Hub. I have sworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. Arth. Ah, none, but in this iron age, would do it! Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears, Even in the matter of mine innocence: And told me, Hubert should put out mine eyes, [Stamps. Re-enter Attendants, with cord, irons, &c. Arth. O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out, Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here. For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound! I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, stand within; let me alone with him. 1 At. I am best pleas'd to be from such a deed. [Exe. Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend; He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart : Let him come back, that his compassion may Give life to yours. Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself. Hub. None, but to lose your eyes. Arth. O heaven!-that there were but a mote in yours, A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wand'ring hair, Any annoyance in that precious sense! Then, feeling what small things are boist'rous there, " [3] The participle heat, though now obsolete, was in use in our author's time. So in the sacred writings; "He commanded that they should seven times more than it was wont to be heat." Dan. iii. 19. heat the furnace one MALONE. Your vile intent must needs seem horrible. Hub. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue. Arth. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues Must 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, spare mine eyes ;* Though to no use, but still to look on you! Lo, by my troth, the instrument is cold, And would not harm me. Hub. I can heat it, boy. Arth. No, in good sooth; the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us'd In undeserv'd extremes: See else yourself; The breath of heaven hath blown his spirit out, حها Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush, That mercy, which fierce fire, and iron, extends, Hub. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eyes For all the treasure that thine uncle owes : Yet am I sworn, and I did purpose, boy, With this same very iron to burn them out. Arth. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while You were disguised. Hub. Peace: no more. Adieu; Your uncle must not know but you are dead : [4] This is according to nature. We imagine no evil so great as that which is near us. JOHNSON. [5] The sense is: the fire, being created not to hurt, but to comfort is dead with grief for finding itself used in acts of cruelty, which, being innocent, I have not deserved. JOHNSON. [6] i. e. stimulate, set him on. STEEVENS. Arth. O heaven!-I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence; no more: Go closely in with me ; Much danger do I undergo for thee. SCENE II. [Exeunt The same. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter King JOHN, crowned; PEMBROKE, SALISBURY, and other Lords. The King takes his State. K. John. Here once again we sit, once again crown'd, And look'd upon, I hope, with cheerful eyes. Pemb. This once again, but that your highness pleas'd, Sal. Therefore, to be possess'd with double pomp, To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish, Pemb. But that your royal pleasure must be done, And, in the last repeating, troublesome, Being urged at a time unseasonable. Sal. In this, the antique and well-noted face Of plain old form is much disfigur'd: And, like a shifted wind unto a sail, It makes the course of thoughts to fetch about ; Makes sound opinion sick, and truth suspected, For putting on so new a fashion'd robe. Pemb. When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness : And, oftentimes excusing of a fault, Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse ; [7] This one time more was one time more than enough. JOHNSON. It should be remembered, that King John was at present crowned for the fourth time. STEEVENS. [8] To guard, is to fringe. JOHNSON. [9] i. e. not by their avarice, but in an eager emulation, an intense desire of excelling THEOBALD. VOL. V. C 2 As patches, set upon a little breach, Than did the fault before it was so patch'd. Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd, We breath'd our counsel: but it pleas'd your highness To overbear it; and we are all well pleas'd; Since all and every part of what we would, K. John. Some reasons of this double coronation I will both hear and grant you your requests. K. John. Let it be so; I do commit his youth To your direction.-Hubert, what news with you? [1] To declare, to publish the desires of all those. JOHNSON. [2] In the middle ages, the whole education of princes and noble youths consisted in martial exercises, &c. These could not be easily had in a prison, where mental improvements might have been afforded as well as any where else; but this sort of education never entered into the thoughts of our active, warlike, but illiterate nobility. PERCY. He show'd his warrant to a friend of mine : What we so fear'd he had a charge to do. Sal. The colour of the king doth come and go, Pemb. And, when it breaks, I fear, will issue thence The foul corruption of a sweet child's death. K. John. We cannot hold mortality's strong hand :- Sal. Indeed, we fear'd, his sickness was past cure. Pemb. Indeed, we heard how near his death he was, Before the child himself felt he was sick : This must be answer'd, either here, or hence. K. John. Why do you bend such solemn brows on me? Think you, I bear the shears of destiny? Have I commandment on the pulse of life? Sal. It is apparent foul-play; and 'tis shame, Pemb. Stay yet, lord Salisbury; I'll go with thee, His little kingdom of a forced grave. That blood, which ow'd the breath of all this isle, This must not be thus borne: this will break out A fearful eye thou hast; Where is that blood, So foul a sky clears not without a storm : Pour down thy weather :-How goes all in France ? [3] The king asks how all goes in France, the messenger catches the word goes, and answers, that whatever is in France goes now into England. JOHNSON |