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King John

Act III, Scene 1

The French King's pavilion.
 
[Enter CONSTANCE, ARTHUR, and SALISBURY]
 
CONSTANCE
        ,           ,          ,         ,         ,
      Gone to | be mar|ried? Gone | to swear | a peace?
        T     T    .   T       T      T      T      2      ,
      False blood to false | blood joined. Gone | to be friends?
              x             ,            ,             ,     ,
      Shall Lewis | have Blanch,| and Blanch | those^prov|inces?
               ,   ,          ,         ,          ,
      It is / not so,| thou hast | misspoke,| misheard,
           ,        ,           ,          ,       ,
      Be well | advised,| tell ore | thy tale | again.
          ,       ,          ,         ,         ,
      It can|not be,| thou dost | but say |'tis so.
          ,        ,          ,            ,          ,
      I trust | I may | not trust | thee, for | thy word
          ,          ,       ,           ,       ,
      Is but | the vain | breath of | a com|mon man:
          ,         ,       ,        ,           ,
      Believe | me, I | do not | believe | thee man,
          ,         ,       ,            ,   ,
      I have | a king's | oath to | the con|trary.
             ,         ,                ,     ,        ,
      Thou shalt | be pun|ished for / thus fright|ing me,
          ,        ,         ,    ,         ,
      For I | am sick,| and cap|able | of fears,
           ,              ,           ,          ,         ,
      Oppressed | with wrongs,| and there|fore full | of fears,
         ,       ,        ,     ,             ,
      A wid|ow, hus|bandless,| subject | to fears,
         ,      ,    ,       ,         ,
      A wom|an nat|ural|ly born | to fears;
             ,           ,         ,           ,           ,
      And though | thou now | confess | thou didst | but jest
                  ,      x         ,        ,        ,
      With my / vexed spirits,| I can|not take | a truce,
            ,           ,           ,       ,          ,
      But they | will quake | and trem|ble all | this day.
             ,           ,        ,        ,         ,
      What dost | thou mean | by shak|ing of | thy head?
            ,           ,        ,      ,       ,
      Why dost | thou look | so sad|ly on | my son?
             ,            ,      ,            ,          ,
      What means | that hand | upon | that breast | of thine?
            ,            ,      ,      ,          ,
      Why holds | thine^eye | that la|mentab|le rheum,
        T  .   T    T      ,        ,           ,
      Like a proud riv|er peer|ing ore | his bounds?
       .   T    T    T         ,        ,         ,
      Be these sad signs | confirm|ers^of | thy words?
             ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      Then speak | again,| not all | thy form|er tale,
                  ,    ,     ,              ,         ,
      But this / one word,| whether | thy tale | be true.
 
SALISBURY
           ,       ,       ,           ,            ,
      As true | as I | believe | you think | them false,
             ,          ,          ,         ,        ,
      That give | you cause | to prove | my say|ing true.
 
CONSTANCE
          ,          ,      ,   2     ,           ,
      Oh if | thou teach | me to be|lieve this | sorrow,
        ,                ,        ,         ,        ,
      Teach thou | this sor|row, how | to make | me die,
           ,        ,          ,        ,       ,
      And let | belief,| and life | encount|er so,
           ,         ,          ,   ,    2     ,
      As doth | the fu|ry of / two des|perate men,
             ,        ,     ,         ,         ,
      Which^in | the ve|ry meet|ing fall,| and die.
        Tx    Tx     T        ,           ,           ,
      Lewis marry Blanch?| O boy,| then where | art thou?
        __        ,           ,            2    ,         ,
      France | friend with | England,| what becomes | of me?   ??
       ,           ,       ,        ,           ,
      Fellow | begone:| I can|not brook | thy sight,
             ,           ,               ,   ,     ,
      This news | hath made | thee a / most ug|ly man.
 
SALISBURY
            ,       ,         ,         ,      ,
      What oth|er harm | have I | good la|dy done,
            ,           ,          ,       ,        ,
      But spoke | the harm,| that is | by oth|ers done?
 
CONSTANCE
              ,        ,        ,         ,       ,
      Which harm | within | itself | so hein|ous is,
                ,     ,       ,           ,         ,
      As it / makes harm|ful all | that speak | of it.
 
ARTHUR
         ,       ,          ,      ,        ,
      I do | beseech | you mad|am be | content.
 
