Be Mercury,set feathers to thy heels,And fly like thought from them to me again.BASTARD The spirit of the time shall teach me speed.
Exit KING JOHN Spoke like a sprightful noble gentleman.
Go after him;for he perhaps shall need Some messenger betwixt me and the peers;And be thou he.Messenger With all my heart,my liege.
Exit KING JOHN My mother dead!
Re-enter HUBERT HUBERT My lord,they say five moons were seen to-night;Four fixed,and the fifth did whirl about The other four in wondrous motion.KING JOHN Five moons!HUBERT Old men and beldams in the streets Do prophesy upon it dangerously:
Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths:
And when they talk of him,they shake their heads And whisper one another in the ear;And he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist,Whilst he that hears makes fearful action,With wrinkled brows,with nods,with rolling eyes.
I saw a smith stand with his hammer,thus,The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;Who,with his shears and measure in his hand,Standing on slippers,which his nimble haste Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet,Told of a many thousand warlike French That were embattailed and rank'd in Kent:
Another lean unwash'd artificer Cuts off his tale and talks of Arthur's death.KING JOHN Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears?
Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death?
Thy hand hath murder'd him:I had a mighty cause To wish him dead,but thou hadst none to kill him.HUBERT No had,my lord!why,did you not provoke me?KING JOHN It is the curse of kings to be attended By slaves that take their humours for a warrant To break within the bloody house of life,And on the winking of authority To understand a law,to know the meaning Of dangerous majesty,when perchance it frowns More upon humour than advised respect.HUBERT Here is your hand and seal for what Idid.KING JOHN O,when the last account 'twixt heaven and earth Is to be made,then shall this hand and seal Witness against us to damnation!