Enter King John, King Philip, Lewis, Blanch, Elinor, the Bastard, Austria, and Attendants.
K. Phi. 'Tis true, fair daughter; and this blessed day
Ever in France shall be kept festival:[268]75
To solemnize this day the glorious sun
Stays in his course and plays the alchemist,
Turning with splendour of his precious eye
The meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold:80
The yearly course that brings this day about
Shall never see it but a holiday.[269]
Const. A wicked day, and not a holy day! [Rising.[270]
What hath this day deserved? what hath it done,
That it in golden letters should be set85
Among the high tides in the calendar?
Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,
This day of shame, oppression, perjury.
Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child
Pray that their burthens may not fall this day,90
Lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd:
But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;[271]
No bargains break that are not this day made:
This day, all things begun come to ill end,
Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change![272]95
K. Phi. By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause
To curse the fair proceedings of this day:
Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty?
Const. You have beguiled me with a counterfeit
Resembling majesty, which, being touch'd and tried,[273]100
Proves valueless: you are forsworn, forsworn;
You came in arms to spill mine enemies' blood,[274]
But now in arms you strengthen it with yours:
The grappling vigour and rough frown of war
Is cold in amity and painted peace,[275]105
And our oppression hath made up this league.[276]
Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjured kings![277]
A widow cries; be husband to me, heavens![278]
Let not the hours of this ungodly day
Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset,[279]110
Set armed discord 'twixt these perjured kings!
Hear me, O, hear me!
Aust. Lady Constance, peace!
Const. War! war! no peace! peace is to me a war.
O Lymoges! O Austria! thou dost shame
That bloody spoil: thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward!115
Thou little valiant, great in villany!
Thou ever strong upon the stronger side!
Thou Fortune's champion that dost never fight
But when her humorous ladyship is by
To teach thee safety! thou art perjured too,120
And soothest up greatness. What a fool art thou.
A ramping fool, to brag and stamp and swear[280]
Upon my party! Thou cold-blooded slave,
Hast thou not spoke like thunder on my side,
Been sworn my soldier, bidding me depend125
Upon thy stars, thy fortune and thy strength,
And dost thou now fall over to my foes?
Thou wear a lion's hide! doff it for shame,
And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs.[281]
Aust. O, that a man should speak those words to me![282]130
Bast. And hang a calf's-skin on those recreant limbs.[283]
Aust. Thou darest not say so, villain, for thy life.