A Select Collection of Old English Plays Volume Vii Part 76

JOHN. Too much? too little!

He shall have that and more; I swear he shall.

I will have Nottingham and Salisbury, Stafford and Darby, and some other earldom, Or, by St John (whose blessed name I bear), I'll make these places like a wilderness.

Is't not a plague, an horrible abuse, A king, a King of England, should be father To four such proper youths as Hal and d.i.c.k, My brother Geoffrey, and my proper self, And yet not give his sons such maintenance, As he consumes among his minions?

RICH. Be more respective, John.

JOHN. Respective, Richard?

Are you turn'd pure? a changing weatherc.o.c.k! [_Aside_.

I say its reason Henry should be king, Thou prince, I duke, as Geoffrey is a duke.

LAN. What shall your father do?

JOHN. Live at his prayers, Have a sufficient pension by the year, Repent his sins, because his end is near.

GLO. A gracious son, a very gracious son! [_Aside_.

KING. Will this content you? I that have sat still, Amaz'd to see my sons devoid of shame; To hear my subjects with rebellious tongues Wound the kind bosom of their sovereign; Can no more bear, but from a bleeding heart Deliver all my love for all your hate: Will this content ye?[455] Cruel Elinor, Your savage mother, my uncivil queen: The tigress, that hath drunk the purple blood Of three times twenty thousand valiant men; Washing her red chaps in the weeping tears Of widows, virgins, nurses, sucking babes; And lastly, sorted with her d.a.m.n'd consorts, Ent'red a labyrinth to murther love.

Will this content you? She shall be releas'd, That she may next seize me she most envies!

HEN. Our mother's liberty is some content.

KING. What else would Henry have?

HEN. The kingdom.

KING. Peruse this bill; draw near; let us confer.

JOHN. Hal, be not answered but with sovereignty, For glorious is the sway of majesty.

KING. What would content you, John?

JOHN. Five earldoms, sir.

KING. What you, son Richard?

RICH. Pardon, gracious father, And th'furtherance for my vow of penance.

For I have sworn to G.o.d and all his saints, These arms erected in rebellious brawls Against my father and my sovereign, Shall fight the battles of the Lord of Hosts, In wrong'd Judaea and Palestina.

That shall be Richard's penance for his pride, His blood a satisfaction for his sin, His patrimony, men, munition, And means to waft them into Syria.

KING. Thou shalt have thy desire, heroic son, As soon as other home-bred brawls are done.

LAN. Why weeps old Fauconbridge?

FAU. I am almost blind, To hear sons cruel and the fathers kind.

Now, well-a-year,[456] that e'er I liv'd to see Such patience and so much impiety!

GLO. Brother, content thee; this is but the first: Worse is a-brewing, and yet not the worst.

LEI. You shall not stand to this.

HEN. And why, my lord?

LEI. The lands of Morton doth belong to John.

HEN. What's that to me? by Act of Parliament If they be mine confirm'd, he must be pleas'd.

JOHN. Be pleased, King-puppet! have I stood for thee, Even in the mouth of death? open'd my arms To circle in sedition's ugly shape?

Shook hands with duty, bad adieu to virtue, Profan'd all majesty in heaven and earth; Writ in black characters on my white brow The name of _rebel John_ against his father?

For thee, for thee, thou 'otomy[457] of honour, Thou worm of majesty, thou froth, thou bubble![458]

And must I now be pleas'd in peace to stand, While statutes make thee owner of my land?

GLO. Good pastime, good, now will the thieves fall out! [_Aside_.

JOHN. O, if I do, let me be never held Royal King Henry's son; pardon me, father; Pull down this rebel, that hath done thee wrong.

d.i.c.k, come and leave his side; a.s.sail him, lords; Let's have no parley but with bills and swords.

KING. Peace, John, lay down thy arms; hear Henry speak.

He minds thee no such wrong.

JOHN. He were not best.

HEN. Why, hair-brain'd brother, can ye brook no jest?

I do confirm you Earl of Nottingham.

JOHN. And Morton too?

HEN. Ay, and Morton too.

JOHN. Why so? now once more I'll sit down by you.

GLO. Blow, wind! the youngest of King Henry's stock Would fitly serve to make a weatherc.o.c.k.

JOHN. Gape, earth! challenge thine own, as Gloster lies; Pity such muck is cover'd with the skies?

FAU. Be quiet, good my lords; ['tis] the King's command You should be quiet, and 'tis very meet; It's most convenient--how say you, Prince Richard?

RICH. It is indeed.

FAU. Why, that is wisely said; You are a very kind, indifferent man, Marry a' G.o.d, and by my halidom, Were not I had a feeling in my head Of some suspicion 'twixt my wife and him I should affect him more than all the world. [_Aside_.

GLO. Take heed, old Richard, keep thee there, mad lad.

My sisters' fair, and beauty may turn bad. [_Aside_.

SCENE THE THIRD.

_Enter_ ROBIN HOOD, _a paper in his hand_.