TPTT The Life and Death of King John: ACT V
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
SCENE I. KING JOHN'S palace.
SCENE II. LEWIS's camp at St. Edmundsbury.
SCENE III. The field of battle.
SCENE IV. Another part of the field.
SCENE V. The French camp.
SCENE VI. An open place in the neighbourhood of Swinstead Abbey.
SCENE VII. The orchard in Swinstead Abbey.
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SCENE IV. Another part of the field.
Enter SALISBURY, PEMBROKE, and BIGOT
SALISBURY
      I did not think the king so stored with friends.
PEMBROKE
      Up once again; put spirit in the French:
      If they miscarry, we miscarry too.
SALISBURY
      That misbegotten devil, Faulconbridge,
5     In spite of spite, alone upholds the day.
PEMBROKE
      They say King John sore sick hath left the field.
Enter MELUN, wounded
MELUN
      Lead me to the revolts of England here.
SALISBURY
      When we were happy we had other names.
PEMBROKE
      It is the Count Melun.
SALISBURY
10    Wounded to death.
MELUN
      Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold;
      Unthread the rude eye of rebellion
      And welcome home again discarded faith.
      Seek out King John and fall before his feet;
15    For if the French be lords of this loud day,
      He means to recompense the pains you take
      By cutting off your heads: thus hath he sworn
      And I with him, and many moe with me,
      Upon the altar at Saint Edmundsbury;
20    Even on that altar where we swore to you
      Dear amity and everlasting love.
SALISBURY
      May this be possible? may this be true?
MELUN
      Have I not hideous death within my view,
      Retaining but a quantity of life,
25    Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax
      Resolveth from his figure 'gainst the fire?
      What in the world should make me now deceive,
      Since I must lose the use of all deceit?
      Why should I then be false, since it is true
30    That I must die here and live hence by truth?
      I say again, if Lewis do win the day,
      He is forsworn, if e'er those eyes of yours
      Behold another day break in the east:
      But even this night, whose black contagious breath
35    Already smokes about the burning crest
      Of the old, feeble and day-wearied sun,
      Even this ill night, your breathing shall expire,
      Paying the fine of rated treachery
      Even with a treacherous fine of all your lives,
40    If Lewis by your assistance win the day.
      Commend me to one Hubert with your king:
      The love of him, and this respect besides,
      For that my grandsire was an Englishman,
      Awakes my conscience to confess all this.
45    In lieu whereof, I pray you, bear me hence
      From forth the noise and rumour of the field,
      Where I may think the remnant of my thoughts
      In peace, and part this body and my soul
      With contemplation and devout desires.
SALISBURY
50    We do believe thee: and beshrew my soul
      But I do love the favour and the form
      Of this most fair occasion, by the which
      We will untread the steps of damned flight,
      And like a bated and retired flood,
55    Leaving our rankness and irregular course,
      Stoop low within those bounds we have o'erlook'd
      And cabby run on in obedience
      Even to our ocean, to our great King John.
      My arm shall give thee help to bear thee hence;
60    For I do see the cruel pangs of death
      Right in thine eye. Away, my friends! New flight;
      And happy newness, that intends old right.
Exeunt, leading off MELUN
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