CONSTANCE
           ,           ,         ,        ,           ,
      If thou | that bidst | me be | content,| wert grim
       ,           ,      2   ,         ,         ,
      Ugly,| and sland|erous to | thy moth|er's womb,
        ,           ,         ,           ,           ,
      Full of | unpleas|ing blots,| and sight|less stains,
        T     Tx       T         ,         ,     ,
      Lame, foolish, crook|ed, swart,| prodig|ious,
         ,             T    T     .   T      ,         ,
      Patched with | foul moles, and^eye-|offend|ing marks,
          ,           ,        ,           ,        ,
      I would | not care,| I then | would be | content,
            ,         ,           ,           ,         ,
      For then | I should | not love | thee: no,| nor thou
          ,          ,       ,              ,         ,
      Become | thy great | birth, nor | deserve | a crown.
            ,          ,         ,         ,            ,
      But thou | art fair,| and at | thy birth |(dear* boy)
       ,             ,         ,          ,           ,
      Nature | and Fort|une joined | to make | thee great.
          ,          ,            ,           ,        ,
      Of Na|ture's gifts,| thou mayst | with lil|ies boast,
       ,      2        T    T     T         ,         ,
      And with the | half-blown rose.| But For|tune, oh,
       ,          ,          ,           ,           ,
      She is |corrupt|ed, changed,| and won | from thee,
         2  ,      ,      ,                      x    ,
      She adult|erates | hourly | with thine^/uncle John,
            ,         ,        ,            ,           ,
      And with | her gold|en hand | hath plucked | on France
       .   T     T    T         ,         ,        ,
      To tread down fair | respect | of sove|reignty,
            ,         ,    ,          ,          ,
      And made | his maj|esty | the bawd | to theirs.
         ,            ,         ,               ,    ,
      France is | a bawd | to Fort|une, and / King John,
             ,        ,          ,      ,         ,
      That strump|et Fort|une, that | usurp|ing John:
        ,             ,        ,          ,          ,
      Tell me | thou fel|low, is | not France | forsworn?
         ,      ,           ,         ,           ,
      Enven|om him | with words,| or get | thee gone,
            ,             ,       ,          ,      ,
      And leave | those woes | alone,| which I | alone
           ,         ,       ,
      Am bound | to und|er-bear.
 
SALISBURY
                                  ,            x
                                 Pardon | me madam,
         ,         ,        ,         ,         ,
      I may | not go | without | you to | the kings.
 
CONSTANCE
             ,            ,         ,         ,          ,
      Thou mayst,| thou shalt,| I will | not go | with thee,
          ,         ,         ,        ,        ,
      I will | instruct | my sor|rows to | be proud,
            ,          ,           ,          ,       ,
      For grief | is proud,| and makes | his own|er stoop,
          ,        ,         ,               ,     ,
      To me | and to | the state | of my / great grief,
            ,        ,        ,          ,           ,
      Let kings | assem|ble: for | my grief's | so great,
            ,       ,                   ,    ,    ,
      That no | suppor|ter but the // huge firm earth
            ,        ,        ,        ,        ,
      Can hold | it up:| here I | and sor|rows sit,
            ,         ,           ,           ,        ,
      Here^is | my throne,| bid^kings | come^bow | to it.
 
[Seats herself on the ground. Enter KING JOHN, KING PHILLIP, LEWIS, BLANCH, QUEEN ELINOR, the BASTARD, AUSTRIA, and Attendants]
 
KING PHILIP
             ,            ,         ,           ,       ,
      'Tis true |(fair* daught|er) and | this bles|sed day,
      ,            ,                  ,   ,     ,
      Ever | in France | shall be / kept fest|ival:
          ,      ,          ,         ,    2    ,
      To sol|emnize | this day | the glor|ious sun
        ,               ,           ,           ,     ,
      Stays in | his course,| and plays | the alch|emist,
        ,              ,        ,        ,         ,
      Turning | with splend|or of | his pre|cious eye
           ,        ,       ,          ,    2      ,
      The meag|er clod|dy earth | to glit|tering gold:
            ,        ,             ,           ,       ,
      The year|ly course | that brings | this day | about,
             ,      ,         ,       ,     ,
      Shall nev|er see | it, but | a ho|ly day.
 
