William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (204 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
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BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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2.2
Enter Lady Constance, Arthur Duke of Brittaine, and the Earl of Salisbury
3.1
⌈
Flourish
.⌉
Enter King John and King Philip
⌈
hand
in
hand
⌉
; Louis the Dauphin and Lady Blanche,
⌈
married
⌉
; Queen Eleanor, the Bastard, and the Duke of Austria
Enter Lady Constance, Arthur Duke of Brittaine, and the Earl of Salisbury
CONSTANCE (
to Salisbury
)
to Salisbury
)
Gone to be married? Gone to swear a peace?
False blood to false blood joined! Gone to be friends?
Shall Louis have Blanche, and Blanche those
provinces?
It is not so, thou hast misspoke, misheard.
Be well advised, tell o‘er thy tale again.
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 punished for thus frighting me;
For I am sick and capable of fears;
Oppressed with wrongs, and therefore full of fears;
A widow husbandless, subject to fears;
A woman naturally born to fears;
And though thou now confess thou didst but jest,
With my vexed 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.
False blood to false blood joined! Gone to be friends?
Shall Louis have Blanche, and Blanche those
provinces?
It is not so, thou hast misspoke, misheard.
Be well advised, tell o‘er thy tale again.
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 punished for thus frighting me;
For I am sick and capable of fears;
Oppressed with wrongs, and therefore full of fears;
A widow husbandless, subject to fears;
A woman naturally born to fears;
And though thou now confess thou didst but jest,
With my vexed 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.
SALISBURY
As true as I believe you think them false
That give you cause to prove my saying true.
That give you cause to prove my saying true.
CONSTANCE
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.
Louis marry Blanche! (
To Arthur
) O boy, then where
art thou?
France friend with England!—What becomes of me?
(
To Salisbury
) Fellow, be gone, I cannot brook thy
sight; 36
This news hath made thee a most ugly man.
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.
Louis marry Blanche! (
To Arthur
) O boy, then where
art thou?
France friend with England!—What becomes of me?
(
To Salisbury
) Fellow, be gone, I cannot brook thy
sight; 36
This news hath made thee a most ugly man.
SALISBURY
What other harm have I, good lady, done,
But spoke the harm that is by others done?
But spoke the harm that is by others done?
CONSTANCE
Which harm within itself so heinous is 40
As it makes harmful all that speak of it.
As it makes harmful all that speak of it.
ARTHUR
I do beseech you, madam, be content.
CONSTANCE
If thou that bidd‘st me be content wert grim,
Ugly and sland’rous to thy mother’s womb,
Full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains,
Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,
Patched with foul moles and eye-offending marks,
I would not care, I then would be content,
For then I should not love thee, no, nor thou
Become thy great birth, nor deserve a crown.
But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy,
Nature and Fortune joined to make thee great.
Of Nature’s gifts thou mayst with lilies boast,
And with the half-blown rose. But Fortune, O,
She is corrupted, changed, and won from thee;
Sh’adulterates hourly with thine uncle John,
And with her golden hand hath plucked on France
To tread down fair respect of sovereignty,
And made his majesty the bawd to theirs.
France is a bawd to Fortune and King John,
That strumpet Fortune, that usurping John.
(
To Salisbury)
Tell me, thou fellow, is not France
forsworn ?
Envenom him with words, or get thee gone
And leave those woes alone, which I alone
Am bound to underbear.
Ugly and sland’rous to thy mother’s womb,
Full of unpleasing blots and sightless stains,
Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,
Patched with foul moles and eye-offending marks,
I would not care, I then would be content,
For then I should not love thee, no, nor thou
Become thy great birth, nor deserve a crown.
But thou art fair, and at thy birth, dear boy,
Nature and Fortune joined to make thee great.
Of Nature’s gifts thou mayst with lilies boast,
And with the half-blown rose. But Fortune, O,
She is corrupted, changed, and won from thee;
Sh’adulterates hourly with thine uncle John,
And with her golden hand hath plucked on France
To tread down fair respect of sovereignty,
And made his majesty the bawd to theirs.
France is a bawd to Fortune and King John,
That strumpet Fortune, that usurping John.
(
To Salisbury)
Tell me, thou fellow, is not France
forsworn ?
Envenom him with words, or get thee gone
And leave those woes alone, which I alone
Am bound to underbear.
SALISBURY
Pardon me, madam,
Pardon me, madam,
I may not go without you to the Kings.
CONSTANCE
Thou mayst, thou shalt; I will not go with thee.
I will instruct my sorrows to be proud,
For grief is proud and makes his owner stoop.
I will instruct my sorrows to be proud,
For grief is proud and makes his owner stoop.
