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

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    Author: Anonymous
    Editor: Karen Oberer
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    The Troublesome Reign of King John ((Quarto, 1581))

    925 Enter the King of England, the King of Fraunce, Arthur,
    Bastard, Lewes, Lymoges, Constance, Blanche, Chattilion,
    Pembrooke, Salisburie, and Elianor.
    Iohn This is the day, the long desired day,
    Wherein the Realmes of England and of Fraunce
    930Stand highly blessed in a lasting peace.
    Thrice happie is the Bridegroome and the Bride,
    From whose sweete Bridale such a concord springs,
    To make of mortall foes immortall friends.
    Constance Ungodly peace made by an others warre.
    935Philip Unhappie peace, that ties thee from reuenge.
    Rouse thée Plantaginet, liue not to see
    The butcher of the great Plantiginet.
    Kings, Princes, and ye Peeres of either Realmes,
    Pardon my rashnes, and forgiue the zeale
    940That caries me in furie to a deede
    Of high desert, of honour, and of armes.
    A boone O Kings, a boone doth Philip beg
    Prostrate vpon his knee: which knee shall cleaue
    Unto the superficies of the earth,
    945Till Fraunce and England graunt this glorious boone.
    Iohn Speake Philip, England graunts thee thy request.
    Philip And Fraunce confirmes what ere is in his power.
    Bastard Then Duke sit fast, I leuell at thy head,
    Too base a ransome for my fathers life.
    950Princes, I craue the Combat with the Duke
    That
    The troublesome Raigne
    That braues it in dishonor of my Sire.
    Your words are past nor can you now reuerse
    The Princely promise that reuiues my soule,
    Whereat me thinks I see his sinnews shake:
    955This is the boon (dread Lords) which granted once
    Or life or death are pleasant to my soule;
    Since I shall liue and die in Richards right.
    Lymoges Base Bastard, misbegotten of a King.
    To interrupt these holy nuptiall rytes
    960With brawles and tumults to a Dukes disgrace:
    Let it suffice, I scorne to ioyne in fight,
    With one so farre vnequall to my selfe.
    Bastard A fine excuse, Kings if you wilbe Kings,
    Then keepe your words, and let vs combat it.
    965Iohn Philip, we cannot force the Duke to fight,
    Being a subiect vnto neither Realme:
    But tell me Austria, if an English Duke
    Should dare thee thus, wouldst thou accept the challendge?
    Lymoges Els let the world account the Austrich Duke
    970The greatest coward liuing on the Earth.
    Iohn Then cheere thee Philip, Iohn will keepe his word,
    Kneele downe, in sight of Philip King of Fraunce
    And all these Princely Lords assembled here,
    I gird thee with the sword of Normandie,
    975And of that land I doo inuest thee Duke:
    So shalt thou be in liuing and in land
    Nothing inferiour vnto Austria.
    Lymoges K. Iohn, I tell thee flatly to thy face
    Thou wrongst mine honour: and that thou maist see
    980How much I scorne thy new made Duke and thee,
    I flatly say, I will not be compeld:
    And so farewell Sir Duke of low degree,
    Ile finde a time to match you for this geere. Exit.
    Iohn Stay Philip, let him goe the honors thine.
    985Bastard I cannot liue vnles his life be mine.
    Q. Elianor Thy forwardnes this day hath ioyd my soule.
    And
    of King Iohn.
    And made me thinke my Richard liues in thée.
    K. Philip Lordings lets in, and spend the wedding day
    In maskes and triumphs, letting quarrells cease.
    990Enter a Cardynall from Rome.
    Card. Stay King of France, I charge thee ioyn not hands
    With him that stands accurst of God and men.
    Know Iohn, that I Pandulph Cardinall of Millaine, and
    Legate from the Sea of Rome, demaund of thee in the name
    995of our holy Father the Pope Innocent, why thou dost (contra-
    rie to the lawes of our holy mother the Church, and our holye
    father the Pope) disturbe the quiet of the Church, and disanull
    the election of Stephen Langhton, whom his Holines hath ele-
    cted Archbishop of Canterburie: this in his Holines name I
    1000demaund of thee?
