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Const. O fair return of banish'd majesty!
Elin. O foul revolt of French inconstancy!
K. John. France, thou shalt rue this hour within
this hour.

Bast. Old time the clock-setter, that bald sex-
ton time,

Is it as he will? well then, France shall rue.

Blanch. The sun's o'ercast with blood: Fair day,

adieu!

Which is the side that I must go withal?
I am with both: each army hath a hand;
And, in their rage, I having hold of both,
They whirl asunder, and dismember me.
Husband, I cannot pray that thou may'st win;
Uncle, I needs must pray that thou may'st lose;
Father, I may not wish the fortune thine;
Grandam, I will not wish thy wishes thrive:
Whoever wins, on that side shall I lose;

Assured loss, before the match be play'd.

Lew. Lady, with me; with me thy fortune lies.
Blanch. There where my fortune lives, there my

life dies.

K. John. Cousin, go draw our puissance together.-
[Exit Bastard.
France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath;
A rage, whose heat hath this condition,
Than nothing can allay, nothing but blood,
The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood, of France.
K. Phil. Thy rage shall burn thee up, and thou
shalt turn

To ashes, ere our blood shall quench that fire:
Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy.

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K. John. No more than he that threats.-To arms

let's hie!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

THE SAME. PLAINS NEAR ANGIERS.

Alarums, Excursions. Enter the Bastard, with Austria's head.

Bast. Now, by my life, this day grows wondrous hot;

Some airy devil hovers in the sky,

And pours down mischief. Austria's head lie there; While Philip breathes.

Enter King John, Arthur, and Hubert.

K. John. Hubert, keep this boy:-Philip, make

up:

My mother is assailed in our tent,

And ta'en, I fear.

My lord, I rescu'd her;

Her highness is in safety, fear you not;

Bast.

But on, my liege; for

very

little pains

Will bring this labour to an happy end. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

THE SAME.

Alarums; Excursions; Retreat. Enter King John, Elinor, Arthur, the Bastard, Hubert, and Lords.

K. John. So shall it be; your grace shall stay be

hind,

[To Elinor. So strongly guarded.-Cousin, look not sad:

[To Arthur.

Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will
As dear be to thee as thy father was.

Arth. O, this will make my mother die with grief.

K. John. Cousin, [To the Bastard.] away for Eng land; haste before:

And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags
Of hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels

Set thou at liberty: the fat ribs of peace
Must by the hungry now be fed upon:

Use our commission in his utmost force.

Bast. 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,)

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Elin. Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word. [She takes Arthur aside. K. John. Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle

Hubert,

We owe thee much; within this wall of flesh
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,-
But I will fit it with some better time.
By heaven, Hubert, I am almost asham'd
To say what good respect I have of thee.
Hub. I am much bounden to your majesty.

K. John. Good friend, thou hast no cause to say

so yet:

But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow, Yet it shall come, for 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,
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 one unto the drowsy race of night;
If this same were a churchyard where we stand,
And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs;
Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,

Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, thick;
(Which, else, runs tickling up and down the veins,
Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes,
And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,

A passion hateful to my purposes;)

Or if that thou could'st see me without eyes,
Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
Without a tongue, using conceit alone,
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 lov'st me well.
Hub. So well, that what you bid me undertake,
Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
By heaven, I'd do't.

K. John.

Do not I know, thou would'st? Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend, He is a very serpent in my way;

And, wheresoe'er this foot of mine doth tread,

He lies before me: Dost thou understand me?

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I could be merry now: Hubert, I love thee;
Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee:
Remember.---Madam, fare you well:
I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.
Elin. My blessing go with thee!

K. John.

For England, cousin :

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