2398Euen at the crying of your Nations crow,

2399Thinking this voyce an armed Englishman.

2400Shall that victorious hand be feebled heere,

2401That in your Chambers gaue you chasticement?

2402No: know the gallant Monarch is in Armes,

2403And like an Eagle, o're his ayerie towres,

2404To sowsse annoyance that comes neere his Nest;

2405And you degenerate, you ingrate Reuolts,

2406you bloudy Nero's, ripping vp the wombe

2407Of your deere Mother-England: blush for shame:

2408For your owne Ladies, and pale-visag'd Maides,

2409Like Amazons, come tripping after drummes:

2410Their thimbles into armed Gantlets change,

2411Their Needl's to Lances, and their gentle hearts

2412To fierce and bloody inclination.

2413Dol. There end thy braue, and turn thy face in peace,

2414We grant thou canst out-scold vs: Far thee well,

2415We hold our time too precious to be spent

2416with such a brabler.

2417Pan. Giue me leaue to speake.

2418Bast. No, I will speake.

2419Dol. We will attend to neyther:

2420Strike vp the drummes, and let the tongue of warre

2421Pleade for our interest, and our being heere.

2422Bast. Indeede your drums being beaten, wil cry out;

2423And so shall you, being beaten: Do but start

2424An eccho with the clamor of thy drumme,

2425And euen at hand, a drumme is readie brac'd,

2426That shall reuerberate all, as lowd as thine.

2427Sound but another, and another shall

2428(As lowd as thine) rattle the Welkins eare,

2429And mocke the deepe mouth'd Thunder: for at hand

2430(Not trusting to this halting Legate heere,

2431Whom he hath vs'd rather for sport, then neede)

2432Is warlike Iohn: and in his fore-head sits

2433A bare-rib'd death, whose office is this day

2434To feast vpon whole thousands of the French.

2435Dol. Strike vp our drummes, to finde this danger out.

2436Bast. And thou shalt finde it (Dolphin) do not doubt

2440Iohn. How goes the day with vs? oh tell me Hubert.

2441Hub. Badly I feare; how fares your Maiesty?

2442Iohn. This Feauer that hath troubled me so long,

2443Lyes heauie on me: oh, my heart is sicke.

2445Mes. My Lord: your valiant kinsman Falconbridge,

2446Desires your Maiestie to leaue the field,

2447And send him word by me, which way you go.

2448Iohn. Tell him toward Swinsted, to the Abbey there.

2449Mes. Be of good comfort: for the great supply

2450That was expected by the Dolphin heere,

2451Are wrack'd three nights ago on Goodwin sands.

2452This newes was brought to Richard but euen now,

2453The French fight coldly, and retyre themselues.

2454Iohn. Aye me, this tyrant Feauer burnes mee vp,

2455And will not let me welcome this good newes.

2456Set on toward Swinsted: to my Litter straight,

2457Weaknesse possesseth me, and I am faint. Exeunt.

2460Sal. I did not thinke the King so stor'd with friends.

2461Pem. Vp once againe: put spirit in the French,

2462If they miscarry: we miscarry too.

2463Sal. That misbegotten diuell Falconbridge,

2464In spight of spight, alone vpholds the day.

2465Pem. They say King Iohn sore sick, hath left the field.

2467Mel. Lead me to the Reuolts of England heere.

2468Sal. When we were happie, we had other names.

2469Pem. It is the Count Meloone.

2470Sal. Wounded to death.

2471Mel. Fly Noble English, you are bought and sold,

2472Vnthred the rude eye of Rebellion,

2473And welcome home againe discarded faith,

2474Seeke out King Iohn, and fall before his feete:

2475For if the French be Lords of this loud day,

2476He meanes to recompence the paines you take,

2477By cutting off your heads: Thus hath he sworne,

2478And I with him, and many moe with mee,

2479Vpon the Altar at S. Edmondsbury,

2480Euen on that Altar, where we swore to you

2481Deere Amity, and euerlasting loue.

2482Sal. May this be possible? May this be true?

2483Mel. Haue I not hideous death within my view,

2484Retaining but a quantity of life,

2485Which bleeds away, euen as a forme of waxe

2486Resolueth from his figure 'gainst the fire?

2487What in the world should make me now deceiue,

2488Since I must loose the vse of all deceite?

2489Why should I then be false, since it is true

2490That I must dye heere, and liue hence, by Truth?

2491I say againe, if Lewis do win the day,

2492He is forsworne, if ere those eyes of yours

2493Behold another day breake in the East:

2494But euen this night, whose blacke contagious breath

2495Already smoakes about the burning Crest

2496Of the old, feeble, and day-wearied Sunne,

2497Euen this ill night, your breathing shall expire,

2498Paying the fine of rated Treachery,

2499Euen with a treacherous fine of all your liues:

2500If Lewis, by your assistance win the day.

2501Commend me to one Hubert, with your King;

2502The loue of him, and this respect besides

2503(For that my Grandsire was an Englishman)

2504Awakes my Conscience to confesse all this.

2505In lieu whereof, I pray you beare me hence

2506From forth the noise and rumour of the Field;

2507Where I may thinke the remnant of my thoughts

2508In peace: and part this bodie and my soule

2509With contemplation, and deuout desires.

2510Sal. We do beleeue thee, and beshrew my soule,

2511But I do loue the fauour, and the forme

2512Of this most faire occasion, by the which

2513We will vntread the steps of damned flight,

2514And like a bated and retired Flood,

2515Leauing our ranknesse and irregular course,

2516Stoope lowe within those bounds we haue ore-look'd,

2517And calmely run on in obedience

2518Euen to our Ocean, to our great King Iohn.

2519My arme shall giue thee helpe to beare thee hence,