PERSONS REPRESENTED. King JOHN: Prince HENRY, his son; afterwards King Henry III. ARTHUR, duke of Bretagne, son of Geffrey, late duke of Bretagne, the elder brother of King John. WILLIAM MARESHALL, earl of Pembroke. GEFFREY FITZ-PETER, earl of Essex, chief justiciary of England. WILLIAM LONGSWORD, earl of Salisbury. ROBERT BIGOT, earl of Norfolk. HUBERT DE BURGH, chamberlain to the king. ROBERT FAULCONBRIDGE, son of Sir Robert Faulconbridge: PHILIP FAULCONBRIDGE, his half-brother, bastard son to King Richard the First. JAMES GURNEY, servant to Lady Faulconbridge. PETER of Pomfret, a prophet. PHILIP, king of France. LEWIS, the dauphin. Archduke of AUSTRIA. Cardinal PANDULPH, the Pope's legate. MELUN, a French lord. CHATILLON, ambassador from France to King John. ELINOR, the widow of King Henry II., and mother of King John. CONSTANCE, mother to Arthur. BLANCH, daughter to Alphonso, king of Castile, and niece to King John. Lady FAULCONBRIDGE, mother to Philip and Robert Faulconbridge. Lords, Ladies, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers, SCENE-sometimes in England, and sometimes in France. KING JOHN.1 ACT I. SCENE I.-Northampton. A room of state in the palace. Enter King JOHN, Queen ELINOR, PEMBROKE, ESSEX, SALISBURY, and others, with CHATILLON. K. John. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us? [France Chat. Thus, after greeting, speaks the king of In my behaviour, to the majesty, The borrow'd majesty of England here. Eli. A strange beginning; borrow'd majesty! Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim This play comprehends a period of almost seventeen years, being nearly the whole reign of King John, commencing soon after his accession to the throne, and ending with his death.-MALONE. In my official capacity. K K. John. What follows, if we disallow of this? Chat. The proud controul' of fierce and bloody war, To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld. K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood, Controlment for controlment: so answer France. K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace: Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France; Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE. This might have been prevented, and made whole, Which now the manage' of two kingdoms must K. John. Our strong possession, and our right, for us. Essex. My liege, here is the strangest controversy Come from the country to be judg'd by you, That e'er I heard: Shall I produce the men? 1 constraint. 2 conduct, administration. [Exit Sheriff. Our abbies, and our priories, shall pay K. John. Let them approach. Re-enter Sheriff, with ROBERT FAULCON BRIDGE, and This expedition's charge.-What men are you? Rob. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge. K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother, then, it seems. Phil. Most certain of one mother, mighty king, That is well known; and, as I think, one father. Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame thy mother, And wound her honour with this diffidence. Phil. I, madam? no, I have no reason for it; That is my brother's plea, and none of mine; The which if he can prove, 'a pops me out At least from fair five hundred pound a year: Heaven guard my mother's honour, and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow.-Why, being younger Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? [born, And were our father, and this son like him ;- I give heaven thanks, I was not like to thee. [us here! Eli. He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face,' K. John. Mine eye hath well examined his parts, And finds them perfect Richard.--Sirrah, speak, What doth move you to claim your brother's land? Phil. Because he hath a half-face, like my father; With that half-face would he have all my land. Rob. My gracious liege, when that my father liv'd, Your brother did employ my father much; And once despatch'd him in an embassy To Germany, there, with the emperor, To treat of high affairs touching that time: Th' advantage of his absence took the king. Upon his death-bed he by will bequeath'd His lands to me; and took it, on his death, That this, my mother's son, was none of his. Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine, My father's land, as was my father's will. K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate; Had of your father claim'd this son for his? Rob. Shall then my father's will be of no force, Phil. Of no more force to dispossess me, sir, Than was his will to get me, as I think. [bridge, Eli. Whether hadst thou rather, be a Faulcon And, like thy brother to enjoy thy land; 1i. e. cast of countenance, like Richard's. |