The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 4 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 4 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Lew._ A noble temper dost thou show in this; 40
And great affections wrestling in thy bosom[584]
Doth make an earthquake of nobility.[585]
O, what a noble combat hast thou fought[586]
Between compulsion and a brave respect![587]
Let me wipe off this honourable dew, 45
That silverly doth progress on thy cheeks:
My heart hath melted at a lady's tears,
Being an ordinary inundation;
But this effusion of such manly drops,
This shower, blown up by tempest of the soul, 50
Startles mine eyes, and makes me more amazed
Than had I seen the vaulty top of heaven
Figured quite o'er with burning meteors.
Lift up thy brow, renowned Salisbury,
And with a great heart heave away this storm: 55
Commend these waters to those baby eyes[588]
That never saw the giant world enraged;
Nor met with fortune other than at feasts,
Full of warm blood, of mirth, of gossiping.[589]
Come, come; for thou shalt thrust thy hand as deep 60
Into the purse of rich prosperity
As Lewis himself: so, nobles, shall you all,
That knit your sinews to the strength of mine.
And even there, methinks, an angel spake:
_Enter_ PANDULPH.[590]
Look, where the holy legate comes apace, 65
To give us warrant from the hand of heaven,
And on our actions set the name of right
With holy breath.
_Pand._ Hail, noble prince of France![591]
The next is this, King John hath reconciled
Himself to Rome; his spirit is come in, 70
That so stood out against the holy church,
The great metropolis and see of Rome:
Therefore thy threatening colours now wind up;
And tame the savage spirit of wild war,
That, like a lion foster'd up at hand, 75
It may lie gently at the foot of peace,
And be no further harmful than in show.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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