SCENE IV. The same. Another Part of the same. Enter SALISBURY, PEMBROKE, BIGOT, and Others. Sal. That misbegotten devil, Faulconbridge, Pem. They say, king John, sore sick, hath left the field. Enter MELUN wounded, and led by Soldiers. Mel. Lead me to the revolts of England here. Pem. It is the count Melun. Sal. Wounded to death. Mel. Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold;2 Unthread the rude eye of rebellion, And welcome home again discarded faith. Seek out king John, and fall before his feet; 2 A proverb intimating treachery. 3 Lewis. Sal. May this be possible? may this be true? Mel. Have I not hideous death within my view, Retaining but a quantity of life; Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax Resolved from his figure 'gainst the fire ?4 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 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 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, 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. In lieus 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. Sal. We do believe thee, -And beshrews my soul But I do love the favour and the form 4 In allusion to the images made by witches. 6 III betide. 5 Place. : Of this most fair occasion, by the which Leaving our rankness and irregular course, Stoop low within those bounds we have o'erlook'd, And calmly run on in obedience, Even to our ocean, to our great king John. [Exeunt, leading off MELUN. SCENE V. The same. The French Camp. Lew. The sun of heaven, methought, was loath to set; But stay'd, and made the western welkin & blush, When the English measur'd backward their own ground, In faint retire: O, bravely came we off, Immediate. 7 Innovation. • Sky. Enter a Messenger. Mess. Where is my prince, the Dauphin ? Lew. Here:-What news? Mess. The count Melun is slain; the English lords, By his persuasion, are again fallen off: And your supply, which you have wish'd so long, Are cast away, and sunk, on Goodwin sands. Lew. Ah, foul shrewd news!-Beshrew thy very heart! I did not think to be so sad to-night, night; The day shall not be up so soon as I, To try the fair adventure of to-morrow. SCENE VI. [Exeunt. An open Place in the Neighbourhood of SwinsteadAbbey. Enter the Bastard and HUBERT, meeting. Hub. Who's there? speak, ho! speak quickly, or Hub. What's that to thee? Why may not I demand Of thine affairs, as well as thou of mine? Bast. Hubert, I think. Hub. 1 Thou hast a perfect thought: I will upon all hazards, well believe Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well: Who art thou ? Who thou wilt: an if thou please, Thou may'st befriend me so much, as to think Hub. Unkind remembrance! thou, and eyeless Have done me shame :-Brave soldier, pardon me, That any accent, breaking from thy tongue, Should 'scape the true acquaintance of mine ear. Bast. Come, come; sans compliment, what news abroad? Hub. Why, here walk I, in the black brow of night, To find you out. Brief, then; and what's the news? Hub. O, my sweet sir, news fitting to the night, Black, fearful, comfortless, and horrible. Bast. Show me the very wound of this ill news; I am no woman, I'll not swoon at it. Hub. The king, I fear, is poison'd by a monk : ■ Without. |