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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    Not Peer Reviewed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))

    The Troublesome Raigne of
    King Iohn.
    1Enter K. Iohn, Queene Elinor his mother, William Marshal
    Earle of Pembrooke,the Earles of Essex, and of Salisbury.
    Queene Elianor.
    BArons of England, and my noble Lords:
    5Though God and Fortune haue bereft from vs
    Uictorious Richard scourge of Infidels,
    And clad this Land in stole of dismall hieu:
    Yet giue me leaue to ioy, and ioy you all,
    That from this wombe hath sprung a second hope,
    10A King that may in rule and vertue both
    Succeede his brother in his Emperie.
    K. John My gracious mother Queene, and Barons all;
    Though farre vnworthie of so high a place,
    As is the Throne of mightie Englands King:
    15Yet Iohn your Lord, contented vncontent,
    Will (as he may) sustaine the heauie yoke
    Of pressing cares, that hang vpon a Crowne.
    My Lord of Pembrooke and Lord Salsbury,
    Admit the Lord Shattilion to our presence;
    20That we may know what Philip King of Fraunce
    (By his Ambassadors) requires of vs.
    Q. Elinor Dare lay my hand that Elinor can gesse
    Whereto this weightie Embassade doth tend:
    If of my Nephew Arthur and his claime,
    25Then say my Sonne I haue not mist my aime.
    A 3
    The troublesome Raigne
    Enter Chattilion and the two Earles.
    Iohn My Lord Chattilion, welcome into England :
    How fares our Brother Philip King of Fraunce?
    Chatt. His Highnes at my comming was in health,
    30And wild me to salute your Maiestie,
    And say the message he hath giuen in charge.
    Iohn And spare not man, we are preparde to heare.
    Chattilion Philip by the grace of God most Christian K.
    of France, hauing taken into his guardain and protection Ar-
    35thur Duke of Brittaine, son & heire to Ieffrey thine elder bro-
    ther, requireth in the behalfe of the said Arthur, the Kingdom
    of England, with the Lordship of Ireland, Poiters, Aniow,
    Torain, Main: and I attend thine aunswere.
    Iohn A small request: belike he makes account
    40That England, Ireland, Poiters, Aniow, Torain, Main,
    Are nothing for a King to giue at once:
    I wonder what he meanes to leaue for me.
    Tell Philip, he may keepe his Lords at home,
    With greater honour than to send them thus
    45On Embassades that not concerne himselfe,
    Or if they did, would yeeld but small returne.
    Chatilion Is this thine answere?
    Iohn It is, and too good an answer for so proud a message.
    Chattilion Then King of England, in my Masters name,
    50And in Prince Arthur Duke of Britaines name,
    I doo defie thee as an Enemie,
    And wish thee to prepare for bloodie warres.
    Q. Elinor My Lord (that stands vpon defiance thus)
    Commend me to my Nephew, tell the boy,
    55That I Queene Elianor (his Grandmother)
    Upon my blessing charge him leaue his Armes,
    Whereto his head-strong Mother pricks him so:
    Her pride we know, and know her for a Dame
    That will not sticke to bring him to his ende,
    60So she may bring her selfe to rule a Realme.
    Next wish him to forsake the King of Fraunce,
    And
    of King Iohn.
    And come to me and to his Unckle here,
    And he shall want for nothing at our hands.
    Chattilion. This shall I doo, and thus I take my leaue.
    65Iohn Pembrooke, conuay him safely to the sea,
    But not in hast: for as we are aduisde,
    We meane to be in Fraunce as soone as he,
    To fortefie such townes as we possesse
    In Aniou, Torain and in Normandy. Exit Chatt.
    70Enter the Shriue, & whispers the Earle of Sals in the eare
    Salisbury. Please it your Maiestie, heere is the Shriue of
    Northhamptonshire, with certaine persons that of late com-
    mitted a riot, and haue appeald to your Maiestie beseeching
    your Highnes for speciall cause to heare them.