CONSTANCE
          ,      ,         ,       ,     ,
      A wick|ed day,| and not | a ho|ly day.
             ,          ,         ,            ,         ,
      What hath | this day | deserved?| What hath | it done,
            ,        ,      ,          ,         ,
      That it | in gold|en let|ters should | be set
         ,          ,      ,             ,     ,
      Among | the high | tides in | the cal|endar?
       ,             ,          ,     ,             ,
      Nay, rath|er turn | this day | out of | the week,  ??
            ,         ,         ,         ,     ,
      This day | of shame,| oppres|sion, per|jury.
       ,   2       T    T     T           ,            ,
      Or if it | must stand still,| let wives | with child
        ,                ,        ,          ,          ,
      Pray that | their burd|ens may | not fall | this day,
        ,                 ,         ,       ,         ,
      Lest that | their hopes | prodig|iously | be crossed:
            ,         ,         ,        ,         ,
      But^(on | this day)| let sea|men fear | no wrack,
          ,          ,         2     ,      T   T    T
      No bar|gains break | that are not | this day made;
            ,     T     T    . T      T   .  T   T
      This day | all things begun | come to^ill end,
       T     T    .  T        ,        ,           ,
      Yea, faith itself | to hol|low false|hood change.
 
KING PHILIP
          ,       ,      ,            ,          ,
      By heav|en la|dy, you | shall have | no* cause
           ,           ,        ,         ,         ,
      To curse | the fair | proceed|ings of | this day:
           ,          ,         ,        ,    ,
      Have I | not pawned | to you | my maj|esty?
 
CONSTANCE
       ,              ,      ,            ,       ,
      You have | beguiled | me with | a count|erfeit
         ,         ,   2       ,       2      ,            ,
      Resem|bling maj|esty*, which | being touched | and tried,
         ,    ,            ,             ,          ,
      Proves val/ueless:| you are | forsworn,| forsworn,
            ,         ,         ,          ,   2       ,
      You came | in arms | to spill | mine^en|emies' blood,
           ,         ,            ,        ,          ,
      But now | in arms,| you strength|en it | with yours:
            ,         ,              ,     ,         ,
      The grap|pling vig|or, and / rough frown | of war
           ,       ,    ,         ,        ,
      Is cold | in am|ity,| and paint|ed peace,
           ,        ,         ,          ,           ,
      And our | oppres|sion hath | made^up | this league;
       ,    ,          x         ,     ,    ,         ,
      Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured kings,  ????
         ,       ,         ,        ,          x
      A wid|ow cries,| be hus|band to | me (heavens)
           ,          ,                , ,      ,
      Let^not | the hours | of this / ungod|ly day
        ,     2       ,         ,           T   T  T
      Wear out the | day in | peace; but | ere sunset,
            ,      T   T     T             ,          ,
      Set^armed | discord 'twixt | these* per|jured kings,
        ,             ,
      Hear me,| oh, hear | me.
 
AUSTRIA
                               ,      ,           ,
                              La|dy Const|ance, peace.
 
CONSTANCE
       T    T    .   T            ,       ,      ,
      War, war, no peace,| peace^is | to me | a war:
         ,    ,        ,   2     ,           ,
      O Ly|moges,| O Aust|ria, thou | dost shame
             ,       ,            ,             ,             x
      That bloo|dy spoil:| thou slave,| thou wretch,| thou coward,
            ,       ,   2      ,         ,    ,
      Thou lit|tle val|iant, great | in vil|lany,
           ,        ,       ,          ,         ,
      Thou ev|er strong | upon | the strong|er side;
             ,          ,    2     ,          ,       ,
      Thou Fort|une's champ|ion, that | dost nev|er fight
            ,         ,   2     ,     ,        ,
      But when | her hum|orous lad|yship | is by
           ,            ,        ,         ,         ,
      To teach | thee safe|ty: thou | art per|jured too,
            ,        ,     ,             2    ,          ,
      And sooth|est up | greatness.| What a fool | art thou,
          ,        ,         ,          ,           ,
      A ramp|ing fool,| to brag,| and stamp,| and swear,
        ,        ,               ,    ,        ,
      Upon | my part|y: Thou / cold-blood|ed slave,
             ,          ,            ,       ,        ,
      Hast thou | not spoke | like thund|er on | my side?
             ,         ,         ,        ,       ,
      Been sworn | my sol|dier, bid|ding me | depend
        ,          ,          ,         ,            ,
      Upon | thy stars,| thy fort|une, and | thy strength,
            ,          ,          ,     ,         ,
      And dost | thou now | fall^ov|er to | my foes?
             ,       ,        ,      ,             ,
      Thou wear | a li|on's hide,| doff it | for shame,
            ,         ,      ,              ,    2     ,
      And hang | a calf's-|skin on | those rec|reant limbs.
 
AUSTRIA
      ,           ,             ,             ,         ,
      O that | a man | should speak | those words | to me.
 
