We make him lord of. Call the Lady Constance;
Some speedy messenger bid her repair
To our solemnity: I trust we shall,

555
If not fill up the measure of her will,
Yet in some measure satisfy her so
That we shall stop her exclamation.
Go we, as well as haste will suffer us,
To this unlook'd for, unprepared pomp.

560

[Exeunt all but the Bastard. Bast. Mad world ! mad kings ! mad composition !

John, to stop Arthur's title in the whole,
Hath willingly departed with a part:
And France, whose armour conscience buckled on,
Whom zeal and charity brought to the field 565
As God's own soldier, rounded in the ear
With that some purpose-changer, that sly devil,
That broker, that still breaks the pate of faith,
That daily break-vow, he that wins of all,
Of kings, of beggars, old men, young men, maids, 570
Who, having no external thing to lose

575

But the word “maid," cheats the poor maid of that,
That smooth-faced gentleman, tickling Commodity,
Commodity, the bias of the world,
The world, who of itself is peised well,
Made to run even upon even ground,
Till this advantage, this vile-drawing bias,
This sway of motion, this Commodity,
Makes it take head from all indifferency,
From all direction, purpose, course, intent: - 580
And this same bias, this Commodity,
This bawd, this broker, this all-changing word,
Clapp'd on the outward eye of fickle France,
Hath drawn him from his own determined aid,
From a resolved and honourable war,

585
To a most base and vile-concluded peace.
And why rail I on this Commodity?
But for because he hath not woo'd me yet:
Not that I have the power to clutch my hand,
When his fair angels would salute my palm; 590
But for my hand, as unattempted yet,
Like a poor beggar, raileth on the rich.

595

And say there is no sin but to be rich;
And being rich, my virtue then shall be
To say there is no vice but beggary.
Since kings break faith upon commodity,
Gain, be my lord, for I will worship thee,

[Exit. ACT III

CONSTAN

ISBU

SCENE 1.—The French King's Pavilion.

Enter CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and Salisbury.
Const. Gone to be married ! gone to swear a peace!

False blood to false blood join'd! gone to be friends!
Shall Lewis have Blanch, and Blanch those pro-

vinces ?
It is not so; thou hast misspoke, misheard ;
Be well advised, tell o'er thy tale again:

5
It cannot be; thou dost but say 'tis so:
I trust I may not trust thee; for thy word
Is but the vain breath of a common man:
Believe me, I do not believe thee, man;
I have a king's oath to the contrary.

10
Thou shalt be punish'd for thus frighting me,
For I am sick and capable of fears,
Oppress'd with wrongs and therefore full of fears,
A widow, husbandless, subject to fears,
A woman, naturally born to fears;

15

Act 111.] Actus Secundus in the 14. widow] This is not historically Folios, ending at line 74.

correct. At this time Constance was 12. capable of fears) susceptible to married to a third husband, Guido, fears. Compare 11. i. 476 supra, and brother to the Viscount of Touars. Greene's Never Too Late (1600), She had been divorced from her p. 95: “ Mirimadas eares were not second husband, Ranulph, Earl of capable of any amorous persuasion." Chester.

53

30

And though thou now confess thou didst but jest,
With my vex'd spirits I cannot take a truce,
But they will quake and tremble all this day.
What dost thou mean by shaking of thy head ?
Why dost thou look so sadly on my son ? 20
What means that hand upon that breast of thine ?
Why holds thine eye that lamentable rheum,
Like a proud river peering o'er his bounds ?
Be these sad signs confirmers of thy words?
Then speak again; not all thy former tale,

But this one word, whether thy tale be true.
Sal. As true as I believe you think them false

That give you cause to prove my saying true.
Const. O, if thou teach me to believe this sorrow,

Teach thou this sorrow how to make me die,
And let belief and life encounter so
As doth the fury of two desperate men
Which in the very meeting fall and die.
Lewis marry Blanch! O boy, then where art thou ?
France friend with England, what becomes of me? 35
Fellow, be gone: I cannot brook thy sight:

This news hath made thee a most ugly man. 16, 17. And ... truce) So Rowe; And ... jest with ... spirits, ... truce Ff. 24. signs] sighs Warburton. 27. you] you 'll Keightley.