1 Cit. That can we not: but he that proves the king, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, And, if not that, I bring you witnesses, Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed, Bast. Bastards, and else. K. John. To verify our title with their lives. K. Phil. As many, and as well-born bloods as those, Bast. Some bastards too. K.Phil. Stand in his face, to contradict his claim. 1 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. Phil. 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!-Sirrah, were I at home, And inake a monster of you. Aust. Peace; no more. Bast. O, 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! SCENE II. THE SAME. [Exeunt. Alarums and Excursions; then a Retreat. Enter a French Herald, with trumpets, to the gates. F. Her. You men of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur, duke of Bretagne, in; 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, Their armours, that march'd hence so silver-bright, Our colours do return in those same hands That did display them when we first march'd forth; Cit. Heralds, from off our towers we might behold, From first to last, the onset and retire Of both your armies; whose equality By our best eyes cannot be censured: 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. Phil. England, thou hast not sav'd one drop of blood, In this hot trial, more than we of France; Or add a royal number to the dead; Gracing the scroll, that tells of this war's loss, Why stand these royal fronts amazed thus? Then let confusion of one part confirm The other's peace; till then, blows, blood, and death! K. John. Whose party do the townsmen yet admit? K.Phil. Speak, citizens, for England; who's your king? 1 Cit. The king of England, when we know the king. K. Phil. Know him in us, that here hold up his right. K. John. In us, that are our own great deputy, And bear possession of our person here; Lord of our presence, Angiers, and of you. 1 Cit. A greater power than we, denies all this; And, till it be undoubted, we do lock Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates: And stand securely on their battlements, Do like the mutines of Jerusalem, Be friends a-while, and both conjointly bend |