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  • William Shakespeare: King John, Act IV, Scene III

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Scene IIIBefore the castleEnter Arthur, on the wallsArthurThe wall is high, and yet will I leap down: Good ground, be pitiful and hurt me not! There’s few or none do know me: if they did, This ship-boy’s semblance hath disguised me quite. I am afraid; and yet I’ll venture it. If I get down, and do not break my limbs, I’ll find a thousand shifts to get away: As good to die and go, as die and stay.Leaps downO me! my uncle’s spirit is in these stones: Heaven take my soul, and England keep my bones! [Dies]Enter Pembroke, Salisbury, and BigotSalisburyLords, I will meet him at Saint Edmundsbury: It is our safety, and we must embrace This gentle offer of the perilous time.PembrokeWho brought that letter from the cardinal?SalisburyThe Count Melun, a noble lord of France, Whose private with me of the Dauphin’s love Is much more general than these lines import.BigotTo-morrow morning let us meet him then.SalisburyOr rather then set forward; for ’twill be Two long days’ journey, lords, or ere we meet.Enter the BastardBastardOnce more to-day well met, distemper’d lords! The king by me requests your presence straight.SalisburyThe king hath dispossess’d himself of us: We will not line his thin bestained cloak With our pure honours, nor attend the foot That leaves the print of blood where’er it walks. Return and tell him so: we know the worst.BastardWhate’er you think, good words, I think, were best.SalisburyOur griefs, and not our manners, reason now.BastardBut there is little reason in your grief; Therefore ’twere reason you had manners now.PembrokeSir, sir, impatience hath his privilege.Bastard’Tis true, to hurt his master, no man else.SalisburyThis is the prison. What is he lies here?Seeing ArthurPembrokeO death, made proud with pure and princely beauty! The earth had not a hole to hide this deed.SalisburyMurder, as hating what himself hath done, Doth lay it open to urge on revenge.BigotOr, when he doom’d this beauty to a grave, Found it too precious-princely for a grave.SalisburySir Richard, what think you? have you beheld, Or have you read or heard? or could you think? Or do you almost think, although you see, That you do see? could thought, without this object, Form such another? This is the very top, The height, the crest, or crest unto the crest, Of murder’s arms: this is the bloodiest shame, The wildest savagery, the vilest stroke, That ever wall-eyed wrath or staring rage Presented to the tears of soft remorse.PembrokeAll murders past do stand excused in this: And this, so sole and so unmatchable, Shall give a holiness, a purity, To the yet unbegotten sin of times; And prove a deadly bloodshed but a jest, Exampled by this heinous spectacle.BastardIt is a damned and a bloody work; The graceless action of a heavy hand, If that it be the work of any hand.SalisburyIf that it be the work of any hand! We had a kind of light what would ensue: It is the shameful work of Hubert’s hand; The practise and the purpose of the king: From whose obedience I forbid my soul, Kneeling before this ruin of sweet life, And breathing to his breathless excellence The incense of a vow, a holy vow, Never to taste the pleasures of the world, Never to be infected with delight, Nor conversant with ease and idleness, Till I have set a glory to this hand, By giving it the worship of revenge.Pembroke, BigotOur souls religiously confirm thy words.Enter HubertHubertLords, I am hot with haste in seeking you: Arthur doth live; the king hath sent for you.SalisburyO, he is old and blushes not at death. Avaunt, thou hateful villain, get thee gone!HubertI am no villain.SalisburyMust I rob the law?Drawing his swordBastardYour sword is bright, sir; put it up again.SalisburyNot till I sheathe it in a murderer’s skin.HubertStand back, Lord Salisbury, stand back, I say; By heaven, I think my sword’s as sharp as yours: I would not have you, lord, forget yourself, Nor tempt the danger of my true defence; Lest I, by marking of your rage, forget Your worth, your greatness and nobility.BigotOut, dunghill! darest thou brave a nobleman?HubertNot for my life: but yet I dare defend My innocent life against an emperor.SalisburyThou art a murderer.HubertDo not prove me so; Yet I am none: whose tongue soe’er speaks false, Not truly speaks; who speaks not truly, lies.PembrokeCut him to pieces.BastardKeep the peace, I say.SalisburyStand by, or I shall gall you, Faulconbridge.BastardThou wert better gall the devil, Salisbury: If thou but frown on me, or stir thy foot, Or teach thy hasty spleen to do me shame, I’ll strike thee dead. Put up thy sword betime; Or I’ll so maul you and your toasting-iron, That you shall think the devil is come from hell.BigotWhat wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge? Second a villain and a murderer?HubertLord Bigot, I am none.BigotWho kill’d this prince?Hubert’Tis not an hour since I left him well: I honour’d him, I loved him, and will weep My date of life out for his sweet life’s loss.SalisburyTrust not those cunning waters of his eyes, For villany is not without such rheum; And he, long traded in it, makes it seem Like rivers of remorse and innocency. Away with me, all you whose souls abhor The uncleanly savours of a slaughter-house; For I am stifled with this smell of sin.BigotAway toward Bury, to the Dauphin there!PembrokeThere tell the king he may inquire us out.Exeunt LordsBastardHere’s a good world! Knew you of this fair work? Beyond the infinite and boundless reach Of mercy, if thou didst this deed of death, Art thou damn’d, Hubert.HubertDo but hear me, sir.BastardHa! I’ll tell thee what; Thou’rt damn’d as black—nay, nothing is so black; Thou art more deep damn’d than Prince Lucifer: There is not yet so ugly a fiend of hell As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this child.HubertUpon my soul—BastardIf thou didst but consent To this most cruel act, do but despair; And if thou want’st a cord, the smallest thread That ever spider twisted from her womb Will serve to strangle thee, a rush will be a beam To hang thee on; or wouldst thou drown thyself, Put but a little water in a spoon, And it shall be as all the ocean, Enough to stifle such a villain up. I do suspect thee very grievously.HubertIf I in act, consent, or sin of thought, Be guilty of the stealing that sweet breath Which was embounded in this beauteous clay, Let hell want pains enough to torture me. I left him well.BastardGo, bear him in thine arms. I am amazed, methinks, and lose my way Among the thorns and dangers of this world. How easy dost thou take all England up! From forth this morsel of dead royalty, The life, the right and truth of all this realm Is fled to heaven; and England now is left To tug and scamble and to part by the teeth The unowed interest of proud-swelling state. Now for the bare-pick’d bone of majesty Doth dogged war bristle his angry crest And snarleth in the gentle eyes of peace: Now powers from home and discontents at home Meet in one line; and vast confusion waits, As doth a raven on a sick-fall’n beast, The imminent decay of wrested pomp. Now happy he whose cloak and cincture can Hold out this tempest. Bear away that child And follow me with speed: I’ll to the king: A thousand businesses are brief in hand, And heaven itself doth frown upon the land.Exeunt

William Shakespeare: King John, Act IV

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William Shakespeare: King John, Act IV, Scene II

  • William Shakespeare: King John, Act IV, Scene II

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