Page 197 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

No scope of nature, no distemper’d day,
No common wind, no customed event, [155]
But they will pluck away his natural cause
And call them meteors, prodigies and signs,

Abortives, presages, and tongues of heaven,
Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John.

LEWIS
Maybe he will not touch young Arthur’s life, [160]
But hold himself safe in his prisonment.

PANDULPH
O, sir, when he shall hear of your approach,

If that young Arthur be not gone already,
Even at that news he dies; and then the hearts
Of all his people shall revolt from him, [165]
And kiss the lips of unacquainted change,

And pick strong matter of revolt and wrath
Out of the bloody fingers’ ends of John.
Methinks I see this hurly all on foot:
And, O, what better matter breeds for you [170]

Than I have nam’d! The bastard Faulconbridge
Is now in England ransacking the church,
Offending charity: if but a dozen French
Were there in arms, they would be as a call

To train ten thousand English to their side, [175]
Or as a little snow, tumbled about,
Anon becomes a mountain. O noble Dolphin,
Go with me to the king: ’tis wonderful

What may be wrought out of their discontent,
Now that their souls are topful of offence. [180]
For England go; I will whet on the king.

LEWIS
Strong reasons makes strange actions. Let us go:
If you say ay, the king will not say no.

[Exeunt.]