The Troublesome Reign of King John (Quarto, 1591)

Author: Anonymous
Editor: Karen Oberer
Not Peer Reviewed
1615
Enter King Iohn, Essex, Salisbury, Penbrooke.
Iohn Now warlike followers resteth ought vndon
That may impeach vs of fond ouersight?
The French haue felt the temper of our swords,
Cold terror keepes possession in their sowles,
1620Checking their ouerdaring arrogance
For buckling with so great an ouermatch.
The Arche proud titled Priest of Italy,
That calles himselfe grand Uiccar vnder God
Is busied now with trentall obsequies,
1625Masse and months minde, dirge and I know not what
To ease their sowles in painefull purgatory,
That haue miscaried in these bloudy warres.
Heard you not Lords when first his holines
Had tidings of our small account of him,
1630How with a taunt vaunting vpon his toes
He vrdge a reason why the English Asse
Disdaingd the blessed ordinance of Rome?
The title (reuerently might I inferre)
Became the Kings that earst haue borne the load,
1635The slauish weight of that controlling Priest:
Who at his pleasure temperd them like waxe
To carrie armes on danger of his curse,
Banding their sowles with warrants of his hand.
I grieue to thinke how Kings in ages past
1640(Simply deuoted to the Sea of Rome)
Haue run into a thousand acts of shame.
But now for confirmation of our State,
Sith we haue proynd the more than needfull braunch
That did oppresse the true wel-growing stock,
1645It resteth we throughout our Territories
Be reproclaimed and inuested King.
Pembrook My Liege, that were to busie men with doubts,
Once were you crownd, proclaimd, and with applause
Your Citie stréetes haue ecchoed to the eare,
1650God saue the King, God saue our Soueraigne Iohn.
Pardon my feare, my censure doth infer
Your Highnes not deposde from Regall State,
Would breed a mutinie in peoples mindes,
What it should meane to haue you crownd againe.
1655Iohn Pembrooke performe what I haue bid thée doo,
Thou knowst not what induceth me to this,
Essex goe in, and Lordings all be gon
About this taske, I will be crownd anon.
Enter the Bastard.
1660Philip, what newes, how doo the Abbots chests?
Are Friers fatter than the Nunnes are faire?
What chéere with Churchmen, had they golde or no?
Tell me how hath thy office tooke effect?
Philip My Lord, I haue performd your Highnes charge:
1665The ease bred Abbots and the bare foote Friers,
The Monkes the Priors and holy cloystred Nunnes,
Are all in health, and were my Lord in wealth,
Till I had tythde and tolde their holy hoords.
I doubt not when your Highnes sées my prize,
1670You may proportion all their former pride.
Iohn Why so, now sorts it Philip as it should:
This small intrusion into Abbey trunkes,
Will make the Popelings excommunicate,
Curse, ban, and breath out damned orisons,
1675As thick as hailestones fore the springs approach:
But yet as harmles and without effect,
As is the eccho of a Cannons crack
Dischargd against the battlements of heauen.
But what newes els befell there Philip?
1680Bastard Strange newes my Lord: within your territo-
Nere Pomfret is a Prophet new sprong vp,
Whose diuination volleys wonders foorth;
To him the Commons throng with Countrey gifts,
He sets a date vnto the Beldames death,
1685Prescribes how long the Uirgins state shall last,
Distinguisheth the moouing of the heauens,
Giues limits vnto holy nuptiall rytes,
Foretelleth famine, aboundeth plentie forth,
Of fate, of fortune, life and death he chats,
1690With such assurance, scruples put apart,
As if he knew the certaine doomes of heauen,
Or kept a Register of all the Destinies.
Iohn Thou telst me meruailes, would thou hadst brought
We might haue questiond him of things to come.
1695Bastard My Lord, I tooke a care of had I wist,
And brought the Prophet with me to the Court,
He stayes my Lord but at the Presence doore:
Pleaseth your Highnes, I will call him in.
Iohn Nay stay awhile, wée'l haue him here anon,
1700A thing of weight is first to be performd.
Enter the Nobles and crowne King Iohn, and then crie
God saue the King.
Iohn Lordings and friends supporters of our state,
Admire not at this vnaccustomd course,
1705Nor in your thoughts blame not this déede of yours.
Once ere this time was I inuested King,
Your fealtie sworne as Liegmen to our state:
Once since that time ambicious wéedes haue sprung
To staine the beautie of our garden plot:
1710But heauens in our conduct rooting thence
The false intruders, breakers of worlds peace,
Haue to our ioy, made Sunshine chase the storme.
