_Pand._ How green you are and fresh in this old world! 145 John lays you plots; the times conspire with you;[393] For he that steeps his safety in true blood Shall find but bloody safety and untrue. This act so evilly born shall cool the hearts[394] Of all his people and freeze up their zeal, 150 That none so small advantage shall step forth[395] To check his reign, but they will cherish it;[396] No natural exhalation in the sky, No scope of nature, no distemper'd day,[397] No common wind, no customed event, 155 But they will pluck away his natural cause[398] And call them meteors, prodigies and signs, Abortives, presages and tongues of heaven,[399] Plainly denouncing vengeance upon John. _Lew._ May be he will not touch young Arthur's life, 160 But hold himself safe in his prisonment. _Pand._ O, sir, when he shall hear of your approach, If that young Arthur be not gone already, Even at that news he dies; and then the hearts[400] Of all his people shall revolt from him 165 And kiss the lips of unacquainted change And pick strong matter of revolt and wrath Out of the bloody fingers' ends of John. Methinks I see this hurly all on foot: And, O, what better matter breeds for you[401] 170 Than I have named! The bastard Faulconbridge Is now in England, ransacking the church, Offending charity: if but a dozen French[402] Were there in arms, they would be as a call To train ten thousand English to their side, 175 Or as a little snow, tumbled about,[403] Anon becomes a mountain. O noble Dauphin,[404] Go with me to the king: 'tis wonderful What may be wrought out of their discontent,[405] Now that their souls are topful of offence.[405] 180 For England go: I will whet on the king. _Lew._ Strong reasons make strong actions: let us go:[406] If you say ay, the king will not say no. [_Exeunt._ FOOTNOTES: [248] ACT III. SCENE I.] Pope (ed. 2). Actus Secundus. Ff. ACT II. SCENE I. Rowe. SCENE VII. Pope (ed. 1). The French....] Theobald. [249] _I trust_] _I think_ Pope. [250] _Believe ... man_] Omitted in Pope. [251] _jest, ... spirits_] Rowe. _jest ... spirits,_ Ff. [252] _cannot_] _can't_ Pope. [253] _signs_] _sighs_ Warburton. [254] _you think_] _you'll think_ Keightley conj. [255] _marry_] _wed_ Pope. _Blanch!_] _Blanch?_ Ff. [256] _England,_] Ff. _England!_ Rowe (ed. 2). [257] _This ... it_] Put in the margin, as spurious, by Pope. [258] _madam_] _mother_ Pope. [259] _and sightless_] _unsightly_ Collier MS. [260] _She adulterates_] Capell. _Sh' adulterates_ Ff. _Adulterates_ Pope. [261] _King John_] to _John_ Pope. [262] _those_] _these_ F₄. [263] _sorrows_] _sorrow_ Rowe (ed. 2).