1.1.35Now say, Chatillon, what would France with us?

Thus, after greeting, speaks the King 7of France

1.1.58In my behavior to the majesty --

1.1.69The borrowed majesty -- of England here.

A strange beginning: "borrowed majesty"?

Silence, good mother, hear the embassy.

Philip of France, in right and true behalf

1.1.1013Of thy deceasèd brother Geoffrey's son,

1.1.1114Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim

1.1.1215To this fair island, and the territories,

1.1.1316To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,

1.1.1417Desiring thee to lay aside the sword

1.1.1518Which sways usurpingly these several titles

1.1.1619And put the same into young Arthur's hand,

1.1.1720Thy nephew, and right royal sovereign.

What follows if we disallow of this?

The proud control of fierce and bloody war

1.1.2023To enforce these rights, so forcibly withheld.

Here have we war for war and blood for blood,

1.1.2225Controlment for controlment. So answer France.

Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,

1.1.2427The farthest limit of my embassy.

Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace.

1.1.2629Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France,

1.1.2730For ere thou canst report I will be there;

1.1.2831The thunder of my cannon shall be heard.

1.1.2932So hence. Be thou the trumpet of our wrath

1.1.3033And sullen presage of your own decay. --

1.1.3134An honorable conduct let him have:

1.1.3235Pembroke look to't. -- Farewell, Chatillon.

What now, my son? Have I not ever said

1.1.3438How that ambitious Constance would not cease

1.1.3539Till she had kindled France and all the world

1.1.3640Upon the right and party of her son?

1.1.3741This might have been prevented and made whole

1.1.3842With very easy arguments of love,

1.1.3943Which now the manage of two kingdoms must

1.1.4044With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.

Our strong possession and our right for us.

[Aside to John] Your strong possession much more than your right,

1.1.4347Or else it must go wrong with you and me;

1.1.4448So much my conscience whispers in your ear,

1.1.4549Which none but heaven, and you, and I, shall hear.

My liege, here is the strangest controversy

1.1.4752Come from the country to be judged by you

1.1.4853That e'er I heard. Shall I produce the men?

Let them approach.

1.1.5055[To Eleanor] Our abbeys and our priories shall pay

1.1.5156This expedition's charge.

This expedition's charge. What men are you?

Your faithful subject I, a gentleman,

1.1.5359Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son,

1.1.5460As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge,

1.1.5561A soldier by the honor-giving hand

1.1.5662Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.

[To Robert Faulconbridge] What art thou?

The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge.

Is that the elder, and art thou the heir?

1.1.6066You came not of one mother then, it seems.

Most certain of one mother, mighty King,

1.1.6268That is well known, and, as I think, one father.

1.1.6369But for the certain knowledge of that truth,

1.1.6470I put you o'er to heaven, and to my mother;

1.1.6571Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.

Out on thee, rude man! Thou dost shame thy mother,

1.1.6773And wound her honor with this diffidence.

I Madam? No, I have no reason for it.

1.1.6975That is my brother's plea and none of mine,

1.1.7076The which if he can prove, a pops me out,

1.1.7177At least from fair five hundred pound a year.

1.1.7278Heaven guard my mother's honor -- and my land.

A good blunt fellow. Why, being younger born,

1.1.7480Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance?

I know not why, except to get the land,

1.1.7682But once he slandered me with bastardy.

1.1.7783But whe'er I be as true begot or no,

1.1.7884That still I lay upon my mother's head;

1.1.7985But that I am as well begot my liege --

1.1.8086Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me --

1.1.8187Compare our faces, and be judge yourself.

1.1.8288If old Sir Robert did beget us both

1.1.8389And were our father, and this son like him,

1.1.8490O, old Sir Robert, father, on my knee [Kneels]

1.1.8591I give heaven thanks I was not like to thee!

Why, what a mad-cap hath heaven lent us here!

[To John] He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face,

1.1.8894The accent of his tongue affecteth him.

1.1.8995Do you not read some tokens of my son

1.1.9096In the large composition of this man?

Mine eye hath well examinèd his parts,

1.1.9298And finds them perfect Richard. [To Robert] Sirrah speak,

1.1.9399What doth move you to claim your brother's land?

1.1.94100Bastard [Rises]

Because he hath a half-face like my father.

1.1.95101With half that face would he have all my land --

1.1.96102A half-faced groat, five hundred pound a year?

My gracious liege, when that my father lived

1.1.98104Your brother did employ my father much --

Well sir, by this you cannot get my land:

1.1.100106Your tale must be how he employed my mother.

-- And once dispatched him in an embassy

1.1.102108To Germany, there with the Emperor

1.1.103109To treat of high affairs touching that time.