⌈
She sits upon the ground
⌉
To me and to the state of my great grief 70
Let kings assemble, for my grief’s so great
That no supporter but the huge firm earth
Can hold it up. Here I and sorrows sit;
Here is my throne; bid kings come bow to it.
Let kings assemble, for my grief’s so great
That no supporter but the huge firm earth
Can hold it up. Here I and sorrows sit;
Here is my throne; bid kings come bow to it.
⌈
Exeunt Salisbury and Arthur
⌉
⌈
Flourish
.⌉
Enter King John and King Philip
⌈
hand
in
hand
⌉
; Louis the Dauphin and Lady Blanche,
⌈
married
⌉
; Queen Eleanor, the Bastard, and the Duke of Austria
KING PHILIP (
to Blanche
)
to Blanche
)
’Tis true, fair daughter, and this blessèd day
Ever in France shall be kept festival.
To solemnize this day, the glorious sun
Stays in his course and plays the alchemist,
Turning with splendour of his precious eye 5
The meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold.
The yearly course that brings this day about
Shall never see it but a holy day.
Ever in France shall be kept festival.
To solemnize this day, the glorious sun
Stays in his course and plays the alchemist,
Turning with splendour of his precious eye 5
The meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold.
The yearly course that brings this day about
Shall never see it but a holy day.
CONSTANCE (
rising
)
rising
)
A wicked day, and not a holy day!
What hath this day deserved? What hath it done,
That it in golden letters should be set
Among the high tides in the calendar?
Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,
This day of shame, oppression, perjury.
Or if it must stand still, let wives with child 15
Pray that their burdens may not fall this day,
Lest that their hopes prodigiously be crossed;
But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;
No bargains break that are not this day made;
This day all things begun come to ill end, 20
Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change.
What hath this day deserved? What hath it done,
That it in golden letters should be set
Among the high tides in the calendar?
Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,
This day of shame, oppression, perjury.
Or if it must stand still, let wives with child 15
Pray that their burdens may not fall this day,
Lest that their hopes prodigiously be crossed;
But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;
No bargains break that are not this day made;
This day all things begun come to ill end, 20
Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change.
KING PHILIP
By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause
To curse the fair proceedings of this day.
Have I not pawned to you my majesty?
To curse the fair proceedings of this day.
Have I not pawned to you my majesty?
CONSTANCE
You have beguiled me with a counterfeit 25
Resembling majesty, which being touched and tried
Proves valueless. You are forsworn, forsworn.
You came in arms to spill mine enemies’ blood,
But now in arms you strengthen it with yours.
The grappling vigour and rough frown of war 30
Is cold in amity and painted peace,
And our oppression hath made up this league.
Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured Kings!
A widow cries, be husband to me, God!
Let not the hours of this ungodly day 35
Wear out the day in peace, but ere sun set
Set armed discord ’twixt these perjured Kings.
Hear me, O hear me!
Resembling majesty, which being touched and tried
Proves valueless. You are forsworn, forsworn.
You came in arms to spill mine enemies’ blood,
But now in arms you strengthen it with yours.
The grappling vigour and rough frown of war 30
Is cold in amity and painted peace,
And our oppression hath made up this league.
Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured Kings!
A widow cries, be husband to me, God!
Let not the hours of this ungodly day 35
Wear out the day in peace, but ere sun set
Set armed discord ’twixt these perjured Kings.
Hear me, O hear me!
AUSTRIA Lady Constance, peace.
CONSTANCE
War, war, no peace! Peace is to me a war.
O Limoges, O Austria, thou dost shame 40
That bloody spoil. Thou slave, thou wretch, thou
coward!
Thou little valiant, great in villainy;
Thou ever strong upon the stronger side;
Thou Fortune’s champion, that dost never fight
But when her humorous ladyship is by 45
To teach thee safety. Thou art perjured too,
And sooth‘st up greatness. What a fool art thou,
A ramping fool, to brag and stamp, and swear
Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave,
Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side, 50
Been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend
Upon thy stars, thy fortune, and thy strength?
And dost thou now fall over to my foes?
Thou wear a lion’s hide! Doff it, for shame,
And hang a calf’s-skin on those recreant limbs. 55
O Limoges, O Austria, thou dost shame 40
That bloody spoil. Thou slave, thou wretch, thou
coward!
Thou little valiant, great in villainy;
Thou ever strong upon the stronger side;
Thou Fortune’s champion, that dost never fight
But when her humorous ladyship is by 45
To teach thee safety. Thou art perjured too,
And sooth‘st up greatness. What a fool art thou,
A ramping fool, to brag and stamp, and swear
Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave,
Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side, 50
Been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend
Upon thy stars, thy fortune, and thy strength?
And dost thou now fall over to my foes?