    Iohn And what hast thou or the Pope thy maister to doo to
    demaund of me, how I employ mine owne? Know sir Priest
    as I honour the Church and holy Churchmen, so I scorne to
    be subiect to the greatest Prelate in the world. Tell thy Mai-
    1005ster so from me, and say, Iohn of England said it, that neuer an
    Italian Priest of them all, shall either haue tythe, tole, or po-
    ling penie out of England, but as I am King, so wil I raigne
    next vnder God, supreame head both ouer spirituall and tem-
    rall: and hee that contradicts me in this, Ile make him hoppe
    1010headlesse.
    K. Philip What King Iohn, know you what you say, thus
    to blaspheme against our holy father the Pope.
    Iohn Philip, though thou and all the Princes of Christen-
    dome suffer themselues to be abusde by a Prelates slauerie,
    1015my minde is not of such base temper. If the Pope will bee
    King in England, let him winne it with the sword, I know no
    other title he can alleage to mine inheritance.
    Card. Iohn, this is thine answere?
    Iohn What then?
    1020Card. Then I Pandulph of Padoa, Legate from the Apo-
    E stolike
    The troublesome Raigne
    stolick Sea, doo in the name of S. Peter and his successor our
    holy Father Pope Innocent, pronounce thee accursed dischar-
    ging euery of thy subiectes of all dutie and fealtie that they
    doo owe to thee, and pardon and forgiuenes of sinne to those or
    1025them whatsoeuer, which shall carrie armes against thee, or
    murder thée: this I pronounce, and charge all good men to
    abhorre thee as an excommunicate person.
    Iohn So sir, the more the Fox is curst the better a fares: if
    God blesse me and my Land, let the Pope and his shauelings
    1030curse and spare not.
    Card. Furthermore I charge thée Philip King of France,
    and al the Kings and Princes of Christendome, to make war
    vppon this miscreant: and whereas thou hast made a league
    with him, and confirmed it by oath, I doo in the name of our
    1035foresaid father the Pope, acquit thée of that oath as vnlawful,
    being made with an heretike, how saist thou Philip, doost thou
    obey?
    Iohn Brother of Fraunce, what say you to the Cardinall?
    Philip I say, I am sorrie for your Maiestie, requesting
    1040you to submit your selfe to the Church of Rome.
    John And what say you to our league, if I doo not submit?
    Philip What should I say? I must obey the Pope.
    Iohn Obey the Pope, and breake your oath to God?
    Philip The Legate hath absolude me of mine oath:
    1045Then yeeld to Rome, or I defie thée héere.
    Iohn Why Philip, I defie the Pope and thée,
    False as thou art, and periurde K. of Fraunce,
    Unworthie man to be accompted King.
    Giu'st thou thy sword into a Prelates hands?
    1050Pandulph, where I of Abbots, Monkes and Friers
    Haue taken somewhat to maintaine my warres,
    Now will I take no more but all they haue.
    Ile rowze the lazie lubbers from their Cells,
    And in despight Ile send them to the Pope.
    1055Mother, come you with me, and for the rest
    That will not follow Iohn in this attempt,
    Con-
    of King Iohn.
    Confusion light vpon their damned soules.
    Come Lords, fight for your King that fighteth for your good?
    Philip And are they gone? Pandulph thy selfe shalt see
    1060How Fraunce will fight for Rome and Romish rytes.
    Nobles, to armes, let him not passe the seas,
    Lets take him captiue, and in triumph lead
    The K. of England to the gates of Rome.
    Arthur, bestirre thee man, and thou shalt see
    1065What Philip K. of Fraunce will doo for thee.
    Blanche And will your Grace vpon your wedding day
    Forsake your Bride and follow dreadfull drums:
    Nay, good my Lord, stay you at home with mee.
    Lewes Sweete heart content thée, and we shall agree.
    1070Philip Follow me Lords, Lord Cardynall lead the way,
    Drums shalbe musique to this wedding day. Exeunt.