1.1.104110Th'advantage of his absence took the King,

1.1.105111And in the meantime sojourned at my father's,

1.1.106112Where how he did prevail, I shame to speak.

1.1.107113But truth is truth: large lengths of seas and shores

1.1.108114Between my father and my mother lay,

1.1.109115As I have heard my father speak himself,

1.1.110116When this same lusty gentleman was got.

1.1.111117Upon his death-bed he by will bequeathed

1.1.112118His lands to me, and took it on his death

1.1.113119That this my mother's son was none of his;

1.1.114120And if he were, he came into the world

1.1.115121Full fourteen weeks before the course of time.

1.1.116122Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine,

1.1.117123My father's land, as was my father's will.

Sirrah, your brother is legitimate:

1.1.119125Your father's wife did after wedlock bear him,

1.1.120126And if she did play false, the fault was hers,

1.1.121127Which fault lies on the hazards of all husbands

1.1.122128That marry wives. Tell me, how if my brother

1.1.123129Who, as you say, took pains to get this son,

1.1.124130Had of your father claimed this son for his?

1.1.125131In sooth, good friend, your father might have kept

1.1.126132This calf, bred from his cow, from all the world,

1.1.127133In sooth he might. Then if he were my brother's,

1.1.128134My brother might not claim him, nor your father,

1.1.129135Being none of his, refuse him. This concludes:

1.1.130136My mother's son did get your fathers heir,

1.1.131137Your father's heir must have your father's land.

Shall then my father's will be of no force

1.1.133139To dispossess that child which is not his?

Of no more force to dispossess me, sir,

1.1.135141Than was his will to get me, as I think.

Whether hadst thou rather be: a Faulconbridge,

1.1.137143And like thy brother to enjoy thy land,

1.1.138144Or the reputed son of Coeur-de-lion,

1.1.139145Lord of thy presence, and no land beside?

Madam, an if my brother had my shape

1.1.141147And I had his, Sir Robert's his like him,

1.1.142148And if my legs were two such riding rods,

1.1.143149My arms such eel-skins stuffed, my face so thin

1.1.144150That in mine ear I durst not stick a rose,

1.1.145151Lest men should say, "Look where three farthings goes!"

1.1.146152And to his shape were heir to all this land,

1.1.147153Would I might never stir from off this place,

1.1.148154I would give it every foot to have this face:

1.1.149155It would not be Sir Nob in any case.

I like thee well. Wilt thou forsake thy fortune,

1.1.151157Bequeath thy land to him and follow me?

1.1.152158I am a soldier, and now bound to France.

Brother, take you my land, I'll take my chance.

1.1.154160Your face hath got five hundred pound a year,

1.1.155161Yet sell your face for five pence and 'tis dear.

1.1.156162Madam, I'll follow you unto the death.

Nay, I would have you go before me thither.

Our country manners give our betters way.

What is thy name?

Philip, my liege, so is my name begun;

1.1.161167Philip, good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest son.

From henceforth bear his name 169whose form thou bearest:

1.1.163170Kneel thou down Philip, but rise more great,

1.1.164171Arise Sir Richard, and Plantagenet.

[Rises] Brother by th' mother's side, give me your hand.

1.1.166173My father gave me honor, yours gave land:

1.1.167174Now blessèd be the hour by night or day,

1.1.168175When I was got, Sir Robert was away.

The very spirit of Plantagenet!

1.1.170177I am thy grandam, Richard, call me so.

Madam, by chance, but not by truth; what though?

1.1.172179Something about a little from the right,

1.1.173180 In at the window, or else o'er the hatch:

1.1.174181Who dares not stir by day, must walk by night,

1.1.175182 And have is have, however men do catch:

1.1.176183Near or far off, well won is still well shot,

1.1.177184And I am I, howe'er I was begot.

Go, Faulconbridge, now hast thou thy desire:

1.1.179186A landless knight makes thee a landed squire.

1.1.180187Come, madam, and come, Richard, we must speed

1.1.181188For France, for France, for it is more than need.

Brother adieu; good fortune come to thee,

1.1.183190For thou wast got i'th'way of honesty.

1.1.184192A foot of honor better than I was,

1.1.185193But many a many foot of land the worse.

1.1.186194Well, now can I make any Joan a lady.

1.1.187195"Good den, Sir Richard," "God-a-mercy fellow."

