Thou fortune's champion, that dost never fight, Thou cold-blooded slave, Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side? Faul, And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs. Aust. Thou dar'st not say so, villain, for thy life. Faul. And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs. K. John. We like not this; thou dost forget thyself. A Trumpet sounds. Enter CARDINAL PANDULPH, Attended, K. Phil, Here comes the holy Legate of the Pope. Pan. Hail, you anointed deputies of Heaven!To thee, King John, my holy errand is. I Pandulph, of fair Milan Cardinal, And from Pope Innocent the Legate here, Why thou against the church, our holy mother, K. John. What earthly name to interrogatories Can task the free breath of a sacred king? To charge me to an answer, as the Pope. Tell him this tale; and, from the mouth of England, But as we, under Heaven, are supreme head, K. Phil. Brother of England, you blaspheme in this. K. John. Though you, and all the kings of Christendom, Are led so grossly by this meddling priest. Against the Pope, and count his friends my foes. And meritorious shall that hand be call'd, That takes away by any secret course Thy hateful life. Con. O, lawful let it be, That I have leave with Rome to curse awhile! To my keen curses for, without my wrong, Let go the hand of that arch-heretic; And raise the power of France upon his head, Aust. King Philip, listen to the Cardinal. Faul. And hang a calf's-skin on his recreant limbs. Aust. Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs, Because Faul. Your breeches best may carry them. K. John. Philip, what say'st thou to the Cardinal? And tell me how you would bestow yourself. Pan. All form is formless, order orderless, France, thou may'st hold a serpent by the tongue, Than keep in peace that hand which thou dost hold. O, let thy vow First made to Heaven, first be to Heaven perform'd; That is, to be the champion of our church! If not, then know, The peril of our curses light on thee, So heavy, as thou shalt not shake them off, Faul. Will't not be? Will not a calf's-skin stop that mouth of thine? Blan. Upon my wedding-day? Against the blood that thou hast married? What! shall our feast be kept with slaughter'd men? Which till this time my tongue did ne'er Con. O, upon my knee, pronounce, Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee, Blan. Now shall I see thy love: What motive may Be stronger with thee than the name of wife? Con. That which upholdeth him, that thee upholds, His honour: O, thine honour, Lewis, thine honour! Con. O fair return of banish'd majesty ! K. John. France thou shalt rue this hour within this hour. Cousin, go draw your puissance together. [Exit FAULCON BRIDGE. France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath ; A rage, whose heat hath this condition, That nothing can allay, nothing but blood, The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood of France. K. Phil. Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy. K. John. No more than he that threats,-To arms [4 Charge.-Exeunt. let's hie! SCENE II. France. A Field of Battle. Alarums. Enter FAULCONBRIDGE. Faul. Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous hot; Some airy devil hovers in the sky, And pours down mischief. [A Charge. Enter AUSTRIA; FAULCONBRIDGE and AUSTRIA engage; FAULCON BRIDGE drives AUSTRIA off the Stage, and presently re-enters with the Lion's Skin in his Hand. Faul. Austria's head lie there, While Philip breathes. [A Charge. Enter KING JOHN, ARTHUR, ENGLISH GENTLEMEN, and HUBERT. K. John. Hubert, keep this boy; Philip, make up ; [Exeunt HUBERT and ARTHUR. My mother is assailed in our tent, Faul. My lord, I rescu'd her ; [A Charge.-Exeunt. |