fire fervent he that wisely knows His wealthy fate bravely becomes his woes Charge Exit Ches Are you so arm'd away with him Enter the Queene dragging in Matilda her hair loose and Face bloody Qu. Come forward furie witch Mat. Alas why thus Great Queen do you mis-use me credite me I do not feare to die young Infants do it Nor wish I life the murtherer enjoyes it But let me know my trespasse Qu. I 'me made your stale The King the King your strumpet oh thou wretch The matter my spleen tears her Mat. Hear me but speak Qu. Yes I will thee speak That every syllable may serve instead Of a fierce wind to blow my fiercer fury Into the fashion of a punishmen Fitting the daring of thy trespasse Mat. Heare me By these red marks registers of your rashnesse And by these tears the fruits of my affliction That the King passionately pursues my love Is truth uncontr•dicted but if I Did ever think you wrong let mine honour be buried in dark oblivion Qu. Sin 's a sweet tame Serpent they must beguile Cloath rude errors in a soft smooth stile Enter Chester •ut str•mpst thou shalt ruin't Charge Ches Shift for your selfe Madam Richmond escap'd from London with the powers Leavied by Leister and Fitzwater who Were stai'd by Winchester and the Legate Pandulph Hath rescued Bruce got again the Castle Ent. Y. Bruce and Richmond with Souldiers And make you now their search Exit Rich. Cease on the Queen Madam you are our prisoner Y. Bru. Keep Chester safe good Ricmond Ha! oh what rude hand Hath ras'd this Book of beauty a face where vertue Intelligibly stood to charm the Reader Tell me Cozen And by the thousands of thy tears and fears No tittle place degree the very Grave Shall not secure the offender Qu. There is death in 's angry eyes aside Mat The rude Souldiers My noble Cozen hail'd me thus and tore me And would have sure done worse but that the Queen The wondrou• kind Queen in her royall person Came with a troop of well appointed Souldiers and rescued me Qu. She mocks me sure Y. Bru. The Queen so kind Ma. O Cousin had you seen How good she was in her quick speed how zealous To relieve innocence you would have thought She 'd kil'd them with her frowns e're she came at them So lamentably miserable were my sufferings So excellently noble was her charity Y. Bru. Now by my life 't was honour in the highest Because a foe and gracious Madam not To be out bid in this brave Mart of honour You shall have a safe Convoy and of quality Fitting your person to convey with your freedome To th' angry King our loves that he may see How plain to him we mean and how nobly Unto a goodnesse of so fair deservings As this now showne see there be present order For her Majesties attendance and swee Coz With-draw from the cold ayr Exit Qu. Farewell Matilda Oh pardon me for heavens sake now I find Thy soul is Christall Ma. Remember to the King Good Madam my great sorrows and forget not To tell him this that woman in whose heart Vertue and honour stand a paire of Centinels The Sea may sooner flame fire admit frost E're such a woman fall from heaven Oh she Who as a regular star keeps vertues speare Shews like a Pearl hung in an Angel• eare Qu. Thou noble soul of goodnesse Exit A Chaire of state discover'd Tables and Chaires responcible a Guard making a lane Enter between the• King John Pandulph the Popes Legate Chester Oxford and all the Kings Party After them Fitzwater Richmond Leister and Bruce the King holding the Crown kneeling on the left side of the Chaire Pandulph possessing it K. Lo in the sight of Prelates Peers Of Earth and Heaven of all that heares My words I John Plantagaent VVith all submissive reverence set My Crowne at the most sacred foot Of Innocent the Third unto 't I joyne my Kingdom• giue them free Unto his pious clemencie And for the follies of my Raigne Heats of my youth and the rough straine Of riper years my Rebellions my high hand My six yeares Interdictien and A•l my mis-doings I this and those Submit to the Popes power to disclose Pan. You have by times recracted and your foot now Beats out a certain path in these Lords sights of I do Produce the Letter drawn Obligatory From John of England to his Holinesse Peruse it sir you are there oblig'd to pay As yearly from this day Renting your Kingdoms To Innocent the Third and to his Successors A thousand marks per annum K. It runnes so Pan. Yes three hundred for Ireland seven for England Fitz. Do not peruse it John though thou and we Have had some bickerings yet let me counsell thee This is my Countries Cause Pan. You and your Country Have cause in this Cause to rejoyce Eitz Good good Sir Pandvlph Though in our filiall love to our Mother Church By his Holinesse command we stay'd from Hartford Yet le ts have fair play do not wrong that mother Apparelling her comely holy face With a forehead full of frowns pleited proceedings Pan. You raile