After the which, to try your constancie,
That now I see is worthie of your names,
1715We craude once more your helps for to inuest vs
Into the right that enuie sought to wrack.
Once was I not deposde, your former choyce;
Now twice been crowned and applauded King:
Your cheered action to install me so,
1720Infers assured witnes of your loues,
And binds me ouer in a Kingly care
To render loue with loue, rewards of worth
To ballance downe requitall to the full.
But thankes the while, thankes Lordings to you all:
1725Aske me and vse me, try me and finde me yours.
Essex A boon my Lord, at vauntage of your words
We aske to guerdon all our loyalties.
Pembrooke We take the time your Highnes bids vs aske:
Please it you graunt, you make your promise good,
1730With lesser losse than one superfluous haire
That not remembred falleth from your head.
Iohn My word is past, receiue your boone my Lords.
What may it be? Aske it, and it is yours.
Essex We craue my Lord, to please the Commons with
1735The libertie of Ladie Constance Sonne:
Whose durance darkeneth your Highnes right,
As if you kept him prisoner, to the end
Your selfe were doubtfull of the thing you haue.
Dismisse him thence, your Highnes néedes not feare,
1740Twice by consent you are proclaimd our King.
Pembrooke This if you graunt, were all vnto your good:
For simple people muse you keepe him close.
Iohn Your words haue searcht the center of my thoughts,
Confirming warrant of your loyalties,
1745Dismisse your counsell, sway my state,
Let John doo nothing but by your consents.
Why how now Philip, what extasie is this?
Why casts thou vp thy eyes to heauen so?
There the fiue Moones appeare.
1750Bastard See, see my Lord strange apparitions.
Glauncing mine eye to see the Diadem
Placte by the Bishops on your Highnes head,
From foorth a gloomie cloude, which curtaine like
Displaide it selfe, I sodainly espied
1755Fiue Moones reflecting, as you sée them now:
Euen in the moment that the Crowne was placte
Gan they appeare, holding the course you see.
Iohn What might portend these apparitions,
Unvsuall signes, forerunners of euent,
1760Presages of strange terror to the world:
Beleeue me Lords the obiect feares me much.
Philip thou toldst me of me of Wizzard late,
Fetch in the man to descant of this show.
Pembrooke The heauens frowne vpon the sinfull earth,
1765When with prodigious vnaccustomd signes
They spot their superficies with such wonder.
Essex Before the ruines of Ierusalem,
Such Meteors were the Ensignes of his wrath
That hastned to destroy the faultfull Towne.
1770
Enter the Bastard with the Prophet.
Iohn Is this the man?
Bastard It is my Lord.
Iohn Prophet of Pomfret, for so I heare thou art,
That calculatst of many things to come:
1775Who by a power repleate with heauenly gift
Canst blab the counsell of thy Makers will.
If fame be true, or truth be wrongd by thee,
Decide in cyphering what these fiue Moones
Portend this Clyme, if they presage at all.
1780Breath out thy gift, and if I liue to see
Thy diuination take a true effect,
Ile honour thee aboue all earthly men.
Peter The Skie wherein these Moones haue residence,
Presenteth Rome the great Metropolis,
1785Where sits the Pope in all his holy pompe.
Fowre of the Moones present fowre Prouinces,
To wit, Spaine, Denmarke, Germanie, and Fraunce,
That beare the yoke of proud commaunding Rome,
And stand in feare to tempt the Prelates curse.
1790The smallest Moone that whirles about the rest,
Impatient of the place he holds with them,
Doth figure foorth this Iland Albion,
Who gins to scorne the Sea and State of Rome,
And seekes to shun the Edicts of the Pope:
1795This showes the heauen, and this I doo auerre
Is figured in these apparitions.
Iohn Why then it seemes the heauens smile on vs,
Giuing applause for leauing of the Pope.
But for they chaunce in our Meridian,
1800Doo they effect no priuate growing ill
To be inflicted on vs in this Clyme?
Peter The Moones effect no more than what I said:
But on some other knowledge that I haue
By my prescience, ere Ascension day
1805Haue brought the Sunne vnto his vsuall height,
Of Crowne, Estate, and Royall dignitie,
Thou shalt be cleane dispoyld and dispossest.