    75Iohn Wil them come neere, and while we heare the cause,
    Goe Salsbury and make prouision,
    We meane with speede to passe the sea to Fraunce.
    Say Shrieue, what are these men, what haue they done?
    Or wheretoo tends the course of this appeale?
    80Shrieue Please it your Maiestie these two brethren vnna-
    turally falling at odds about their Fathers liuing haue bro-
    ken your Highnes peace, in seeking to right their own wrõgs
    without cause of Law, or order of Iustice, and vnlawfully as-
    sembled themselues in mutinous manner, hauing committed
    85a riot, appealing from triall in their Countrey to your High-
    nes : and here I Thomas Nidigate Shrieue of Northhamp-
    tonshire, doo deliuer them ouer to their triall.
    Iohn My Lord of Essex, will the offenders to stand foorth,
    and tell the cause of their quarrell.
    90Essex Gentlemen, it is the Kings pleasure that you disco-
    uer your griefes, & doubt not but you shall haue iustice.
    Philip Please it your Maiestie, the wrong is mine; yet wil
    I abide all wrongs, before I once open my mouth to vnrippe
    the shamefull slaunder of my parents, the dishonour of myself,
    95& the wicked dealing of my brother in this princely assembly.
    Robert Then by my Prince his leaue shall Robert speake,
    And tell your Maiestie what right I haue
    To
    The troublesome Raigne
    To offer wrong, as he accounteth wrong.
    My Father (not vnknowen vnto your Grace)
    100Receiud his spurres of Knighthood in the Field,
    At Kingly Richards hands in Palestine,
    When as the walls of Acon gaue him way:
    His name Sir Robert Fauconbridge of Mountbery.
    What by succession from his Auncestours,
    105And warlike seruice vnder Englands Armes,
    His liuing did amount too at his death
    Two thousand Markes reuenew euery yeare:
    And this (my Lord) I challenge for my right,
    As lawfull heire to Robert Fauconbridge.
    110Philip If first-borne sonne be heire indubitate
    By certaine right of Englands auncient Lawe,
    How should myselfe make any other doubt,
    But I am heire to Robert Fauconbridge?
    Iohn Fond Youth, to trouble these our Princely eares
    115Or make a question in so plaine a case:
    Speake, is this man thine elder Brother borne?
    Robert Please it your Grace with patience for to heare;
    I not denie but he mine Elder is,
    Mine elder Brother too: yet in such sort,
    120As he can make no title to the Land.
    Iohn A doubtfull tale as euer I did heare,
    Thy Brother and thine elder, and no heire:
    Explaine this darke AEnigma.
    Robert I graunt (my Lord) he is my mothers sonne,
    125Base borne, and base begot, no Fauconbridge.
    Indeede the world reputes him lawfull heire,
    My Father in his life did count him so,
    And here my Mother stands to prooue him so:
    But I (my Lord) can prooue, and doo auerre
    130Both to my Mothers shame and his reproach,
    He is no heire, nor yet legitimate.
    Then (gracious Lord) let Fauconbridge enioy
    The liuing that belongs to Fauconbridge.
    And
    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
    The troublesome Raigne
    170And at my Fathers back returne agen
    My Mother was deliuered as tis sed,
    Sixe weekes before the account my Father made.
    But more than this: looke but on Philips face,
    His features, actions, and his lineaments,
    175And all this Princely presence shall confesse,
    He is no other but King Richards Sonne.
    Then gracious Lord, rest he King Richards Sonne,
    And let me rest safe in my Fathers right,
    That am his rightfull sonne and onely heire.
    180Iohn Is this thy proofe, and all thou hast to say?
    Robert I haue no more, nor néede I greater proofe.
    John First, where thou saidst in absence of thy Sire
    My Brother often lodged in his house:
    And what of that? base groome to slaunder him,
    185That honoured his Embassador so much,
    In absence of the man to cheere the wife?
    This will not hold, proceede vnto the next.
