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- Edition: Troublesome Reign of King John
The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))
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1473haue for this attempt; I perceiue by your heauie countenan-
1474ces, you had rather be otherwise imployed, and for my owne
1476tioner: onely this is my comfort, that a King commaunds,
1478default. Therefore in briefe, leaue me, and be readie to attend
1479the aduenture: stay within that entry, and when you heare me
1485benefite of the faire euening?
1487Arthur Gramercie Hubert for thy care of me,
1488In or to whom restraint is newly knowen,
1492But tell me curteous keeper if you can,
1493How long the King will haue me tarrie heere.
1496 They issue forth.
1498 meane?
O helpe
of King Iohn.
1499 O helpe me Hubert, gentle keeper helpe:
1501Tend not to reaue a wretched guiltles life.
1504What meaneth this? Good Hubert plead the case.
1506Harmfull and harsh, hells horror to be heard:
1510Hubert No newes of death, but tidings of more hate,
1511A wrathfull doome, and most vnluckie fate:
1513Be deafe, heare not, its hell to tell the rest.
1515Tis hell, tis horror, not for one to heare:
1516What is it man if it must needes be don,
1517Act it, and end it, that the paine were gon.
1520My heart my head, and all my powers beside,
1521To aide the office haue at once denide.
1522Peruse this letter, lines of treble woe,
1523Read ore my charge, and pardon when you know.
1524Hubert
these are to commaund thee, as thou tendrest our
1525quiet in minde and the estate of our person, that pre-
1526sently vpon the receipt of our commaund, thou put out
1527the eyes of Arthur Plantaginet.
1530 Contagious venyme dwelleth in his heart,
1532Unreuerent may I be to blame the heauens
F 3 Of
The troublesome Raigne
1534Liues to oppresse the innocents with wrong.
1535Ah Hubert, makes he thee his instrument
1538They feare thy fall, and cyte thee with remorse,
1539They knock thy conscience, moouing pitie there,
1540Willing to fence thee from the rage of hell:
1541Hell Hubert, trust me all the plagues of hell
1542Hangs on performance of this damned deede.
1545Subscribe not Hubert, giue not Gods part away.
1546I speake not onely for eyes priuiledge,
1547The chiefe exterior that I would enioy:
1548But for thy perill, farre beyond my paine,
1554Is tyed to execute the Kings commaund.
1558A death for guilt, to keepe the world in awe.
1560Hubert But that appeale my Lord concernes not me.
1562Hubert I, if my Soueraigne would remit his quarrell.
1564Hubert Then be the blame to whom it doth belong.
1565Arthur Why thats to thee if thou as they proceede,
1567Hubert Why then no execution can be lawfull,
1568If Iudges doomes must be reputed doubtfull.
Arthur
of King Iohn.
1569Arthur Yes where in forme of Lawe in place and time,
1578With wrongfull persecution done this day.
1580I doo behold with eyes that Nature lent:
1581Send foorth the terror of your Moouers frowne,
1582To wreake my wrong vpon the murtherers
1585Be darke and direfull guerdon for their guylt,
1586And let the black tormenters of deepe Tartary
1587Upbraide them with this damned enterprise,
1589Delay not Hubert, my orisons are ended,
1591But to performe a tragedie indéede,
1592Conclude the period with a mortall stab.
1593Constance farewell, tormentor come away,
1596Faint did I say, feare was it that I named?
1598But God forbids, and he commaundeth Kings,
1599That great Commaunder counterchecks my charge,
1604Ile to the King, and say his will is done,
And
The troublesome Raigne
1605And of the langor tell him thou art dead,
1606Goe in with me, for Hubert was not borne
1609Looke for amends of this receiued gift
1611Thou lentst them me, I will not be ingrate.
1613The issue that thy kindnes vndertakes:
1617That may impeach vs of fond ouersight?
1618The French haue felt the temper of our swords,
1620Checking their ouerdaring arrogance
1621For buckling with so great an ouermatch.
1622The Arche proud titled Priest of Italy,
1623That calles himselfe grand Uiccar vnder God
1625Masse and months minde, dirge and I know not what
1629Had tidings of our small account of him,
1630How with a taunt vaunting vpon his toes
1633The title (reuerently might I inferre)
1634Became the Kings that earst haue borne the load,
1636Who at his pleasure temperd them like waxe
1637To carrie armes on danger of his curse,
1638Banding their sowles with warrants of his hand.
