de

1840Your noble mother; and as I heare, my Lord,

1841The Lady Constance in a frenzie di'de

1842Three dayes before: but this from Rumors tongue

1843I idely heard: if true, or false I know not.

1844Iohn. With-hold thy speed, dreadfull Occasion:

1845O make a league with me, 'till I haue pleas'd

1846My discontented Peeres. What? Mother dead?

1847How wildely then walkes my Estate in France?

1848Vnder whose conduct came those powres of France,

1849That thou for truth giu'st out are landed heere?

1850Mes. Vnder the Dolphin.

1852Ioh. Thou hast made me giddy

1853With these ill tydings: Now? What sayes the world

1854To your proceedings? Do not seeke to stuffe

1855My head with more ill newes: for it is full.

1856Bast. But if you be a-feard to heare the worst,

1857Then let the worst vn-heard, fall on your head.

1858Iohn. Beare with me Cosen, for I was amaz'd

1859Vnder the tide; but now I breath againe

1860Aloft the flood, and can giue audience

1861To any tongue, speake it of what it will.

1862Bast. How I haue sped among the Clergy men,

1863The summes I haue collected shall expresse:

1864But as I trauail'd hither through the land,

1865I finde the people strangely fantasied,

1866Possest with rumors, full of idle dreames,

1867Not knowing what they feare, but full of feare.

1868And here's a Prophet that I brought with me

1869From forth the streets of Pomfret, whom I found

1870With many hundreds treading on his heeles:

1871To whom he sung in rude harsh sounding rimes,

1872That ere the next Ascension day at noone,

1873Your Highnes should deliuer vp your Crowne.

1874Iohn. Thou idle Dreamer, wherefore didst thou so?

1875Pet. Fore-knowing that the truth will fall out so.

1876Iohn. Hubert, away with him: imprison him,

1877And on that day at noone, whereon he sayes

1878I shall yeeld vp my Crowne, let him be hang'd.

1879Deliuer him to safety, and returne,

1880For I must vse thee. O my gentle Cosen,

1881Hear'st thou the newes abroad, who are arriu'd?

1882Bast. The French (my Lord) mens mouths are ful of it:

1883Besides I met Lord Bigot, and Lord Salisburie

1884With eyes as red as new enkindled fire,

1885And others more, going to seeke the graue

1886Of Arthur, whom they say is kill'd to night, on your (suggestion.

1887Iohn. Gentle kinsman, go

1888And thrust thy selfe into their Companies,

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