Enter Chatillon. K. Phil. A wonder, lady!—lo, upon thy wish, Our messenger Chatillon is arriv'd.— What England says, say briefly, gentle lord, His marches are expedient to this town, With ladies' faces, and fierce dragons' spleens,— In brief, a braver choice of dauntless spirits, [Drums beat. Cuts off more circumstance: they are at hand, K. Phil. How much unlook'd for is this expe dition! Aust. By how much unexpected, by so much Let them be welcome then, we are prepar❜d. Enter King John, Elinor, Blanch, the Bastard, Pembroke, and Forces. K. John. Peace be to France; if France in peace permit Our just and lineal entrance to our own! If not; bleed France, and peace ascend to heaven! Whiles we, God's wrathful agent, do correct Their proud contempt that beat his peace to heaven. K. Phil. Peace be to England; if that war re turn From France to England, there to live in peace! Outfaced infant state, and done a rape these brows, were moulded out of his : And this his son; England was Geffrey's right, To draw my answer from thy articles? K.Phil. From that supernal judge, that stirs good thoughts In any breast of strong authority, To look into the blots and stains of right. That judge hath made me guardian to this boy: K. John. Alack, thou dost usurp authority. Than thou and John in manners; being as like, It cannot be, an if thou wert his mother. Elin. There's a good mother, boy, that blots thy father. Const. There's a good grandam, boy, that would Bast. One that will play the devil, sir, with you, An 'a may catch your hide and you alone. You are the hare of whom the proverb goes, Whose valour plucks dead lions by the beard; I'll smoke your skin-coat, an I catch you right; Sirrah, look to't; i'faith, I will, i'faith. Blanch. O, well did he become that lion's robe, That did disrobe the lion of that robe! As Bast. It lies as sightly on the back of him, great Alcides' shoes upon an ass: But, ass, I'll take that burden from your back; ears With this abundance of superfluous breath? K. Phil. Lewis, determine what we shall do straight. Lew. Women and fools, break off your conference. King John, this is the very sum of all,— Wilt thou resign them, and lay down thy arms? France. Arthur of Bretagne, yield thee to my hand; C Than e'er the coward hand of France can win: Submit thee, boy. Elin. Come to thy grandam, child. Const. Do, child, go to it' grandam, child; Give grandam kingdom, and it' grandam will Give it a plum, a cherry, and a fig: There's a good grandam. Arth. Good my mother, peace! I would, that I were low laid in my grave; I am not worth this coil that's made for me. weeps. Const. Now shame upon you, whe'r she does, or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames, Draw those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be brib'd To do him justice, and revenge on you. Elin. Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth! Const. Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth! Call not me slanderer; thou, and thine, usurp Of this oppressed boy: This is thy eldest son's son, Thy sins are visited in this poor child; The canon of the law is laid on him, |