K. John.
Peace be to France, if France in peace permit
Our just and lineal entrance to our own:
If not, bleed France, and peace ascend to heav'n!
Whilst we, God's wrathful agent, do correct
Their proud contempt that beats his peace to heav'n.

K. Philip.
Peace be to England, if that war return
From France to England, there to live in peace.
England we love, and for that England's sake
With burthen of our armour here we sweat;
This toil of ours should be a work of thine.
But thou from loving England art so far,
That thou hast under-wrought its lawful King,
Cut off the sequence of posterity,
Out-faced infant state, and done a rape
Upon the maiden-virtue of the crown.
Look here upon thy brother Geffrey's face,

These eyes, these brows, were moulded out of his;
This little abstract doth contain that large
Which dy'd in Geffrey; and the hand of time
Shall draw this brief into as large a volume.
That Geffrey was thy elder brother born,
And this his son; England was Geffrey's right,
And this is Geffrey's; in the name of God
How comes it then that thou art call'd a King,
When living blood doth in these temples beat,
Which own the crown that thou o'er-masterest?

K. John.
From whom hast thou this great commission, France,
To draw my answer to thy articles?

K. Phil.
From that supernal judge that stirs good thoughts
In any breast of strong authority,
To look into the blots and stains of right.
That judge hath made me guardian to this boy;
Under whose warrant I impeach thy wrong,
And by whose help I mean to chastise it.* ^note

Lewis.
King John, this is the very sum of all;
England, and Ireland, Angiers, Touraine, Main,
In right of Arthur do I claim of thee:
Wilt thou resign them, and lay down thy arms?

K. John.
My life as soon, I do defie thee, France.
Arthur of Britain, yield thee to my hand,
And out of my dear love I'll give thee more,
Than e'er the coward-hand of France can win.* ^note

K. Phil.
Some trumpet summon hither to the walls
These men of Angiers; let us hear them speak,
Whose title they admit, Arthur's or John's. [Trumpet sounds.

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