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  • Title: King John (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: Michael Best

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-410-3

    Copyright Michael Best. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Michael Best
    Peer Reviewed

    King John (Folio 1, 1623)

    Scena Sexta.
    2550Enter Bastard and Hubert, seuerally.
    Hub. Whose there? Speake hoa, speake quickely, or
    I shoote.
    Bast. A Friend. What art thou?
    Hub. Of the part of England.
    2555Bast. Whether doest thou go?
    Hub. What's that to thee?
    Why may not I demand of thine affaires,
    As well as thou of mine?
    Bast. Hubert, I thinke.
    2560Hub. Thou hast a perfect thought:
    I will vpon all hazards well beleeue
    Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well:
    Who art thou?
    Bast. Who thou wiIt: and if thou please
    2565Thou maist be-friend me so much, as to thinke
    I come one way of the Plantagenets.
    Hub. Vnkinde remembrance: thou, & endles night,
    Haue done me shame: Braue Soldier, pardon me,
    That any accent breaking from thy tongue,
    2570Should scape the true acquaintance of mine eare.
    Bast. Come, come: sans complement, What newes
    abroad?
    Hub. Why heere walke I, in the black brow of night
    To finde you out.
    2575Bast. Brcefe then: and what's the newes?
    Hub. O my sweet sir, newes fitting to the night,
    Blacke, fearefull, comfortlesse, and horrible.
    Bast. Shew me the very wound of this ill newes,
    I am no woman, Ile not swound at it.
    2580Hub. The King I feare is poyson'd by a Monke,
    I left him almost speechlesse, and broke out
    To acquaint you with this euill, that you might
    The better arme you to the sodaine time,
    Then if you had at leisure knowne of this.
    2585Bast. How did he take it? Who did taste to him?
    Hub. A Monke I tell you, a resolued villaine
    Whose Bowels sodainly burst out: The King
    Yet speakes, and peraduenture may recouer.
    Bast. Who didst thou leaue to tend his Maiesty?
    2590Hub. Why know you not? The Lords are all come
    backe,
    And brought Prince Henry in their companie,
    At whose request the king hath pardon'd them,
    And they are all about his Maiestie.
    2595Bast. With-hold thine indignation, mighty heauen,
    And tempt vs not to beare aboue our power.
    Ile tell thee Hubert, halfe my power this night
    Passing these Flats, are taken by the Tide,
    These Lincolne-Washes haue deuoured them,
    2600My selfe, well mounted, hardly haue escap'd.
    Away before: Conduct me to the king,
    I doubt he will be dead, or ere I come. Exeunt
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