Faulc. Hang nothing but a calve's-fkin, most sweet
lout.

K. Philip. I am perplext, and know not what to fay.
Pand. What can't thou fay, but will perplex thee

more,

If thou ftand excommunicate and curft ?

K. Philip. Good rev'rend father; make my perfon

yours;

And tell me how you would bestow yourself.
This royal hand and mine are newly knit,
And the conjunction of our inward fouls
Marry'd in league, coupled and link'd together
With all religious ftrength of facred vows.
The latest breath, that gave the found of words,
Was deep fworn faith, peace, amity, true love,
Between our kingdoms and our royal Selves.
And even before this truce, but new before,
No longer than we well could wash our hands.
To clap this royal bargain up of peace,
Heav'n knows, they were befmear'd and over-ftain'd
With flaughter's pencil; where revenge did paint
The fearful diff'rence of incenfed Kings.
And shall these hands, fo lately purg'd of blood,
So newly join'd in love, fo ftrong in both,
Unyoke this feizure, and this kind regreet?
Play fast and loose with faith? fo, jeft with heav'n?
Make fuch unconftant children of ourselves,
As now again to fnatch our palm from palm
Un-fwear faith fworn, and on the marriage-bed
Of fmiling-peace to march a bloody hoft,
And make a riot on the gentle brow
Of true fincerity? O holy Sir,

My reverend father, let it not be fo;
Out of your grace, devise, ordain, impofe
Some gentle order, and we fhall be bleft-

? So ftrong in both.] I believe the meaning is, were fo firong in both parties.

Το

To do your pleasure, and continue friends.
Pand. All form is formlefs, order orderless,
Save what is oppofite to England's love.

Therefore, to arms! be champion of our Church!
Or let the Church our mother breathe her curfe,
A mother's curfe on her revolting fon.

France, thou may'ft hold a ferpent by the tongue,
A chafed lyon by the mortal paw,

A fafting tyger fafer by the tooth,

Than keep in peace that hand, which thou doft hold.
K. Phil. I may dif-join my hand, but not my faith.
Pand. So mak'st thou faith an enemy to faith;
And, like a civil war, fet'ft oath to oath,

Thy tongue against thy tongue. O, let-thy vow
First made to heav'n, first be to heav'n perform'd;
That is, to be the champion of our Church.
What fince thou fwor'ft, is fworn against thyself;
And may not be performed by thyself.

For that, which thou haft fworn to do amifs,

8

* Is't not amifs, when it is truly done?

And being hot done, where doing tends to ill,
The truth is then moft done, not doing it.
The better act of purposes mistook

Is to mistake again; tho' indirect,

Yet indirection thereby grows direct,

And falfhood falfhood cures; as fire cools fire,
Within the fcorched veins of one new-burn'd.
It is religion that doth make vows kept,

• But what thou haft fworn against religion:

But what thou fwear'ft, against the thing thou fwear'st:

And mak'st an oath the furety for thy truth, Against an oath. The truth thou art unfure To fwear, fwear only not to be forfworn;

Elfe what a mockery fhould it be to fwear?
But thou doft fwear, only to be forfworn,
And most forfworn, to keep what thou doft fwear.
Therefore thy latter vows, against thy first,
Is in thyfelf rebellion to thyfelf.

And better conqueft never canft thou make,
Than arm thy conftant and thy nobler parts
Against thefe giddy, loose suggestions:
Upon which better part, our pray'rs come in,
If thou vouchfafe them. But if not, then know,
The peril of our curfes light on thee

So heavy, as thou shalt not shake them off;
But, in defpair, die under their black weight.
Auft. Rebellion, flat rebellion.

Faulc. Will't not be?

3

Will not a calve's-fkin ftop that mouth of thine?
Lewis. Father, to arms!

Blanch. Upon thy wedding day?

Against the blood that thou haft married?
What, fhall our feaft be kept with flaughter'd men?
Shall braying trumpets, and loud churlish drums,
Clamours of hell, be measures to our pomp ?
O hufband, hear me, (ah! alack, how new
Is husband in my mouth?) ev'n for that name,
Which till this time my tongue did ne'er pronounce,
Upon my knee I beg, go not to arms

Against mine uncle.

Conft. O, upon my knee,

Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee,
Thou virtuous Dauphin, alter not the doom
Forethought by heav'n.

Blanch. Now fhall I fee thy love; what motive may
Be stronger with thee than the name of wife?

Conft. That which upholdeth him, that thee upholds, His honour. Oh, thine honour, Lewis, thine ho

nour!

Lewis. I mufe, your Majesty doth feem fo cold, When fuch profound refpects do pull you on?

Gg 2

Pand.

1

Pand. I will denounce a curfe upon his head.
K. Phil. Thou shalt not need. England, I'll fall

from thee.

Conft. O fair return of banish'd Majesty!

Eli. O foul revolt of French inconftancy!

K. John. France, thou shalt rue this hour within this hour.

Faul. Old time the clock-fetter, that bald fexton time,

Is it, as he will? well then, France shall rue.

Blanch. The fun's o'ercaft with blood: fair day, adieu!

Which is the fide that I must go withal?
I am with both, each army hath a hand,
And in their rage, I having hold of both,
They whirl afunder, and dismember me.
Husband, I cannot pray that thou may'st win :
Uncle, I needs muft pray that thou may'st lose;
Father, I may not with the fortune thine :
Grandam, I will not wifh thy wishes thrive:
Whoever wins, on that fide fhall I lofe:
Affured lofs, before the match be play'd.

Lewis. Lady, with me, with me thy fortune lies. Blanch. There where my fortune lives, there my life dies.

K. John. Coufin, go draw our puiffance together. [Exit Faulconbridge. France, I am burn'd up with inflaming wrath,

A rage, whofe heat hath this condition

That nothing can allay, nothing but blood,
The blood, and dearest-valu'd blood of France.

K. Phil. Thy rage fhall burn thee up, and thou

fhalt turn

To afhes, ere our blood fhall quench that fire:
Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy.

K. John. No more than he that threats. To arms,