For bloody power to rush upon your peace. -Who painfully, with much expedient march, Have brought a counter-check before your gates, To save unscratch'd your city's threaten'd cheeksBehold! the French, amaz'd, vouchsafe a parle. And now, instead of bullets wrapp'd in fire, To make a shaking fever in your walls, They shoot but calm words, folded up in smoke, To make a faithless error in your ears: Which trust accordingly, kind citizens, And let us in, your King, whose labour'd spirits, Forwearied in this action of swift speed, Crave harbourage within your city-walls. K. Phi. When I have said, make answer to us both. And King o'er him, and all that he enjoys. In warlike march these greens before your town, Than the constraint of hospitable zeal, To pay To him that owes it; namely, this young prince : Save in aspect, have all offence seal'd up; With unhack'd swords, and helmets all unbruis'd, Can hide you from our messengers of war; Cit. In brief, we are the King of England's subjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town. K. John. Acknowledge then the King, and let me in. Cit. That can we not: but he that proves the King, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world. K. John. Doth not the crown of England prove the King? And, if not that, I bring you witnesses, Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breedBast. Bastards, and else. K. John. To verify our title with their lives. K. Phi. As many, and as well-born bloods as thoseBast. Some bastards too. K. Phi. Stand in his face, to contradict his claim. Cit. Till you compound whose right is worthiest, We for the worthiest hold the right from both. K. John. Then God forgive the sin of all those souls, That to their everlasting residence, Before the dew of evening fall, shall fleet, In dreadful trial of our kingdom's king! K. Phi. Amen, amen! Mount, chevaliers! to arms! Bast. St. George, that swing'd the Dragon, and e'er since Sits on his horseback at mine hostess' door, Teach us some fence!-[To AUSTRIA.] Sirrah, were I at home, At your den, sirrah, with your lioness, I'd set an ox-head to your lion's hide, And make a monster of you. Aust. Peace; no more. Bast. Oh! tremble; for you hear the lion roar, K. John. Up higher to the plain; where we'll set forth, In best appointment, all our regiments. Bast. Speed then, to take advantage of the field. K. Phi. It shall be so; [To LEWIS.] and at the other hill Command the rest to stand.-God, and our right! [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Alarums and Excursions; then a Retreat. Enter a French Herald, with trumpets to the gates. French Herald. YOU men of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur, Duke of Britaine, in; Who, by the hand of France, this day hath made Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whose sons lie scatter'd on the bleeding ground. Many a widow's husband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the discolour'd earth; And Victory, with little loss, doth play Upon the dancing banners of the French, Triumphantly display'd; who are at hand, To enter conquerors, and to proclaim Arthur of Britaine, England's King, and yours. Enter an English Herald, with trumpets. E.Her. Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells; King John, your king and England's, doth approach Commander of this hot malicious day. Their armours, that march'd hence so silver-bright, Hither return all gilt with Frenchmen's blood; There stuck no plume in any English crest, That is removed by a staff of France; Our colours do return in those same hands That did display them when we first march'd forth; And, like a jolly troop of huntsmen, come Our lusty English, all with purpled hands, Cit. Heralds, from off our towers we might behold, From first to last, the onset and retire Of both your armies; whose equality Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows; Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power: Both are alike; and both alike we like. One must prove greatest; while they weigh so even, We hold our town for neither; yet for both. Enter, at one side, KING JOHN, with his Power; ELINOR, BLANCH, and the Bastard; at the other, KING PHILIP, LEWIS, AUSTRIA, and Forces. K. John. France, hast thou yet more blood to cast away? Say, shall the current of our right run on? A peaceful progress to the ocean. K. Phi. England, thou hast not sav'd one drop of blood, In this hot trial, more than we of France; We'll put thee down, 'gainst whom these arms we bear, Or add a royal number to the dead, Gracing the scroll, that tells of this war's loss, Bast.-Ha, Majesty! how high thy glory towers, When the rich blood of kings is set on fire! [Aside. Oh! now doth Death line his dead chaps with steel; The other's peace; till then, blows, blood, and death. king? Cit. The King of England, when we know the king. K. Phi. Know him in us, that here hold up his right. K. John. In us, that are our own great deputy, Cit. A greater power than we, denies all this; Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates,— And stand securely on their battlements, At Do like the mutines of Jerusalem, Be friends a while, and both conjointly bend |