 | King Iohn And Matilda |  |
Actus 2.
Scœna I.
Enter King, Hubert, Lady, and Bruce.K.
You would not then produce him.
Hu.
Think of it Madam,
And for your own discharge, give up your Son.
La.
I have him not to give.
K.
We will no more be mock'd, are all the people,
Enter 2 Souldiers with a Hamper, the Boy in it.
Horses, and Cattel voided forth the Castle?
Hub.
All but this Hamper which stood underneath
The stairs that led into the Dungeon.
K.
A place suspicious, search it.
La.
Let not rudenesse boast sir,
She was born i'th presence of a Prince.
Hub.
Tis lock'd my Lord.
K.
Where is the Key?
La.
I know not, lost.
K.
Cut it open.
La.
Do not, do not, indeed you'l spoile it then.
K.
Well then they shall not.
La.
Now the King is gracious.
K.
But fetch each man a Torch, and here before me
Set it a fire.
La.
Oh rather cut it sir in a thousand peeces;
And now would burn it? who did teach you sir
To mock a wounded heart? look, look, and they do not go
To cut it too; good sir, I have a Jewel
Lyes conceal'd there, which I hid for feare o'th souldiers,
Of infinite value.
The Boy rises.
Hub.
Tis open my Lord.
K.
what's in't?
Hub.
Marry youth in a basket sir, here is the prety Jewel
Of infinite value.
K.
Hold him fast fellow, Hubert keepe back the mother.
La.
I would be kept back, is that a Boy
To crush with a rude hand, alas a grisle
Look, and his very looks do not fright my Child.
Boy.
Oh mother here is a man lookes very black,
(Pray do not hurt me) indeed, and if you doe,
You'l make my mother cry
La.
For heavens sake let me kisse him, I warrant you the
Childe was almost smotherd, come from him George.
Boy.
A wo'not let me go, if I were your match,
Ide give you a good sound box o'th eare,
K.
Come, Come, we will not part you, Hubert there waits
One Brand without, servant to the Earle of Chester,
With a guard, let him Convey them both to Winsor Castle,
And by this signet to sir Walter Blunt,
Deteyne them in his custody, untill
We shall I direct him further.
Boy.
Oh brave, mother I have heard of Winsor Castle, my father
Told me there are brave bowes and arrowes, and drums there.
La.
Oh happy Innocent, who in spight of foes
Can play the pretty wanton with thy woes.
Exit.
Hub.
The Lord Steward sir
Enter Winchester.
Is come it seemes from London.
K.
My Lord of Winchester the meaning of your speed?
Win.
The Popes legate Sir,
The Cardinal Pandulp is ariv'd at London,
K.
What newes with him; Six yeares we have stood
Win.
He brings proffers of peace sir,
Advantagable peace too, if that you please
To make a resignation of your Crowne:
K.
Ha!
Win.
Good sir suffer mee,
And that to him to the Popes use; withall;
(Paying an Annuall tribute for your Kingdomes
Of England, and of Ireland, in the presence
Of the whole body of the Peers,) he has power
From his Holiness to reinvest your temples
With the rich Diadem; and with all pronounce you
Again admitted into the Church, your power
Weakned and wounded, yet may by this meanes
Lyon like, rowse it selfe and remove all obstacles
Twixt you and the high calling of a King,
Which by the reason you stood Curst at Rome,
Receiv'd affronts so frequent; besides Fitzwaters,
With Leister (who by the return of Bruce and Richmand
From thence to London, were upon expedition,
With there powers for Hartford Castle to intercept
The proceedings of the Queen and Chester;)
I have staid upon the Legats special chardge
To attend your resignation, potent nessesity
(The great dispenser with all Cerimony,)
Calls it a point of Policy, whereby
You build your selfe, ruine your enemy.
Hu.
And then you stand again, sir a King absolute
And dazel faction.
Ki.
Come we will catch craft
With imitation, he that would screw his ends
To his own aims, must mingle (when he wins)
Secret dissemblings 'mongst his venial sinnes.
Enter Souldiers, and young Bruce prisoner.
Ches.
You are mine Sir.
Y. Bru.
Tis false, I am Fortunes.
This day to fortune then I sacrifice,
As to my Mistresse.
Y. Br.
A Whore is then your Mistresse.
Ches.
A Whore!
Y. Bru.
A rascall Jade,
That takes with the dixterity she gives; tell me
Of your Mistresse and the Devil: Oh my stars.
Ches.
O sir we have wayes to tame you, you remember
You brav'd me in the presence of the King,
At Baynards Castle.
