Act III, Scene 3

The same.

[Alarums, excursions, retreat. Enter KING JOHN,] [p]QUEEN ELINOR, ARTHUR, the BASTARD, HUBERT, [p]and Lords]

• King John. [To QUEEN ELINOR] So shall it be; your grace shall
  stay behind
  So strongly guarded.
  [To ARTHUR]
  Cousin, look not sad: 1300
  Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will
  As dear be to thee as thy father was.

• Arthur. O, this will make my mother die with grief!

• King John. [To the BASTARD] Cousin, away for England!
  haste before: 1305
  And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags
  Of hoarding abbots; imprisoned angels
  Set at liberty: the fat ribs of peace
  Must by the hungry now be fed upon:
  Use our commission in his utmost force. 1310

• Philip the Bastard. Bell, book, and candle shall not drive me back,
  When gold and silver becks me to come on.
  I leave your highness. Grandam, I will pray,
  If ever I remember to be holy,
  For your fair safety; so, I kiss your hand. 1315

• Queen Elinor. Farewell, gentle cousin.

• King John. Coz, farewell.

[Exit the BASTARD]

• Queen Elinor. Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word.

• King John. Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert, 1320
  We owe thee much! within this wall of flesh
  There is a soul counts thee her creditor
  And with advantage means to pay thy love:
  And my good friend, thy voluntary oath
  Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished. 1325
  Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,
  But I will fit it with some better time.
  By heaven, Hubert, I am almost ashamed
  To say what good respect I have of thee.

• Hubert de Burgh. I am much bounden to your majesty. 1330

• King John. Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet,
  But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow,
  Yet it shall come from me to do thee good.
  I had a thing to say, but let it go:
  The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day, 1335
  Attended with the pleasures of the world,
  Is all too wanton and too full of gawds
  To give me audience: if the midnight bell
  Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
  Sound on into the drowsy race of night; 1340
  If this same were a churchyard where we stand,
  And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs,
  Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,
  Had baked thy blood and made it heavy-thick,Which else runs tickling up and down the veins,
  Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes 1345
  And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,
  A passion hateful to my purposes,
  Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,
  Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
  Without a tongue, using conceit alone, 1350
  Without eyes, ears and harmful sound of words;
  Then, in despite of brooded watchful day,
  I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts:
  But, ah, I will not! yet I love thee well;
  And, by my troth, I think thou lovest me well. 1355

• Hubert de Burgh. So well, that what you bid me undertake,
  Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
  By heaven, I would do it.

• King John. Do not I know thou wouldst?
  Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye 1360
  On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,
  He is a very serpent in my way;
  And whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread,
  He lies before me: dost thou understand me?
  Thou art his keeper. 1365

• Hubert de Burgh. And I'll keep him so,
  That he shall not offend your majesty.

• King John. Death.

• Hubert de Burgh. My lord?

• King John. A grave. 1370

• Hubert de Burgh. He shall not live.

• King John. Enough.
  I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee;
  Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee:
  Remember. Madam, fare you well: 1375
  I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.

• Queen Elinor. My blessing go with thee!

• King John. For England, cousin, go:
  Hubert shall be your man, attend on you
  With all true duty. On toward Calais, ho! 1380

[Exeunt]