874We make him Lord of. Call the Lady Constance,

875Some speedy Messenger bid her repaire

876To our solemnity: I trust we shall,

877(If not fill vp the measure of her will)

878Yet in some measure satisfie her so,

879That we shall stop her exclamation,

880Go we as well as hast will suffer vs,

881To this vnlook'd for vnprepared pompe. Exeunt.

882Bast. Mad world, mad kings, mad composition:

883Iohn to stop Arthurs Title in the whole,

884Hath willingly departed with a part,

885And France, whose armour Conscience buckled on,

886Whom zeale and charitie brought to the field,

887As Gods owne souldier, rounded in the eare,

888With that same purpose-changer, that slye diuel,

889That Broker, that still breakes the pate of faith,

890That dayly breake-vow, he that winnes of all,

891Of kings, of beggers, old men, yong men, maids,

892Who hauing no externall thing to loose,

893But the word Maid, cheats the poore Maide of that.

894That smooth-fac'd Gentleman, tickling commoditie,

895Commoditie, the byas of the world,

896The world, who of it selfe is peysed well,

897Made to run euen, vpon euen ground;

898Till this aduantage, this vile drawing byas,

899This sway of motion, this commoditie,

900Makes it take head from all indifferency,

901From all direction, purpose, course, intent.

902And this same byas, this Commoditie,

903This Bawd, this Broker, this all-changing-word,

904Clap'd on the outward eye of fickle France,

905Hath drawne him from his owne determin'd ayd,

906From a resolu'd and honourable warre,

907To a most base and vile-concluded peace.

908And why rayle I on this Commoditie?

909But for because he hath not wooed me yet:

910Not that I haue the power to clutch my hand,

911When his faire Angels would salute my palme,

912But for my hand, as vnattempted yet,

913Like a poore begger, raileth on the rich.

914Well, whiles I am a begger, I will raile,

915And say there is no sin but to be rich:

916And being rich, my vertue then shall be,

917To say there is no vice, but beggerie:

918Since Kings breake faith vpon commoditie,

919Gaine be my Lord, for I will worship thee. Exit.

922Con. Gone to be married? Gone to sweare a peace?

923False blood to false blood ioyn'd. Gone to be freinds?

924Shall Lewis haue Blaunch, and Blaunch those Prouinces?

925It is not so, thou hast mispoke, misheard,

926Be well aduis'd, tell ore thy tale againe.

927It cannot be, thou do'st but say 'tis so.

928I trust I may not trust thee, for thy word

929Is but the vaine breath of a common man:

930Beleeue me, I doe not beleeue thee man,

931I haue a Kings oath to the contrarie.

932Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,

933For I am sicke, and capeable of feares,

934Opprest with wrongs, and therefore full of feares,

935A widdow, husbandles, subiect to feares,

936A woman naturally borne to feares;

937And though thou now confesse thou didst but iest

938With my vext spirits, I cannot take a Truce,

939But they will quake and tremble all this day.

940What dost thou meane by shaking of thy head?

941Why dost thou looke so sadly on my sonne?

942What meanes that hand vpon that breast of thine?

943Why holdes thine eie that lamentable rhewme,

944Like a proud riuer peering ore his bounds?

945Be these sad signes confirmers of thy words?

946Then speake againe, not all thy former tale,

947But this one word, whether thy tale be true.

948Sal. As true as I beleeue you thinke them false,

949That giue you cause to proue my saying true.

950Con. Oh if thou teach me to beleeue this sorrow,

951Teach thou this sorrow, how to make me dye,

952And let beleefe, and life encounter so,

953As doth the furie of two desperate men,

954Which in the very meeting fall, and dye.

955Lewes marry Blaunch? O boy, then where art thou?

956France friend with England, what becomes of me?

957Fellow be gone: I cannot brooke thy sight,

958This newes hath made thee a most vgly man.

959Sal. What other harme haue I good Lady done,

960But spoke the harme, that is by others done?

961Con. Which harme within it selfe so heynous is,

962As it makes harmefull all that speake of it.

963Ar. I do beseech you Madam be content.

964Con. If thou that bidst me be content, wert grim

965Vgly, and slandrous to thy Mothers wombe,

966Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines,

967Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,

968Patch'd with foule Moles, and eye-offending markes,

969I would not care, I then would be content,

970For then I should not loue thee: no, nor thou

971Become thy great birth, nor deserue a Crowne.

972But thou art faire, and at thy birth (deere boy)

973Nature and Fortune ioyn'd to make thee great.

974Of Natures guifts, thou mayst with Lillies boast,

975And with the halfe-blowne Rose. But Fortune, oh,

976She is corrupted, chang'd, and wonne from thee,

977Sh'adulterates hourely with thine Vnckle Iohn,

978And with her golden hand hath pluckt on France

979To tread downe faire respect of Soueraigntie,

980And made his Maiestie the bawd to theirs.

981France is a Bawd to Fortune, and king Iohn,

982That strumpet Fortune, that vsurping Iohn:

983Tell me thou fellow, is not France forsworne?

984Euvenom him with words, or get thee gone,

985And leaue those woes alone, which I alone

986Am bound to vnder-beare.

987Sal. Pardon me Madam,

988I may not goe without you to the kings.

989Con. Thou maist, thou shalt, I will not go with thee,

990I will instruct my sorrowes to bee proud,

991For greefe is proud, and makes his owner stoope,

992To me and to the state of my great greefe,

993Let kings assemble: for my greefe's so great,

994That no supporter but the huge firme earth

995Can hold it vp: here I and sorrowes sit,

996Heere is my Throne, bid kings come bow to it.