Y. Bru.
Oh I am mad,
Yet not so mad, but I dare still brave Chester,
And from the top of my affliction,
Upon thy light heel'd Mrs. wanton fortune,
Cast from the manly temper of my blood
A noble scorn.
Ch.
You shall be setter'd first.
Y. Bru.
Fetter'd:
Ch.
Yes, and sent
Up to the King as an arch Rebel, to whom,
To whom (before) we have by Letters sent our happy fortune.
Y. Bru.
Rebell:
By that boyling sea of blood which thou hast troubl'd,
Had my desires but bodies, I would burst
Fetters of steele, tear off thy canker'd flesh,
And with thy Jaw-bone, (thou honour wounding man)
I would kill a thousand of these Rascals.
Ch.
Drag him
Into the Castle, since your fortunes move you,
Wee'l force you to a madnesse.
Y. Bru.
Fool thou canst not;
Frost makes fire fervent, he that wisely knows
His wealthy fate, bravely becomes his woes.
Charge.
Ches.
Are you so arm'd, away with him.
Exit.
Qu.
Come forward furie, witch.
Mat.
Alas, why thus
Great Queen do you mis-use me? credite me
I do not feare to die, young Infants do it;
Nor wish I life, the murtherer enjoyes it;
But let me know my trespasse.
Qu.
I'me made your stale,
The King, the King your strumpet; oh thou wretch,
The matter my spleen!
tears her.
Mat.
Hear me but speak.
Qu.
Yes, I will thee speak,
That every syllable may serve instead
Of a fierce wind to blow my fiercer fury
Into the fashion of a punishmen,
Fitting the daring of thy trespasse.
Mat.
Heare me;
By these red marks, registers of your rashnesse,
And by these tears, the fruits of my affliction,
That the King passionately pursues my love,
Is truth uncontradicted; but if I
Did ever think you wrong, let mine honour be
buried in dark oblivion.
Qu.
Sin's a sweet tame Serpent, they must beguile
Cloath rude errors, in a soft smooth stile:
Enter Chester.
But strumpst thou shalt ruin't.
Charge.
Ches.
Shift for your selfe Madam,
Richmond escap'd from London with the powers
Leavied by Leister, and Fitzwater, (who
Were stai'd by Winchester, and the Legate Pandulph)
Hath rescued Bruce, got again the Castle,
Ent. Y. Bruce, and Richmond with Souldiers.
And make you now their search.
Exit.
Rich.
Cease on the Queen;
Madam you are our prisoner,
Y. Bru.
Keep Chester safe good Richmond;
Hath ras'd this Book of beauty? a face where vertue
Intelligibly stood to charm the Reader: Tell me Cozen,
And by the thousands of thy tears, and fears
No tittle, place, degree, the very Grave
Shall not secure the offender.
Qu.
There is death in's angry eyes.
aside.
Mat.
The rude Souldiers
My noble Cozen hail'd me thus, and tore me,
And would have sure done worse, but that the Queen,
The wondrous kind Queen in her royall person,
Came with a troop of well appointed Souldiers,
and rescued me.
Qu.
She mocks me sure.
Y. Bru.
The Queen so kind.
Ma.
O Cousin had you seen
How good she was in her quick speed, how zealous
To relieve innocence, you would have thought
She'd kil'd them with her frowns e're she came at them,
So lamentably miserable were my sufferings,
So excellently noble was her charity.
Y. Bru.
Now by my life, 'twas honour in the highest,
Because a foe, and gracious Madam, not
To be out bid in this brave Mart of honour,
You shall have a safe Convoy, and of quality
Fitting your person, to convey (with your freedome)
To th'angry King our loves, that he may see
How plain to him we mean, and how nobly
Unto a goodnesse of so fair deservings
As this now showne; see there be present order
For her Majesties attendance, and swee Coz
With-draw from the cold ayr.
Exit,
Qu.
Farewell Matilda;
Oh pardon me for heavens sake, now I find
Thy soul is Christall.
Ma.
Remember to the King
Good Madam my great sorrows; and forget not
Vertue and honour stand a paire of Centinels;
The Sea may sooner flame, fire admit frost,
E're such a woman fall from heaven: Oh she,
Who as a regular star, keeps vertues speare,
Shews like a Pearl hung in an Angels eare.
Qu.
Thou noble soul of goodnesse.
Exit.
A Chaire of state discover'd, Tables and Cheires responcible, a Guard making a lane: Enter between them, King John, Pandulph the Popes Legate, Chester Oxford, and all the Kings Party: After them, Fitzwater, Richmond, Leister, and Bruce; the King (holding the Crown) kneeling on the left side of the Chaire, Pandulph possessing it.
K.