Fitz. I do not raile Although I hold and reverence the Chair We had been at Hartford else and not at London Yet in a true breast we should nothing see But holy pure unmixt simplicy K. Give me the pen Leis Will you then signe K. Yes you rough Sonnes of faction And hook your stubborn nostrils this is Rubarb To your smooth pallats give me the pen to write Fitz. Do not write John K. Do not prate fool Fitz. In sooth that write Will wrong thee Children and Fools tell truth Remember that Pan. There was no way like this To beat a path out to your peace Ki. Right Reverend Pand. proffers to descend And holy Sir receive to the Popes use His will and your own charge Sir descend not But ere you re-invest me hear me tell A tale of sorrow behold here these Lords Who had been now bruising the face of peace With unkind buffets but for VVinchester Your strict compulsion and their seeming fear Of deserv'd interdiction but oh spright No Devill deceives like th' houshold hypocrite These of my Court with young Brace now insconc'd At Hartford whither it may hair brain'd Richmond hath retir'd his discontents O. Bru. We misse our hopes else K. These bandy faction with me and with their drum• Lew'd linguists to interpret their disloyalties Brave me i' th field deform th' afflicted face Of trembling England with foul bloody stain• Larums at hideous midnight they break my sleeps Fill them with fearfull dreams terrible startings And with the griefe of my unfriendly fears Force me to pierce my pillow with my tears Pan. Unnaturall cruellty Able to melt marble into compassionate tears Ox. Dainty dissembler O. Bru. Now may it please you Pan. Peace untill his holinesse command be sinished Ascend your now true Seat sir and from the hand
Pan. gives John the Chair Of my selfe Pandulph Legate for the Pope Observing the due payments specified Receive your Crown and Kingdoms and with them We here pronounce your absolute readmission Into the Church and from his holnesse We re-invest you with all Powers Prerogatives Freedomes Communities and in the strength of effecacy That constantly adhears to lawfull Princes And an obedient Son unto the Church Long life to John of England VVales and Ireland The lawfull King Florish Leis I am mad Fitz. So so now we must suffer The Kingdoms ancient Liberties Land lives And all to run the course that he shall steere Good heaven that I were dead what do I here weeps O Bru. But I 'le not asse-like bear my Countries wrongs Mine own at home and like a Court Camelion Give thanks unto mine injurer hear me King John K. You shall hear us sir first we have been clouded Six years but like the Sun in his Meridian We now again are glorious thus in briefe Leister we require strong pledge for your loyalty Bruce call your mad Son home from Hartford Your Wife and Sonne shall better speed at Guilford For Richmond in our re-assumed power We will proclaime him Traytor and Fitzwater Either give up Matilda for your faith or heare What we shall sentence Leis We must stand then What thunder you shall throw perform with us We kisse your royall hands O. Bru. If not we stand Rocks in our resoluton K. D' ee heare them now sir Fitz. Nay nay let him hear me too then Lord Legate Pandulph thus 't is And thus you may informe his holinesse In a field cal'd running-Mead ' twixt Staines and VVinsor After some bloody noses on both sides I tell truth I there the King and Barrons Met for discussion of conceiv'd wrongs And indeed not misconceiv'd our Houses Honours Our Fathers freedomes the Lands ancient Liberties Unjustly to encrease some private Cofers Felt daily Demunition there to Covenants drawn Bearing the name and sence of Magna Charta Which many hundred years may be seen hereafter King John subscrib'd we swore him fealty K. Which fealty they deny'd till our assoylment Of our six years Interdiction forcing us therefore To seal unlawfull liberties Leis Upon our honours They were but what Antiquity prov'd lawful Ox. Oh but my Lord Fitz. Tut tut Lord me no Lords He broak we powted I tell plain truth I Yet fell into no relapse of hostility But wot ye what he casts a covetous eye Upon my Daughter passionately pursues her There had been other pledges but our oathes else For heaven knows thtm he had and amongst the rest Matilda must be my pledge for well he deem'd They yielding their• shame would brand my denyall But catch craft when we put truth to triall Kings should have shining souls and white desires Enflam'd with zeale not parch'd by Paphian fires So shines the soul in which vertue doth shrowd Is a serene skie bespotted with no cloud But a Copper conscience whil'st the head wears Gold Is but a plain down-right untruth well told Come come I cannot fawn K. But in the passion Of a Dog sir you can snarl have you talk all your words Fitz. I have told truth I. K. Then we will fall to deeds Oxford