The monks, the priors, and holy cloyftred nunnes,
Are all in health, and were my lord in wealth,
Till I had tithde and tolde their holy hoords.
I doubt not when your highneffe fees my prize,
You may proportion all their former pride.
Iohn. Why fo, now forts it Philip as it should:
This fmall intrufion into abbey trunkes,
Will make the popelings excommunicate,
Curse, ban, and breathe out damned orifons,
As thicke as haile-stones fore the fprings approach:
But yet as harmeleffe and without effect,
As is the eccho of a cannons cracke
Dischargde against the battlements of heauen.
But what newes elfe befell there Philip?
Baft. Strange newes my lord: within your territories
Neere Pomfret is a prophet new sprung vp,
Whofe diuination volleis wonders foorth:
To him the commons throng with countrey gifts,
He fets a date vnto the beldames death,
Prefcribes how long the virgins ftate fhall last,
Distinguisheth the moouing of the heauens,
Giues limits vnto holy nuptiall rites,
Foretelleth famine, aboundeth plentie forth:
Of fate, of fortune, life and death he chats,
With fuch affurance, fcruples put apart,
As if he knew the certaine doomes of heauen,
Or kept a register of all the deftinies.
Ioh. Thou telft me maruels, would thou hadst brought the We might haue queftiond him of things to come.
Baftard. My lord, I tooke a care of had-I-wift, And brought the prophet with me to the court, He staies my lord but at the presence doore : Pleafeth your highneffe, I will call him in.
Ioha Nay stay awhile, wee'l haue him here anone, A thing of weight is first to be performd.
Enter the nobles and crowne King Iohn, and then cry God faue the king.
Iohn. Lordings and friends fupporters of our state,
Admire not at this vnaccustomed course,
Nor in your thoughts blame not this deede of yours.
Once ere this time was I inuefted king,
Your fealtie fworne as liegemen to our state:
Once fince that time ambitious weedes haue fprung
To staine the beauty of our garden plot :
But heauens in our conduct rooting thence
The falfe intruders, breakers of worlds peace,
Haue to our ioy, made funne-shine chase the storme.
After the which, to trie your conftancie,
That now I fee is worthy of your names,
We crau'd once more your helps for to inueft vs
Into the right that enuy fought to wracke.
Once was I not depofde, your former choice;
Now twice beene crowned and applauded king?
Your cheered action to inftall me fo,
Infers affured witneffe of your loues,
And binds me ouer in a kingly care
To render loue with loue, rewards of worth
To ballance downe requitall to the full.
But thankes the while, thankes lordings to you all :
Aske me and vfe me, trie me and finde me yours.
Effex. A boone my lord, at vantage of your words
We afke to guerdon all our loyalties.
Pemb. We take the time your highneffe bids vs afke:
Please it you grant, you make your promife good,
With lesser loffe than one fuperfluous haire
That not remembred falleth from your head.
John. My word is past, receiue your boone my lords, What may it be? afke it, and it is yours.
Eff. We craue my lord, to please the commons with The libertie of lady Conftance fonne :
Whose durance darkeneth your highnesse right,
As if you kept him prisoner, to the end
Your felfe were doubtfull of the thing you haue.
Difmiffe him thence, your highneffe needs not feare,
Twice by confent you are proclaim'd our king.
Pemb. This if you grant, were all vnto your good:
For fimple people muse you keepe him close.
Ioh. Your words haue searcht the center of my thoghts, Confirming warrant of your loyalties,
Difmiffe your counfell, fway my ftate,
Let John doe nothing, but by your confents.
Why how now Philip, what extafie is this?
Why cafts thou vp thy eyes to heauen fo?
There the fiue moones appeare.
Baft. See, fee my lord, ftrange apparitions,
Glancing mine eie to fce the diadem
Plac'd by the bishops on your highneffe head,
From forth a gloomie cloud, which curtaine-like
Difplaid it felfe, I fuddainely efpied
Fiue moones reflecting, as you fee them now:
Euen in the moment that the crowne was plac'd
Gan they appeare, holding the course you fee.
Ioh. What might portend thefe apparitions,
Vnvfuall fignes, forerunners of euent,
Prefagers of ftrange terrors to the world:
Beleeue me lords, the obiect feares me much.
Philip thou told me of a wizard but of late,
Fetch in the man to defcant of this show.
Pemb. The heauens frowne vpon the finfull earth,
When with prodigious vnaccustom'd fignes
They spot their fuperficies with fuch wonder.
Effex. Before the ruines of Ierufalem,
Such meteors were the enfignes of his wrath,
That hast'ned to destroy the faultfull townę.
Enter the Baftard with the prophet.
Iohn. Is this the man?
Baft. It is my lord.
Ichn. Prophet of Pomfret, for fo I heare thou art,
That calculat'ft of many things to come:
Who by a power repleat with heauenly gift,
Canft blab the counfell of thy makers will.
If fame be true, or truth be wrong'd by thee,
Decide in cyphering, what these fiue moones
Portend this clime, if they prefage at all.
Breath out thy gift, and if I liue to fee
Thy diuination take a true effect,
lle honour thee aboue all earthly men.
Pet. The skie wherein these moones haue residence, Prefenteth Rome the great metropolis,
Where fits the Pope in all his holy pompe.
Foure of the moones prefent foure prouinces,
To wit, Spaine, Denmarke, Germanie, and France,
That beare the yoke of proud commanding Rome,
And stand in feare to tempt the prelates curfe.
The smallest moone that whirles about the rest,
Impatient of the place he holds with them,
Doth figure forth this ifland Albion,
Who gins to fcorne the sea and feat of Rome,
And feekes to fhunne the edicts of the pope :
This fhowes the heauen, and this I doe auerre
Is figured in the apparitions.
Ioh. Why then it feemes the heauens fmile on vs,
Giuing applause for leauing of the pope.
But for they chance in our meridian,
Doe they effect no priuate growing ill
To be inflicted on vs in this clime?
Pet. The moones effect no more than what I said:
But on fome other knowledge that I haue
By my prescience, ere afcenfion day
Haue brought the funne vnto his vfuall height,
Of crowne, estate, and royall dignity,
Thou shalt be cleane difpoyl'd and difpoffeft.
Ioh. Falfe dreamer, perifh with thy witched newes,
Villaine thou woundst me with thy fallacies:
If it be true, die for thy tidings price;
If falfe, for fearing me with vain fuppose:
Hence with the witch, hels damned fecretarie.
Locke him vp fure: for by my faith I sweare,
True or not true, the wizard fhall not liue.
Before afcenfion day: who should be cause hereof?
Cut off the cause, and then the effect will die.
Tut, tut, my mercie ferues to maime my felfe,
The roote doth liue, from whence these thornes fpring vp,
I and my promife paft for his deliu'rie:
Frowne friends, faile faith, the diuell goe withall,
The brat fhall die, that terrifies me thus.
Pembrooke and Effex, I recall my graunt,
I will not buy your fauours with my feare:
Nay murmure not, my will is lawe enough,
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