Lords, Citizens of Angiers, Sheriff, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Executioners, Messengers and other Attendants.
SCENE: Sometimes in England, and sometimes in France.
ACT I
SCENE I. Northampton. A Room of State in the Palace.
Enter King John, Queen Eleanor, Pembroke, Essex, Salisbury and others with Chatillion.
KING JOHN.
Now, say, Chatillion, what would France with us?
CHATILLION.
Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France
In my behaviour to the majesty,
The borrow’d majesty, of England here.
QUEEN ELEANOR.
A strange beginning: “borrow’d majesty”!
KING JOHN.
Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.
CHATILLION.
Philip of France, in right and true behalf
Of thy deceased brother Geoffrey’s son,
Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim
To this fair island and the territories,
To Ireland, Poitiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,
Desiring thee to lay aside the sword
Which sways usurpingly these several titles,
And put the same into young Arthur’s hand,
Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.