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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    Not Peer Reviewed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))

    Excursions. The Bastard chaseth Lymoges the Austrich
    Duke, and maketh him leaue the Lyons skinne.
    Ba-
    The troublesome Raigne
    670Bastard And art thou gone, misfortune haunt thy steps,
    And chill colde feare assaile thy times of rest.
    Morpheus leaue here thy silent Eban caue,
    Besiedge his thoughts with dismall fantasies,
    And ghastly obiects of pale threatning Mors.
    675Affright him euery minute with stearne lookes,
    Let shadowe temper terror in his thoughts,
    And let the terror make the coward mad,
    And in his madnes let him feare pursute,
    And so in frenzie let the peasant die.
    680Here is the ransome that allayes his rage,
    The first freehold that Richard left his sonne:
    With which I shall surprize his liuing foes,
    As Hectors statue did the fainting Greekes. Exit.