Thou wear a lion’s hide! Doff it, for shame,
And hang a calf’s-skin on those recreant limbs. 55
AUSTRIA
O, that a man should speak those words to me!
BASTARD
And hang a calf’s-skin on those recreant limbs.
AUSTRIA
Thou dar’st not say so, villain, for thy life.
BASTARD
And hang a calf’s-skin on those recreant limbs.
KING JOHN (
to the Bastard
)
to the Bastard
)
We like not this. Thou dost forget thyself. 60
Enter Cardinal Pandolf
KING PHILIP
Here comes the holy legate of the Pope.
PANDOLF
Hail, you anointed deputies of God.—
To thee, King John, my holy errand is.
I Pandolf, of fair Milan Cardinal,
And from Pope Innocent the legate here, 65
Do in his name religiously demand
Why thou against the Church, our Holy Mother,
So wilfully dost spurn, and force perforce
Keep Stephen Langton, chosen Archbishop
Of Canterbury, from that holy see. 70
This, in our foresaid Holy Father’s name,
Pope Innocent, I do demand of thee.
To thee, King John, my holy errand is.
I Pandolf, of fair Milan Cardinal,
And from Pope Innocent the legate here, 65
Do in his name religiously demand
Why thou against the Church, our Holy Mother,
So wilfully dost spurn, and force perforce
Keep Stephen Langton, chosen Archbishop
Of Canterbury, from that holy see. 70
This, in our foresaid Holy Father’s name,
Pope Innocent, I do demand of thee.
KING JOHN
What earthy name to interrogatories
Can task the free breath of a sacred king?
Thou canst not, Cardinal, devise a name 75
So slight, unworthy, and ridiculous
To charge me to an answer, as the Pope.
Tell him this tale, and from the mouth of England
Add thus much more: that no Italian priest
Shall tithe or toll in our dominions; 80
But as we, under God, are supreme head,
So, under him, that great supremacy
Where we do reign we will alone uphold
Without th’assistance of a mortal hand.
So tell the Pope, all reverence set apart
To him and his usurped authority.
Can task the free breath of a sacred king?
Thou canst not, Cardinal, devise a name 75
So slight, unworthy, and ridiculous
To charge me to an answer, as the Pope.
Tell him this tale, and from the mouth of England
Add thus much more: that no Italian priest
Shall tithe or toll in our dominions; 80
But as we, under God, are supreme head,
So, under him, that great supremacy
Where we do reign we will alone uphold
Without th’assistance of a mortal hand.
So tell the Pope, all reverence set apart
To him and his usurped authority.
KING PHILIP
Brother of England, you blaspheme in this.
KING JOHN
Though you and all the kings of Christendom
Are led so grossly by this meddling priest,
Dreading the curse that money may buy out, 90
And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust,
Purchase corrupted pardon of a man,
Who in that sale sells pardon from himself;
Though you and all the rest so grossly led
This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish; 95
Yet I alone, alone do me oppose
Against the Pope, and count his friends my foes.
Are led so grossly by this meddling priest,
Dreading the curse that money may buy out, 90
And by the merit of vile gold, dross, dust,
Purchase corrupted pardon of a man,
Who in that sale sells pardon from himself;
Though you and all the rest so grossly led
This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish; 95
Yet I alone, alone do me oppose
Against the Pope, and count his friends my foes.
PANDOLF
Then by the lawful power that I have
Thou shalt stand cursed and excommunicate;
And blessed shall he be that doth revolt 100
From his allegiance to an heretic;
And meritorious shall that hand be called,
Canonized and worshipped as a saint,
That takes away by any secret course
Thy hateful life.
Thou shalt stand cursed and excommunicate;
And blessed shall he be that doth revolt 100
From his allegiance to an heretic;
And meritorious shall that hand be called,
Canonized and worshipped as a saint,
That takes away by any secret course
Thy hateful life.
CONSTANCE O lawful let it be 105
That I have room with Rome to curse awhile.
Good Father Cardinal, cry thou ’Amen’
To my keen curses, for without my wrong
There is no tongue hath power to curse him right.
Good Father Cardinal, cry thou ’Amen’
To my keen curses, for without my wrong
There is no tongue hath power to curse him right.
PANDOLF
There’s law and warrant, lady, for my curse. 110
CONSTANCE
And for mine too. When law can do no right,
Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong.
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here,
For he that holds his kingdom holds the law.
Therefore, since law itself is perfect wrong,
How can the law forbid my tongue to curse?
Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong.
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here,
For he that holds his kingdom holds the law.
Therefore, since law itself is perfect wrong,
How can the law forbid my tongue to curse?
