Ichn. A doubtfull tale as euer I did heare, Robert. I grant (my lord) he is my mothers fonne, And here my mother stands to prooue him fo: Then (gratious lord) let Fauconbridge enioy And let not him poffeffe anothers right. John. Prooue this, the land is thine by Englands lawe. But gold I fee doth beate downe natures law. Mother. My gratious lord, and you thrice reuerend dame, That fee the teares diftilling from mine eies, And fcalding fighes blowne from a rented heart: Let me intreate to be commaunded hence. John. Lady, ftand vp, be patient for a while : Heere I beseech your grace vpon my knees, Robert. Nor mad, nor mazde, but well aduised, I To be a bastard to king Richards selfe, Sonne to your grace, and brother to your maieftie. Elian. Yong man, thou needst not be ashamed of thy kin, Nor of thy fire. But forward with thy proofe. Robert. The proofe fo plaine, the argument so strong, The king lay often at my fathers houfe; Sixe weeks before the account my father made. Iohn. Is this thy proofe, and all thou hast to say? In abfence of the man to cheere the wife? 2 Elin. Thou faist she teemde fixe weekes before her time, Why good fir fquire, are you so cunning growen, To make account of womens reckonings ? Spit in your hand and to your other proofes: To make a woman come before her time. John. And where thou faift, he looketh like the king, In action, feature and proportion : Therein I hold with thee, for in my life I neuer faw fo liuely counterfet Of Richard Cordelion, as in him. Robert. Then good my lord, be you indiffrent iudge, And let me haue my liuing and my right. 2. Elinor. Nay, heare you fir, you runne away too fast: Know you not, omne fimile non eft idem? Or haue read in. Harke yee good fir, Twas thus I warrant, and no otherwise. Shee lay with fir Robert your father, and thought vpon king Richard my fonne, and fo your brother was formed in this fashion. Robert. Madame, you wrong me thus to ieft it out, I craue my right: king John, as thou art king, So be thou iuft, and let me haue my right. John. Why (foolish boy) thy proofes are friuolous, But thou fhalt fee how I will helpe thy claime : For thou know'st not, weele afke of them that know, His mother and himfelfe faall end this ftrife: Robert. My lord, herein I challenge you of wrong, Or he will giue the liuing from himselfe? It may not be my lord. Why fhould it be? John. Lords, keep him back, and let him heare the doom. Effex, firft afke the mother thrice who was his fire? Effex. Lady Margaret, widow of Fauconbridge, Who was father to thy fonne Philip? Mother. Please it your maiefty, fir Rob. Fauconbridge. Rob. This is right, afke my fellow there if I be a thiefe. Iohn. Afke Philip whofe fonne he is. Effex. Philip, who was thy father? Philip. Mas my lord, and that's a queftion: and you had not taken fome paines with her before, I fhould haue defired. you to afke my mother. John. Say, who was thy father? Philip. Faith (my lord) to answere you, fure hee is my fa. ther that was neereft my mother when I was begotten, and him I thinke to be fir Robert Fauconbridge. John. Effex, for fashions fake demand agen, And so an end to this contention. Robert. Was euer man thus wrongd as Robert is? Effex. Philip fpeake I fay, who was thy father? John. Young man how now, what art thou in a trance ? What faist thou Philip, fprung of auncient kings? What winde of honour blowes this furie forth? Me thinkes I heare a hollow eccho found, That That Philip is the fonne vato a king: The bubling murmur of the waters fall, Birds in their flight make muficke with their wings, Birds, bubbles, leaues, and mountaines, eccho, all John. Speake mau, be fodaine, who thy father was. Philip. Please it your maieftie, fir Robert Philip, that Fauconbridge cleaues to thy iawes: It will not out, I cannot for my life Say I am fonne vnto a Fauconbridge. Let land and liuing goe, tis honors fire That makes me fweare king Richard was my fire. Than knights begotten, though legittimate. His faltring tongue not fuffers him to lie. |