The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 4 of 9]

ACT IV.

Scene I. A room in a castle.

Enter Hubert and Executioners.[407]

Hub. Heat me these irons hot; and look thou stand [408]
Within the arras: when I strike my foot
Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth,
And bind the boy which you shall find with me
Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch.5

First Exec. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed.[409]

Hub. Uncleanly scruples! fear not you: look to't.[410]

[Exeunt Executioners.

Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you.

Enter Arthur.

Arth. Good morrow, Hubert.

Hub. Good morrow, little prince.[411]

Arth. As little prince, having so great a title10
To be more prince, as may be. You are sad.

Hub. Indeed, I have been merrier.

Arth. Mercy on me!
Methinks no body should be sad but I:
Yet, I remember, when I was in France,[412]
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,15
Only for wantonness. By my Christendom.
So I were out of prison and kept sheep,
I should be as merry as the day is long;[413]
And so I would be here, but that I doubt
My uncle practises more harm to me:20
He is afraid of me and I of him:
Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son?
No, indeed, is't not; and I would to heaven [414]
I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert.

Hub. [Aside] If I talk to him, with his innocent prate [415]25
He will awake my mercy which lies dead:
Therefore I will be sudden and dispatch.

Arth. Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-day:
In sooth, I would you were a little sick,
That I might sit all night and watch with you:30
I warrant I love you more than you do me.[416]

Hub. [Aside] His words do take possession of my bosom.[417]
Read here, young Arthur. [Showing a paper.
[Aside] How now, foolish rheum![418][419]
Turning dispiteous torture out of door![419][420]
I must be brief, lest resolution drop35
Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.
Can you not read it? is it not fair writ?[421]

Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect:[422]
Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?[423]

Hub. Young boy, I must.

Arth. And will you?

Hub. And I will.40

Arth. Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,
I knit my handkercher about your brows,[424]
The best I had, a princess wrought it me,
And I did never ask it you again;
And with my hand at midnight held your head,45
And like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,
Saying, 'What lack you?' and 'Where lies your grief?'
Or 'What good love may I perform for you?'
Many a poor man's son would have lien still [425]50
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your sick service had a prince.[426]
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love
And call it cunning: do, an if you will:[427]
If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,55
Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes?
These eyes that never did nor never shall [428]
So much as frown on you.[429]

Hub. I have sworn to do it;
And with hot irons must I burn them out.

Arth. Ah, none but in this iron age would do it![430]60
The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,[430]
Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears[430]
And quench his fiery indignation[430][431]
Even in the matter of mine innocence;[430][432]
Nay, after that, consume away in rust,[430]65
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.[430]
Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?[430][433]
An if an angel should have come to me [434]
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believed him,—no tongue but Hubert's.[435]70

Hub. Come forth. [Stamps.

Re-enter Executioners, with a cord, irons, &c.[436]

Do as I bid you do.

Arth. O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.[437]75

Arth. Alas, what need you be so boisterous-rough?[438]
I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.[439]
For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound![440]
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;80
I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,[441]
Nor look upon the iron angerly:[442]
Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.

Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him.85

First Exec. I am best pleased to be from such a deed.[409]

[Exeunt Executioners.[443]

Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend!
He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart:
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours.

Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.90

Arth. Is there no remedy?

Hub. None, but to lose your eyes.

Arth. O heaven, that there were but a mote in yours,[444]
A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,
Any annoyance in that precious sense!
Then feeling what small things are boisterous there,95
Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.

Hub. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue.

Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues [445]
Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes:[445]
Let me not hold my tongue, let me not, Hubert;100
Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue,
So I may keep mine eyes: O, spare mine eyes,
Though to no use but still to look on you!
Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold
And would not harm me.

Hub. I can heat it, boy.105

Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief,
Being create for comfort, to be used
In undeserved extremes: see else yourself;
There is no malice in this burning coal;[446]
The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out [447]110
And strew'd repentant ashes on his head.[447]

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.

Arth. An if you do, you will but make it blush [448][449]
And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert:[448]
Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes;[448]115
And like a dog that is compell'd to fight,[448]
Snatch at his master that doth tarre him on.[448][450]
All things that you should use to do me wrong
Deny their office: only you do lack
That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends,[451]120
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.[452]

Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eye [453]
For all the treasure that thine uncle owes:[454]
Yet am I sworn and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out.125

Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while
You were disguised.[455]

Hub. Peace; no more. Adieu.
Your uncle must not know but you are dead;
I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports:
And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure,130
That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heaven! I thank you, Hubert.

Hub. Silence; no more: go closely in with me:
Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt.

Scene II. King John's palace.

Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lords.[456]

K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crown'd,[457]
And looked upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes.

Pem. This 'once again,' but that your highness pleased,
Was once superfluous: you were crown'd before,
And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off,5
The faiths of men ne'er stained with revolt;
Fresh expectation troubled not the land
With any long'd-for change or better state.

Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before,10
To gild refined gold, to paint the lily,
To throw a perfume on the violet,
To smooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light
To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,15
Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

Pem. But that your royal pleasure must be done,
This act is as an ancient tale new told,
And in the last repeating troublesome,
Being urged at a time unseasonable.20

Sal. In this the antique and well noted face
Of plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a shifted wind unto a sail,
It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about,
Startles and frights consideration,25
Makes sound opinion sick and truth suspected,[458]
For putting on so new a fashion'd robe.

Pem. When workmen strive to do better than well,[459]
They do confound their skill in covetousness;[460]
And oftentimes excusing of a fault30
Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse,
As patches set upon a little breach
Discredit more in hiding of the fault [461]
Than did the fault before it was so patch'd.[461]

Sal. To this effect, before you were new crown'd,35
We breathed our counsel: but it pleased your highness
To overbear it, and we are all well pleased,[462]
Since all and every part of what we would
Doth make a stand at what your highness will.[463]

K. John. Some reasons of this double coronation40
I have possess'd you with and think them strong;
And more, more strong, then lesser is my fear,[464]
I shall indue you with: meantime but ask
What you would have reform'd that is not well,
And well shall you perceive how willingly45
I will both hear and grant you your requests.

Pem. Then I, as one that am the tongue of these
To sound the purposes of all their hearts,
Both for myself and them, but, chief of all,
Your safety, for the which myself and them [465]50
Bend their best studies, heartily request
The enfranchisement of Arthur; whose restraint
Doth move the murmuring lips of discontent
To break into this dangerous argument,—[466]
If what in rest you have in right you hold,[467]55
Why then your fears, which, as they say, attend [468]
The steps of wrong, should move you to mew up[468]
Your tender kinsman and to choke his days
With barbarous ignorance and deny his youth
The rich advantage of good exercise?60
That the time's enemies may not have this
To grace occasions, let it be our suit
That you have bid us ask his liberty;[469]
Which for our goods we do no further ask [470]
Than whereupon our weal, on you depending,[471]65
Counts it your weal he have his liberty.[472]

Enter Hubert.

K. John. Let it be so: I do commit his youth
To your direction. Hubert, what news with you?

[Taking him apart.[473]

Pem. This is the man should do the bloody deed;
He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine:70
The image of a wicked heinous fault
Lives in his eye; that close aspect of his
Does show the mood of a much troubled breast;[474]
And I do fearfully believe 'tis done,
What we so fear'd he had a charge to do.75

Sal. The colour of the king doth come and go
Between his purpose and his conscience,
Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles set:[475]
His passion is so ripe, it needs must break.

Pem. And when it breaks, I fear will issue thence80
The foul corruption of a sweet child's death.

K. John. We cannot hold mortality's strong hand:[476]
Good lords, although my will to give is living,
The suit which you demand is gone and dead:
He tells us Arthur is deceased to-night.85

Sal. Indeed we fear'd his sickness was past cure.

Pem. Indeed we heard how near his death he was
Before the child himself felt he was sick:
This must be answer'd either here or hence.

K. John. Why do you bend such solemn brows on me?90
Think you I bear the shears of destiny?
Have I commandment on the pulse of life?

Sal. It is apparent foul play; and 'tis shame [477]
That greatness should so grossly offer it:
So thrive it in your game! and so, farewell.95

Pem. Stay yet, Lord Salisbury; I'll go with thee,
And find the inheritance of this poor child,
His little kingdom of a forced grave.
That blood which owed the breadth of all this isle,[478]
Three foot of it doth hold: bad world the while!100
This must not be thus borne: this will break out
To all our sorrows, and ere long I doubt. [Exeunt Lords.[479]

K. John. They burn in indignation. I repent:[480][481]
There is no sure foundation set on blood,[481]
No certain life achieved by others' death.[481]105

Enter a Messenger.[482]

A fearful eye thou hast: where is that blood
That I have seen inhabit in those cheeks?
So foul a sky clears not without a storm:
Pour down thy weather: how goes all in France?

Mess. From France to England. Never such a power [483]110
For any foreign preparation
Was levied in the body of a land.
The copy of your speed is learn'd by them;
For when you should be told they do prepare,
The tidings comes that they are all arrived.[484]115

K. John. O, where hath our intelligence been drunk?
Where hath it slept? Where is my mother's care,[485]
That such an army could be drawn in France,
And she not hear of it?

Mess. My liege, her ear
Is stopp'd with dust; the first of April died120
Your noble mother: and, as I hear, my lord,
The Lady Constance in a frenzy died
Three days before: but this from rumour's tongue
I idly heard; if true or false I know not.

K. John. Withhold thy speed, dreadful occasion!125
O, make a league with me, till I have pleased
My discontented peers! What! mother dead![486]
How wildly then walks my estate in France!
Under whose conduct came those powers of France [487]
That thou for truth givest out are landed here?130

Mess. Under the Dauphin.[488]

K. John. Thou hast made me giddy
With these ill tidings.

Enter the Bastard and Peter of Pomfret.[489]

Now, what says the world
To your proceedings? do not seek to stuff
My head with more ill news, for it is full.

Bast. But if you be afeard to hear the worst,[490]135
Then let the worst unheard fall on your head.

