1718Iohn. Heere once againe we sit: once against crown'd

1719And look'd vpon, I hope, with chearefull eyes.

1720Pem. This once again (but that your Highnes pleas'd)

1721Was once superfluous: you were Crown'd before,

1722And that high Royalty was nere pluck'd off:

1723The faiths of men, nere stained with reuolt:

1724Fresh expectation troubled not the Land

1725With any long'd-for-change, or better State.

1726Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pompe,

1727To guard a Title, that was rich before;

1728To gilde refined Gold, to paint the Lilly;

1729To throw a perfume on the Violet,

1730To smooth the yce, or adde another hew

1731Vnto the Raine-bow; or with Taper-light

1732To seeke the beauteous eye of heauen to garnish,

1733Is wastefull, and ridiculous excesse.

1734Pem. But that your Royall pleasure must be done,

1735This acte, is as an ancient tale new told,

1736And, in the last repeating, troublesome,

1737Being vrged at a time vnseasonable.

1738Sal. In this the Anticke, and well noted face

1739Of plaine old forme, is much disfigured,

1740And like a shifted winde vnto a saile,

1741It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about,

1742Startles, and frights consideration :

1743Makes sound opinion sicke, and truth suspected,

1744For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.

1745Pem. When Workemen striue to do better then wel,

1746They do confound their skill in couetousnesse,

1747And oftentimes excusing of a fault,

1748Doth make the fault the worse by th'excuse:

1749As patches set vpon a little breach,

1750Discredite more in hiding of the fault,

1751Then did the fault before it was so patch'd.

1752Sal. To this effect, before you were new crown'd

1753We breath'd our Councell: but it pleas'd your Highnes

1754To ouer-beare it, and we are all well pleas'd,

1755Since all, and euery part of what we would

1756Doth make a stand, at what your Highnesse will.

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,

b 2 I

1889I haue a way to winne their loues againe:

1890Bring them before me.

1891Bast. I will seeke them out.

1892Iohn. Nay, but make haste: the better foote before.

1893O, let me haue no subiect enemies,

1894When aduerse Forreyners affright my Townes

1895With dreadfull pompe of stout inuasion.

1896Be Mercurie, set feathers to thy heeles,

1897And flye (like thought) from them, to me againe.

1898Bast. The spirit of the time shall teach me speed. Exit

1899Iohn. Spoke like a sprightfull Noble Gentleman.

1900Go after him: for he perhaps shall neede

1901Some Messenger betwixt me, and the Peeres,

1902And be thou hee.

1903Mes. With all my heart, my Liege.

1904Iohn. My mother dead?

1906Hub. My Lord, they say fiue Moones were seene to (night:

1907Foure fixed, and the fift did whirle about

1908The other foure, in wondrous motion.

1909Ioh. Fiue Moones?

1910Hub. Old men, and Beldames, in the streets

1911Do prophesie vpon it dangerously:

1912Yong Arthurs death is common in their mouths,

1913And when they talke of him, they shake their heads,

1914And whisper one another in the eare.

1915And he that speakes, doth gripe the hearers wrist,

1916Whilst he that heares, makes fearefull action

1917With wrinkled browes, with nods, with rolling eyes.

1918I saw a Smith stand with his hammer (thus)

1919The whilst his Iron did on the Anuile coole,

1920With open mouth swallowing a Taylors newes,

1921Who with his Sheeres, and Measure in his hand,

1922Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste

1923Had falsely thrust vpon contrary feete,

1924Told of a many thousand warlike French,

1925That were embattailed, and rank'd in Kent.

1926Another leane, vnwash'd Artificer,

1927Cuts off his tale, and talkes of Arthurs death.

1928Io. Why seek'st thou to possesse me with these feares?

1929Why vrgest thou so oft yong Arthurs death?

1930Thy hand hath murdred him: I had a mighty cause

1931To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him.

1932H. No had (my Lord?) why, did you not prouoke me?

1933Iohn. It is the curse of Kings, to be attended

1934By slaues, that take their humors for a warrant,

1935To breake within the bloody house of life,

1936And on the winking of Authoritie

1937To vnderstand a Law; to know the meaning

1938Of dangerous Maiesty, when perchance it frownes

1939More vpon humor, then aduis'd respect.

1940Hub. Heere is your hand and Seale for what I did.

1941Ioh. Oh, when the last accompt twixt heauen & earth

1942Is to be made, then shall this hand and Seale

1943Witnesse against vs to damnation.

1944How oft the sight of meanes to do ill deeds,

1945Make deeds ill done? Had'st not thou beene by,

1946A fellow by the hand of Nature mark'd,

1947Quoted, and sign'd to do a deede of shame,

1948This murther had not come into my minde.

1949But taking note of thy abhorr'd Aspect,

1950Finding thee fit for bloody villanie:

1951Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger,

1952I faintly broke with thee of Arthurs death:

1953And thou, to be endeered to a King,

1954Made it no conscience to destroy a Prince.

1955Hub. My Lord.

1956Ioh. Had'st thou but shooke thy head, or made a pause

1957When I spake darkely, what I purposed:

1958Or turn'd an eye of doubt vpon my face;

1959As bid me tell my tale in expresse words:

1960Deepe shame had struck me dumbe, made me break off,

1961And those thy feares, might haue wrought feares in me.

1962But, thou didst vnderstand me by my signes,

1963And didst in signes againe parley with sinne,

1964Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent,

1965And consequently, thy rude hand to acte

1966The deed, which both our tongues held vilde to name.

1967Out of my sight, and neuer see me more:

1968My Nobles leaue me, and my State is braued,

1969Euen at my gates, with rankes of forraigne powres;

1970Nay, in the body of this fleshly Land,

1971This kingdome, this Confine of blood, and breathe

1972Hostilitie, and ciuill tumult reignes

1973Betweene my conscience, and my Cosins death.

1974Hub. Arme you against your other enemies:

1975Ile make a peace betweene your soule, and you.

1976Yong Arthur is aliue: This hand of mine

1977Is yet a maiden, and an innocent hand.

1978Not painted with the Crimson spots of blood,

1979Within this bosome, neuer entred yet

1980The dreadfull motion of a murderous thought,

1981And you haue slander'd Nature in my forme,

1982Which howsoeuer rude exteriorly,

1983Is yet the couer of a fayrer minde,

1984Then to be butcher of an innocent childe.

1985Iohn. Doth Arthur liue? O hast thee to the Peeres,

1986Throw this report on their incensed rage,

1987And make them tame to their obedience.

1988Forgiue the Comment that my passion made

1989Vpon thy feature, for my rage was blinde,

1990And foule immaginarie eyes of blood

1991Presented thee more hideous then thou art.

1992Oh, answer not; but to my Closset bring

1993The angry Lords, with all expedient hast,

1994I coniure thee but slowly: run more fast. Exeunt.