KING JOHN. Now, say, Chatillon, what would France with us?

        CHATILLON. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France

          In my behaviour to the majesty,

          The borrowed majesty, of England here.

        ELINOR. A strange beginning- 'borrowed majesty'!

        KING JOHN. Silence, good mother; hear the embassy.

        CHATILLON. Philip of France, in right and true behalf

          Of thy deceased brother Geffrey's son,

          Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim

          To this fair island and the territories,

          To Ireland, Poictiers, Anjou, Touraine, Maine,

          Desiring thee to lay aside the sword

          Which sways usurpingly these several titles,

          And put the same into young Arthur's hand,

          Thy nephew and right royal sovereign.

        KING JOHN. What follows if we disallow of this?

        CHATILLON. The proud control of fierce and bloody war,

          To enforce these rights so forcibly withheld.

        KING JOHN. Here have we war for war, and blood for blood,

          Controlment for controlment- so answer France.

        CHATILLON. Then take my king's defiance from my mouth-

          The farthest limit of my embassy.

        KING JOHN. Bear mine to him, and so depart in peace;

          Be thou as lightning in the eyes of France;

          For ere thou canst report I will be there,

          The thunder of my cannon shall be heard.

          So hence! Be thou the trumpet of our wrath

          And sullen presage of your own decay.

          An honourable conduct let him have-

          Pembroke, look to 't. Farewell, Chatillon.

        ELINOR. What now, my son! Have I not ever said

          How that ambitious Constance would not cease

          Till she had kindled France and all the world

          Upon the right and party of her son?

          This might have been prevented and made whole

          With very easy arguments of love,

          Which now the manage of two kingdoms must

          With fearful bloody issue arbitrate.

        KING JOHN. Our strong possession and our right for us!

        ELINOR. Your strong possession much more than your right,

          Or else it must go wrong with you and me;

          So much my conscience whispers in your ear,

          Which none but heaven and you and I shall hear.

        ESSEX. My liege, here is the strangest controversy

          Come from the country to be judg'd by you

          That e'er I heard. Shall I produce the men?

        KING JOHN. Let them approach. Exit

      SHERIFF

          Our abbeys and our priories shall pay

          This expedition's charge.

          What men are you?

        BASTARD. Your faithful subject I, a gentleman

          Born in Northamptonshire, and eldest son,

          As I suppose, to Robert Faulconbridge-

          A soldier by the honour-giving hand

          Of Coeur-de-lion knighted in the field.

        KING JOHN. What art thou?

        ROBERT. The son and heir to that same Faulconbridge.

        KING JOHN. Is that the elder, and art thou the heir?

          You came not of one mother then, it seems.

        BASTARD. Most certain of one mother, mighty king-

          That is well known- and, as I think, one father;

          But for the certain knowledge of that truth

          I put you o'er to heaven and to my mother.

          Of that I doubt, as all men's children may.

        ELINOR. Out on thee, rude man! Thou dost shame thy mother,

          And wound her honour with this diffidence.

        BASTARD. I, madam? No, I have no reason for it-

          That is my brother's plea, and none of mine;

          The which if he can prove, 'a pops me out

          At least from fair five hundred pound a year.

          Heaven guard my mother's honour and my land!

        KING JOHN. A good blunt fellow. Why, being younger born,

          Doth he lay claim to thine inheritance?

        BASTARD. I know not why, except to get the land.

          But once he slander'd me with bastardy;

          But whe'er I be as true begot or no,

          That still I lay upon my mother's head;

          But that I am as well begot, my liege-

          Fair fall the bones that took the pains for me! -

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