If Heav'n be pleas'd that you must use me ill, So much as frown on you. Hub. I've fworn to do it; And with hot irons must I burn them out. * Arth. Oh! if an angel fhould have come to me, And told me, Hubert fhould put out mine eyes, I would not have believ'd a tongue 'bate † Hubert. Hub. Come forth; do as I bid you. [Stamps, and the men enter, Arth. O fave me, Hubert, fave me! my eyes are out, Ev'n with the fierce looks of these bloody men. Hub. Give me the iron, I fay, and bind him here. Arth. Alas! what need you be fo boist'rous-rough? I will not ftruggle, I will stand stone-still. For Heav'n's fake, Hubert, let me not be bound. I will not ftir, nor wince, nor speak a word, Thruft but these men away, and I'll forgive you, Hub. Go, ftand within; let me alone with him. [Exeunt. Arth. Alas, I then have chid away my friend; Hub. Come, boy, prepare yourself. Arth. Is there no remedy? Hub. None, but to lose your eyes. burn them out. Arth. Ah, none but in this iron age would do it. The iron of itself, though heat red-hot, Approaching near thefe eyes, would drink my tears, And quench its fiery indignation. Even in the matter of mine innocence; Nay, after that, confume away in rust. But for containing fire to harm mine eye. Are you more fubborn-hard than hammer'd iron? Oh! if an angel, &c. i. e. abate or difparage. Arth. Arth. O Heav'n! that there were but a moth in your's, A grain, a duft, a gnat, a wand'ring hair, Any annoyance in that precious fenfe Then, feeling what fmall things are boift'rous there, Your vile intent must needs feem horrible. Hub. Is this your promife? go to, hold your * tongue. [bert: Arth. Let me not hold my tongue; let me not, Hu Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue, So I may keep mine eyes. O fpare mine eyes! Though to no use, but still to look on you. Lo, by my troth, the inftrument is cold, And would not harm me. Hub. I can heat it, boy. Arth. No, in good footh, the fire is dead with grief, Being create for comfort, to be us'd In undeferv'd extremes: fee else yourself, The breath of Heav'n hath blown its fpirit out, Hub. But with my breath I can revive it, boy. + Arth. All things that you should use to do me wrong Deny their office; only you do lack That mercy which fierce fire and iron extend, Hub. Well, fee to live; I will not touch thine eye, For all the treasure that thine uncle owns: Yet am I fworn; and I did purpose, boy, Arth. O, now you look like Hubert. All this while You were difguifed. Ath. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues I can revive it, boy. Arth. And if you do, you will but make it blush, VOL. III. U u Your Your uncle must not know but you are dead. Arth. O Heav'n! I thank you, Hubert. Hub. Silence, no more; go closely in with me. Much danger do I undergo for thee. [Exeunt. Enter King John, Pembroke, Salisbury, and other Lords. K. John. Here once again we fit, once again crown'd, And look'd upon, I hope, with chearful eyes. Pemb. This once again, but that your Highness pleas'd, Was once fuperfluous. You were crown'd before, Sal. Therefore to be poffefs'd with double pomp, To guard a title that was rich before; "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, "To throw a perfume on the violet, "To fmooth the ice, or add another hue "Unto the rain-bow, or with taper-light "To feek the beauteous eye of heav'n to garnish," Is wafteful and ridiculous excess. Pemb. But that your Royal pleasure must be done, This act is as an ancient tale new told, And in the laft repeating troublesome ; Being urged at a time unfeasonable. Sal." In this the antique and well-noted face "Of plain old form is much disfigured; "And, like a fhifted wind unto a fail, "It makes the courfe of thoughts to fetch about; t; "Startles and frights confideration; "Makes found opinion fick, and truth fufpected, "For putting on fo new a fashion'd robe.” Pemb. Pemb. When workmen strive to do better than well, Doth make the fault the worse by the excufe: Than did the flaw before it was fo patch'd. Sal. To this effect, before you were new-crown'd, We breath'd our counfel; but it pleas'd your Highness To overbear it; and we're all well pleas'd; Since all and every part of what we would, Must make a stand at what your Highness will. K. John. Some reasons of this double coronation That you have bid us afk his liberty; i. e. coveting to reach a higher excellence. Enter Hubert. K. John. Let it be fo; I do commit his youth To your direction. Hubert, what news with you? [The King goes afide with Hubert. Pemb. This is the man fhould do the bloody deed: He fhew'd his warrant to a friend of mine. The image of a wicked heinous fault Does fhew the mood of a much-troubled breaft. What we fo fear'd he had a charge to do. Sal. The colour of the King doth come and go, Like heralds 'twixt two dreadful battles fent: Pemb. And when it breaks, I fear, will isfue thence The foul corruption of a fweet child's death. K. John. We cannot hold Mortality's ftrong hand. Good Lords, although my will to give is living, The fuit which you demand is gone, and dead. He tells us, Arthur is deceas'd to-night. Sal. Indeed we fear'd his ficknefs was paft cure, Pemb. Indeed we heard how near his death he was, Before the child himself felt he was fick. This must be anfwer'd either here or hence. K. John. Why do you bend fuch folemn brows on me? Think you I bear the fhears of destiny? Have I commandment on the pulse of life? Pemb. Stay yet, Lord Salisbury, I'll go with thee, That blood which own'd the breadth of all this ifle, K. John. They burn in indignation; I repent. There |