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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    Not Peer Reviewed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))

    Enter the Kings Herolds with Trumpets to the wals of
    685 Angiers: they summon the Towne.
    Eng. Herold Iohn by the grace of God King of England,
    Lord of Ireland, Aniou, Toraine, &c. demaundeth once againe
    of you his subiects of Angiers, if you will quietly surrender
    vp the Towne into his hands?
    690Fr. Herold Philip by the grace of God King of Fraunce, demaundeth
    in the behalfe of Arthur Duke of Britaine, if you
    will surrender vp the Towne into his hands, to the vse of the
    said Arthur.
    Citizens Herrolds goe tell the two victorious Princes,
    695that we the poore Inhabitants of Angiers, require a parle of
    their Maiesties.
    Herolds We goe.
    Enter the Kings, Queene Elianor, Blaunch, Bastard, Ly-
    moges, Lewes, Castilean, Pembrooke, Salisbury, Constance,
    700 and Arthur Duke of Britaine.
    John Herold, what answere doo the Townsmen send?
    Philip
    of King Iohn.
    Philip Will Angiers yéeld to Philip King of Fraunce,
    En. Her. The Townsmen on the wals accept your Grace.
    Fr. Her. And craue a parley of your Maiestie.
    705Iohn You Citizens of Angiers, haue your eyes
    Beheld the slaughter that our English bowes
    Haue made vpon the coward frawdfull French?
    And haue you wisely pondred therewithall
    Your gaine in yeelding to the English King?
    710Philip Their losse in yéelding to the English King.
    But Iohn, they saw from out their highest Towers
    The Cheualiers of Fraunce and crossebow shot
    Make lanes of slaughtred bodies through thine hoast,
    And are resolude to yéelde to Arthurs right.
    715Iohn Why Philip, though thou brauest it fore the walls,
    Thy conscience knowes that Iohn hath wonne the field.
    Philip What ere my conscience knows, thy Armie feeles
    That Philip had the better of the day.
    Bastard Philip indéede hath got the Lyons case,
    720Which here he holds to Lymoges disgrace.
    Base Duke to flye and leaue such spoyles behinde:
    But this thou knewst of force to make mée stay.
    It farde with thée as with the marriner,
    Spying the hugie Whale, whose monstrous bulke
    725Doth beare the waues like mountaines fore the winde,
    That throwes out emptie vessells, so to stay
    His furie, while the ship doth saile away.
    Philip tis thine: and fore this Princely presence,
    Madame I humbly lay it at your feete,
    730Being the first aduenture I atchieud,
    And first exployt your Grace did enioyne:
    Yet many more I long to be enioynd.
    Blaunch Philip I take it, and I thee commaund
    To weare the same as earst thy Father did:
    735Therewith receiue this fauour at my hands,
    T'incourage thee to follow Richards fame.
    Arthur Ye Citizens of Angiers, are ye mute?
    D Arthur
    The troublesome Raigne
    Arthur or Iohn, say which shall be your King?
    Citizen We care not which, if once we knew the right,
    740But till we know we will not yeeld our right.
    Bastard Might Philip counsell two so mightie Kings,
    As are the Kings of England and of Fraunce,
    He would aduise your Graces to vnite
    And knit your forces gainst these Citizens,
    745Pulling their battered walls about their eares.
    The Towne once wonne then striue about the claime,
    For they are minded to delude you both.
    Citizen Kings, Princes, Lords & Knights assembled here,
    The Citizens of Angiers all by me
    750Entreate your Maiestie to heare them speake:
    And as you like the motion they shall make,
    So to account and follow their aduice.
    Iohn. Philip. Speake on, we giue thee leaue.
    Citizen Then thus: whereas that yong & lustie knight
    755Incites you on to knit your kingly strengths:
    The motion cannot choose but please the good,
    And such as loue the quiet of the State.
    But how my Lords, how should your strengths be knit?
    Not to oppresse your subiects and your friends,
    760And fill the world with brawles and mutinies:
    But vnto peace your forces should be knit
    To liue in Princely league and amitie:
    Doo this, the gates of Angiers shall giue way
    And stand wide open to your harts content.
    765To make this peace a lasting bond of loue,
    Remains one onely honorable meanes,
    Which by your pardon I shall here display.
    Lewes the Dolphin and the heire of Fraunce,
    A man of noted valor through the world,
    770Is yet vnmaried: let him take to wife
    The beauteous daughter of the King of Spaine,
    Neece to K. Iohn, the louely Ladie Blanche,
    Begotten on his Sister Elianor.
    With
    of King Iohn.
    With her in marriage will her vnckle giue
    775Castles aud Towers as fitteth such a match.
    The Kings thus ioynd in league of perfect loue,
    They may so deale with Arthur Duke of Britaine,
    Who is but yong, and yet vnmeete to raigne,
    As he shall stand contented euerie way.
    780Thus haue I boldly (for the common good)
    Deliuered what the Citie gaue in charge.
    And as vpon conditions you agree,
    So shall we stand content to yeeld the Towne.
    Arthur A proper peace, if such a motion hold;
    785These Kings beare armes for me, and for my right,
    And they shall share my lands to make them friends.
    Q. Elianor Sonne Iohn, follow this motion, as thou louest
    thy mother,
    Make league with Philip, yeeld to any thing:
    790Lewes shall haue my Neece, and then be sure
    Arthur shall haue small succour out of Fraunce.
    John Brother of Fraunce, you heare the Citizens:
    Then tell me, how you meane to deale herein.
    Constance Why John, what canst thou giue vnto thy Neece,
    795That hast no foote of land, but Arthurs right?
    Lewes Byr Ladie Citizens, I like your choyce,
    A louely Damsell is the Ladie Blanche,
    Worthie the heire of Europe for her pheere.
    Constance What Kings, why stand you gazing in a trance?
    800Why how now Lords? accursed Citizens
    To fill and tickle their ambicious eares,
    With hope of gaine, that springs from Arthurs losse.
    Some dismall Plannet at thy birthday raignd,
    For now I see the fall of all thy hopes.
    805K. Philip Ladie, and Duke of Britaine, know you both,
    The King of Fraunce respects his honor more,
    Than to betray his friends and fauourers.
    Princesse of Spaine, could you affect my Sonne,
    If we vpon conditions could agree?
    D 2 Bastard
    The troublesome Raigne
    810Bastard Swounds Madam, take an English Gentleman:
    Slaue as I was, I thought to haue mooude the match.
    Grandame you made me halfe a promise once,
    That Lady Blanch should bring me wealth inough,
    And make me heire of store of English land.
    815Q. Elianor Peace Philip, I will looke thee out a wife,
    We must with pollicie compound this strife.
    Bastard If Lewes get her, well, I say no more:
    But let the frolicke Frenchman take no scorne,
    If Philip front him with an English horne.
    820Iohn Ladie, what answere make you to the King of France?
    Can you affect the Dolphin for your Lord?
    Blanch I thanke the King that likes of me so well,
    To make me Bride vnto so great a Prince:
    But giue me leaue my Lord to pause on this,
    825Least being too too forward in the cause,
    It may be blemish to my modestie.
    Q Elinor Sonne John, and worthie Philip K. of Fraunce,
    Doo you confer awhile about the Dower,
    And I will schoole my modest Neece so well,
    830That she shall yéeld assoone as you haue done.
    Constance I, theres the wretch that broacheth all this ill,
    Why flye I not vpon the Beldames face,
    And with my nayles pull foorth her hatefull eyes.
    Arthur Swéete Mother cease these hastie madding fits:
    835For my sake, let my Grandame haue her will.
    O would she with her hands pull forth my heart,
    I could affoord it to appease these broyles.
    But mother let vs wisely winke at all:
    Least farther harmes ensue our hastie speach.
    840Philip Brother of England, what dowrie wilt thou giue
    Unto my Sonne in marriage with thy Neece?
    Iohn First Philip knowes her dowrie out of Spaine
    To be so great as may content a King:
    But more to mend and amplifie the same,
    845I giue in money thirtie thousand markes.
