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- Edition: Troublesome Reign of King John
The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))
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The troublesome Raigne
2987To burne the holy tree in Babylon,
2988Power after power forsake their proper power,
2990The fierce inuade of him that conquers Kings,
2991Help God, O payne, dye Iohn, O plague
2993Phillip a chayre, and by and by a graue,
2994My leggs disdaine the carriage of a King.
2995Bastard. A good my Lege with patience conquer griefe,
2996And beare this paine with kingly fortitude.
2998Wrote by a fiend in Marble characters,
3000Me thinks the Deuill whispers in mine eares
3001And tels me tis in vayne to hope for grace,
3004Come to accuse me for my wrong on earth,
3005And there is none so mercifull a God
3006That will forgiue the number of my sinnes.
3007How haue I liud, but by anothers losse?
3008What haue I loud but wrack of others weale?
3009When haue I vowd, and not infringd mine oath?
3010Where haue I done a deede deseruing well?
3011How, what, when, and where, haue I bestowd a day
3012That tended not to some notorious ill.
3013My life repleat with rage and tyranie,
3017Dishonor did attaynt me in my life,
3018And shame attendeth Iohn vnto his death.
3019Why did I scape the fury of the French,
3020And dyde not by the temper of their swords?
3022Scornd by my foes, disdained of my friends.
Bastard