Page 152 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

The interruption of their churlish drums
Cuts off more circumstance: they are at hand,
To parley or to fight; therefore prepare.

KING PHILIP
How much unlook’d for is this expedition!

AUSTRIA
By how much unexpected, by so much [80]

We must awake endeavour for defence,
For courage mounteth with occasion:
Let them be welcome then; we are prepar’d.

Enter King John, Eleanor, Blanche, the Bastard, Lords, and Forces.

KING JOHN
Peace be to France, if France in peace permit

Our just and lineal entrance to our own; [85]
If not, bleed France, and peace ascend to heaven,
Whiles we, God’s wrathful agent, do correct
Their proud contempt that beats His peace to heaven.

KING PHILIP

Peace be to England, if that war return
From France to England, there to live in peace. [90]
England we love; and for that England’s sake
With burden of our armour here we sweat.
This toil of ours should be a work of thine;

But thou from loving England art so far,
That thou hast underwrought his lawful king, [95]
Cut off the sequence of posterity,

Outfaced infant state, and done a rape
Upon the maiden virtue of the crown.
Look here upon thy brother Geoffrey’s face;
These eyes, these brows, were moulded out of his: [100]
This little abstract doth contain that large

Which died in Geoffrey: and the hand of time
Shall draw this brief into as huge a volume.