Lo in the sight of Prelates Peers,
Of Earth and Heaven, of all that heares
My words; I John Plantagaent,
(With all submissive reverence,) set
My Crowne at the most sacred foot
Of Innocent the Third, unto't
I joyne my Kingdome, giue them free
Unto his pious clemencie:
And for the follies of my Raigne,
Heats of my youth, and the rough straine
Of riper years, my Rebellions, my high hand,
My six yeares Interdictien, and
All my mis-doings; I this, and those,
Submit to the Popes power to disclose.
Pan.
You have by times retracted, and your foot now
Beats out a certain path; in these Lords sights of I do
Produce the Letter, drawn Obligatory
From John of England to his Holinesse,
Peruse it sir, you are there oblig'd to pay,
(As yearly from this day Renting your Kingdoms)
To Innocent the Third, and to his Successors
A thousand marks per annum.
K.
It runnes so.
Pan.
Yes, three hundred for Ireland, & seven for England.
Fitz.
Do not peruse it John, thouhg thou and we
Have had some bickerings, yet let me counsell thee,
This is my Countries Cause.
You, and your Country
Have cause in this Cause to rejoyce.
Eitz.
Good, good, Sir Pandvlph,
Though in our filiall love to our Mother Church,
By his Holinesse command, we stay'd from Hartford;
Yet lets have fair play, do not wrong that mother,
Apparelling her comely holy face,
With a forehead full of frowns, pleited proceedings.
Pan.
You raile.
Fitz.
I do not raile,
Although I hold and reverence the Chair,
(We had been at Hartford else, and not at London,)
Yet in a true breast we should nothing see,
But holy pure, unmix: simplicy.
K.
Give me the pen.
Leis.
Will you then signe?
K.
Yes, you rough Sonnes of faction,
And hook your stubborn nostrils, this is Rubarb
To your smooth pallats: give me the pen to write.
Fitz.
Do not write John.
K.
Do not prate fool.
Fitz.
In sooth that write
Will wrong thee; Children and Fools tell truth,
Remember that.
Pan.
There was no way like this,
To beat a path out to your peace.
Ki.
Right Reverend
Pand. proffers to descend.
And holy Sir, receive to the Popes use,
His will, and your own charge: Sir, descend not,
But ere you re-invest me, hear me tell
A tale of sorrow, behold here these Lords,
who had been now bruising the face of peace
With unkind buffers, but for Winchester,
Your strict compulsion, and their seeming fear
Of deserv'd interdiction; but oh spright,
No Devill deceives like th'houshold hypocrite,
These of my Court, with young Brace now insconc'd
hath retir'd his discontents.
O. Bru.
We misse our hopes else.
K.
These bandy faction with me, and with their drums
(Lew'd linguists to interpret their disloyalties)
Brave me i'th field, deform th'afflicted face
Of trembling England with foul bloody stains,
Larums at hideous midnight, they break my sleeps,
Fill them with fearfull dreams, terrible startings,
And with the griefe of my unfriendly fears,
Force me to pierce my pillow with my tears.
Pan.
Unnaturall cruellty,
Able to melt marble into compassionate tears.
Ox.
Dainty dissembler.
O. Bru.
Now may it please you—
Pan.
Peace untill his holinesse command be finished;
Ascend your now true Seat sir, and from the hand
Pan. gives John the Chair.
Of my selfe Pandulph, Legate for the Pope,
(Observing the due payments specified,)
Receive your Crown and Kingdoms; and with them
We here pronounce your absolute readmission
Into the Church, and from his holnesse
We re-invest you, with all Powers, Prerogatives,
Freedomes, Communities, (and in the strength of effecacy,)
That constantly adhears to lawfull Princes,
And an obedient Son unto the Church,
Long life to John of England, Wales and Ireland,
The lawfull King!
Florish.
Leis.
I am mad.
Fitz.
So, so, now we must suffer
The Kingdoms ancient Liberties, Land, lives,
And all to run the course that he shall steere,
Good heaven that I were dead, what do I here.
weeps.
O Bru.
But i'le not asse-like bear my Countries wrongs,
Mine own at home, and like a Court Camelion,
Give thanks unto mine injurer: hear me King John.
K.
You shall hear us sir first; we have been clouded
We now again are glorious; thus in briefe,
Leister we require strong pledge for your loyalty;
Bruce call your mad Son home from Hartford,
Your Wife and Sonne shall better speed at Guilford,
For Richmond in our re-assumed power.
We will proclaime him Traytor, and Fitzwater,
Either give up Matilda for your faith, or heare
What we shall sentence.
Leis.
We must stand then
What thunder you shall throw, perform with us,
We kisse your royall hands.
O. Bru.
If not, we stand
Rocks in our resoluton.
K.
D'ee heare them now sir?
