Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 1

Northampton. A Room in the Palace.

  1. [Enter KING JOHN, PANDULPH with the crown, and Attendants.]
  2. King John
  3. 2114 Thus have I yielded up into your hand
  4. 2115 The circle of my glory.
  5. [Give KING JOHN the crown.]
  6. Cardinal Pandulph
  7. 2116 Take again
  8. 2117 From this my hand, as holding of the pope,
  9. 2118 Your sovereign greatness and authority.
  10. King John
  11. 2119 Now keep your holy word: go meet the French;
  12. 2120 And from his holiness use all your power
  13. 2121 To stop their marches 'fore we are inflam'd.
  14. 2122 Our discontented counties do revolt;
  15. 2123 Our people quarrel with obedience;
  16. 2124 Swearing allegiance and the love of soul
  17. 2125 To stranger blood, to foreign royalty.
  18. 2126 This inundation of mistemper'd humour
  19. 2127 Rests by you only to be qualified.
  20. 2128 Then pause not; for the present time's so sick
  21. 2129 That present medicine must be ministr'd
  22. 2130 Or overthrow incurable ensues.
  23. Cardinal Pandulph
  24. 2131 It was my breath that blew this tempest up,
  25. 2132 Upon your stubborn usage of the pope:
  26. 2133 But since you are a gentle convertite,
  27. 2134 My tongue shall hush again this storm of war
  28. 2135 And make fair weather in your blustering land.
  29. 2136 On this Ascension-day, remember well,
  30. 2137 Upon your oath of service to the pope,
  31. 2138 Go I to make the French lay down their arms.
  32. [Exit.]
  33. King John
  34. 2139 Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet
  35. 2140 Say that before Ascension-day at noon
  36. 2141 My crown I should give off? Even so I have:
  37. 2142 I did suppose it should be on constraint;
  38. 2143 But, heaven be thank'd, it is but voluntary.
  39. [Enter the BASTARD.]
  40. Philip the Bastard (Faulconbridge)
  41. 2144 All Kent hath yielded; nothing there holds out
  42. 2145 But Dover Castle: London hath receiv'd,
  43. 2146 Like a kind host, the Dauphin and his powers:
  44. 2147 Your nobles will not hear you, but are gone
  45. 2148 To offer service to your enemy;
  46. 2149 And wild amazement hurries up and down
  47. 2150 The little number of your doubtful friends.
  48. King John
  49. 2151 Would not my lords return to me again
  50. 2152 After they heard young Arthur was alive?
  51. Philip the Bastard (Faulconbridge)
  52. 2153 They found him dead, and cast into the streets;
  53. 2154 An empty casket, where the jewel of life
  54. 2155 By some damn'd hand was robb'd and ta'en away.
  55. King John
  56. 2156 That villain Hubert told me he did live.
  57. Philip the Bastard (Faulconbridge)
  58. 2157 So, on my soul, he did, for aught he knew.
  59. 2158 But wherefore do you droop? why look you sad?
  60. 2159 Be great in act, as you have been in thought;
  61. 2160 Let not the world see fear and sad distrust
  62. 2161 Govern the motion of a kingly eye:
  63. 2162 Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire;
  64. 2163 Threaten the threatener, and outface the brow
  65. 2164 Of bragging horror: so shall inferior eyes,
  66. 2165 That borrow their behaviours from the great,
  67. 2166 Grow great by your example, and put on
  68. 2167 The dauntless spirit of resolution.
  69. 2168 Away, and glister like the god of war
  70. 2169 When he intendeth to become the field:
  71. 2170 Show boldness and aspiring confidence.
  72. 2171 What, shall they seek the lion in his den,
  73. 2172 And fright him there? and make him tremble there?
  74. 2173 O, let it not be said!—Forage, and run
  75. 2174 To meet displeasure farther from the doors,
  76. 2175 And grapple with him ere he come so nigh.
  77. King John
  78. 2176 The legate of the pope hath been with me,
  79. 2177 And I have made a happy peace with him;
  80. 2178 And he hath promis'd to dismiss the powers
  81. 2179 Led by the Dauphin.
  82. Philip the Bastard (Faulconbridge)
  83. 2180 O inglorious league!
  84. 2181 Shall we, upon the footing of our land,
  85. 2182 Send fair-play orders, and make compromise,
  86. 2183 Insinuation, parley, and base truce,
  87. 2184 To arms invasive? shall a beardless boy,
  88. 2185 A cocker'd silken wanton, brave our fields,
  89. 2186 And flesh his spirit in a warlike soil,
  90. 2187 Mocking the air with colours idly spread,
  91. 2188 And find no check? Let us, my liege, to arms;
  92. 2189 Perchance the cardinal cannot make your peace;
  93. 2190 Or, if he do, let it at least be said
  94. 2191 They saw we had a purpose of defence.
  95. King John
  96. 2192 Have thou the ordering of this present time.
  97. Philip the Bastard (Faulconbridge)
  98. 2193 Away, then, with good courage! yet, I know
  99. 2194 Our party may well meet a prouder foe.
  100. [Exeunt.]