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.
CHÂTILLON
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; 25
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, Châtillon. 30
Exeunt Châtillon and Pembroke
QUEEN ELEANOR
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 35
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 ELEANOR (aside to King John)
Your strong possession much more than your right,
Or else it must go wrong with you and me: 41
So much my conscience whispers in your ear,
Which none but heaven and you and I shall hear.
Enter a Sheriff, [who whispers to Essex]
ESSEX
My liege, here is the strangest controversy,
Come from the country to be judged by you, 45
That e’er I heard. Shall I produce the men?
KING JOHN Let them approach.—⌈Exit Sheriff⌉
Our abbeys and our priories shall pay
This expeditious charge.
Enter Robert Falconbridge and Philip the Bastard ⌈With the Sheriff⌉
What men are you?
BASTARD
Your faithful subject I, a gentleman 50
Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son,
As I suppose, to Robert Falconbridge,
A soldier, by the honour-giving hand
Of Cœur-de-lion knighted in the field.
KING JOHN What art thou? 55
FALCONBRIDGE
The son and heir to that same Falconbridge.
KING JOHN
Is that the elder, and art thou the heir?
You came not of one mother then, it seems.
BASTARD
Most certain of one mother, mighty King—
That is well known—and, as I think, one father. 60
But for the certain knowledge of that truth
I put you o’er to heaven, and to my mother.
Of that I doubt as all men’s children may.
QUEEN ELEANOR
Out on thee, rude man ! Thou dost shame thy mother
And wound her honour with this diffidence. 65
BASTARD
I, Madam? No, I have no reason for it.
That is my brother’s plea and none of mine,
The which if he can prove, a pops me out
At least from fair five hundred pound a year.
Heaven guard my mother’s honour, and my land! 70
KING JOHN
A good blunt fellow.—Why, being younger born,
Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance ?
BASTARD
I know not why, except to get the land;
But once he slandered me with bastardy.
But whe’er I be as true begot or no, 75
That still I lay upon my mother’s head;
But that I am as well begot, my liege—
Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me—
Compare our faces and be judge yourself.
If old Sir Robert did beget us both 80
And were our father, and this son like him,
O old Sir Robert, father, on my knee
I give heaven thanks I was not like to thee.
KING JOHN
Why, what a madcap hath heaven lent us here!
QUEEN ELEANOR
He hath a trick of Coeur-de-lion’s face; 85
The accent of his tongue affecteth him.
Do you not read some tokens of my son
In the large composition of this man?
KING JOHN
Mine eye hath well examined his parts,
And finds them perfect Richard.
(To Robert Falconbridge) Sirrah, speak: 90
What doth move you to claim your brother’s land?
BASTARD
Because he hath a half-face like my father!
With half that face would he have all my land,
A half-faced groat five hundred pound a year.
FALCONBRIDGE
My gracious liege, when that my father lived, 95
Your brother did employ my father much—
BASTARD
Well, sir, by this you cannot get my land.
Your tale must be how he employed my mother.
FALCONBRIDGE
And once dispatched him in an embassy
To Germany, there with the Emperor
To treat of high affairs touching that time.
Th‘advantage of his absence took the King,
And in the meantime sojourned at my father’s,
Where how he did prevail I shame to speak.
But truth is truth:large lengths of seas and shores
Between my father and my mother lay, 106
As I have heard my father speak himself,
When this same lusty gentleman was got.
Upon his deathbed he by will bequeathed
His lands to me, and took it on his death 110
That this my mother’s son was none of his;
And if he were, he came into the world
Full fourteen weeks before the course of time.
Then, good my liege, let me have what is mine,
My father’s land, as was my father’s will. 115
KING JOHN
Sirrah, your brother is legitimate.