    Q Elinor Thou saist she téemde six wéeks before her time.
    Why good Sir Squire are you so cunning growen
    190To make account of womens reckonings:
    Spit in your hand and to your other proofes:
    Many mischaunces hap in such affaires
    To make a woman come before her time.
    Iohn And where thou saist he looketh like the King
    195In action, feature and proportion:
    Therein I holde with thée, for in my life
    I neuer saw so liuely counterfet
    Of Richard Cordelion, as in him.
    Robert Then good my Lord, be you indifferent Iudge,
    200And let me haue my liuing and my right.
    Q. Elinor Nay heare you Sir, you runne away too fast:
    Know you not, Omne simile non est idem?
    Or haue read in. Harke ye good sir,
    Twas thus I warrant, and no otherwise,
    205She lay with Sir Robert your Father, and thought vppon
    King
    of King Iohn.
    King Richard my Sonne, and so your Brother was formed
    in this fashion.
    Robert Madame, you wrong me thus to iest it out,
    I craue my right: King Iohn as thou art King,
    210So be thou iust, and let me haue my right.
    Iohn Why (foolish boy) thy proofes are friuolous,
    Nor canst thou chalenge any thing thereby.
    But thou shalt see how I will helpe thy claime,
    This is my doome, and this my doome shall stand
    215Irreuocable, as I am King of England.
    For thou knowst not, weele aske of them that know,
    His mother and himselfe shall ende this strife:
    And as they say, so shall thy liuing passe.
    Robert My Lord, herein I chalenge you of wrong,
    220To giue away my right, and put the doome
    Unto themselues. Can there be likelihood
    That she will loose?
    Or he will giue the liuing from himselfe?
    It may not be my Lord. Why should it be?
    225Iohn Lords keepe him back, and let him heare the doome.
    Essex, first aske the Mother thrice who was his Sire?
    Essex Ladie Margaret Widow of Fauconbridge,
    Who was Father to thy Sonne Philip?
    Mother Please it your Maiestie, Sir Robert Fauconbridge.
    230Robert This is right, aske my felow there if I be a thiefe.
    Iohn Aske Philip whose Sonne he is.
    Essex Philip, who was thy Father?
    Philip Mas my Lord, and thats a question: and you had
    not taken some paines with her before, I should haue desired
    235you to aske my Mother.
    Iohn Say who was thy Father?
    Philip Faith (my Lord) to answere you sure he is my fa-
    ther that was néerest my mother when I was gotten, & him
    I thinke to be Sir Robert Fauconbridge.
    240Iohn Essex, for fashions sake demaund agen,
    And so an ende to this contention.
    B 2 Was
    The troublesome Raigne
    Robert Was euer man thus wrongd as Robert is?
    Essex Philip speake I say, who was thy Father?
    Iohn Yong man how now, what art thou in a traunce?
    245Elianor Philip awake, the man is in a dreame.
    Philip Philippus at auis aedite Regibus.
    What saist thou Philip, sprung of auncient Kings?
    Quo me rapit tempestas?
    What winde of honour blowes this furie forth?
    250Or whence proeede these fumes of Maiestie?
    Me thinkes I heare a hollow Eccho sound,
    That Philip is the Sonne vnto a King:
    The whistling leaues vpon the trembling trees,
    Whistle in consort I am Richards Sonne:
    255The bubling murmur of the waters fall,
    Records Philippus Regius filius:
    Birds in their flight make musicke with their wings,
    Filling the ayre with glorie of my birth:
    Birds, bubbles, leaues, and mountaines, Eccho, all
    260Ring in mine eares, that I am Richards Sonne.
    Fond man, ah whether art thou carried?
    How are thy thoughts ywrapt in Honors heauen?
    Forgetfull what thou art, and whence thou camst.
    Thy Fathers land cannot maintaine these thoughts,
    265These thoughts are farre vnfitting Fauconbridge:
    And well they may; for why this mounting minde
    Doth soare too high to stoupe to Fauconbridge.
