Of him it holds, stands young Plantagenet; In warlike march these greens before your town; Than the constraint of hospitable zeal, 1 Cit. In brief, we are the king of England's subjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town. K. John. Acknowledge then the king, and let me in.` 1 Cit. That can we not: but he that proves the king, To him will we prove loyal; till that time, Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world. K. John. Doth not the crown of England prove the king? And if not that I bring you witnesses, Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed,— K. John. To verify our title with their lives. K. Phi. Stand in his face, to contradict his claim. 1 Cit. Till you compound whose right is worthiest, We, for the worthiest hold the right from both. K. John. Then God forgive the sin of all those souls, That, to their everlasting residence, Before the dew of evening fall, shall fleet, In dreadful trial of our kingdom's king! K. Phi. Amen, Amen!-Mount, chevaliers! to arms! Bast. St. George,-that swing'd the dragon, and e'er since, Sits on his horseback at mine hostess' door, Teach us some fence!-Sirrah, were I at home, And make a monster of you. Aust. Peace; no more. Bast. O, tremble; for you hear the lion roar. K. John. Up higher to the plain; where we'll set forth, In best appointment, all our regiments. 1 Bast. Speed then, to take advantage of the field. K. Phi. It shall be so;-[To Lewis] and at the other hill Command the rest to stand.-God, and our right! [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Alarums and Excursions; then a Retreat. Enter a French Herald, with Trumpets, to the Gates. F. Her. You men of Angiers, open wide your gates, And let young Arthur, duke of Bretagne, in; Who, by the hand of France, this day hath made Much work for tears in many an English mother, Whose sons lie scatter'd on the bleeding ground: Many a widow's husband groveling lies, Coldly embracing the discolour'd earth; And victory, with little loss, doth play Upon the dancing banners of the French; Who are at hand, triumphantly display'd, Arthur of Bretagne, England's king, and yours. Enter an English Herald, with Trumpets. E. Her. Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells; King John, your king, and England's, doth approach, Commander of this hot malicious day! Their armours, that march'd hence so silver-bright, Our colours do return in those same hands Cit. Heralds, from off our towers we might behold, From first to last, the onset and retire Of both your armies; whose equality Blood hath bought blood, and blows have answer'd blows; Strength match'd with strength, and power confronted power: Both are alike; and both alike we like. One must prove greatest: while they weigh so even, Enter, at one side, KING JOHN, with his Power; [away? K. John. France, hast thou yet more blood to cast With course disturb'd even thy confining shores; K. Phi. England, thou hast not sav'd one drop of blood, In this hot trial, more than we of France; Gracing the scroll, that tells of this war's loss, Bast. Ha, majesty! how high thy glory towers, The other's peace; till then, blows, blood, and death! 1 Cit. The king of England, when we know the king. K. Phi. Know him in us, that here hold up his right. K. John. In us, that are our own great deputy, And bear possession of our person here; Lord of our presence, Angiers, and of you. 1 Cit. A greater power than we, denies all this; And, till it be undoubted, we do lock Our former scruple in our strong-barr'd gates: Bast. By heaven, these scroyles of Angiers flout you, kings; And stand securely on their battlements, Do, like the mutines of Jerusalem, Be friends awhile, and both conjointly bend Leave them as naked as the vulgar air. To whom in favour she shall give the day, How like you this wild counsel, mighty states? K. John. Now, by the sky that hangs above our heads, Then, after, fight who shall be king of it? Bast. An if thou hast the mettle of a king,- As we will ours, against these saucy walls: Make work upon ourselves, for heaven, or hell. K. Phi Let it be so:-Say, where will you assault? Into this city's bosom. Aust. I from the north. K. Phi. Our thunder from the south, Shall rain their drift of bullets on this town. Bast. O prudent discipline! From north to south, Austria and France shoot in each other's mouth: I'll stir them to it :-Come, away, away! [Aside. |