Iohn False Dreamer, perish with thy witched newes,
Uillaine thou woundst me with thy fallacies:
1810If it be true, dye for thy tidings price;
If false, for fearing me with vaine suppose:
Hence with the Witch, hells damned secretarie.
Lock him vp sure: for by my faith I sweare,
True or not true, the Wizzard shall not liue.
1815Before Ascension day: who should be cause hereof?
Cut off the cause and then the effect will dye.
Tut, tut, my mercie serues to maime my selfe,
The roote doth liue, from whence these thornes spring vp,
I and my promise past for his deliury:
1820Frowne friends, faile faith, the diuell goe withall,
The brat shall dye, that terrifies me thus.
Pembrooke and Essex I recall my graunt,
I will not buy your fauours with my feare:
Nay murmur not, my will is law enough,
1825I loue you well, but if I loude you better,
I would not buy it with my discontent.
Enter Hubert.
How now, what newes with thee.
Hubert According to your Highnes strickt commaund
1830Yong Arthurs eyes are blinded and extinct.
John Why so, then he may feele the crowne, but neuer sée it.
Hubert Nor see nor féele, for of the extreame paine,
Within one hower gaue he vp the Ghost.
John What is he dead?
1835Hubert He is my Lord.
Iohn Then with him dye my cares.
Essex Now ioy betide thy soule.
Pembrooke And heauens reuenge thy death.
Essex What haue you done my Lord? Was euer heard
1840A deede of more inhumane consequence?
Your foes will curse, your friends will crie reuenge.
Unkindly rage more rough than Northern winde,
To chip the beautie of so sweete a flower.
What hope in vs for mercie on a fault,
1845When kinsman dyes without impeach of cause,
As you haue done, so come to chéere you with,
The guilt shall neuer be cast me in my teeth.
Exeunt.
Iohn And are you gone? The diuell be your guide:
Proud Rebels as you are to braue me so:
1850Saucie, vnciuill, checkers of my will.
Your tongues giue edge vnto the fatall knife:
That shall haue passage through your traitrous throats.
But husht, breath not buggs words to soone abroad,
Least time preuent the issue of thy reach.
1855Arthur is dead, I there the corzie growes:
But while he liude, the danger was the more;
His death hath freed me from a thousand feares,
But it hath purchast me ten times ten thousand foes.
Why all is one, such luck shall haunt his game,
1860To whome the diuell owes an open shame:
His life a foe that leueld at my crowne,
His death a frame to pull my building downe.
My thoughts harpt still on quiet by his end,
Who liuing aymed shrowdly at my roome:
1865But to preuent that plea twice was I crownd,
Twice did my subiects sweare me fealtie,
And in my conscience loude me as their liege,
In whose defence they would haue pawnd their liues.
But now they shun me as a Serpents sting,
1870A tragick Tyrant sterne and pitiles,
And not a title followes after Iohn.
But Butcher, bloudsucker and murtherer,
What Planet gouernde my natiuitie,
To bode me soueraigne types of high estate,
1875So interlacte with hellish discontent,
Wherein fell furie hath no interest.
Curst be the Crowne chiefe author of my care,
Nay curst my will that made the Crowne my care:
Curst be my birthday, curst ten times the wombe
1880That yeelded me aliue into the world.
Art thou there villaine, Furies haunt thee still,
For killing him whom all the world laments.
Hubert Why heres my Lord your Highnes hand & seale,
Charging on liues regard to doo the deede.
1885John Ah dull conceipted peazant knowst thou not,
It was a damned execrable deede:
Showst me a seale? Oh villaine, both our soules
Haue solde their freedome to the thrall of hell,
Under the warrant of that cursed seale.
1890Hence villaine, hang thy selfe, and say in hell
That I am comming for a kingdome there.
Hubert My Lord attend the happie tale I tell,
For heauens health send Sathan packing hence
That instigates your Highnes to despaire.
1895If Arthurs death be dismall to be heard,
Bandie the newes for rumors of vntruth:
He liues my Lord, the sweetest youth aliue,
In health, with eysight, not a haire amisse.
This hart tooke vigor from this forward hand,
1900Making it weake to execute your charge.
Iohn What liues he? Then sweete hope come hom agen,
Chase hence despaire, the purueyer for hell.
Hye Hubert, tell these tidings to my Lords
That throb in passions for yong Arthurs death:
1905Hence Hubert, stay not till thou hast reueald
The wished newes of Arthurs happy health.
I goe my selfe, the ioyfulst man aliue
To storie out this new supposed crime.
Exeunt.