PANDOLF
Philip of France, on peril of a curse,
Let go the hand of that arch-heretic,
And raise the power of France upon his head,
Unless he do submit himself to Rome. 120
Let go the hand of that arch-heretic,
And raise the power of France upon his head,
Unless he do submit himself to Rome. 120
QUEEN ELEANOR
Look’st thou pale, France? Do not let go thy hand.
CONSTANCE ⌈
to King John
⌉
to King John
⌉
Look to it, devil, lest that France repent,
And by disjoining hands hell lose a soul.
And by disjoining hands hell lose a soul.
AUSTRIA
King Philip, listen to the Cardinal.
BASTARD
And hang a calf’s-skin on his recreant limbs. 125
AUSTRIA
Well, ruffian, I must pocket up these wrongs,
Because—
Because—
BASTARD Your breeches best may carry them.
KING JOHN
Philip, what sayst thou to the Cardinal?
CONSTANCE
What should he say, but as the Cardinal?
LOUIS THE DAUPHIN
Bethink you, Father, for the difference 130
Is purchase of a heavy curse from Rome,
Or the light loss of England for a friend.
Forgo the easier.
Is purchase of a heavy curse from Rome,
Or the light loss of England for a friend.
Forgo the easier.
BLANCHE That’s the curse of Rome.
CONSTANCE
O Louis, stand fast; the devil tempts thee here
In likeness of a new untrimmèd bride. 135
In likeness of a new untrimmèd bride. 135
BLANCHE
The Lady Constance speaks not from her faith,
But from her need.
But from her need.
CONSTANCE ⌈
to King Philip
⌉ O if thou grant my need,
to King Philip
⌉ O if thou grant my need,
Which only lives but by the death of faith,
That need must needs infer this principle:
That faith would live again by death of need. 140
O, then tread down my need, and faith mounts up;
Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down.
That need must needs infer this principle:
That faith would live again by death of need. 140
O, then tread down my need, and faith mounts up;
Keep my need up, and faith is trodden down.
KING JOHN
The King is moved, and answers not to this.
CONSTANCE (
to King Philip
)
to King Philip
)
O, be removed from him, and answer well.
AUSTRIA
Do so, King Philip, hang no more in doubt. 145
BASTARD
Hang nothing but a calf’s-skin, most sweet lout.
KING PHILIP
I am perplexed, and know not what to say.
PANDOLF
What canst thou say but will perplex thee more,
If thou stand excommunicate and cursed?
If thou stand excommunicate and cursed?
KING PHILIP
Good Reverend Father, make my person yours, 150
And tell me how you would bestow yourself.
This royal hand and mine are newly knit,
And the conjunction of our inward souls
Married in league, coupled and linked together
With all religious strength of sacred vows; 155
The latest breath that gave the sound of words
Was deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love,
Between our kingdoms and our royal selves;
And even before this truce, but new before,
No longer than we well could wash our hands 160
To clap this royal bargain up of peace,
God knows, they were besmeared and over-stained
With slaughter’s pencil, where Revenge did paint
The fearful difference of incensed kings;
And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood, 165
So newly joined in love, so strong in both,
Unyoke this seizure and this kind regreet,
Play fast and loose with faith, so jest with heaven,
Make such unconstant children of ourselves,
As now again to snatch our palm from palm, 170
Unswear faith sworn, and on the marriage-bed
Of smiling peace to march a bloody host,
And make a riot on the gentle brow
Of true sincerity? O holy sir,
My Reverend Father, let it not be so. 175
Out of your grace, devise, ordain, impose
Some gentle order, and then we shall be blessed
To do your pleasure and continue friends.
And tell me how you would bestow yourself.
This royal hand and mine are newly knit,
And the conjunction of our inward souls
Married in league, coupled and linked together
With all religious strength of sacred vows; 155
The latest breath that gave the sound of words
Was deep-sworn faith, peace, amity, true love,
Between our kingdoms and our royal selves;
And even before this truce, but new before,
No longer than we well could wash our hands 160
To clap this royal bargain up of peace,
God knows, they were besmeared and over-stained
With slaughter’s pencil, where Revenge did paint
The fearful difference of incensed kings;
And shall these hands, so lately purged of blood, 165
So newly joined in love, so strong in both,
Unyoke this seizure and this kind regreet,
Play fast and loose with faith, so jest with heaven,
Make such unconstant children of ourselves,
As now again to snatch our palm from palm, 170
Unswear faith sworn, and on the marriage-bed
Of smiling peace to march a bloody host,
And make a riot on the gentle brow
Of true sincerity? O holy sir,
My Reverend Father, let it not be so. 175
Out of your grace, devise, ordain, impose
Some gentle order, and then we shall be blessed
To do your pleasure and continue friends.
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