BASTARD
            ,         ,      ,              ,    2     ,
      And hang | a calf's-|skin on | those rec|reant limbs.
 
AUSTRIA
             ,          ,        ,        ,          ,
      Thou darst | not say | so vil|lain for | thy life.
 
BASTARD
            ,         ,      ,              ,    2     ,
      And hang | a calf's-|skin on | those rec|reant limbs.
 
KING JOHN
           ,          ,           ,        ,         ,
      We like | not^this,| thou dost | forget | thyself.
 
[Enter CARDINAL PANDULPH]
 
KING PHILIP
             ,          ,     ,       ,         ,
      Here comes | the ho|ly leg|ate of | the pope.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
        ,           ,       ,     ,          x
      Hail you | anoint|ed dep|uties | of heaven;
           ,           ,        ,     ,       ,
      To thee | King^John | my ho|ly er|rand is:
      T  T   T          ,     ,       ,   2
      I Pandulph,| of fair | Milan | cardinal,
       ,           ,   ,               ,        ,
      And from | Pope In/nocent | the leg|ate here,
          ,         ,       ,       ,       ,
      Do in | his name | relig|iously | demand
            ,        ,            ,          ,     ,       ->
      Why thou | against | the church,| our ho|ly moth||er,
       ,     ,    2           ,           ,          ,
      So | willfully | dost^spurn;| and force | perforce
              ,        ,       ,        ,   ,
      Keep* Steph|en Lang|ton chos|en arch|bishop
          ,      ,      ,          ,     ,
      Of Cant|erbu|ry from | that ho|ly see:
        ,              ,        ,     ,          ,
      This in | our* fore|said ho|ly fath|er's name
        ,   ,             ,       ,         ,
      Pope In/nocent,| I do | demand | of thee.
 
KING JOHN
             ,       ,        ,     ,     x
      What earth|y name | to int|errog|atories
            ,          ,       ,           ,        ,
      Can task | the free | breath of | a sac|red king?
             ,      ,    ,              ,        ,
      Thou canst | not (card/inal)| devise | a name
            ,         ,       ,       ,     ,
      So slight,| unworth|y, and | ridic|ulous
            ,         ,       ,        ,         ,
      To charge | me to | an ans|wer, as | the pope:
        ,               ,     ,      2        ,         ,
      Tell him | this^tale,| and from the | mouth of | England,
            ,           ,          ,     ,   2     ,
      Add thus | much^more,| that no | Ital|ian priest
              ,          ,        ,       ,     ,
      Shall tithe | or toll | in our | domin|ions:
                ,   ,        x              ,     ,
      But^as / we, und|er heaven,| are su/preme head,
          ,      ,           ,         ,    ,
      So und|er Him | that great | suprem|acy
             ,        ,          ,       ,        ,
      Where we | do reign,| we will | alone | uphold
           ,       2   ,         ,      ,        ,
      Without | the assist|ance of | a mort|al hand:
           ,          ,          ,         ,       ,
      So tell | the pope,| all reve|rence set | apart
          ,         ,        ,        ,     ,
      To him | and his | usurped | author|ity.
 
KING PHILIP
       ,     2      ,         T    T   T          ,
      Brother of | England,| you blaspheme | in this.
 
KING JOHN
              ,         ,          ,          ,       ,
      Though you,| and all | the kings | of Christ|endom
           ,         ,       ,         ,           ,
      Are led | so gross|ly by | this med|dling priest,
        ,              ,           ,      ,         ,
      Dreading | the curse | that mon|ey may | buy^out,
           ,         x          ,      T     T      T
      And by | the merit | of vile | gold, dross, dust,
       ,             ,       ,       ,      ,
      Purchase | corrupt|ed pard|on of | a man,
           ,          ,      ,    ,                  ,
      Who in | that sale | sells pard/on from | himself:
              ,         ,          ,         ,       ,
      Though you,| and all | the rest | so gross|ly led,
            ,          ,     ,           ,  2      ,
      This jug|gling witch|craft with | revenue | cherish,
          ,      ,       ,        ,       ,
      Yet I | alone,| alone | do me | oppose
          ,           ,          ,            ,           ,
      Against | the pope,| and count | his friends | my foes.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
        ,            ,       ,       ,        ,
      Then by | the law|ful pow|er that | I have,
        ,            T      T     .   T     ,     ,
      Thou shalt | stand cursed, and^ex|commun|icate,
           ,         ,         ,          ,        ,
      And bles|sed shall | he be | that doth | revolt
            ,       ,         ,      ,    ,
      From his | alleg|iance to | a her|etic,
           ,    ,   2     ,            ,          ,
      And mer|itor|ious shall | that hand | be called,
       ,     ,           ,           ,      ___
      Cano|nized and | worshipped | as a | saint,
             ,       ,       ,     ,         ,
      That takes | away | by an|y sec|ret course
            ,        ,
      Thy hate|ful life.
 