command a Guard and presently Take them to 'th Tower we can now talk and do Away with them and muzzel those fierce Mastiffes That durst leap at the face of Majestie And strike their killing fangs into honours heart Are they not gone we shall be passionate In your delay O. Bru. Come Leister let us wear Our sufferings like Garland Leis Tempest nor death Could never ou• do Leister who dares dye Laughing at times poyson'd integrity Fitz Now by my troth 't was very nobly spoken Shall I turne tale no no no le ts go But how things will be carried ha are these teares Body of me they are Shall I go like a sheep With this pair of Lyons ha ha ha I do laugh now John and I 'le tell thee why Th' art yet in thy green May twenty seven summers Set in our Kalends but when forty Winters more Shall roun'd thy forehead with a field of snow And when thy comely veins shall cease to flow When those majestick eyes shall float in rhumes When giant Nature her own selfe consumes When thy swift Pulses shall but slowly pant When thou art all a Volum of my want That like a tale-sp•nt fire thou shalt s•nck Then John upon this lesson thou wilt think• He dyes a happy old man whose sweet youth Was a continued sacrifice to truth I must weep now indeed Ki. Away with them Exit Pan. Unto King John the favour of his holinesse With peace and happinesse Exit K. Which we return With all filiall obedience look up Oxford The day breaks and the Sun hath chaste the night Out of our Hemispheare Enter a Gentleman Ox. Your news sir Gen. Letters from the Queen sir K. Was the Earl Richmond there with any powers E're your departure K reads Gen. No may it please your Majestie we heard not of him But all on your part went fair and fortunate K. Oh Oxford now they have her flie back like lightning Tell him this day wee 'l meet them all at Barnet Exit Gent. Ox But her Father and her friends imprisonment May obdurate her hea•t they dare not sure On the great perill of a curse to fall Into a Relapse now you are absolute Faith 〈◊〉 trie smooth paths to your ends to release them I hold the winningst way to captivate Their duties and Matilda to your wishes K. Good do not kill me •oy before our going Instantly thou shalt flie with the Lords release We pine in our delayes oh Cupid swiftly Fly into Paphoes and from thy Mothers shrine Catch but a nimble wanton flame and cast it Into the busie Kingdome of my heart That it may teach my tongue the art of victory And every year unto thy well-spent Quiver I 'le add a shaft and call it Cupids love Dart Come Oxford I tread methinks on aire Untill I read that Volum of sweet grace The well writ story of Matild•'s face Ox. She yeelds at last my life on 't sir Exit Actus 3. Scoena 1. En•er Brand reading of a Letter WIll Brand these are to certifie That Fortune Mistresses of Changes with my unluckie stars hathrendred m• a prisoner to my most mortall Enemy young Bruce Bra. That mad Tamberlaine Let. My entreaty is none of the noblest but direct against my blood my desires and my deservings Bra. Oh that I had a leg of that young Bruce but minc'd and butter'd Let. I am credibly possest his Majestie hath into your custody comm•ited his Mother and her young Sonne George whereby you have occasion cast into your hand to parallel their sufferings with my fortunes not that I would have you banish humanity Bra. He need never have writ that Bawds and Serjeants have sav'd me the labour Let. Nor give to
Queene too And will bring them early in the morning to 'th Court K. Have the Torch-bearers given fire to the plot Hub. They mixt with oppertunity Enter Richmond Fitz. I do not like this whispering Where are the Ladies and Matilda Rich. The Ladies are at the further side the Castle But by a Glove you sent by a Gentleman That said he serv'd Earle Leister that with him She and the Queene should flie for safety whither You had directed him glad of any scare They took a Barge another leapt in after them But whom he was I know not Exit Ol. Bru. Sent you a Glove Fitz. A Glove indeed I misse but I sent none Leis This is a Riddle K. I will play Oedipus and expound it for you As Hubert has infus'd you drop'd your Glove Ingenius Hubert found it and though we Had directed otherwise he employ'd a Gentleman Of our own Chamber one unknown to Matilda To bring it as your close intellige ce For her flight with him he that leapt into ' th Barge As they put of was Oxford now we have her Never again to lose her Leis By my vext blood King John this is not honourable Enter Richmond Rich. We are betray'd All that bore Torches in the Masque to night Were of the Guard who upon a receiv'd watch-word Fell to their Arms beat down all oppos'd them And are shaping their course this way Y. Bru. Le ts meet 'em We have an injur'd patience came death in whirle-winds I le be the first shall front him to thy prayers John Pray