He is prepar'd; and reason too, he should: This harness'd masque, and unadvised revel, That hand, which had the strength, even at your door, To cudgel you, and make you take the hatch; To crouch in litter of your stable planks; To lie, like pawns, lock'd up in chests and trunks; To souse annoyance that comes near his nest.- Lew. There end thy brave, and turn thy face in peace; We grant, thou canst outscold us: fare thee well; Strike up the drums; and let the tongue of war Plead for our interest, and our being here. Bast. Indeed, your drums, being beaten, will cry out; And so shall you, being beaten : Do but start And echo with the clamour of thy drum, And even at hand a drum is ready brac'd, Lew. Strike up our drums, to find this danger out. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The Same. A Field of Battle. Alarums. Enter King JOHN and HUBERT. K. John. How goes the day with us? O, tell me, Hubert. Hub. Badly, I fear: How fares your majesty ? K. John. This fever, that hath troubled me so long, Lies heavy on me; O, my heart is sick! Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, your valiant kinsman, Faulconbridge, Desires your majesty to leave the field; And send him word by me, which way you go. K. John. Tell him, towards Swinstead, to the abbey there. Mess. Be of good comfort; for the great supply, That was expected by the Dauphin here, Are wreck'd three nights ago on Goodwin sands. K, John. Ah me! this tyrant fever burns me up, [Exeunt, SCENE IV. The Same. Another Part of the Same. Enter SALISBURY, PEMBROKE, BIGOT, and Others. Sal. That misbegotten devil, Faulconbridge, In spite of spite, alone upholds the day. Pemb. They say, king John, sore sick, hath left the field. Enter MELUN wounded, and led by Soldiers. Mel. Lead me to the revolts of England here. Sal. When we were happy, we had other names. Pemb. It is the count Melun. Sal. Wounded to death. Mel. Fly, noble English, you are bought and sold; Unthread the rude eye of rebellion 31, And welcome home again discarded faith. Seek out king John, and fall before his feet; Sal. May this be possible! may this be true! Mel. Have I not hideous death within my view, Retaining but a quantity of life; Which bleeds away, even as a form of wax Resolveth from his figure 'gainst the fire? Since I must lose the use of all deceit ? Why should I then be false; since it is true That I must die here, and live hence by truth? He is forsworn, if e'er those eyes of yours Behold another day break in the east : But even this night,-whose black contagious breath Already smokes about the burning crest Of the old, feeble, and day-wearied sun, Even this ill night, your breathing shall expire; Paying the fine of rated treachery 52, Even with a treacherous fine of all your lives, If Lewis by your assistance win the day. Sal. We do believe thee,-And beshrew my soul But I do love the favour and the form |