CONSTANCE
                            ,       ,        ,
                         O law|ful let | it be
           ,          ,           ,         ,        ,
      That I | have room | with Rome | to curse | awhile,
             ,       ,           ,    ,      ,
      Good* fath|er card|inal,/ cry thou | amen
        2     ,     ,        ,        T   T   T
      To my keen | curses:| for with|out my wrong
                  ,    ,            x          ,           ,
      There is / no tongue | hath power | to curse | him right.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
               ,         ,         ,            ,   ,
      There's law | and war|rant (la|dy) for / my curse.
 
CONSTANCE
                  ,   ,          ,         ,        ,
      And for / mine too,| when law | can do | no right.
       ,    2      ,             ,     T   T   T
      Let it be | lawful,| that law | bar no wrong:
       ,            ,         ,           ,        ,
      Law can|not give | my child | his king|dom here;
           ,          ,           ,         ,          ,
      For he | that holds | his king|dom, holds | the law:
             ,           ,        ,        ,         ,
      Therefore | since law | itself | is per|fect wrong,
       ,             ,        ,          ,          ,
      How can | the law | forbid | my tongue | to curse?
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
       ,             ,         ,      ,       ,
      Philip | of France,| on per|il of | a curse,
           ,         ,                ,   ,    ,
      Let go | the hand | of that / arch-her|etic,
            ,           x           ,       ,          ,
      And raise | the power | of France | upon | his head,
          ,        ,       ,         ,         ,
      Unless | he do | submit | himself | to Rome.
 
QUEEN ELINOR
         ,            T     T     .  T         ,         ,
      Lookst thou | pale France? Do not | let go | thy hand.
 
CONSTANCE
        ,             ,        ,            ,         ,
      Look to | that dev|il, lest | that France | repent,
           ,       ,         ,       T    T  .   T
      And by | disjoin|ing hands | hell lose a soul.
 
AUSTRIA
            ,         ,      ,        ,     ,
      King Phil|ip, list|en to | the card|inal.
 
BASTARD
            ,         ,      ,            ,    2     ,
      And hang | a calf's-|skin on | his rec|reant limbs.
 
AUSTRIA
        ,   ,          2       ,      ,            ,
      Well ruf/fian,| I must pock|et up | these wrongs,
          ,
      Because,
 
BASTARD
                     ,         ,         ,       ,
              Your breech|es best | may car|ry them.
 
KING JOHN
       ,              ,       ,            ,     ,
      Philip,| what sayst | thou to | the card|inal?
 
CONSTANCE
              ,         ,         ,        ,     ,
      What should | he say,| but as | the card|inal?
 
LEWIS
          ,          ,        ,         ,      ,
      Bethink | you fath|er, for | the dif|ference
          ,         ,      ,       ,            ,
      Is purch|ase of | a hea|vy curse | from Rome,
                 ,     ,        ,        ,         ,
      Or the / light loss | of Eng|land for | a friend:
           ,        ,   2
      Forego | the eas|ier.
 
BLANCH
                              ,           ,          ,
                           That's | the curse | of Rome.
 
CONSTANCE
           x       T     T    .   T        ,            ,
      O* Lewis,| stand fast, the dev|il tempts | thee here  ??
           ,        ,      ,        ,       ,
      In like|ness^of | a new | untrim|med bride.
 
BLANCH
           ,      ,           ,      ,               ,
      The La|dy Const|ance^speaks | not from | her faith,
            ,          ,
      But from | her need.
 
CONSTANCE
                           ,              ,          ,
                          Oh, if | thou grant | my need,
             ,      ,          ,         ,          ,
      Which on|ly lives | but by | the death | of faith,
             ,           ,        ,           ,     ,
      That need,| must needs | infer | this prin|ciple,
             ,             ,       ,         ,          ,
      That faith | would live | again | by death | of need:
          ,            ,         ,          ,             ,
      O then | tread^down | my need,| and faith | mounts^up,
        ,         T   T   .    T          ,        ,
      Keep my | need up, and faith | is trod|den down.
 
