Is it my fault, that I was Geffrey's fon?
Indeed, it is not; and I would to heav'n,
I were your fon, fo you would love me, Hubert.
Hub. If I talk to him, with his innocent prate
He will awake my mercy, which lies dead;
Therefore I will be fudden, and dispatch.

[Afide.
Arth. Are you fick, Habert? you look pale to-day;
In footh, I wou'd, you were a little fick ;
That I might fit all night and watch with you.
Alas, I love you more than you do me.

Hub. His words do take poffeffion of my bofom. Read here, young Arthur [Shewing a paper.. [Afide.

How now, foolish rheum,

Turning dif-piteous torture out of door!
I must be brief, left refolution drop.

Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.-
Can you not read it is it not fair writ?
Arth. Too fairly, Hubert, for fo foul effect.
Mult you with irons burn out both mine eyes ?
Hub. Young boy, I muft.

Arth. And will you?

Hub. And I will.

Arth Have you the heart? when your head did but akę,

I knit my handkerchief about your brows;

(The beft I had, a Princefs wrought it me)

And I did never afk it you again;

And with my hand at midnight held your head;
And, like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon chear'd up the heavy time,

Saying, what lack you and where lies your grief?
Or what good love may I perform for you?
Many a poor man's fon would have lain still,
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your fick fervice had a Prince.
Nay, you may think, my love was crafty love,
And call it cunning. Do, an if you will:
If heav'n be pleas'd that you must use me ill,
Why then, you must-Will you put out mine eyes ?
Thefe eyes, that never did, nor never fhall,

So

So much as frown on you.

Hub. I've fworn to do it ;

And with hot irons must I burn them out.

Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it.. The iron of itself, tho' heat red hot,

Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears,
And quench its fiery indignation,

Even in the matter of mine innocence:
Nay, after that, confume away in ruft,
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.

Are you more, ftubborn, hard, than hammer'd iron ?«
Oh! if an angel fhould have come to me,
And told me, Hubert fhould put out mine eyes,

I would not have believ'd him : no tongue, but Hubert's..
Hab. Come forth; do, as I bid you do.

[Stamps, and the men enter. Arth. O fave me, Hubert! fave me! my eyes are out,. Ev'n with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

Hub. Give me the iron, I fay, and bind him here.
Arth. Alas, what need you be fo boift'rous-rough?
I will not ftruggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heav'n fake, Hubert, let me not be bound.
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will fit as quiet as a lamb.

I will not ftir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angrily :

Thrust but thefe men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.

Hub. Go, ftand within; let me alone with him.
Exe. I am beft pleas'd to be from fuch a deed. [Exeunt,.
Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend;

He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart;

Let him come back, that his compaffion may

Give life to yours.

Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself.

Arth. Is there no remedy?

Hub. None, but to lose your eyes.

Arth. O heav'n! that there were but a moth in yours

A grain, a duft, a gnat, a wand'ring hair,

Any

Any annoyance in that precious fenfe;

Then, feeling what fmall things are boift'rous there, Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.

Hub. Is this your promife? go to,hold your tongue. Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Muft needs want pleading for a pair of eyes: Let me not hold my tongue: let me not, Hubert ; Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, So I may keep mine eyes. O fpare mine eyes! Though to no ufe, but ftill to look on you. Lo, by my troth, the inftrument is cold, And would not harm me.

Hub. I can heat it, boy.

Arth. No, in good footh, the fire is dead with grief,, Being create for comfort, to be us'd

In undeferv'd extreams; fee elfe yourself,
There is no malice in this burning coal;
The breath of heav'n hath blown its spirit out,
And ftrew'd repentant afhes on its head.

Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.
Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush,,
And glow with fhame of your proceedings, Hubert:
Nay, it, perchance, will sparkle in your eyes:
And like a dog, that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his mafter that doth tarre him on.
All things, that you fhould ufe to do me wrong,
Deny their office; only you do lack

That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.

Hub. Well, fee to live; I will not touch thine eye, For all the treafure that thine uncle owns:

Yet am I fworn; and I did purpose, boy,

With this fame very iron to burn them out.

Arth. O, now you look like Hubert. All this, while You were difguifed.

Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu,

Your uncle muft not know but you are dead.
I'll fill thefe dogged fpies with falfe reports:
And, pretty child, fleep doubtlefs, and fecure,

That

That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.

Arth. O heav'n! I thank you, Hubert.

Hub. Silence, no more; go clofely in with me.. Much danger do I undergo for thee.

[Exeunt

SCENE changes to the Court of England.

Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lords And look'd upon, I hope, with chearful eyes, ERE once again we fit,once again crown'd,

K.John.

Pemb. This once again, but that your Highnefs pleas'd, Was once fuperfluous; you were crown'd before, And that high royalty was ne'er pluck'd off: The faiths of men, ne'er ftained with revolt; Fresh expectation troubled not the land With any long'd-for change, or better state.

Sal. Therefore to be poffefs'd with double pomp,
To guard a title that was rich before;
To gild refined gold, to paint the lilly,.
To throw a perfume on the violet,

To fmooth the ice, or add another hue
Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To feek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish,
Is wafteful and ridiculous excefs.

Pemb. But that your royal pleasure must be done, This act is as an ancient tàle new-told,

And in the laft repeating troublesome;

Being urged at a time unfeasonable.

Sal. In this the antique and well-noted face
Qf plain old form is much disfigured;
And, like a fhifted wind unto a fail

I makes the courfe of thoughts to fetch about;
Startles and frights confideration;

Makes found opinion fick, and truth fufpected,
For putting on fo new a fashion'd robe.

Pemb, When workmen ftrive to do better than well,

They

They do confound their skill in covetousness; (21)
And oftentimes excufing of a fault

Doth make the fault the worfe by the excufe:
As patches, fet upon a little breach,
Difcredit more in hiding of the fault,

Than did the fault before it was fo patch'd.

Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd,, We breath'd our counfel; but it pleas'd your Highness To over-bear it; and we're all well pleas'd; Since all and every part of what we would, Muft make a ftand at what your Highnefs will.. K. John. Some reafons of this double coronation I have poffeft you with, and think them strong. And more, more ftrong (the leffer is my fear) I fhall endue you with: mean time, but afkWhat you would have reform'd, that is not well, And well fhall you perceive how willingly I will both hear and grant you your requefts. Pemb. Then I, as one that am the tongue of these, To found the purposes of all their hearts, (Both for myself and them; but chief of all, Your fafety; for the which, myself and they Bend their beft Audies ;) heartily request Th' infranchifement of Arthur; whofe reftraint Doth move the murm'ring lips of discontent To break into this dang'rous argument; If what în reft you have, in right you hold, Why fhou'd your fears, (which, as they fay, attend The fteps of wrong) then move you to mew up. Your tender kinfman, and to choke his days With barb'rous ignorance, and deny his youth. The rich advantage of good exercise ? That the time's enemies may not have this, To grace occafions, let it be our suit,

(21) They do confound their skill in covetournefs.] i. e. Not by their avarice, but in an eager emulation, an intenfe defire of excelling; as in Henry V.

But if it be a fin to covet bonour,...
I am the most offending foul alive

That