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  • Title: The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))
  • Editor: Karen Oberer

    • Copyright Queen's Men Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Anonymous
    Editor: Karen Oberer
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))

    of King Iohn.

    And let not him possesse anothers right.
    135Iohn Proue this, the land is thine by Englands law.
    Q. Elianor Ungracious youth, to rip thy mothers shame,
    The wombe from whence thou didst thy being take,
    All honest eares abhorre thy wickednes,
    But gold I see doth beate downe natures law.
    140Mother. My gracious Lord, & you thrice reuerend Dame,
    That see the teares distilling from mine eyes,
    And scalding sighes blowne from a rented heart:
    For honour and regard of womanhood,
    Let me entreate to be commaunded hence.
    145Let not these eares receiue the hissing sound
    Of such a viper, who with poysoned words
    Doth masserate the bowels of my soule.
    Iohn Ladie, stand vp, be patient for a while:
    And fellow, say, whose bastard is thy brother.
    150Philip Not for my selfe, nor for my mother now:
    But for the honour of so braue a Man,
    Whom he accuseth with adulterie:
    Here I beseech your Grace vpon my knees,
    To count him mad, and so dismisse vs hence.
    155Robert Nor mad, nor mazde, but well aduised, I
    Charge thee before this royall presence here
    To be a Bastard to King Richards self,
    Sonne to your Grace, and Brother to your Maiestie.
    Thus bluntly, and
    160Elianor Yong man thou néedst not be ashamed of thy kin,
    Nor of thy Sire. But forward with thy proofe.
    Robert The proofe so plaine, the argument so strong,
    As that your Highnes and these noble Lords,
    And all (saue those that haue no eyes to see)
    165Shall sweare him to be Bastard to the King.
    First when my Father was Embassadour
    In Germanie vnto the Emperour,
    The King lay often at my Fathers house;
    And all the Realme suspected what befell:
    B And
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