KING JOHN
            ,         ,          ,        ,         ,
      The king | is moved,| and ans|wers not | to this.
 
CONSTANCE
         ,       ,           ,         ,        ,
      O be | removed | from him,| and ans|wer well.
 
AUSTRIA
       ,            ,         ,         ,         ,
      Do so | King^Phil|ip, hang | no more | in doubt.
 
BASTARD
            ,          2       ,     ,      T    T     T
      Hang^noth|ing but a / calf's skin | most sweet lout.
 
KING PHILIP
         ,         ,           ,          ,        ,
      I am | perplexed,| and know | not^what | to say.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
             ,           ,          ,         ,           ,
      What canst | thou say,| but will | perplex | thee more?
           ,           ,     ,     ,           ,
      If thou | stand ex|commun|icate,| and cursed?
 
KING PHILIP
              ,         ,        ,         ,       ,
      Good* reve|rend fath|er, make | my pers|on yours,
            ,        ,     ,              ,          ,
      And tell | me how | you would | bestow | yourself?
            ,       ,          ,         ,       ,
      This roy|al hand | and mine | are new|ly knit,
       ,             ,        ,        ,        ,
      And the | conjunc|tion of | our in|ward souls
       ,     2        ,      ,                ,       ,
      Married in | league, coup/led, and | linked to|gether
            ,       ,           ,          ,        ,
      With all | relig|ious strength | of sac|red vows,
           ,         ,            ,          ,          ,
      The lat|est breath | that gave | the sound | of words
            ,     T     T      T     ,  2            ,
      Was deep-|sworn faith, peace,| amity,| true* love
          ,           ,        ,         ,        ,
      Between | our king|doms^and | our roy|al selves,
            x        ,           ,          ,        ,
      And even | before | this truce,| but new | before,
          ,        ,         ,            ,          ,
      No long|er than | we well | could wash | our hands,
           ,          ,      ,        ,        ,
      To clap | this roy|al bar|gain up | of peace,
         x     ,                      ,          ,        ,
      Heaven knows / they were | besmeared | and ov|er-stained
              ,          ,         ,         ,           ,
      With slaught|er's pen|cil; where | revenge | did paint
            ,       ,      ,              ,     ,
      The fear|ful dif|ference | of in/censed kings:
            ,             ,          ,        ,          ,
      And shall | these hands | so late|ly purged | of blood?
          ,        ,          ,          ,          ,
      So new|ly joined | in love?| So strong | in both,
          ,          ,         ,           ,        ,
      Unyoke | this seiz|ure, and | this kind | regreet?
        T    T   .    T            ,          ,            x
      Play fast and loose | with faith?| So jest | with heaven,
             ,        ,         ,        ,         ,
      Make^such | unconst|ant child|ren of | ourselves
          ,       ,          ,           ,           ,
      As now | again | to snatch | our palm | from palm:
          ,       T     T     T      2     ,         ,
      Unswear | faith sworn, and | on the mar|riage bed
          ,         ,          ,         ,       ,
      Of smil|ing peace | to march | a bloo|dy host,
            ,       ,     ,        ,        ,
      And make | a ri|ot on | the gent|le brow
           ,        ,    ,      ,     ,
      Of true | sincer|ity?| O ho|ly sir
           ,         ,       ,        ,        ,
      My reve|rend fath|er, let | it not | be so;
       ,              ,         ,        ,        ,
      Out of | your grace,| devise,| ordain,| impose
            ,       ,              ,   ,        2      ,
      Some gent|le ord|er, and / then we | shall be blessed
          ,          ,         ,        ,        ,
      To do | your pleas|ure, and | contin|ue friends.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
            ,         ,         ,      ,      ,
      All form | is form|less, ord|er ord|erless,
        ,             ,     ,        ,           ,
      Save what | is op|posite | to Eng|land's love.
        ,              ,         ,        ,          ,
      Therefore | to arms,| be champ|ion of | our church,
          ,           ,          ,         ,            ,
      Or let | the church | our moth|er breathe | her curse,
         ,          ,         ,       ,        ,
      A moth|er's curse,| on her | revolt|ing son:
         ,                   ,       ,        ,          ,
      France, thou | mayst^hold | a serp|ent by | the tongue,
          ,      ,     ,         ,      ,
      A chaf|ed li|on by | the mort|al paw,
          ,       ,      ,      ,         ,
      A fast|ing tig|er saf|er by | the tooth,
             ,         ,            ,            ,           ,
      Than keep | in peace | that hand | which thou | dost hold.
 