    Why how now? knowest thou where thou art?
    And knowest thou who expects thine answere here?
    270Wilt thou vpon a frantick madding vaine
    Goe loose thy land, and say thy selfe base borne?
    No, keepe thy land, though Richard were thy Sire,
    What ere thou thinkst, say thou art Fauconbridge.
    John Speake man, be sodaine, who thy Father was.
    275Philip Please it your Maiestie, Sir Robert
    Philip, that Fauconbridge cleaues to thy iawes:
    It will not out, I cannot for my life
    Say
    of King Iohn.
    Say I am Sonne vnto a Fauconbridge.
    Let land and liuing goe, tis honors fire
    280That makes me sweare King Richard was my Sire.
    Base to a King addes title of more State,
    Than Knights begotten, though legittimate.
    Please it your Grace, I am King Richards Sonne.
    Robert Robert reuiue thy heart, let sorrow die,
    285His faltring tongue not suffers him to lie.
    Mother What head-strong furie doth enchaunt my sonne?
    Philip Philip cannot repent, for he hath done.
    Iohn Then Philip blame not me, thy selfe hast lost
    By wilfulnesse, thy liuing and thy land.
    290Robert, thou art the heire of Fauconbridge,
    God giue thee ioy, greater than thy desert.
    Q Elianor Why how now Philip, giue away thine owne?
    Philip Madame, I am bold to make my selfe your nephew,
    The poorest kinsman that your Highnes hath:
    295And with this Prouerb gin the world anew,
    Help hands, I haue no lands, honour is my desire;
    Let Philip liue to shew himselfe worthie so great a Sire.
    Elinor Philip, I think thou knewst thy Grandams minde:
    But chéere thée boy, I will not see thée want
    300As long as Elinor hath foote of land;
    Henceforth thou shalt be taken for my sonne,
    And waite on me and on thine Unckle heere,
    Who shall giue honour to thy noble minde.
    Iohn Philip kneele down, that thou maist throughly know
    305How much thy resolution pleaseth vs,
    Rise vp Sir Richard Plantaginet K. Richards Sonne.
    Phil. Graunt heauens that
    Philip once may shew himself
    Worthie the honour of Plantaginet,
    Or basest glorie of a Bastards name.
    310Iohn Now Gentlemen, we will away to France,
    To checke the pride of Arthur and his mates:
    Essex, thou shalt be Ruler of my Realme,
    And toward the maine charges of my warres,
    B 3 Ile
    The troublesome Raigne
    Ile ceaze the lazie Abbey lubbers lands
    315Into my hands to pay my men of warre.
    The Pope and Popelings shall not grease themselues
    With golde and groates, that are the souldiers due.
    Thus forward Lords, let our commaund be done,
    And march we forward mightely to Fraunce.Exeunt.
    320Manet Philip and his Mother.
    Philip Madame I beseech you deigne me so much leasure
    as the hearing of a matter that I long to impart to you.
    Mother Whats the matter Philip. I thinke your sute iu
    secret, tends to some money matter, which you suppose burns
    325in the bottome of my chest.
    Phil. No Madam, it is no such sute as to beg or borrow,
    But such a sute, as might some other grant,
    I would not now haue troubled you withall.
    Mother A Gods name let vs heare it.
    330Philip Then Madame thus, your Ladiship sees well,
    How that my scandall growes by meanes of you,
    In that report hath rumord vp and downe,
    I am a bastard, and no Fauconbridge.
    This grose attaint so tilteth in my thoughts,
    335Maintaining combat to abridge my ease,
    That field and towne, and company alone,
    Whatso I doo, or wheresoere I am,
    I cannot chase the slaunder from thy thoughts.
    If it be true, resolue me of my Sire,
    340For pardon Madame, if I thinke amisse.
    Be Philip Philip and no Fauconbridge,
    His Father doubtles was as braue a man.
