TPTT The Life and Death of King John: ACT III
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
SCENE I. The French King's pavilion.
SCENE II. The same. Plains near Angiers.
SCENE III. The same.
SCENE IV. The same. KING PHILIP'S tent.
ACT IV
ACT V
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SCENE III. The same.
Alarums, excursions, retreat. Enter KING JOHN, QUEEN ELINOR, ARTHUR, the BASTARD, HUBERT, and Lords
KING JOHN
      (To QUEEN ELINOR) So shall it be; your grace shall
      stay behind
      So strongly guarded.

To ARTHUR

      Cousin, look not sad:
5     Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will
      As dear be to thee as thy father was.
ARTHUR
      O, this will make my mother die with grief!
KING JOHN
      (To the BASTARD) Cousin, away for England!
      haste before:
10    And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags
      Of hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels
      Set at liberty: the fat ribs of peace
      Must by the hungry now be fed upon:
      Use our commission in his utmost force.
BASTARD
15    Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back,
      When gold and silver becks me to come on.
      I leave your highness. Grandam, I will pray,
      If ever I remember to be holy,
      For your fair safety; so, I kiss your hand.
ELINOR
20    Farewell, gentle cousin.
KING JOHN
      Coz, farewell.
Exit the BASTARD
QUEEN ELINOR
      Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word.
KING JOHN
      Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,
      We owe thee much! within this wall of flesh
25    There is a soul counts thee her creditor
      And with advantage means to pay thy love:
      And my good friend, thy voluntary oath
      Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished.
      Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,
30    But I will fit it with some better time.
      By heaven, Hubert, I am almost ashamed
      To say what good respect I have of thee.
HUBERT
      I am much bounden to your majesty.
KING JOHN
      Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet,
35    But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow,
      Yet it shall come from me to do thee good.
      I had a thing to say, but let it go:
      The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day,
      Attended with the pleasures of the world,
40    Is all too wanton and too full of gawds
      To give me audience: if the midnight bell
      Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
      Sound on into the drowsy race of night;
      If this same were a churchyard where we stand,
45    And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs,
      Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,
      Had baked thy blood and made it heavy-thick,
      Which else runs tickling up and down the veins,
      Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes
50    And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,
      A passion hateful to my purposes,
      Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,
      Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
      Without a tongue, using conceit alone,
55    Without eyes, ears and harmful sound of words;
      Then, in despite of brooded watchful day,
      I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts:
      But, ah, I will not! yet I love thee well;
      And, by my troth, I think thou lovest me well.
HUBERT
60    So well, that what you bid me undertake,
      Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
      By heaven, I would do it.
KING JOHN
      Do not I know thou wouldst?
      Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye
65    On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,
      He is a very serpent in my way;
      And whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread,
      He lies before me: dost thou understand me?
      Thou art his keeper.
HUBERT
70    And I'll keep him so,
      That he shall not offend your majesty.
KING JOHN
      Death.
HUBERT
      My lord?
KING JOHN
      A grave.
HUBERT
75    He shall not live.
KING JOHN
      Enough.
      I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee;
      Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee:
      Remember. Madam, fare you well:
80    I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.
ELINOR
      My blessing go with thee!
KING JOHN
      For England, cousin, go:
      Hubert shall be your man, attend on you
      With all true duty. On toward Calais, ho!
Exeunt
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