KING PHILIP
         ,         ,         ,         ,         ,
      I may | disjoin | my hand,| but not | my faith.
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
           ,            ,        ,    ,        ,
      So makst | thou faith | an en|emy | to faith,
            ,       ,      ,            ,         ,
      And like | a civ|il war | setst^oath | to oath,
             ,         ,            ,        ,         ,
      Thy tongue | against | thy tongue.| O let | thy vow
              ,          x            ,         x           ,
      First^made | to heaven,| first^be | to heaven | performed,
            ,       ,         ,    2   ,          ,
      That is,| to be | the champ|ion of | our church,
             ,             ,          ,         ,          ,
      What since | thou sworst,| is sworn | against | thyself,
           ,         ,       ,       ,        ,
      And may | not be | perform|ed by | thyself,
            ,            ,           ,         ,      ,
      For that | which thou | hast sworn | to do | amiss,
          ,       ,          ,       ,       ,
      Is not | amiss | when it | is tru|ly done:
            x           ,           ,       ,         ,
      And being | not^done,| where do|ing tends | to ill,
            ,      .   T    T    T     ,   ,
      The truth | is then most done | not do/ing it:
           ,       ,        ,     ,         ,
      The bet|ter act | of pur|poses | mistook,
       ,           ,       ,            ,     ,
      Is to | mistake | again,| though in|direct,
           ,    ,         ,        ,         ,
      Yet in|direc|tion there|by grows | direct,
            ,           ,          ,      .   T    T     T
      And false|hood, false|hood cures,| as fire cools fire
          ,           ,        ,      .  T   T     T
      Within | the scorch|ed veins | of one new-burned:
          ,      ,     2       ,      T    T    T
      It is | relig|ion that doth | make vows kept,  ??
            ,           ,         ,        ,    ,
      But thou | hast sworn | against | reli|gion:
           ,            ,          ,           ,             ,
      By what | thou swearst | against | the thing | thou swearst,
            ,          ,          ,      ,          ,
      And makst | an oath | the sure|ty for | thy truth,
          ,          ,          ,           ,        ,
      Against | an oath | the truth,| thou art | unsure
       .   T       T    T     ,        ,        ,
      To swear, swears on|ly not | to be | forsworn,
        ,             ,   2     ,         ,        ,
      Else what | a mock|ery should | it be | to swear?
            ,           ,      ,         ,        ,
      But thou | dost swear,| only | to be | forsworn,
            ,         ,          ,           ,           ,
      And most | forsworn,| to keep | what thou | dost^swear,
             ,         ,       ,        ,           ,
      Therefore | thy lat|er vows,| against | thy first,
          ,        ,       ,        ,        ,
      Is in | thyself | rebel|lion to | thyself:
           ,       ,    T     Tx    T            ,
      And bet|ter con|quest never canst | thou make,
            ,          ,        ,         ,        ,
      Than arm | thy const|ant and | thy nob|ler parts
          ,            ,       ,         ,     ,
      Against | these gid|dy loose | sugges|tions:
        ,           ,        ,           x            ,
      Upon | which bet|ter part,| our prayers | come in,
           ,           ,           ,        ,           ,
      If thou | vouchsafe | them. But | if not,| then know
           ,      ,        ,        ,          ,
      The per|il of | our curs|es light | on thee
          ,             ,    ,            ,           ,
      So hea|vy, as / thou shalt | not* shake | them off
           ,       ,      ,                   ,      ,
      But in | despair,| die und|er their / black weight.
 
AUSTRIA
         ,    2     ,       ,    2
      Rebel|lion, flat | rebel|lion.
 
BASTARD
                                        x      ,
                                    Will it | not be?
            ,    .   T      T    T           ,          ,
      Will not | a calf's skin stop | that mouth | of thine?
 
LEWIS
       ,            ,
      Father,| to arms.
 
BLANCH
                         ,         ,        ,
                       Upon | thy wed|ding day?
          ,           ,            ,          ,     ,
      Against | the blood | that thou | hast mar|ried?
        ,                 ,          ,            ,          ,
      What, shall | our feast | be kept | with slaught|ered men?
              ,        ,                ,    ,         ,
      Shall bray|ing trump|ets, and / loud churl|ish drums
       ,             ,        ,         ,         ,
      Clamors | of hell,| be meas|ures to | our pomp?
         ,         ,         ,       ,         ,
      O hus|band hear | me: aye,| alack,| how new
          ,        ,        ,       x               ,
      Is hus|band in | my mouth?| Even for | that name
              ,           ,          ,           ,          ,
      Which till | this time | my tongue | did nere | pronounce;
        ,         ,       ,        ,         ,
      Upon | my knee | I beg,| go not | to arms
          ,           ,
      Against | mine^unc|le.  \\   ????
 