1639I grieue to thinke how Kings in ages past
(Simplie
of King Iohn.
1640(Simply deuoted to the Sea of Rome)
1642But now for confirmation of our State,
1643Sith we haue proynd the more than needfull braunch
1645It resteth we throughout our Territories
1646Be reproclaimed and inuested King.
1648Once were you crownd, proclaimd, and with applause
1651Pardon my feare, my censure doth infer
1652Your Highnes not deposde from Regall State,
1653Would breed a mutinie in peoples mindes,
1654What it should meane to haue you crownd againe.
1656Thou knowst not what induceth me to this,
1657Essex goe in, and Lordings all be gon
1658About this taske, I will be crownd anon.
1661Are Friers fatter than the Nunnes are faire?
1662What chéere with Churchmen, had they golde or no?
1664Philip My Lord, I haue performd your Highnes charge:
1666The Monkes the Priors and holy cloystred Nunnes,
1667Are all in health, and were my Lord in wealth,
1668Till I had tythde and tolde their holy hoords.
1670You may proportion all their former pride.
1673Will make the Popelings excommunicate,
G Curse,
The troublesome Raigne
1677As is the eccho of a Cannons crack
1679But what newes els befell there Philip?
1680Bastard Strange newes my Lord: within your territo-
1682Whose diuination volleys wonders foorth;
1683To him the Commons throng with Countrey gifts,
1684He sets a date vnto the Beldames death,
1687Giues limits vnto holy nuptiall rytes,
1688Foretelleth famine, aboundeth plentie forth,
1689Of fate, of fortune, life and death he chats,
1691As if he knew the certaine doomes of heauen,
1696And brought the Prophet with me to the Court,
1698Pleaseth your Highnes, I will call him in.
1701Enter the Nobles and crowne King Iohn, and then crie
1702 God saue the King.
1705Nor in your thoughts blame not this déede of yours.
1706Once ere this time was I inuested King,
Once
of King Iohn.
1709To staine the beautie of our garden plot:
1710But heauens in our conduct rooting thence
1711The false intruders, breakers of worlds peace,
1713After the which, to try your constancie,
1715We craude once more your helps for to inuest vs
1716Into the right that enuie sought to wrack.
1717Once was I not deposde, your former choyce;
1718Now twice been crowned and applauded King:
1720Infers assured witnes of your loues,
1721And binds me ouer in a Kingly care
1722To render loue with loue, rewards of worth
1723To ballance downe requitall to the full.
1724But thankes the while, thankes Lordings to you all:
1726Essex A boon my Lord, at vauntage of your words
1727We aske to guerdon all our loyalties.
1731That not remembred falleth from your head.
1733What may it be? Aske it, and it is yours.
1735The libertie of Ladie Constance Sonne:
1736Whose durance darkeneth your Highnes right,
1737As if you kept him prisoner, to the end
1738Your selfe were doubtfull of the thing you haue.
1740Twice by consent you are proclaimd our King.
1741Pembrooke This if you graunt, were all vnto your good:
G 2 Confir-
The troublesome Raigne
1744Confirming warrant of your loyalties,
1746Let John doo nothing but by your consents.
1747Why how now Philip, what extasie is this?
1751Glauncing mine eye to see the Diadem
1753From foorth a gloomie cloude, which curtaine like
1756Euen in the moment that the Crowne was placte
1761Beleeue me Lords the obiect feares me much.
1762Philip thou toldst me of me of Wizzard late,
1768Such Meteors were the Ensignes of his wrath
1771Iohn Is this the man?
1772Bastard It is my Lord.
1774That calculatst of many things to come:
1775Who by a power repleate with heauenly gift
Canst
of King Iohn.
1777If fame be true, or truth be wrongd by thee,
1779Portend this Clyme, if they presage at all.
1780Breath out thy gift, and if I liue to see
1782Ile honour thee aboue all earthly men.
1784Presenteth Rome the great Metropolis,
1785Where sits the Pope in all his holy pompe.