    For
    of King Iohn.
    For land I leaue it to thine owne demaund.
    Philip Then I demaund Volquesson, Torain, Main,
    Poiters and Aniou, these fiue Prouinces,
    Which thou as King of England holdst in Fraunce:
    850Then shall our peace be soone concluded on.
    Bastard No lesse than fiue such Prouinces at once?
    Iohn Mother what shall I doo? my brother got these lands
    With much effusion of our English bloud:
    And shall I giue it all away at once?
    855Q. Elinor Iohn giue it him, so shalt thou liue in peace,
    And keepe the residue sanz ieopardie.
    Ion Philip bring forth thy Sonne, here is my Neece,
    And here in mariage I doo giue with her
    From me and my Successors English Kings,
    860Volquesson, Poiters, Aniou, Torain, Main,
    And thirtie thousand markes of stipend coyne.
    Now Citizens, how like you of this match?
    Citizen We ioy to see so sweete a peace begun.
    Lewes Lewes with Blanch shall euer liue content.
    865But now King Iohn, what say you to the Duke?
    Father, speake as you may in his behalfe.
    Philip K.Iohn, be good vnto thy Nephew here,
    And giue him somewhat that shall please thee best.
    John Arthur, although thou troublest Englands peace:
    870Yet here I giue thee Brittaine for thine owne,
    Together with the Earledome of Richmont,
    And this rich Citie of Angiers withall.
    Q. Elianor And if thou seeke to please thine Unckle John,
    Shalt see my Sonne how I will make of thee.
    875Iohn Now euery thing is sorted to this end,
    Lets in and there prepare the mariage rytes,
    Which in S. Maries Chappell presently
    Shalbe performed ere this Presence part. Exeunt.
    Manent Constance & Arthur.
    880Arthur Madam good cheere, these drouping languishmẽts
    D 3 Adde
    The troublesome Raigne
    Adde no redresse to salue our awkward haps.
    If heauens haue concluded these euents,
    To small auaile is bitter pensiuenes:
    Seasons will change, and so our present griefe
    885May change with them, and all to our reliefe.
    Constance Ah boy, thy yeares I see are farre too greene
    To looke into the bottome of these cares.
    But I, who see the poyse that weigheth downe
    Thy weale, my wish, and all the willing meanes
    890Wherewith thy fortune and thy fame should mount.
    What ioy, what ease, what rest can lodge in me,
    With whom all hope and hap doth disagree?
    Arthur Yet Ladies teares, and cares, and solemne shows,
    Rather than helpes, heape vp more worke for woes.
    895Constance If any Power will heare a widdowes plaint,
    That from a wounded soule implores reuenge;
    Send fell contagion to infect this Clyme,
    This cursed Countrey, where the traytors breath,
    Whose periurie as prowd Briareus,
    900Beleaguers all the Skie with misbeliefe.
    He promist Arthur, and he sware it too,
    To fence thy right, and check thy foemans pride:
    But now black-spotted Periure as he is,
    He takes a truce with Elnors damned brat,
    905And marries Lewes to her louely Neece,
    Sharing thy fortune, and thy birth-dayes gift
    Betweene these louers: ill betide the match.
    And as they shoulder thee from out thy owne,
    And triumph in a widowes tearefull cares:
    910So heauens crosse them with a thriftles course.
    Is all the bloud yspilt on either part,
    Closing the cranies of the thirstie earth,
    Growne to a louegame and a Bridall feast?
    And must thy birthright bid the wedding banes?
    915Poore helples boy, hopeles and helples too,
    To whom misfortune seemes no yoke at all.
    Thy
    of King Iohn.
    Thy stay, thy state, thy imminent mishaps
    Woundeth thy mothers thoughts with feeling care,
    Why lookst thou pale? the colour flyes thy face,
    920I trouble now the fountaine of thy youth,
    And make it moodie with my doles discourse,
    Goe in with me, reply not louely boy,
    We must obscure this mone with melodie,
    Least worser wrack ensue our malecontent. Exeunt.
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