CONSTANCE
      ,     ,         ,          ,           ,
      O, u|pon my | knee made^|hard with | kneeling,
         ,     ,         ,           ,   2      ,
      I do | pray to | thee, thou | virtuous | Dauphin,
       ,       ,          ,          ,          ,
      Alter | not the | doom fore|thought by | heaven.
 
BLANCH
       ,             ,          ,          ,       ,
      Now shall | I see | thy love,| what mot|ive may
            ,        ,            ,          ,         ,
      Be strong|er with | thee, than | the name | of wife?
 
CONSTANCE
        ,             ,        ,           ,        ,
      That which | uphold|eth him,| that thee | upholds,
           ,       ,          ,        x            ,     2->
      His hon|or, oh | thine^hon|or, Lewis | thine^ho||nor.
 
LEWIS
          ,          ,     ,          ,         ,
      I muse | your maj|esty | doth seem | so cold,
             ,         ,          ,          ,         ,
      When such | profound | respects | do pull | you on?
 
CARDINAL PANDULPH
          ,         ,         ,       ,          ,
      I will | denounce | a curse | upon | his head.
 
KING PHILIP
             ,           ,     ,         2       ,           ,
      Thou shalt | not^need.| England,| I will fall | from thee.
 
CONSTANCE
          ,        ,        ,         ,     ,
      O fair | return | of ban|ished maj|esty.
 
QUEEN ELINOR
          ,        ,          ,         ,      ,
      O foul | revolt | of French | inconst|ancy.
 
KING JOHN
         ,                  ,           ,        ,           ,
      France, thou | shalt rue | this hour | within | this hour.
 
BASTARD
       T    T   .    T       x             T    Tx     T
      Old Time the clock-|setter, that | bald sexton Time:
          ,             ,     ,             ,            ,
      Is it | as he / will? Well | then, France | shall rue.
 
BLANCH
            ,          ,           ,           ,       ,
      The sun's | orecast | with blood:| fair day | adieu,
             ,         ,         ,         ,       ,
      Which^is | the side | that I | must go | withal?
         ,          ,          ,      ,        ,
      I am | with both,| each ar|my hath | a hand,
           ,           ,       ,        ,         ,
      And in | their rage,| I hav|ing hold | of both,
             ,        ,       ,        ,       ,
      They whirl | asund|er, and | dismem|ber me.
       ,           ,        ,           ,           ,
      Husband,| I can|not pray | that thou | mayst^win:
       ,          ,            ,           ,            ,
      Uncle,| I needs | must^pray | that thou | mayst^lose:
       ,          ,          ,         ,         ,
      Father,| I may | not wish | the fort|une thine:
       ,             ,          ,         ,           ,
      Grandam*,| I will | not wish | thy fort|unes thrive:
         ,       ,         ,      ,              ,
      Whoev|er wins,| on that | side shall | I lose:
         ,       ,        ,          ,           ,
      Assur|ed loss,| before | the match | be played.
 
LEWIS
       ,           ,         ,        ,         ,
      Lady,| with me,| with me | thy fort|une lies.
 
BLANCH
        ,               ,         ,                   ,    ,
      There where | my fort|une lives,| there* my / life dies.
 
KING JOHN
       ,            ,          ,    ,       ,
      Cousin,| go draw | our puis|sance to|gether.
         ,              ,      ,           ,         ,
      France, I | am burned | up with | inflam|ing wrath,
          ,            ,           ,        ,    ,
      A rage,| whose^heat | hath^this | condi|tion,
            ,        ,       ,     ,              ,
      That noth|ing can | allay,| nothing | but blood,
            ,          ,        ,        ,           ,
      The blood | and dear|est val|ued blood | of France.
 
KING PHILIP
            ,            ,          ,         ,            ,
      Thy rage | shall burn | thee up,| and thou | shalt turn
          ,            ,    ,              ,            ,
      To ash|es, ere^/our blood | shall quench | that fire:
        ,            ,          ,        ,      ,
      Look to | thyself,| thou art | in jeo|pardy.
 
KING JOHN
           ,          ,           ,       .   T    T    T
      No more | than he | that threats.| To arms let's hie.
 
[Exeunt]

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