SCENE I.KING JOHN'S palace.
Enter KING JOHN,QUEEN ELINOR,PEMBROKE,ESSEX,SALISBURY,and others,with CHATILLON
KING JOHN Now,say,Chatillon,what would France with us?CHATILLON Thus,after greeting,speaks the King of France In my behavior to the majesty,The borrow'd majesty,of England here.QUEEN ELINOR A strange beginning:'borrow'd majesty!'KING JOHN Silence,good mother;hear the embassy.CHATILLON Philip of France,in right and true behalf Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son,Arthur Plantagenet,lays most lawful claim To this fair island and the territories,To Ireland,Poictiers,Anjou,Touraine,Maine,Desiring thee to lay aside the sword Which sways usurpingly these several titles,And put these same into young Arthur's hand,Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.KING JOHN What follows if we disallow of this?CHATILLON The proud control of fierce and bloody war,To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.KING JOHN Here have we war for war and blood for blood,Controlment for controlment:so answer France.CHATILLON Then take my king's defiance from my mouth,The farthest limit of my embassy.KING JOHN Bear mine to him,and so depart in peace:
Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France;
For ere thou canst report I will be there,The thunder of my cannon shall be heard:
So hence!Be thou the trumpet of our wrath And sullen presage of your own decay.
An honourable conduct let him have:
Pembroke,look to 't.Farewell,Chatillon.
Exeunt CHATILLON and PEMBROKE QUEEN ELINOR What now,my son!have I not ever said How that ambitious Constance would not cease Till she had kindled France and all the world,Upon the right and party of her son?
This might have been prevented and made whole With very easy arguments of love,Which now the manage of two kingdoms must With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.KING JOHN Our strong possession and our right for us.QUEEN ELINOR Your strong possession much more than your right,Or else it must go wrong with you and me: