Page 179 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

KING PHILIP

Brother of England, you blaspheme in this.

KING JOHN
Though you and all the kings of Christendom
Are led so grossly by this meddling priest,
Dreading the curse that money may buy out;

And by the merit of vild gold, dross, dust, [165]
Purchase corrupted pardon of a man,
Who in that sale sells pardon from himself;
Though you and all the rest so grossly led

This juggling witchcraft with revenue cherish,
Yet I alone, alone do me oppose [170]
Against the pope, and count his friends my foes.

PANDULPH
Then, by the lawful power that I have,

Thou shalt stand curs’d and excommunicate:
And blessed shall he be that doth revolt
From his allegiance to an heretic; [175]
And meritorious shall that hand be call’d,
Canonized and worshipp’d as a saint,

That takes away by any secret course
Thy hateful life.

CONSTANCE
O, lawful let it be
That I have room with Rome to curse awhile! [180]

Good father cardinal, cry thou amen
To my keen curses; for without my wrong
There is no tongue hath power to curse him right.

PANDULPH
There’s law and warrant, lady, for my curse.

CONSTANCE
And for mine too: when law can do no right [185]

Let it be lawful that law bar no wrong!