Then, after, fight who shall be King of it? As we will ours, against these faucy walls; Auft. I from the north. K. Philip. Our thunder from the fouth Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. Faulc. O prudent difcipline! from North to South; Auftria and France shoot in each other's mouth. I'll stir them to it; come, away, away! Cit. Hear us, great Kings; vouchfafe a while to stay, And I fhall fhew you peace, and fair-fac'd league; K. hn. Speak on, with favour; we are bent to hear. Cit. That daughter there of Spain, the lady Blanch, Is near to England; look upon the years Of Levis the Dauphin, and that lovely maid. If lufty ove fhould go in queft of beauty, Where fould he find it fairer than in Blanch? If zealou love fhould go in fearch of virtue, Where fhould he find it purer than in Blanch? If love, ambitivas, fought a match of Birth, Whose veins bound richer blood than lady Blanch? Such as fhe is, in beauty, virtue, birth, Is the young Dauphin every way compleat: If not compleat of -fay, he is not fhe; And he again wants nothing, (to name Want,) If Want it be not, that he is not he, VOL. III. He is the half part of a bleffed man, (8) And two fuch shores, to two fuch streams made one, Lions fo confident, mountains and rocks As we to keep this City. Faule. Here's a stay, That shakes the rotten carcats of old Death As maids of thirteen do of puppy-dogs. What Cannoneer begot this lufty blood? He speaks plain cannon-fire, and fmoak and bounce, Since I first call'd my brother's father dad. Eli. Son, lift to this conjunction, make this match, Give with our Neice a dowry large enough; For by this knot thou fhalt fo furely tie (8) He is the balf Part of a biffed Man, Left to be finished by fuch as She:] The ingenious Dr. Thirlby prefcrib'd that Reading, which I'have here restor'd to the Text; and which is abfolutely requifite to the Senfe of the Paffage, Thy Thy now unfur'd affurance to the Crown, Mark, how they whifper; urge them while their fouls Are capable of this ambition; Left zeal now melted by the windy breath Of foft petitions, pity and remorse, Cool and congeal again to what it was. Cit. Why anfwer not the double Majesties This friendly Treaty of our threaten'd town? K. Philip. Speak, England, first, that hath been forward first To speak unto this City: what fay you? K. John. If that the Dauphin there, thy Princely fon, Can in this book of beauty read, I love; Her dowry fhall weigh equal with a Queen. Shall gild her bridal bed; and make her rich (9) For ANGIERS and fair Touraine, Maine, Poitiers, Except this City now by us befieg'd, Find liable, &c.] This is a remarkable Inftance of Careleffnefs in a Point that stares common Senfe full in the Face: and yet thus all the Editors in their profound Sagacity. What was the City befieg'd, but Angiers? King John, confenting to match the Lady Blanch with the Dauphin, agrees, in Part of her Dowry, to give up all he held in France, except the City of Angiers, which he now befieg'd and laid Claim to. But could it be thought, that he should at one and the fame time give up all except Angiers, and give up That too? Anjou was one of the Provinces, which the English held in France; and which the French King by Chatilion claim'd of K. John in Right of Duke Arthur, at the very Opening of the Play. Angiers, instead of Anjou, has been falfely printed in feveral other Paffages of this History. As fhe in beauty, education, blood, Holds hand with any Princess of the world. K. Philip. What fay'ft thou, boy? look in the lady's face. Lewis. I do, my lord, and in her eye I find The shadow of myself form'd in her eye; 'Till now, infixed, I beheld myfelf, Drawn in the flatt'ring table of her eye. [Whispering with Blanch. Faulc. Drawn in the flatt'ring table of her eye! Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow! And quarter'd in her heart! he doth espie Himself love's traitor: this is pity now, That hang'd, and drawn, and quarter'd, there fhould be, Blanch. My uncle's will in this respect is mine. (Though churlish thoughts themselves fhould be your judge) That I can find should merit any hate. K. John. What fay these young Ones? what say you, my Neice? Blanch. That fhe is bound in Honour ftill to do What you in wisdom still vouchsafe to say. K. John. Speak then, Prince Dauphin, can you love this lady? Lewis. Nay, ask me, if I can refrain from love; For I do love her most unfeignedly. K. John. K. John. Then do I give Volqueffen, Touraine, Maine, Poitiers, and Anjou, these five Provinces, With her to thee; and this addition more, Full thirty thousand Marks of English coin. Philip of France, if thou be pleas'd withal, Command thy Son and Daughter to join hands. K. Philip. It likes us well; young Princes, clofe your hands. Auft. And your lips too; for, I am well affur'd, That I did fo, when I was first affur'd. K. Philip. Now, Citizens of Angiers, ope your gates, Where is the and her fon, tell me, who knows?' K. Philip. And, by my faith, this league, that we have made, Will give her fadness very little Cure. Brother of England, how may we content This widow lady in her Right we came ; K. John. We will heal up all, For we'll create young Arthur Duke of Britain, [Ex. all but Faulconbr. Faule. Mad world, mad Kings, mad composition! Q 3 John, |