K. John. Bear with me, cousin; for I was amazed
Under the tide: but now I breathe again
Aloft the flood, and can give audience
To any tongue, speak it of what it will.140

Bast. How I have sped among the clergy-men,[491]
The sums I have collected shall express.
But as I travell'd hither through the land,
I find the people strangely fantasied;
Possess'd with rumours, full of idle dreams,145
Not knowing what they fear, but full of fear:
And here's a prophet, that I brought with me
From forth the streets of Pomfret, whom I found
With many hundreds treading on his heels;
To whom he sung, in rude harsh-sounding rhymes,150
That, ere the next Ascension-day at noon,
Your highness should deliver up your crown.

K. John. Thou idle dreamer, wherefore didst thou so?

Peter. Foreknowing that the truth will fall out so.

K. John. Hubert, away with him; imprison him;155
And on that day at noon, whereon he says
I shall yield up my crown, let him be hang'd.
Deliver him to safety; and return,
For I must use thee. [Exit Hubert with Peter.[492]

O my gentle cousin,
Hear'st thou the news abroad, who are arrived?160

Bast. The French, my lord; men's mouths are full of it:
Besides, I met Lord Bigot and Lord Salisbury,
With eyes as red as new-enkindled fire,
And others more, going to seek the grave
Of Arthur, whom they say is kill'd to-night [493][494]165
On your suggestion.[494]

K. John. Gentle kinsman, go,
And thrust thyself into their companies:[495]
I have a way to win their loves again;
Bring them before me.

Bast. I will seek them out.

K. John. Nay, but make haste; the better foot before.170
O, let me have no subject enemies,[496]
When adverse foreigners affright my towns
With dreadful pomp of stout invasion!
Be Mercury, set feathers to thy heels,
And fly like thought from them to me again.175

Bast. The spirit of the time shall teach me speed. [Exit.

K. John. Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman.
Go after him; for he perhaps shall need
Some messenger betwixt me and the peers;
And be thou he.

Mess. With all my heart, my liege. [Exit.[497]180

K. John. My mother dead!

Re-enter Hubert.[498]

Hub. My lord, they say five moons were seen to-night;[499]
Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about
The other four in wondrous motion.

K. John. Five moons!

Hub. Old men and beldams in the streets185
Do prophesy upon it dangerously:
Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths:
And when they talk of him, they shake their heads
And whisper one another in the ear;
And he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist,190
Whilst he that hears makes fearful action,
With wrinkled brows, with nods, with rolling eyes.
I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus,
The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,
With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;195
Who, with his shears and measure in his hand,
Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste
Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet,
Told of a many thousand warlike French [500]
That were embattailed and rank'd in Kent:200
Another lean unwash'd artificer
Cuts off his tale and talks of Arthur's death.

K. John. Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears?
Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death?
Thy hand hath murder'd him: I had a mighty cause [501]205
To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him.

Hub. No had, my lord! why, did you not provoke me?[502]

K. John. It is the curse of kings to be attended
By slaves that take their humours for a warrant
To break within the bloody house of life,[503]210
And on the winking of authority
To understand a law, to know the meaning
Of dangerous majesty, when perchance it frowns
More upon humour than advised respect.

Hub. Here is your hand and seal for what I did.215

K. John. O, when the last account 'twixt heaven and earth
Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal
Witness against us to damnation!
How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds
Make deeds ill done! Hadst not thou been by,[504]220
A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd,
Quoted and sign'd to do a deed of shame,
This murder had not come into my mind:
But taking note of thy abhorr'd aspect,
Finding thee fit for bloody villany,225
Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger,
I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death;
And thou, to be endeared to a king,
Made it no conscience to destroy a prince.[505]

Hub. My lord,—230

K. John. Hadst thou but shook thy head or made a pause
When I spake darkly what I purposed,
Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face,
As bid me tell my tale in express words,[506]
Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off,235
And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me:
But thou didst understand me by my signs
And didst in signs again parley with sin;[507]
Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent,
And consequently thy rude hand to act240
The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name.
Out of my sight, and never see me more!
My nobles leave me; and my state is braved,
Even at my gates, with ranks of foreign powers:
Nay, in the body of this fleshly land,[508]245
This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath,
Hostility and civil tumult reigns [509]
Between my conscience and my cousin's death.

Hub. Arm you against your other enemies,
I'll make a peace between your soul and you.250
Young Arthur is alive: this hand of mine
Is yet a maiden and an innocent hand,
Not painted with the crimson spots of blood.
Within this bosom never enter'd yet
The dreadful motion of a murderous thought;[510]255
And you have slander'd nature in my form,
Which, howsoever rude exteriorly,
Is yet the cover of a fairer mind
Than to be butcher of an innocent child.[511]

K. John. Doth Arthur live? O, haste thee to the peers,260
Throw this report on their incensed rage,
And make them tame to their obedience!
Forgive the comment that my passion made
Upon thy feature; for my rage was blind,
And foul imaginary eyes of blood [512]265
Presented thee more hideous than thou art.
O, answer not, but to my closet bring
The angry lords with all expedient haste.
I conjure thee but slowly; run more fast. [Exeunt.

Scene III. Before the castle.

Enter Arthur, on the walls.[513]