Not Peer Reviewed
- Edition: Troublesome Reign of King John
The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))
- Texts of this edition
- Facsimiles
The troublesome Raigne
2146And Iohn of England now is quite vndone.
2147Was euer King as I opprest with cares?
2149Dame Elianor my noble Mother Quéene,
My onely hope and comfort in distresse,
2150Is dead, and England excommunicate,
2151And I am interdicted by the Pope,
2155The multitude (a beast of many heads)
2157The Nobles blinded with ambitions fumes,
2158Assemble powers to beat mine Empire downe,
2159And more than this, elect a forren King.
2160O England, wert thou euer miserable,
2163Quicquid delirunt Reges, plectuntur Achius.
2164Philip, as thou hast euer loude thy King,
2166Dissemble with the Nobles, know their drifts,
2167Confound their diuelish plots, and damnd deuices.
2169He will amend and right the peoples wrongs.
2170A Mother though she were vnnaturall,
2171Is better than the kindest Stepdame is:
2173Then Philip shew thy fealtie to thy King,
2174And mongst the Nobles plead thou for the King.
2178Now Philip, hadst thou Tullyes eloquence,
Sirra,