Fitz.
Nay, nay, let him hear me too then:
Lord Legate Pandulph; thus 'tis,
And thus you may informe his holinesse,
In a field cal'd running-Mead 'twixt Staines and Winsor,
After some bloody noses on both sides,
I tell truth I; there the King and Barrons
Met for discussion of conceiv'd wrongs,
And indeed not misconceiv'd, our Houses, Honours,
Our Fathers freedomes, the Lands ancient Liberties
(Unjustly to encrease some private Cofers)
Felt daily Demunition, there to Covenants drawn,
(Bearing the name and sence of Magna Charta,
Which many hundred years may be seen hereafter)
King John subscrib'd, we swore him fealty.
K.
Which fealty they deny'd, till our assoylment
Of our six years Interdiction, forcing us therefore
To seal unlawfull liberties.
Leis.
Upon our honours,
They were but what Antiquity prov'd lawful.
Ox.
Oh but my Lord.
Fitz.
Tut, tut, Lord me no Lords,
He broak, we powted, I tell plain truth I,
But wot ye what, he casts a covetous eye,
Upon my Daughter, passionately pursues her,
There had been other pledges but our oathes else,
(For heaven knows them he had) and (amongst the rest)
Matilda must be my pledge, for well he deem'd
They yielding theirs, shame would brand my denyall,
But catch craft, when we put truth to triall,
Kings should have shining souls, and white desires
Enflam'd with zeale, not parch'd by Paphian fires;
So shines the soul in which vertue doth shrowd,
Is a serene skie bespotted with no cloud,
But a Copper conscience whil'st the head wears Gold,
Is but a plain down-right untruth well told,
Come, come, I cannot fawn.
K.
But in the passion
Gf a Dog sir you can snarl; have you talk all your words?
Fitz.
I have told truth I.
K.
Then we will fall to deeds,
Oxford command a Guard, and presently
Take them to'th Tower; we can now talk and do,
Away with them, and muzzel those fierce Mastiffes,
That durst leap at the face of Majestie,
And strike their killing fangs into honours heart;
Are they not gone? we shall be passionate
In your delay.
O. Bru.
Come Leister, let us wear
Our sufferings like Garland.
Leis.
Tempest nor death,
Could never out do Leister, who dares dye
Laughing at times poyson'd integrity.
Fitz.
Now by my troth 'twas very nobly spoken,
Shall I turne tale; no, no, no, lets go,
But how things will be carried; ha! are these teares
Body of me? they are; Shall I go like a sheep
With this pair of Lyons; ha, ha, ha,
I do laugh now John, and i'le tell thee why,
Set in our Kalends, but when forty Winters more
Shall roun'd thy forehead with a field of snow,
And when thy comely veins shall cease to flow,
When those majestick eyes shall float in rhumes,
When giant Nature her own selfe consumes,
When thy swift Pulses shall but slowly pant,
When thou art all a Volum of my want,
(That like a tale-spent fire thou shalt sinck,)
Then John upon this lesson thou wilt think
He dyes a happy old man, whose sweet youth
Was a continued sacrifice to truth;
I must weep now indeed.
Ki.
Away with them.
Exit.
Pan.
Unto King John, the favour of his holinesse,
With peace and happinesse.
Exit.
K.
Which we return
With all filiall obedience—look up Oxford,
The day breaks, and the Sun hath chaste the night
Out of our Hemispheare.
Enter a Gentleman.
Ox.
Your news sir?
Gen.
Letters from the Queen sir.
K.
Was the Earl Richmond there with any powers
E're your departure.
K. reads.
Gen.
No may it please your Majestie, we heard not of him,
But all on your part went fair and fortunate
K.
Oh Oxford now they have her, flie back like lightning,
Tell him this day wee'l meet them all at Barnet.
Exit Gent.
Ox.
But her Father and her friends imprisonment
May obdurate her heart, they dare not sure
On the great perill of a curse to fall
Into a Relapse now you are absolute.
Faith sirtrie smooth paths to your ends, to release them,
I hold the winningst way to captivate
Their duties, and Matilda to your wishes.
K.
Good, do not kill me joy before our going,
Instantly thou shalt flie with the Lords release,
Fly into Paphoes, and from thy Mothers shrine,
Catch but a nimble wanton flame, and cast it
Into the busie Kingdome of my heart,
That it may teach my tongue the art of victory,
And every year unto thy well-spent Quiver
I'le add a shaft, and call it Cupids love Dart;
Come Oxford, I tread methinks on aire,
Untill I read that Volum of sweet grace,
The well writ story of Matilda's face.
Ox.
She yeelds at last my life on't sir.
Exit.
| King Iohn And Matilda | |