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King John

William Shakespeare

When France demands John surrender his throne to his nephew Arthur, a succession crisis erupts into war.

"King John" by William Shakespeare is a history play. When France demands John surrender his throne to his nephew Arthur, a succession crisis erupts into war.

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Enter King John, Queen Eleanor, Pembroke, Essex, Salisbury and others with Chatillion.

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

CHATILLION. Thus, after greeting, speaks the King of France In my behaviour to the majesty, The borrow’d majesty, of England here.

QUEEN ELEANOR. A strange beginning: “borrow’d majesty”!

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

CHATILLION. Philip of France, in right and true behalf Of thy deceased brother Geoffrey’s son, Arthur Plantagenet, lays most lawful claim To this fair island and the territories, To Ireland, Poitiers, 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?

CHATILLION. 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.

CHATILLION. 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, Chatillion.

Contents

  1. 01Act I
  2. 02Scene I. Northampton. A Room of State in the Palace.
  3. 03Act II
  4. 04Scene I. France. Before the walls of Angiers.
  5. 05Act III
  6. 06Scene I. France. The French King’s tent.
  7. 07Scene II. The same. Plains near Angiers
  8. 08Scene III. The same.
  9. 09Scene IV. The same. The French King’s tent.
  10. 10Act IV
  11. 11Scene I. Northampton. A Room in the Castle.
  12. 12Scene II. The same. A Room of State in the Palace.
  13. 13Scene III. The same. Before the castle.
  14. 14Act V
  15. 15Scene I. Northampton. A Room in the Palace.
  16. 16Scene II. Near Saint Edmundsbury. The French Camp.
  17. 17Scene III. The same. The Field of Battle.
  18. 18Scene IV. The same. Another part of the same.
  19. 19Scene V. The same. The French camp.
  20. 20Scene VI. An open place in the neighborhood of Swinstead Abbey.
  21. 21Scene VII. The orchard of Swinstead Abbey.

About this edition

Author
William Shakespeare
Era
Early modern (c. 1500–1800)
Reading level
Introductory: no background needed
Formats
EPUB, PDF
Length
126 pages
This edition
Modern Philosophers