1786Fowre of the Moones present fowre Prouinces,
1787To wit, Spaine, Denmarke, Germanie, and Fraunce,
1788That beare the yoke of proud commaunding Rome,
1791Impatient of the place he holds with them,
1792Doth figure foorth this Iland Albion,
1793Who gins to scorne the Sea and State of Rome,
1795This showes the heauen, and this I doo auerre
1798Giuing applause for leauing of the Pope.
1799But for they chaunce in our Meridian,
1803But on some other knowledge that I haue
1805Haue brought the Sunne vnto his vsuall height,
1806Of Crowne, Estate, and Royall dignitie,
1809Uillaine thou woundst me with thy fallacies:
1810If it be true, dye for thy tidings price;
G 3 Hence
The troublesome Raigne
1812Hence with the Witch, hells damned secretarie.
1814True or not true, the Wizzard shall not liue.
1820Frowne friends, faile faith, the diuell goe withall,
1822Pembrooke and Essex I recall my graunt,
1823I will not buy your fauours with my feare:
1824Nay murmur not, my will is law enough,
1825I loue you well, but if I loude you better,
1826I would not buy it with my discontent.
1828How now, what newes with thee.
1830Yong Arthurs eyes are blinded and extinct.
1833Within one hower gaue he vp the Ghost.
1834John What is he dead?
1835Hubert He is my Lord.
1836Iohn Then with him dye my cares.
1838Pembrooke And heauens reuenge thy death.
1839Essex What haue you done my Lord? Was euer heard
1840A deede of more inhumane consequence?
1841Your foes will curse, your friends will crie reuenge.
1842Unkindly rage more rough than Northern winde,
1844What hope in vs for mercie on a fault,
Iohn
of King Iohn.
1848Iohn And are you gone? The diuell be your guide:
1849Proud Rebels as you are to braue me so:
1850Saucie, vnciuill, checkers of my will.
1851Your tongues giue edge vnto the fatall knife:
1855Arthur is dead, I there the corzie growes:
1856But while he liude, the danger was the more;
1857His death hath freed me from a thousand feares,
1860To whome the diuell owes an open shame:
1861His life a foe that leueld at my crowne,
1862His death a frame to pull my building downe.
1863My thoughts harpt still on quiet by his end,
1864Who liuing aymed shrowdly at my roome:
1865But to preuent that plea twice was I crownd,
1867And in my conscience loude me as their liege,
1868In whose defence they would haue pawnd their liues.
1870A tragick Tyrant sterne and pitiles,
1871And not a title followes after Iohn.
1872But Butcher, bloudsucker and murtherer,
1873What Planet gouernde my natiuitie,
1876Wherein fell furie hath no interest.
1877Curst be the Crowne chiefe author of my care,
1878Nay curst my will that made the Crowne my care:
1880That yeelded me aliue into the world.
1881Art thou there villaine, Furies haunt thee still,
1882For killing him whom all the world laments.
Hubert
The troublesome Raigne
1884Charging on liues regard to doo the deede.
1886It was a damned execrable deede:
1888Haue solde their freedome to the thrall of hell,
1891That I am comming for a kingdome there.
1892Hubert My Lord attend the happie tale I tell,
1893For heauens health send Sathan packing hence
1895If Arthurs death be dismall to be heard,
1896Bandie the newes for rumors of vntruth:
1899This hart tooke vigor from this forward hand,
1900Making it weake to execute your charge.
1903Hye Hubert, tell these tidings to my Lords
1904That throb in passions for yong Arthurs death:
1906The wished newes of Arthurs happy health.
1909The ende of the first part.
1910.1THE
1910.2Second part of the
1910.3troublesome Raigne of King
1910.4Iohn, conteining the death
1910.5of Arthur Plantaginet,
1910.6the landing of Lewes, and
1910.7the poysning of King
1910.8Iohn at Swinstead
1910.9Abbey.
1910.10As it was (sundry times) publikely acted by the
1910.11Queenes Maiesties Players, in the ho-
1910.12nourable Citie of
1910.13London.
1910.14Imprinted at London for Sampson Clarke,
1910.15and are to be solde at his shop, on the backe-
1910.16side of the Royall Exchange.
1910.171591.
1910.18To the Gentlemen Readers.
1910.20Giues period to our care, or harts content,
1910.21When heauens fixt time for this or that hath end:
1910.22Nor can earths pomp or pollicie preuent
1910.23The doome ordained in their secret will.
1910.27Who deemd him dead, and parted discontent:
A 2