K. John. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood; Controlment for controlment: so answer France. Chat. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth; The farthest limit of my embassy. K. John. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace: Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France; [Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE. Which now the manage of two kingdoms must With fearful bloody issue arbitrate. K. John. Our strong possession and our right for us. Eli. Your strong possession, much more than your right; Or else it must go wrong with you, and me: Enter the Sheriff of Northamptonshire, who whispers Essex. Essex. My liege, here is the strangest contro versy, Come from the country to be judged by you, K. John. Let them approach. [Exit Sheriff. Our abbeys and our priories shall pay Re-enter Sheriff, with ROBERT FALCONBRIDGE, and PHILIP, his bastard Brother. This expedition's charge.-What men are you? Rob. The son and heir to that same Falcon- K. John. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir? You came not of one mother then, it seems. Bast. Most certain of one mother, mighty king; That is well known; and, as I think, one father: But for the certain knowledge of that truth Eli. Out on thee, rude man! thou dost shame And wound her honour with this diffidence. Bast. I, madam? no, I have no reason for it; That is my brother's plea, and none of mine: The which if he can prove, 'a pops me out At least from fair five hundred pounds a year. Heaven guard my mother's honour, and my land! K. John. A good blunt fellow.-Why, being younger born, Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance? Bast. I know not why, except to get the land; But once he slandered me with bastardy. But whe'r I be as true begot or no, That still I lay upon my mother's head: But that I am as well begot, my liege, (Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me!) Compare our faces, and be judge yourself. If old Sir Robert did beget us both And were our father, and this son like him,— O old Sir Robert, father, on my knee I give heaven thanks I was not like to thee. K. John. Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here! Eli. He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion's face; The accent of his tongue affecteth him. Do you not read some tokens of my son In the large composition of this man? K.John. Mine eye hath well examinéd his parts, And finds them perfect Richard.-Sirrah, speak: What doth move you to claim your brother's land? Bast. Because he hath a half-face, like my Your brother did employ my father much: Bast. Well, sir, by this you cannot get my land: Your tale must be how he employed my mother. Rob. And once despatched him in an embassy To Germany; there, with the emperor, To treat of high affairs touching that time. The advantage of his absence took the king, And in the meantime sojourned at my father's; Where how he did prevail, I shame to speak: But truth is truth: large lengths of seas and shores Between my father and my mother lay (As I have heard my father speak himself) When this same lusty gentleman was got. Upon his death-bed he by will bequeathed His lands to me; and took it, on his death, That this my mother's son was none of his; And if he were, he came into the world Full fourteen weeks before the course of time. Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine: My father's land, as was my father's will. K. John. Sirrah, your brother is legitimate. Your father's wife did after wedlock bear him; And if she did play false, the fault was hers: Which fault lies on the hazards of all husbands That marry wives. Tell me, how if my brother, Bast. Of no more force to dispossess me, sir, Than was his will to get me, as I think. Eli. Whether hadst thou rather be a Falcon- And like thy brother, to enjoy thy land; Bast. Madam, an if my brother had my shape, And, to his shape, were heir to all this land, Eli. I like thee well: wilt thou forsake thy Bequeath thy land to him, and follow me? Your face hath got five hundred pounds a-year; Eli. Nay, I would have you go before me thither. Bast. Philip, my liege; so is my name begun : Philip, good old Sir Robert's wife's eldest son. K. John. From henceforth bear his name whose form thou bear'st. Kneel thou down Philip, but arise more great: Arise Sir Richard, and Plantagenet. Bast. Brother, by the mother's side, give me your hand: VOL. III. My father gave me honour, yours gave land.Now blesséd be the hour, by night or day, When I was got, Sir Robert was away. Eli. The very spirit of Plantaganet! I am thy grandame, Richard: call me so. Something about, a little from the right; In at the window, or else o'er the hatch: Who dares not stir by day, must walk by night; And have is have, however men do catch: Near or far off, well won is still well shot; And I am I, howe'er I was begot. K. John. Go, Falconbridge: now hast thou thy desire ; A landless knight makes thee a landed 'squire.Come, madam, and come, Richard: we must speed For France, for France; for it is more than need. Bast.Brother, adieu: good fortune come to thee! For thou wast got i' the way of honesty. [Exeunt all but the Bastard. A foot of honour better than I was; But many a many foot of land the worse! Well, now can I make any Joan a lady.— "Good den, Sir Richard:"-" God-a-mercy, fellow!"- And if his name be George, I'll call him Peter. And fits the mounting spirit, like myself: For it shall strew the footsteps of my rising.— |