1.1.188196An if his name be George, I'll call him Peter;

1.1.189197For new-made honor doth forget men's names:

1.1.190198'Tis too respective, and too sociable

1.1.191199For your conversion. Now your traveler,

1.1.192200He and his toothpick at my worship's mess,

1.1.193201And when my knightly stomach is sufficed,

1.1.194202Why then I suck my teeth, and catechize

1.1.195203My pickèd man of countries: "My dear sir,"

1.1.196204Thus leaning on mine elbow I begin,

1.1.197205"I shall beseech you" -- that is Question now,

1.1.198206And then comes Answer like an Absey book:

1.1.199207"O sir," says Answer, "at your best command,

1.1.200208At your employment, at your service, sir."

1.1.201209"No sir," says Question, "I, sweet sir, at yours,"

1.1.202210And so ere Answer knows what Question would,

1.1.203211Saving in dialogue of compliment,

1.1.204212And talking of the Alps and Apennines,

1.1.205213The Pyrenean and the river Po,

1.1.206214It draws toward supper in conclusion so.

1.1.207215But this is worshipful society,

1.1.208216And fits the mounting spirit like myself,

1.1.209217For he is but a bastard to the time

1.1.210218That doth not smack of observation;

1.1.211219And so am I whether I smack or no.

1.1.212220And not alone in habit and device,

1.1.213221Exterior form, outward accoutrement,

1.1.214222But from the inward motion to deliver

1.1.215223Sweet, sweet, sweet poison for the age's tooth,

1.1.216224Which, though I will not practice to deceive,

1.1.217225Yet to avoid deceit I mean to learn;

1.1.218226For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising.

1.1.219227But who comes in such haste in riding robes?

1.1.220228What woman-post is this? Hath she no husband

1.1.221229That will take pains to blow a horn before her?

1.1.222230O me, 'tis my mother. -- How now, good lady,

1.1.223231What brings you here to court so hastily?

Where is that slave thy brother? Where is he

1.1.225234That holds in chase mine honor up and down?

My brother Robert, old Sir Robert's son?

1.1.227236Colbrand the Giant, that same mighty man?

1.1.228237Is it Sir Robert's son that you seek so?

Sir Robert's son? Ay, thou unreverent boy.

1.1.230239Sir Robert's son? Why scorn'st thou at Sir Robert?

1.1.231240He is Sir Robert's son, and so art thou.

James Gurney, wilt thou give us leave a while?

Good leave, good Philip.

Good leave, good Philip. "Philip Sparrow," James,

1.1.234244There's toys abroad. Anon I'll tell thee more.

1.1.235246Madam, I was not old Sir Robert's son.

1.1.236247Sir Robert might have eat his part in me

1.1.237248Upon Good Friday and ne'er broke his fast:

1.1.238249Sir Robert could do well -- marry, to confess --

1.1.239250Could get me? Sir Robert could not do it:

1.1.240251We know his handiwork. Therefore, good mother,

1.1.241252To whom am I beholding for these limbs?

1.1.242253Sir Robert never holp to make this leg.

Hast thou conspirèd with thy brother too,

1.1.244255That for thine own gain shouldst defend mine honor?

1.1.245256What means this scorn, thou most untoward knave?

Knight, knight, good mother, Basilisco-like.

1.1.247258What, I am dubbed! I have it on my shoulder.

1.1.248259But mother, I am not Sir Robert's son,

1.1.249260I have disclaimed Sir Robert and my land;

1.1.250261Legitimation, name, and all is gone.

1.1.251262Then, good my mother, let me know my father,

1.1.252263Some proper man, I hope. Who was it mother?

Hast thou denied thy self a Faulconbridge?

As faithfully as I deny the devil.

King Richard Coeur-de-lion was thy father.

1.1.256267By long and vehement suit I was seduced

1.1.257268To make room for him in my husband's bed --

1.1.258269Heaven lay not my transgression to my charge!

1.1.259270Thou art the issue of my dear offence

1.1.260271Which was so strongly urged past my defense.

Now by this light were I to get again,

1.1.262273Madam, I would not wish a better father.

1.1.263274Some sins do bear their privilege on earth,

1.1.264275And so doth yours. Your fault was not your folly;

1.1.265276Needs must you lay your heart at his dispose,

1.1.266277Subjected tribute to commanding love,

1.1.267278Against whose fury and unmatchèd force,

1.1.268279The aweless lion could not wage the fight,

1.1.269280Nor keep his princely heart from Richard's hand:

1.1.270281He that perforce robs lions of their hearts,

1.1.271282May easily win a woman's. Ay, my mother,

1.1.272283With all my heart I thank thee for my father:

1.1.273284Who lives and dares but say thou didst not well

1.1.274285When I was got, I'll send his soul to hell.

1.1.275286Come, lady, I will show thee to my kin,

1.1.276287 And they shall say, when Richard me begot,

1.1.277288If thou hadst said him nay, it had been sin;

1.1.278289 Who says it was, he lies. I say 'twas not.