heartily that thy friends fatall points May pierce these hearts for if they misse ' t shall prove The bloodi st beauty story ever told To fright the Readers souls a purple cloud Shall shaddow England the whole Land shall •ele The Center gr•a•s thy very Crown shall stand Trembling upon thy Temples till it fall A Mourner at thy fames black funerall Exit Fitz. Oh noble Nephew Exeunt Barrons K. Ha ha ha let 'em rave on Ingenious Hubert• That couldst so swifty apprehend a smooth Path to 'th possession of Matilda Quit Oxford from her charge unto thy care The King commends the Mistresse of his heart I' th morning let me see her Hu. She shall waite upon you sir Ches The Barrons threaten high sir K. Let them burst Come Gentlemen to 'th Barge and so to 'th Court To clip our wishes perills appear sport Exeunt Actus 4. Scoena 1. Enter Brand Bran. I Wonder how my pair of Prisoners fadge I am something dogged too a to'ther side That thus long have not seen them nor have they eate• I am sure since they came in in yon Madams eye I am as ugly as a Toad I will see her And contemn her you and your brat come out Ent. Lady and Boy Here 's meat I am sure you are hungry Boy O Mother will you be sick now Mr. Boand hath brought us meat La. Oh on my knee sir I thank you not for my want for I feel Nature almost quite vanquish'd but for my Sonne He may live long to thank you Boy Give but my Mother A little piece of bread and if I live as yet I may do if you can be mercifull I will tell my Father such good things of you He shall return your kindnesse treble back To your honest bosome Oh Mother for some bread Era Some bread Why to have an honest bosome as the world goes Is the next way to want bread i• faith tell me How have you past the time you wanted Victu••l• Lady Very hardly And still the poor Boy sighin• would say Mother You look very hungry I did think straight how ha•d Your heart was then we both did fall a weeping Cling'd our lean armes about each others neck And sat a pair of mou•ers Bra. Delicate pastime Toads love no other Look yee here is bread Boy Oh if you be a good man give me but a bit To give my Mother poor soul look how she looks Indeed she 's very hungry Bra. Yes so is my Dogge Puts it up again I must keep this for his breakfast La. Give but my boy one bi• And the Saints sure will look how good you are They will be glad to see you charitable And call it excellent compassion Bra. No cunning from a Toad 't will p•yson him Boy It will not sir indeed I am so hungry I could eat Rats or Mice Bra. Your to'ther hair braine Your wilde mad Sonne retaines my Lord a Prisoner Uses him basely and you must suffer for 't Lady Give me but Paper Pen and Inck I 'le wrile And charge him to fall down and li•k the dust Thy Lord shall set his foot on I will conjure him And woe away his wildnesse by the groars I su•fer'd for him I 'le threaten his denyall With a Mothers family-consounding curse This I will do or any thing that may But purchase my poor Boy one bit of bread Bra. No La. O harder then the Rocks more mercilesse Then the wilde evening Woolf falls Boy Mother do not die For heavens sake helpe my Mother look up And ye shall see me dance and then the Gentleman Will sure bestow a piece of bread upon us La. Look here thou Iron-hearted man upon A palre of piercing miseries Bra. A Scoene of mirth I am all hard the heat of lust which stood To clip revenge we stem a stream of blood Exit Boy How do ye Mother La. How doth my Boy Boy Very sick indeed but I warrant you are more hungry Then I a great deale are you not La. Oh no Thou art weake and famine plaies the Tyrant with thee Look here my boy bite on thy Mothers arme The blood will nourish thee Boy Will your blood nourish me La. Yes yes I pre•hee try Boy Why should not mine then nourish you 't is the same Good Mother eat my arme bite but a bite Truly I shall hurt you if I bite yours I warrant you 'l be better presently La. I shall my Sonne and so shalt thou come neere me Let us go hand in hand to Heaven Boy Oh mother something pinch'd my very heart And I shall die my dear dear mother D•es Lady Art thou gone my Sonne My soule shall overtake thee oh friendly death That gav'st that gripe sure when thou kill'st the guilty Frowns curle thy angry forehead but when thou steal'st Towards innocence their pale fears to beguile Enter Brand reading a Letter Thou deck'st thy lean face with a lovely smile Dyes Bra. My Lord recover'd by the valiant King In all his battels he is fortunate And now tdey shall have meate ha meat said I I have made them worms meat Oh what a talking is within me if I stay The building sure will crush me I 'le ha• to'•h Court My Lord here intimates the Kings observance of me I must hence oh gnilt thou draw'st deaths image horrid When we begin to like our ills how sweet a face hath sin Which but past by a cheater she appears