K. John.
So shall it be; your grace shall stay behind, [To Elinor.
So strongly guarded.—Cousin, look not sad: [To Arthur.
Thy grandam loves thee; and thy uncle will
As dear be to thee as thy father was.

Arth.
O, this will make my mother die with grief.

K. John,
Cousin, [To the Bastard.] away for England; haste before:
And, ere our coming, see thou shake the bags
Of hoarding abbots; angels imprisoned
Set thou at liberty^{1 note}: the fat ribs of peace
Must by the hungry now be fed upon^{2 note}

Use our commission in his utmost force.

Bast.
Bell, book, and candle^{3 note}

(If ever I remember to be holy,)
For your fair safety; so I kiss your hand.

Eli.
Farewell, my gentle cousin.

K. John.
Coz, farewell. [Exit Bastard.

Eli.
Come hither, little kinsman; hark, a word. [She takes Arthur aside.

K. John.
Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,
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.
Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,—
But I will fit it with some better time^{4 note}

Hub.
I am much bounden to your majesty.

K. 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, for 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,
Attended with the pleasures of the world,
Is all too wanton, and too full of gawds^{5 note}

To give me audience:—If the midnight bell
Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
Sound one into the drowsy race of night^{6 note}

And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs;
Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,

Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, thick;
(Which, else, runs tickling up and down the veins,
Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes,
And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,
A passion hateful to my purposes;)
Or if that thou could'st see me without eyes,
Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
Without a tongue, using conceit alone^{7 note}

,
Without eyes, ears, and harmful sound of words;
Then, in despite of brooded^{8 note}

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 lov'st me well.

Hub.
So well, that what you bid me undertake,
Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
By heaven, I'd do't.

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

Hub.
And I will keep him so,
That he shall not offend your majesty.

K. John.
Death.

Hub.
My lord?

K. John.
A grave.

Hub.
He shall not live.

K. John.
Enough.
I could be merry now: Hubert, I love thee;
Well, I'll not say what I intend for thee:
Remember^{9 note}.—Madam, fare you well:
I'll send those powers o'er to your majesty.

Eli.
My blessing go with thee!

K. John.
For England, cousin^{1 note}