    To you on knees as sometime Phaeton,
    Mistrusting silly Merop for his Sire,
    345Strayning a little bashfull modestie,
    I beg some instance whence I am extraught.
    Mother Yet more adoo to haste me to my graue,
    And wilt thou too become a Mothers crosse?
    Must I accuse myself to close with you?
    Slaun-
    of King Iohn.
    350Slaunder myself to quiet your affects:
    Thou mooust me Philip with this idle talke,
    Which I remit, in hope this mood will die.
    Philip Nay Ladie mother, heare me further yet,
    For strong conceipt driues dutie hence awhile:
    355Your husband Fauconbridge was Father to that sonne,
    That carries marks of Nature like the Sire,
    The sonne that blotteth you with wedlocks breach,
    And holds my right, as lineall in discent
    From him whose forme was figured in his face.
    360Can Nature so dissemble in her frame,
    To make the one so like as like may be,
    And in the other print no character
    To chalenge any marke of true discent?
    My brothers minde is base, and too too dull,
    365To mount where Philip lodgeth his affects,
    And his externall graces that you view
    (Though I report it) counterpoise not mine:
    His constitution plaine debilitie,
    Requires the chayre, and mine the seate of steele.
    370Nay, what is he, or what am I to him?
    When any one that knoweth how to carpe,
    Will scarcely iudge vs both one Countrey borne.
    This Madame, this, hath droue me from myselfe:
    And here by heauens eternall lampes I sweare,
    375As cursed Nero with his mother did,
    So I with you, if you resolue me not.
    Mother Let mothers teares quench out thy angers fire,
    And vrge no further what thou doost require.
    Philip Let sonnes entreatie sway the mother now,
    380Or els she dies: Ile not infringe my vow.
    Mother Unhappy taske: must I recount my shame,
    Blab my misdeedes, or by concealing die?
    Some power strike me speechlesse for a time,
    Or take from him awhile his hearings vse.
    385Why wish I so, vnhappy as I am?
    The
    The troublesome Raigne
    The fault is mine, and he the faultie frute,
    I blush, I faint, oh would I might be mute.
    Philip Mother be briefe, I long to know my name.
    Mother And longing dye to shrowd thy Mothers shame.
    390Philip Come Madame come, you neede not be so loth,
    The shame is shared equall twixt vs both.
    Ist not a slacknes in me worthie blame,
    To be so olde, and cannot write my name.
    Good Mother resolue me.
    395Mother Then Philip heare thy fortune and my griefe,
    My honours losse by purchase of thy selfe,
    My shame, thy name, and husbands secret wrong,
    All maind and staind by youths vnruly sway.
    And when thou knowest from whence thou art extraught,
    400Or if thou knewst what sutes, what threates, what feares,
    To mooue by loue, or massacre by death.
    To yeeld with loue, or end by loues contempt.
    The mightines of him that courted me,
    Who tempred terror with his wanton talke,
    405That something may extenuate the guilt.
    But let it not aduantage me so much:
    Upbraid me rather with the Romane Dame
    That shed her blood to wash away her shame.
    Why stand I to expostulate the crime
    410With pro & contra, now the déede is don,
    When to conclude two words may tell the tale,
    That Philips Father was a Princes Son,
    Rich Englands rule, worlds onely terror hee,
    For honours losse left me with childe of thee:
    415Whose Sonne thou art, then pardon me the rather,
    For faire King Richard was thy noble Father.
    Philip Then Robin Fauconbridge I wish thee ioy,
    My Sire a King, and I a landles Boy.
    Gods Ladie Mother, the world is in my debt,
    420There's something owing to Plantaginet.
    I marrie Sir, let me alone for game,
    Ile
    of King Iohn.
    Ile act some wonders now I know my name.
    By blessed Marie Ile not sell that pride
    For Englands wealth, and all the world beside.
    425Sit fast the proudest of my Fathers foes,
    Away good Mother, there the comfort goes. Exeunt.
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